Superintendent, school board top over $68,000 in refunds

By J. NOEL ESPINOZA
Special to the NEWS

At a public hearing Sept. 8, it was revealed the San Benito Consolidated Independent School District Board of Trustees and Superintendent of Schools Dr. Nate Carman claimed over $68,074 in reimbursement expenses during a 10-month period.

The description of reimbursements includes meals, lodging, transportation, motor fuel, and other expenditures which can include registration fees, telephone/cell phone, internet service and fax machine among others not defined.

According to the description of reimbursements received by the superintendent and board members between Sept. 1, 2017, and June 30, 2018, the top spenders are Dr. Carman who received $17,594.92 and SBCISD Board of Trustees President Michael Vargas, who received $12,346.04 in refunds.

The next two board members who spent the most are M. L. Garcia ($9,905.70) and Angel Mendez (9,171.03). They are followed by Victor Eloy Rosas ($6,427.35), Orlando Lopez, ($3,869.69), Janie Silva ($2,715), and Sonia Weaver ($2,395.91).

The list also includes two other individuals: Joe G. Gonzalez, who received $2,909.35, and Ana Cruz, who claimed $740.00 in reimbursements.

School District officials said all “reimbursement” expenses, regardless of the manner of payment, include direct pay, credit card, cash, and purchase orders that are to be reported.

Meals can include all meals consumed out of town and in-district meals at area restaurants. Outside of board meetings, the reimbursement excludes catered board meeting meals.

Transportation lists airfare and car rentals and can include fuel on rentals, taxis, mileage reimbursements, leased cars, parking, and tolls.

Lodging includes hotel charges and gasoline for motor fuel.

The release of the figures was during a public hearing where school officials discussed the district’s “superior achievement” rating on the state’s financial accountability system.

The News contacted SBCISD Public Relations Director Isabel Gonzalez on Wednesday via email to find out when the next report will be released and whether there are any expenditures by the superintendent and board members for the months of July and August.

Permanent link to this article: https://www.sbnewspaper.com/2019/10/17/superintendent-school-board-top-over-68000-in-refunds/

7 comments

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    • Former RGV LEO! on October 27, 2019 at 8:06 pm
    • Reply

    Wow! Talk about milking the system as an elected official? What I don’t see in this so-called investigative article is these so-called elected officials have provided “PROOF,” in the form of receipts for every single dollar?

    SBCISD is starting to look like BISD, puro con artists!

      • Ouch it Hurts on October 28, 2019 at 8:56 am
      • Reply

      Con Artist is RIGHT. ATTENTION BOARD MEMBERS THRU OUT THE VALLEY.
      PLEASE DONT USE YOUR POSITION AS
      SECONDARY INCOME.

    • Rafael on October 19, 2019 at 4:46 pm
    • Reply

    If you guys want your kids to go to the best school district in Texas come on over to Harlingen we welcome San Benito’s best citizens to come on over and live here. We have the number one voted School District in the whole state of Texas this year.

      • Martin V on October 20, 2019 at 9:42 pm
      • Reply

      Lol.. love your sarcasm.. but yep I’m sure ppl already know Harlingen is much much better than San Benito overall. .. too bad alot of folks don’t want change ..don’t want their kids to succeed.. still vote in relatives of relatives….bozos, crooks and brownnosers.. into office.. in school and town elections.

        • Grehound Spirit Never Dies on October 22, 2019 at 11:44 am
        • Reply

        Hey Martin, you have that in Harlingen too. Matter a fact, in almost EVERY school district. Many of us will bleed
        PURPLE AND GOLD FOREVA!

    • Native on October 17, 2019 at 10:10 pm
    • Reply

    ”Watch Dogs RGV” needs everyone’s support to drain the swamp of our San Benito CISD & city town community you can find them on FB. Everything you see or hear let them know they will speak and bring to light any and all that is being brushed under the carpet!

    • Time For Change on October 17, 2019 at 5:44 pm
    • Reply

    WTF.. these MoFos are really F@$#ing Up the district… And Citizens are letting them get away with it. .. This is truly factual evidence and PROOF that this whole clan starting with the Super…is bunch of Scamming Thieves.

    I HOPE THEY HAVE EVERY SINGLE PIECE OF EACH RECEIPT SIGNED by each of them..TO COVER THOSE Big DOLLAR AMOUNTS FROM ALL OF THEM! BOOKKEEPER /ACOUNTANTS check them All!.

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