On July 23, 2015 I asked here whether you though Knox County Schools was slow walking a request seeking the travel expenditure/reimbursements of School Boarder Karen Carson. Carson is currently opposing Jason Zachary for the Special Election of State House of Representatives District 14, to replace and fulfill the term of Former State Representative Ryan Haynes.
This past Friday, I sent the request to Knox County Finance Department. Yesterday, I received an email that the gentleman in finance was out of work. But they would work to get the information back to July 1, 2010 (due to a newer finance software system) Today, at 3:47 p.m. I received the information.
Let’s start most current and work our ways back to November 2010.
March 20-23, 2015 (Nashville, TN) – $1,147.97; $172.50 in car transportation, 3 nights in a hotel $823.47, $60.00 in parking, $92.00 in meals. The Conference fee was pre-paid and not part of the $1,147.97
February 9-11, 2015 $965.46 (Orlando, FL) Studer Group Conference Carson was reimbursed for a plane ticket from New Orleans, LA to Orlando, FL (through Atlanta, GA) and then Orlando, FL to Knoxville, TN (through Atlanta, GA)
Two emails attached are interesting, on January 8, 2015 Carson sent an email to the School Board Secretary that said “This is the conference I’m going to. I’ll try to talk to Laurens tomorrow.” I wonder if Laurens is Laurens Tullock and why he needed to be consulted? On January 16, 2015 Carson said “I would like to go to this conference. Can you please schedule? I will be in New Orleans February 6-9 so I will need to fly from NO. Let’s see what they can find for a flight from New Orleans on the morning of monday February 9 to Orlando with a return flight on Wednesday Feb 11 from Orlando to Knoxville. If this creates any budget concerns please let me know and we’ll see what I can work out.” It appears that Carson handled her ticket and was reimbursed. There were two nights lodging at Cornoda Springs Resort in Disney World. Two lunch meals were provided and she was reimbursed for $142.00 for 7 meals.
November 15-17, 2014 (Nashville, TN) $509.00 2 nights lodging for $391.00 (it says that hotel is reimbursing where they charged for tax) 5 meals for $118.00 2 meals were provided by the conference. The Conference fee was likely paid by the school district and is not disclosed on this reimbursement.
April 4-9, 2014 (New Orleans, LA) $249.00 AirTravel cost $589, $559 and $30 to World Travel paid by the Knox County Schools. The lodging was apparently pre-paid by Knox County School credit card. Meals were reimbursed at $249.00 (per deim is $46 a day, 3 days of meals were reimbursed at $71 and 1 day at $36.
November 9-11, 2013 (Nashville, TN) $241.86 Car Transportation $189.86 2 meals combined for $52.00 The lodging and conference fee was pre-paid by the school district and not disclosed on the reimbursement form.
August 20-23, 2013 (Nashville, TN) $254.00 SCORE Leadership Summit 2013, the lodging and conference fee were likely pre-paid by the school district, as it is not on this reimbursement form. Car Transportation $190.00 and 2 dinners at $32 each.
April 12-16, 2013 (San Diego, CA) $1,316.20 Air Travel pre-paid through World Travel not part of the reimbursement. Lodging was reimbursed $941.20, 5 days of meals at $71 a day. The per deim is $39 a day. Parking was reimbursed for $20
February 20-21, 2013 (Nashville, TN) $189.15 Car Transportation No Meals, No Lodging listed.
November 4-6, 2012 (Nashville, TN) $186.50 Car Transportation, 5 meals at $97.00 Lodging was pre-paid by the Knox County School System.
July 23-26, 2012 (Biloxi, MS) $605.00 Car Transportation should have been paid $618.27 based on miles listed but the math was not accurate and it was reimbursed at $500.00 7 meals combined at $105.00 The Lodging and Conference fees were apparently pre-paid by the school district as they are not on the reimbursement.
November 13-15, 2011 (Nashville, TN) $593.46 Car Transportation $194.25, 6 meals for a combined reimbursement of $113.00 Lodging was reimbursed at $286.21 and there is a note that the lodging “Paid to Bd Credit Card” (see form below) if that’s the case the lodging may have been paid twice, (I will leave that up to auditors)
February 21-22, 2011 (Nashville, TN) $332.94 Car Transportation $153.00, Hotel Lodging $158.09, Parking $21.85 The Conference fee was likely pre-paid by the school system.
November 14-16, 2010 (Nashville, TN) $672.02 Car Transportation $167.50 2 nights lodging $384.44, 6 meals combined to reimburse $108.00 2 days parking $48.08 The Conference fee was likely pre-paid by the school district.
According to the Summary sheet from Knox County Finance since July 2010, there are 13 invoices paid to School Boarder Karen Carson for $7,359.56 (again hotel lodging, air travel and conference fees are mostly but not always pre-paid by Knox County Schools, those are not recorded here)
What is amazing to me is how she had time to get to all these conferences and never responded to our requests to meet over the cost of schools and how to save taxpayers money in that venue. Maybe we should have asked to meet at Magic World?