Jim Thorpe Area School District will start using a Visa procurement card for purchases.

Board members who criticized credit card use by former administrators are in support of the district using the new card.

On Monday, the board voted 4-3 with two members absent to approve the second reading and adoption of a policy for its Easy Procure purchasing card.

“Purchase orders just don’t do it in 2020. Having this card is needed, and we’ll certainly follow this policy to the letter,” said Superintendent John Rushefski.

The board voted to activate the card in July, but agreed to put a policy in place before they use it.

The Easy Procure card is marketed as being similar to a credit card, but with additional internal controls designed for school districts.

The board’s policy states that the card will be used to “improve the efficiency of purchasing, reduce processing expenses, improve controls for small-dollar purchases, and streamline vendor payment.”

Business manager Ken Marx said in July that the card will be used for online purchases, as well as recurring bills including bond payments.

“There’s potential we could save a lot of money using the purchasing card but I agree we need a good policy in place to do that,” Marx said.

The use of the card is supervised by the superintendent and business manager, and the school board will approve expenses monthly.

The policy says that the card cannot be used for personal expenses.

The Easy Procure card was created by a group of organizations including the Pennsylvania School Boards Association, and the Pennsylvania School Business Officials Association.

Cindy Lesisko-Henning, Scott Pompa, TJ Garritano and Jerry Strubinger voted in favor of the policy. Raniero Marciante, Pearl Sheckler and Dennis McGinley voted against. Glenn Confer and Paul Montemuro were absent.

Previous card

The district spent more than $30,000 auditing its old credit card, which it closed in September 2018, after Lesisko-Henning and Montemuro questioned why it was used for meals and travel for board members. They were then elected to the school board in November 2019.

The audit, which did not determine any wrongdoing, confirmed that the card was used to pay for $7,942 worth of meals for board members, as well as plane tickets for school board conventions, and that the district’s former business manager received $951.65 in rewards points over 10 years.

The former business manager, Lauren Kovac, responded that she spent the money received on rewards for district expenses. She resigned last November.

In other business, the school board voted to:

• Accept the retirement of Penn Kidder Assistant Principal Randy Engle, effective Dec. 24.

• Hire Cristy Clemson as an elementary school teacher at a salary of $54,425; and Amanda Butch as a long-term elementary substitute at a salary of $46,675.

• Apply to the Department of Education to use up to five flexible instructional days in case of inclement weather. Flexible instruction days would count toward the 180 day school year, with all students participating in remote learning.