ROGERSVILLE — The Hawkins County Board of Education has approved the use of debit cards for travel expenses by coaches, supervisors and the director of schools.
The BOE discussed the motion at its meeting on Aug. 11.
The motion originally came out of the athletic committee in regard to coaches, but the board also voted on debit card usage for Director of Schools Matt Hixson and approved debit card purchases for supervisors.
The purpose of allowing debit cards is to make travel purchases easier.
“We’ve discussed this not only in the athletic committee meeting, but we discussed it when we were in law school, too,” said District 7 board member Tecky Hicks. “Lots of times when our coaches have situations that they have to take kids to the state or to travel, up ’til now, they’ve kind of had to do that on their own credit. So we need a better way of getting that done.”
There will be procedures and regulations for how the cards are used. For example, someone who wants to use the cards will have to submit a checkout request in writing to the administration or bookkeeper holding the cards.
They will assume all responsibility for each card and submit all purchasing receipts. They also cannot allow students to use them.
District 2 board member and board chairman Chris Christian said he thought it would be a good idea to give Hixson access to a debit card tied to his approved budget.
“What brought this to the forefront for me (was a trip we took),” Christian said. “Because here we are in Gatlinburg going for a summer training, and all these schools’ ... superintendents are coming in, and they’re paying for the rooms for the board members. They’re slapping down Visa Gold cards and everything else, and here comes Matt with a check. He’s like, ‘Here’s a check,’ (and they say) ‘You got any ID there, buddy? We don’t know who you are.’”
Hixson suggested it might be a good idea to let supervisors have access to cards as well.
“My only thought on that if it’s attached to approved funds through the budget, it would make sense for some of our supervisors that also travel (to have access to the cards),” Hixson said. “(It also makes sense for) individuals who have to take coaches’ places, instructional coaches who have to provide training throughout the year, that they would have the same allowance procedurally that the athletic coaches would have through the checkout process, documentation process, that type of thing. I appreciate the vote of confidence for me, but I do think that we do have that need for our supervisors as well.”
The motion passed unanimously for all three entities to have access to the cards. Hixson said he plans to use it to make easier travel reservations.
“When I travel outside the district, we typically will have to call ahead and get a dollar amount, minus the taxes, get a check processed and either mail the check in or submit at time of check-in,” Hixson said. “So, in light of this motion, what I would hope to do is make reservations off this debit card and travel-related expenses.”
