Montgomery County School Board Scrutinized Over Use of Government-Issued Credit Cards

Board panel recommends prohibiting taxpayer-funded hotel stays, capping amount that can be spent on food

Scrutiny over how some members of a Maryland school board are using their government-issued credit cards is growing, and board leaders are considering sweeping changes because of it.

The News4 I-Team spent the past week reviewing 1,500 pages of credit card receipts, taxpayer-funded expenses from the past few years by top administrators and members of the Montgomery County Public Schools Board of Education – part-time board members who earn about $18,500 per year. The I-Team found thousands of dollars in meal expenses -- more than 130 meals paid for by taxpayers.

There is no rule capping the amount board members can spend on food for themselves or for breakfast and lunch "meetings."

Board member Rebecca Smondrowski expensed a series of lunch meetings, including a meal, without booze, at the Wine Harvest wine bar in Gaithersburg, the Greene Turtle sports bar and almost a dozen Starbucks trips.

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