The Warren County School District has a case of "credit card creep."

During the past year, the district has charged more than $475,000 in expenses to the 42 credit cards issued throughout the district.

While there are no known instances of credit cards being misused, members of the school board's Finance Committee said at their Tuesday meeting that they want more control over the situation.

Finance Director Petter Turnquist told the committee that the district recently trimmed the number of credit cards issued from more than 60 to 42 and the ceiling on annual credit card expenses to $212,000.

"We had limits that were double what they are now," said Turnquist, "but we cut back."

Board member Donna Zariczny questioned whether the use of credit cards is not circumventing board approval of major expenses.

Board president Dr. Jack Martin said, "I can see using credit cards on a limited basis," but most expenditures should go through the normal purchase order procedure.

Superintendent Dr. Robert Terrill said he has not seen such widespread use of credit cards in other school districts and when he questioned other central office personnel about the practice he was told "some materials need to be ordered quickly."

Terrill said some school officials are frustrated by how long the purchase order process takes because in some cases it may take take six months to have a purchase order approved.

While he recognizes that credit cards are needed for travel and for some purchases of supplies and materials, Terrill said, "I don't see a lot of use for credit cards. It should be limited use."

Terrill suggested having a few credit cards available at the central office for situations when they are needed.

Board member Katherine Oudinot asked, "Has any employee ever misused a credit card?"

Turnquist said, "No, not that I'm aware of."

Terrill said a state auditor looked at the practice "and said everything is in order," but suggested that credit cards bills should be scrutinized more carefully.

Turnquist said that the credit card charges are reviewed by administrators and are placed on the list of bills reviewed after-the-fact by the board each month, but there is not a detailed accounting of the charged expenses for board members to examine.

Committee chairman Jeff Lockett said that having administrators review the credit card expenses is placing "undue burden" on the administrators.

On Lockett's suggestion, Turnquist and Terrrill will look at a new procedure for authorizing credit card expenditures and provide the board with more detailed information on exactly what purchases are being made with credit cards.

Zariczny also suggested that the administration should look at ways of shortening the standard purchase order system which requires the business office to review purchases.

In other business, Lockett said he was contacted by Warren County commissioners on Tuesday regarding the Secure Rural Schools and Communities program, which provides the school district with $800,000 in federal revenue from Allegheny National Forest timber receipts.

Lockett said the commissioners want to meet with school district representatives in November to discuss whether the district will take a guaranteed set payment next year or the less reliable 25 percent of actual timber harvest revenues.

Turnquist, who will attend the meeting with commissioners, said the question of which form of payment will benefit the school district the most will require some analysis.