Topeka — State Board of Education member Connie Morris has paid the state back for a trip to Florida, but on Tuesday was unapologetic about initially billing taxpayers for six nights in a $339 per night hotel and other expenses.
"God says to avoid the appearance of wrongdoing. My dad says that if you want to know the character of a man look in his billfold. I prefer to take the higher ground," Morris said in a prepared statement.
Morris, a Republican from St. Francis, reimbursed the state $2,890 for the trip in April to a magnet school conference in Miami.
In addition to the $339 per night at the Fontainebleau Hilton Resort in Miami Beach, she had charged taxpayers for airfare, meals, conference registration, taxis, mileage to the Denver airport, one night at a Denver hotel before the morning of her trip and airport parking.
Morris also said, "No amount of media bullying can take from the good people I serve the vision and knowledge I gained at the conference."
She previously had said she stayed at the resort because that was where the conference was, though there were much less expensive hotels within walking distance.
But more questions arose about the trip.
In preparation for the trip, Morris indicated she would rent a car, according to state records. But she ended up turning in $147 for two cab rides, according to her receipts.
Frank Smith of Harper County, who describes himself as a citizen activist, said he has analyzed Morris' receipts and believes she rented a car.
Smith appeared before the board Tuesday during the public comment part of the board's meeting.
"The board needs to carefully audit receipts of board members," Smith said.
Morris said her husband, who accompanied her on the trip, rented a car to conduct his own business, so she had to take taxis to and from the Fort Lauderdale airport. She said the state paid for none of her husband's expenses.
Earlier Tuesday, a committee of the State Board of Education met to discuss whether changes were needed to the board's travel policy because of public uproar about Morris' trip. Morris is a member of the committee but did not attend the meeting.
Currently board travel is approved by the full board prior to a trip. But the board does not review final expenses and there are no limits on expenses like there are for state employees.
Board member Ken Willard, chairman of the policy committee, said there was no need to change the current policy.
"We are adults and have to be aware we are under scrutiny," said Willard, a Republican from Hutchinson.
Willard added, "Connie feels duly chastised for what happened."
But Carol Rupe, a Republican from Wichita, said Morris "was blaming 'liberals' on the board," for publicity about the trip. "I don't think that's an apology," Rupe said.
Comments
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merrill (anonymous) says…
Sure as the sun comes up in the east Connie Morris is guilty of sin aka lying and fraud. She got caught and had to pay up. Elected officials know the rules. Resignation should be mandatory.
Richard Heckler
usaschools (anonymous) says…
If her husband stayed in her room, then the state paid for some of his expenses. She wanted mileage to the Denver airport! Did her husband drive in the car with her? If so, then the state paid some of his expenses. Did the state pay for the car to be parked in the airport parking lot? Then it paid some of his expenses. Did they drive seperate cars back to the airport? If not, then one could presume he was in the cab with her, and the state paid for some of his expenses (if he DID drive to the airport in a rental car, why didn't Morris save us all some money and ride along?).
While I'm not opposed to magnet schools per se, it is not a huge movement in KS. Why is a member of the State School Board even going to this unnecessary meeting? She seems rather anti-public-education for a board member.
She was wrong, but her apology is insincere. It is all about appearances.
eotw33 (anonymous) says…
ban the board of education
DonnieDarko (anonymous) says…
Oh, the poor Republicans who live in Connie's district. What will they do in the next school board election? On the one hand, you've got a God-fearin' (and conversin') creationist who helped get evolution de-emphasized in Kansas school curriculums. But on the other hand...you've got a free-wheelin' jetsetter wasting THEIR hard-earned tax dollars at fancy-schmancy shindigs in the subtropics. What's a conservative redneck to do?
Oops, never mind. God wins over fiscal responsibility every time. See "Haliburton" for further examples.
Kropotkin (anonymous) says…
Just ran across this old posting while doing some research.
Morris didn't just overcharge the state. She fabricated receipts and fed her husband meal after meal throughout the entire trip. She could have gotten a room for $84 a night, but rented an ocean-view suite instead. Until this John Bircher was exposed, she never admitted that she had her husband and a daughter with her, and only did so grudgingly and mendaciously after the fact.