Travel expenses for Lafayette Parish School Board members nearly doubled between the 2014 and 2013 fiscal years.
Travel expenses for Lafayette Parish School Board members nearly doubled between the 2014 and 2013 fiscal years, creating one budget adjustment board members are sure to approve.
For the 2012-13 fiscal year, the board's travel receipts came in at about $17,000.
But with the 2013-14 fiscal year set to wrap up on June 30, the board has more than doubled last year's amount, so far logging in a grand total of $37,044.72.
The board's trips include excursions to conferences in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, Monroe, Washington, D.C., and Destin, Fla., though not all board members attended every trip.
TRAVEL KING: board member Tommy Angelle
Topping the list was board member Tommy Angelle, who racked up $9,951.97 in travel reimbursements. His travels included two trips to New Orleans, two trips to Baton Rouge, one trip to D.C. and a trip to Destin, making him the only board member to attend every available conference offered to board members over the last fiscal year.
Last year, the board had only budgeted itself $17,529 for travel expenses, meaning it will need to approve an adjustment of more than $19,000 to even out the books. For once, this could create a rare situation in which the school board gives the OK for adjusting the budget, while issues like forking over more money to correct the school system's troubled schools - J.W. Faulk Elementary being a prime example - are likely to get snubbed.
Here's a breakdown of who spent what in travel fees over the 2013-14 fiscal year, which comes to an end June 30:
Tommy Angelle - $9,951.97
Hunter Beasley - $5,975.44
Shelton Cobb - $5,956.49
Mark Allen Babineaux - $5,351.24
Rae Trahan - $3,349.37
Kermit Bouillion - $2,756.62
Greg Awbrey - $2,622.87
Mark Cockerham - $619.37
Superintendent Pat Cooper - $461.35
Tehmi Chassion - $0 (Meaning he didn't attend any conferences over the last year. Read more about that here.)