AP 512: Expense Disclosure
Business & Finance
The Superintendent shall utilize financial responsibility and sound logic to ensure effective stewardship of funds in the performance of Division business. All business expenses incurred shall be reasonable, appropriate and able to withstand the scrutiny of auditors or members of the general public.
Definitions
a) Business travel: shall refer to meetings with external parties and associated costs including travel, meals, parking, etc.
b) Corporate Events: shall refer to activities or events, planned in the course of conducting Division business, and may occur in a facility external to the Division when larger capacities need to be accommodated or where alternative facilities are more practical, given the nature of the event, excluding a commercial eating establishment.
c) Professional Development: shall refer to formal courses, conferences, seminars and other professional learning events and associated costs including registration, travel, airfare, accommodations, meals, etc.
d) Professional Membership Dues: shall refer to dues paid to a professional association on behalf of an individual Board member, the Superintendent, or the Secretary-Treasurer.
e) Working sessions: shall refer to any event where a claimant incurs a non-travel meal expense at a commercial eating establishment while in the course of conducting Division business.
Procedures
1. When business expenses are incurred, the appropriate signing authority shall approve the expenses as follows:
1.1. The Board Chair’s expenses will be approved by the Secretary-Treasurer;
1.2. The Board Vice Chair’s and Trustees’ expenses will be approved by the Board Chair;
1.3. The Superintendent’s expenses will be approved by the Secretary-Treasurer; and
1.4. The Secretary-Treasurer’s expenses will be approved by the Superintendent.
2. All business expense receipts shall be retained and include details of the expense (e.g. list of those reportable members attending the meal, reason for business travel, etc.).
3. Business expense claims should be submitted by the end of the month in which the business expense was incurred, and shall be submitted no later than quarterly throughout the school year.
4. On a quarterly basis, business expenses incurred by each Trustee, the Superintendent, and Secretary-Treasurer shall be reported online through the Division’s website in an Expense Summary:
4.1. The Expense Summary shall include:
4.1.1. A summary list of the expenses incurred and/or posted to the Board, Superintendent or Secretary-Treasurer budget during the previous three months;
4.1.2. The category to which the expense will be charged from in a respective budget; and
4.1.3. The net GST amount of the expense (Parkland School Division receives a 68% GST rebate) and a total amount for the corresponding quarter and each category;
4.1.4. A brief description of the expenses.
4.2. Disclosure of business expenses includes expenses related to working sessions, business travel, professional development and professional membership dues; and
4.3. Corporate events do not require disclosure unless they occur at a commercial eating establishment.
5. To minimize administrative costs, the following business expenses will not be allocated to individual Board members or Executive, nor reported on the quarterly summaries posted on the Division's website:
5.1. General overhead costs related to the cost of doing business, such as utilities, office supplies, meeting subsistence, or similar costs;
5.2. Professional membership dues paid on behalf of the entire Division (e.g. ASBA, RMA); and
5.3. Meal costs at large catered events.
