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School leader repays $2,800 in district card purchases

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November 18th, 2015 by Ric Hanson

LAWTON, Iowa (AP) – A northwest Iowa school district is facing scrutiny after an administrator purchased thousands of dollars’ worth of food and alcohol, and reimbursed staff members without receipts. The Des Moines Register reports it made an inquiry into nearly $300 Superintendent Jeff Thelander charged to the Lawton-Bronson School District credit card for a meal for several teachers, a medical researcher and his friends at a Sioux City steakhouse.

Thelander said the meal was a “thank you” for the researcher’s participation in a school event. After the inquiry, Thelander repaid the school district for $2,800 for reimbursed food and alcohol purchases for which he had no receipts. The superintendent said he had lost many of his receipts for purchases made with the district card. According to district expenses, administrators would also often purchase lunches as a thank you for staff members.