Purchasing and Reimbursement
PURCHASING AND REIMBURSEMENT PROCEDURES
Purchase Order Process
Please make every effort to purchase items through a vendor that accepts purchase orders. All orders must be pre-approved by the building principal and central office on a requisition form.
- The staff member generates the requisition form and gives it to the bookkeeper. You must use the Requisition Revised 8/23/22.
- The bookkeeper assigns the correct budget account number and requests the principal’s approval/signature.
- If approved, the bookkeeper will forward the requisition to the purchasing coordinator at central office. If purchasing with grant funds, approval is required by the grant administrator. If purchasing technology, approval is required by the Director of Technology. After all approvals have been completed, it is presented to the Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations for consideration.
- If approved, a purchase order will be generated at central office.
- Orders for merchandise will be placed by central office.
- The bookkeeper will receive a copy of the purchase order once the merchandise has been ordered by central office.
When supplies arrive and are inventoried, please notify the bookkeeper immediately if there are any discrepancies in the order. Invoices cannot be paid until the staff member confirms receipt of the merchandise ordered by signing and returning the packing slips to the bookkeeper. If no packing slips are received, please verify by e-mail and reference the PO number.
Corporate Credit Cards
Corporate credit cards are available at central office to make purchases. A requisition form must be completed and approved prior to credit card usage. After approval has been granted and a purchase order is generated, the credit card must be signed out and returned to central office. Contact Cindy Nicole at extension 10019 to make arrangements to pick up credit cards (8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.). Please personally return credit cards to central office the same or next business day. The original receipt needs to be given to your building bookkeeper or other designated person. You are personally responsible for purchases incurred during the time it is checked out by you.
Following is a list of corporate credit cards stored at central office:
- Hobby Lobby
- Kroger
- Tractor Supply Company
- Walmart
All staff members are encouraged to utilize these cards versus personal reimbursement.
Personal Reimbursement
Purchases should be made through the purchase order process (described above) or company credit cards (listed above) whenever possible. Under rare circumstances, purchases may be reimbursed to a staff member for school corporation related purchases, if pre-approval occurs as stated below.
Requests for personal reimbursement must be submitted on a requisition form and approved by the building principal. Itemized receipts should have the form of payment. Credit card receipts should have the four digit card number. If paid with a check, a canceled check copy is required. If the four digit card number is not on the receipt, a credit card statement must be attached to the requisition form. Amounts listed without receipts will NOT be reimbursed. Requisitions with attached original receipts must be submitted to central office within ninety (90) days of purchase.
Westfield Washington Schools is Indiana State Sales Tax Exempt on purchases of supplies, equipment, books, etc. If you purchase items from which we are sales tax exempt, you will not receive reimbursement for sales tax paid on these items.
We are required to pay sales tax on travel-related expenditures (i.e., meals, hotels, car rental, airline tickets, etc.). Meals during work related travel at establishments commensurate in price with chain eateries or their equivalents in the region (e.g. Olive Garden, Outback Steakhouse, etc.) will be reimbursed ONLY with accompanying original itemized receipts, NOT JUST THE CHARGE RECEIPT.
All meal receipts should have written on the back who ate, what event you were at, and whether the meal was for breakfast, lunch or dinner. Meals during work related travel will be reimbursed up to the following amounts per person per day: breakfast $20.00, lunch $25.00 and dinner $35.00 (snacks will not be reimbursed). The amount includes taxes and tip. If meals are offered as part of the conference, you will not be eligible for reimbursement for that meal on that day.
The tip must be included on the receipt to receive payment. Alcoholic beverages will not be reimbursed. Please have alcoholic beverage purchases placed on a separate check for personal pay. The Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations may approve any overage of the above amounts for payment.
Mileage Reimbursement
Mileage reimbursement for approved professional development conference and intra-district travel is reimbursed at the Internal Revenue Service approved rate. The 2024 IRS mileage reimbursement rate is 67.0 cents per mile effective 1/2024. Use the mileage reimbursement form titled Mileage Claim Form 2024-1/2024. Mileage should be claimed from your work address and be either actual beginning and ending odometer readings OR map information (MapQuest, Google Maps, etc.) with the correct mileage claimed attached to the mileage claim form OR board approved mileage (Intra-District Mileage). This is required by the State Board of Accounts to verify miles for which reimbursement is sought. Mileage reimbursement requests must be submitted to central office within ninety (90) days of date of travel.
Vendor Payment Schedule
According to IC 5-17-5-1(3): The political subdivision pays the claim within thirty-five (35) days following the first regularly scheduled meeting of the body or board that is held at least ten (10) days after the body or board receives the claim.
The Westfield Washington Schools’ Board of School Trustees usually meets on the second Tuesday of each month to approve payment of claims.
The board has approved the following items for payment prior to their meetings and recording such on the claim docket for approval at the regular meeting:
- Obligated personnel, tax, insurance and retirement payments
- Contract invoices
- Credit card and other invoices that would incur a finance charge
- Utilities
- Invoices with discounts offered for early payment
- Previously board-approved purchases
- Postage
- Other invoices approved by the Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations
Business Office Personnel – At Your Service
We are fully aware that we work in service to this organization’s core business of teaching and learning. Please do not hesitate to call on us for assistance with purchasing, vendor pay, or any other budget related matters.
Brian Tomamichel, Assistant Superintendent for Business and Operations
(317) 867-8000 x10013
Marsha Bohannon, Controller
(317) 867-8000 x10013
Karen Cross, Deputy Treasurer
(317) 867-8000 x10023
Cindy Nicole, Accounts Payable and Special Projects
(317) 867-8000 x10019
Stacy Luedke, Accounts Receivable Coordinator
(317) 867-8000 x10063
Kyra Nicole, Grants Specialist
(317) 867-8000 x10070
Trisha Sweet, Accounts Payable
(317) 867-8000 x10068
Suany Mariona Miranda, District Community Liaison
(317) 867-8000 x10004
Natalia Brown, District Community Liaison
(317) 867-8000 x10002
Business and Finance Mission Statement: The mission of the Business Department is to provide solid business practices to maximize learning opportunities through responsible management of fiscal resources.