Glenview Officials Fail To Document Credit Card Purchases: Report

GLENVIEW, IL — Glenview administrators have regularly violated village policy by failing to properly document credit card purchases of food and alcohol, a Pioneer Press investigation has found. Staff members are required to write down who attends taxpayer-financed meals purchased with village credit cards, but administrators almost always failed to follow the policy, according to the Glenview Announcements.

Village officials made more $500,000 in credit card purchases over a three year period reviewed by Pioneer Press. Staff would oftentimes just list "training", "meeting" or just the name of the restaurant in the description on credit card payment forms.

Fewer than 10 of 382 restaurant charges during the period included proper documentation of who attended the meal and the reason for the purchase, as required by the village's procurement policy, Pioneer Press reported.

Four of the village's 14 credit cards were cancelled after the paper began investigating its practices, but the village spokesperson assured that there was no discipline taken against any employees. Instead, staff said a review determined the village no longer needed to have so many cards.

Although alcoholic beverages are listed as "not reimbursable" in the village's travel and training reimbursement policy, Pioneer Press found alcohol had been purchased with village cards on multiple occasions.

Village President Jim Patterson told the paper he did not see the credit card policy as a priority. He said he believed all expenses were within reason and saw no evidence of anything egregious.

Read more from Pioneer Press »