Heath Morrison reimbursed CMS more than $3,000 for consulting trips

A year into his tenure as superintendent, Heath Morrison reimbursed Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools more than $3,000 for personal travel paid for with the district’s credit card.

Records provided by CMS detail eight consulting trips Morrison took between October 2012 and July 2013 where plane tickets, hotel rooms or taxi rides ended up charged to the school system. Morrison repaid the district at the beginning of November 2013.

Chief Financial Officer Sheila Shirley said the issue was discovered by Morrison and his new assistant in October 2013 during a review of travel expenses.

The situation was brought to public light two months ago by Morrison’s former assistant Debi Baker, who raised concerns about the travel to CMS general counsel George Battle III. The claims about travel and expense never made it into Battle’s report, which detailed allegations that Morrison bullied staff members and misled the school board.

That report ultimately led to Morrison submitting his resignation. Battle has said he did not include anything in his report he could not verify.

Baker also provided numerous anecdotes about Morrison’s behavior, saying she was regularly reduced to tears at work.

The credit card charges were made while Baker was working as Morrison’s assistant. She was moved to another position last May.

The Observer reviewed Morrison’s expense reports from his second year as superintendent last month. The review found no major problems. The only charge that appeared to be unconnected to official business was a $40 cab ride in Chicago.

Morrison told the Observer last month that he was “meticulous” with his expense reports. He said Tuesday that when he took over as superintendent, Baker asked to handle expense reporting. Morrison said he agreed.

When his new assistant was hired, Morrison said a review of his travel found “inadvertent errors.”

Shirley said Morrison regularly received credit card statements. She said the process calls for the superintendent’s assistant to review charges and attach receipts. The superintendent then signs off on it.

“The district is still working to determine why this did not work,” Shirley said in an email. “The district is also reviewing this process.”

She also said there is no indication there are any other improper charges in Morrison’s reports, beyond the $40 cab ride the Observer reported.

While superintendent, Morrison regularly worked as a consultant for several prominent education-related firms, primarily the SUPES Academy and the Education Research and Development Institute. The SUPES Academy trains aspiring school leaders, while ERDI puts companies that develop educational products in touch with educators.

Morrison last month described his consulting work as “limited.”

The expenses in question from Morrison’s first year include trips to Baltimore, Chicago, Atlanta, Tucson, Ariz.; and Columbus, Ohio.

In November 2013, Morrison wrote a check from his consulting company, Inspired Leadership LLC, for $3,667.06 to cover airfare, hotel and taxi rides on seven trips related to events with the consulting groups.

Morrison also paid the district back for a hotel room in California for what appears to be a personal trip in July 2013, according to Morrison’s calendar. Morrison wrote a personal check totaling $158.40.

This story was originally published December 16, 2014 at 4:13 PM with the headline "Heath Morrison reimbursed CMS more than $3,000 for consulting trips."