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During the April Board of Trustees meeting, Superintendent Dr. Pauline Hargrove announced that the District had received its fourth “Gold Circle” award, which is given by the Texas Comptroller of Public Accounts for financial transparency on the District’s website. This award is the highest recognition given through the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle Program and LCM CISD has received the commendation each of the four years it has been in awarded.

According to Assistant Superintendent Greg Perry, “It is a common theme these days for wanting transparency in government. There are even bills in the current legislative session that would require more transparency in government. Transparency has been our goal in the LCM Business Office for many years, long before any requirements were being discussed by the legislature. We are stewards of taxpayer funds and strive to do the best job possible in spending those funds wisely and conservatively while meeting the needs of the students in our schools, and we understand and appreciate that taxpayers want to be able to see how those funds are being spent.”

Hollie Fregia, the District Accountant, is the person responsible for keeping the financial portion of the website up to date, on top of her many budgetary responsibilities.

For those interested in details of the District’s finances, Perry says, “Any person can view all of our financial information, including all non-payroll checks, on the district’s website. Additionally, we appreciate the Texas Comptroller’s Office recognizing LCM’s transparency efforts with the top award each year that it has been available and are very proud of this honor.” The web address is www.lcmcisd.org. Then follow the links “Administration/District Departments/Financial Services.”

The Comptroller of Public Accounts launched the Texas Comptroller Leadership Circle program in December 2009 to recognize local governments across Texas that are striving to meet a high standard for financial transparency online.

The Comptroller’s website states, “We are spotlighting those local governments that are:

• · opening their books to the public
• · providing clear, consistent pictures of spending
• · sharing information in a user-friendly format that lets taxpayers easily drill down for more information.

Leadership Circle designees receive a Gold, Silver or Bronze Circle.

According to the Comptroller’s website, “Gold highlights those entities that are setting the bar with their transparency efforts.”

Photo, from left: Assistant Superintendent Greg Perry, Superintendent Dr. Pauline Hargrove, and District Accountant Hollie Fregia.