As pocketbooks tightened in 2007, some local school officials spent taxpayer money on frequent travel and expensive meals, a Times computer-assisted review of school credit card use shows.

The Times analyzed more than 1,450 charges on school district credit cards from 18 Lake and Porter county school districts and an Illinois district. Culled by The Times were statements, receipts and reimbursement forms from districts in which superintendents or school board members used district-sanctioned credit cards.

The review found that of the total $266,468 charged to credit cards in 2007 -- mostly at out-of-town meetings and training -- about 13 percent, or $33,877, went to meals, including pricey dinners of steak and seafood.

At least $37,427 was spent on airline tickets and other transportation costs, including multiple taxi rides and parking.

While some education officials deem as essential the training and peer collaboration that elicited many of these charges, some warn that funds entrusted to leaders should be spent carefully.

"It's important for local school boards to continue to invest in training," said Frank Bush, executive director of the Indiana School Boards Association.

But Clare Kraegel Nuechterlein, leader of the Indiana State Ethics Commission and a Valparaiso University law professor, cautions that taxpayer money spent during training -- such as on out-of-state trips -- should be closely scrutinized.

"When people are in positions of serving the public, they are held to a high standard of behavior to carefully shepherd and spend the public's money," Nuechterlein said.

Costly out-of-towners

Most spending done on official school credit cards came about from training and the travel that came with it.

The Duneland School Corp. expenses totaling almost $22,000 were exclusively for conference trips, including a board retreat attended by 30 people.

According to its credit and reimbursement forms, the Gary Community School Corp. charged the most, at almost $57,500, between May 2007 and May 2008.

Among the bills were a $70 meal at a San Francisco steakhouse charged by Gary School Board member Jesse Morris and $20 at a Hawaiian souvenir shop by former School Board member Andrea Ledbetter.

Ledbetter did not return a call seeking comment. Morris defended his charge, claiming it included food for him and another School Board member.

"A lot of people think that we travel too much," Morris said. "But that's a farce."

Gary Superintendent Mary Steele-Agee charged numerous items for a total of $15,814 in 2007, including two $50 tours of New York City.

Gary school officials did not respond to repeated requests for more information on some bills, including those from Steele-Agee.

Neighboring Lake Station tallied the second-highest bills -- charges of more than $28,000 -- $9,819 of which was spent at the National School Boards Convention in April for six district officials to attend.

One meal during the San Francisco trip ran an average of about $70 a person for six participants, blowing the district's $40 daily allowance per person in one sitting. The total cost of that meal was $416.37.

Lake Station Superintendent Dan DeHaven defended the district's meals by saying his board takes one national conference trip per year and that "San Francisco has some of the highest meal prices in the country."

"Since we do not know the areas, we tend to go to restaurants that are recommended or are advertised in the hotel literature," DeHaven said. "These tend to be better restaurants with higher prices."

But even small towns such French Lick, Ind., can provide a chance for expensive eating, local schools' credit card records show.

In July 2007, officials from Lake Ridge Schools, based in Calumet Township, ordered four $42 filets and a $45 rib-eye at the hotel restaurant hosting a school board conference.

At the same conference that month, the School City of Hammond dropped more than $250 on a meal for five people, including $27 for one order of swordfish and $29 per order of rib-eye steak.

Hammond Superintendent Walter Watkins said when officials leave town, "We expect people to use good judgment and common sense."

Thornton Fractional Township High School District 215 charged $3,953 in 2007.

Julie Venem, secretary to Superintendent Creg E. Williams, said the district rarely uses credit cards, except for hotel, flights and other travel expenses.

Local charges

Not all taxpayer-funded meals took place on white tablecloths.

Last year, Crown Point Superintendent Teresa Eineman racked up almost $643 in charges on regular trips to the Crown Point Schoop's, sometimes charging up to nine visits a month at the hamburger shop.

Eineman said the frequent trips were scheduled sessions with various administrators.

"We never charge personal items to credit cards," she said.

School Board President Scott Angel defended the charges, saying he meets with Eineman every Monday for a breakfast discussion of the week's happenings.

"I'm not too worried about $642," Angel said.

Hammond officials spent a total of $1,350 at local restaurants in 2007, an average of $67 in charges per visit by administrators. Superintendent Watkins deemed those visits business meetings.

"You have to realize the size of my district," Watkins said. "My administrators are extremely busy people, as am I. That is really the only quality time and uninterrupted time where we can catch up."

Administrators in the East Porter County School Corp. racked up about $1,200 total on monthly visits averaging $34 each visit to spots including Subway and Dunkin' Donuts for meeting-related meals.

The food fueled board members who had not eaten before attending meetings, East Porter County Superintendent Rod Gardin said. When meetings take East Porter administrators or teachers out of town, they're asked to limit meals to $10 each.

"They're all very good stewards of the money that we've been able to have," Gardin said. "We do need to have some money for professional development."