ALBUQUERQUE, NM (KRQE) – Albuquerque Public Schools are toughening rules to stop waste, fraud, and misuse of APS resources. It comes after former administrator Sheryl Williams Stapleton was caught allegedly stealing millions of dollars from the district. The APS Board of Education unanimously approved the new procurement guideline this week and hopes that going forward, anyone who handles APS funds knows there are rules to be followed.
Rep. Sheryl Williams Stapleton reporting / story goes below
Rennette Apodaca is APS’s Executive Director of Procurement. “This gave us the opportunity to put it all together so that it was now documented, remembered, and approved by the board,” Apodaca said.
In a meeting this week, the APS board unanimously passed new rules for procurement. “We wanted to make sure that all of our employees, salespeople, and anyone involved in purchasing really knew that all of these practices really apply to all of us,” said Tami Coleman, APS’s chief financial officer.
This all comes after former APS employee and state lawmaker Sheryl Williams Stapleton is accused of overseeing a company called Robotics, which has paid more than $ 5 million from APS over the years. However, investigators say his software never actually worked. Authorities say nearly $ 1 million from the contract went to Stapleton companies and charities. “Yes, there were loopholes, there were mistakes that we should have recognized, but the most important thing is developing the guidelines, training and practice,” said Barbara Petersen, who is a member of the APS Policy and Instruction Committee.
APS says it hadn’t previously had an official procurement policy, but it followed state and federal guidelines. “APS had a decent procurement department. The problem is that management did not fully support their independent oversight and so other very powerful and influential people at APS were able to outbid and basically circumvent the law, ”said New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas.
The APS employees involved in the procurement process must now adhere to a new code of conduct and ensure its implementation in a competitive, impartial and transparent manner. “Really, it is mostly up to the procurement office to really do the internal controls we need to make sure we are following good processes and treating taxpayers’ money with the utmost respect that they deserve,” said Coleman.
According to the guideline, APS employees are prohibited from participating in the procurement process if their family members have something to gain financially from the contract. Several APS employees have been given leave of absence as part of the internal investigation into the Stapleton case. A preliminary hearing for Stapleton is planned for December next year.
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