Overcharging, favoritism alleged in Jefferson Parish schools copier contract

By Barri Bronston, The Times-Picayune

March 12, 2010, 5:50PM

A controversy involving photocopy machines in Jefferson Parish schools has School Board members accusing vendors of cheating the public out of hundreds of thousands of dollars and some vendors saying board members are unfairly excluding them from the school market.

"The school system is getting fleeced by these copy people," board member Mark Morgan said, referring to what school officials estimate is more than $600,000 in copy machine overcharges over the past five years.

Vendors took offense, saying they are doing nothing wrong and that the board's decision in November to name Bell Office Machines of Metairie as the school system's sole copy machine vendor excludes them from competing for business.

"You didn't give us an opportunity; we are a legitimate company," said Tracey Mutz, sales manager of Unicopy, which supplied copy machines to Catherine Strehle Elementary School in Avondale until the board decided to go with Bell.

Ray. St. PierreThe board named Bell as its sole vendor after board member Ray St. Pierre -- a friend of Bell owner John Poole -- complained of overcharges stemming from a practice that let individual principals sign their own contracts for copy machine leases. Instead of principals working out their own deals, the new policy requires all schools to work through Bell Office Machines, which already supplies copy machines to the Jefferson school system's central office and is on the state copy machine vendor contract, which means it has been approved as a low bidder.

The controversy came to a head at Thursday's School Board meeting, where St. Pierre acknowledged his relationship with Poole and said the two have played golf together at Timberlane Country Club since 2004 when St. Pierre joined the Gretna club.

But he denied charges that his proposal for a sole vendor was politically motivated. Referring to an e-mail he said was sent by an unnamed vendor to every board member but him, he said, "My character has been attacked as to some type of insider dealing. ... No one is paying for me to play golf at Timberlane or any other place."

St. Pierre said it wasn't until last year that he learned of Poole's connection to the school system, knowledge about copy machine vendors and dealings with principals.

"My interest was stirred by what he began to tell me, and I became very knowledgeable," St. Pierre said. "And it didn't take me long to figure out that education money was being taken from the kids right at the school sites."

St. Pierre said three schools in his district -- Ella C. Pittman Elementary in Harvey and Miller Wall Elementary and Ruppel Academy for Advanced Studies in Marrero -- were overcharged almost $20,000, and in the case of Wall, 60 percent over what is allowed under state contract.

"There is not a single contract out there that has been signed properly," St. Pierre said.

Board attorney Michael Fanning said no principal is authorized to sign a contract, yet "they've been doing it for years." He said he plans to look into each contract to determine the extent of overcharging and whether any "fraud" was involved.

Morgan defended St. Pierre, saying he is pleased the issue has come to the forefront: "It's absolutely unbelievable that Mr. St. Pierre exposes this type of fleecing and is accused of engaging in political behavior for his own golf game."

But some board members said they want to ensure that other legitimate businesses are being treated fairly.

"I thought we would be served by more than one vendor," board member Cedric Floyd said. "I intend to revisit and learn about this and make sure that we are getting the best deal."