Police investigating Shakopee superintendent's district credit card use
SHAKOPEE, Minn. (KMSP) - A TV and Macbook computer were among the items taken from Shakopee superintendent Rod Thompson last week, as police executed search warrants at both his home and office.
Court documents filed in Scott County provided details into a criminal investigation into Thompson’s use of his district credit card.
The search warrant affidavit alleges Thompson made several personal purchases on a district credit card, including a 42” TV and airfare to Nashville, Tennessee.
In a phone conversation with police, Thompson says he wrote a $3,500 reimbursement check for the purchases, calling many of them “unintentional.”
Police also interviewed several district staff, including Assistant Superintendent John Bezek. When asked about procedures for purchases and reimbursement, Bezek said it is “odd to do it in reverse” meaning an employee reimbursing the district as opposed to the district reimbursing an employee. He continued saying , “something doesn’t smell right.”
Upset taxpayers who showed up to Monday’s Shakopee School Board meeting were hoping to hear the board address the investigation.
The board did go into a closed door session for more than two hours, but when they returned, board chairperson Scott Swanson read this statement:
“The school board was able to come together and have a discussion related to charges or allegations involving an employee. Although state law prohibits us from providing any specific information at this time, this should not be interpreted as any indication as to what further action the school board may or may not take.”
Those in attendance at tonight’s meeting said they were “furious” with the lack of acknowledgement.
“They blew right over it,” said one parent. “Well we did want the acknowledgement, absolutely. And we didn’t get the acknowledgement. We got, again, avoidance.”
Absent from the meeting was Thompson himself. A spokesperson for Shakopee Public Schools declined to say why he was not present.