COLUMBIANA CO. Computer system considered

The new system will standardize many accounts.
By NORMAN LEIGH
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- A new computerized bookkeeping system being considered by Columbiana County Auditor Nancy Milliken will simplify the tracking of travel costs and other county government expenses.
Milliken has been mulling the project for months, she said, long before recent Vindicator stories exposed questionable travel practices among some county departments.
New equipment and software is likely to be installed by the end of this summer, Milliken said.
The project will mark "a whole revamp of our bookkeeping system," Milliken said. "We'll be able to take a closer look at things."
It's unclear right now what the cost will be. Preliminary estimates put it somewhere between about $50,000 and less than $100,000. Money to pay for it would come from the county's general fund.
Current system
The bookkeeping system now used by the county auditor's office is outdated, having been installed about 1983. Its design and capabilities makes it difficult to monitor spending, including costs for travel, supplies and salaries. Developing detailed financial reports also is taxing, Milliken said.
For example, travel expenses like reimbursements for meals, lodging, mileage and conference fees are frequently logged under a variety of account numbers, making it a challenge to pinpoint just how much a particular department is spending on trips.
The new system will standardize many accounts, rendering spending snapshots easier to produce.
"We'll be able to look things up quicker," Milliken said. "It will be better accounting."
A key element of the conversion will be training departments on which accounts to use for certain expenditures, Milliken said.
"We're going to urge every department to follow the system," she added.
A closer look
Though the eventual introduction of new bookkeeping equipment and policies will improve oversight, Milliken already has begun using her employees to more closely scrutinize travel.
Earlier this year, she reorganized her three-person bookkeeping staff and assigned one person the part-time task of examining travel-related expenses.
Milliken also has directed every department to submit to her a copy of its travel policy.
The reorganization and directive came as The Vindicator undertook a three-month probe into county travel and expenditures practices.
The newspaper learned that county officials have charged the public for business trips to tourist destinations, stays in premium hotels and resorts, meals unsupported with itemized receipts and overnight stays in Columbus for one-day events.
A review of county-issued credit card statements submitted by the county health department showed that Robert Morehead, health commissioner, used the Visa in 2003 and early this year to charge hundreds of dollars for personal items.
They included novels, golf accessories and Christmas gifts. Morehead has insisted he later paid for the purchases.
County Prosecutor Robert Herron has ordered a criminal probe into Morehead's actions. The state auditor's office is undertaking an audit.
leigh@vindy.com