COLUMBIANA CO. Health audit shows findings for recovery

The health board said the audit was political.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- A state audit of the Columbiana County Board of Health calls for repayment of more than $6,313, and a second planned audit will look for a pattern of wrongdoing.
The audit released today by Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery covered only 2003.
The second, so-called "special" audit will look at whatever years or expenses the state auditors choose to examine in depth. The state auditor's office has issued findings for recovery against the health department in the past.
The audit was sparked by a series in The Vindicator earlier this year that focused on travel and other expenses by county officials, including Health Commissioner Robert Morehead's spending on books, meals and golf items.
Some 93 percent of the findings in the audit were against Morehead, who makes $78,904 a year.
Morehead has repaid $1,259 of the findings against him as of Oct. 8.
"Our audit uncovered a pattern of sloppy record keeping, unsubstantiated expenses, and outdated policies that have allowed public funds to be inappropriately used for illegitimate purposes," Montgomery said.
"Given the lax oversight on travel reimbursements and credit card use that we confirm in today's report, I am initiating a special audit to continue examining past years and to determine if more money needs to be paid back to the district," Montgomery said. "This special audit will also help us determine the feasibility of pursuing any potential criminal charges."
Board's statement
The health board, which had a chance to review the audit before its public release, issued a statement Wednesday night protesting some of the findings. The statement did not address the findings against Morehead.
The board told state examiners the audit was political, said Joe Case, Montgomery's spokesman.
"We call our insistence on adequate oversight good government," Case said. "We think taxpayers would agree."
The audit also had findings for recovery against health board members Matt Borza and Dr. Jack Amato and department environmental director Mark Nichol.
The audit said that going to a conference in Columbus one day early was unnecessary.
They went Sunday, May 11, 2003, although the conference began the following night and ended the next day.
Montgomery said there was no public purpose in going to the conference a day early.
Extra night
The health board statement said Morehead, Borza, Amato and Nichol used Sunday night and early Monday to discuss the regionalization of the county's sanitation between themselves and other health officials.
The statement said Amato and Borza "chose to sacrifice not only Sunday evening with their families, but also working at their respective businesses to donate their time on Sunday and Monday" [to work on the plan].
The statement said each has repaid $155.11 for the extra night. The audit, however, assessed $223.88 against Morehead, $168.85 against Nichol, and $155.11 each against Borza and Amato.
The board statement said Montgomery's decision would discourage people from serving on health boards in the state.
Case said, "It would only impact a health board if it is not fulfilling its oversight role. To my knowledge, we have no other health boards on our radar at this time."
Policy manual
The health board hadn't updated its policy manual since 1984, Case said.
"Policy manuals should be referred to frequently, often updated, and adhered to at all times," Case said.
The board should have been approving expenses in advance as required, he said.
County officials have said they lack enough staff to review travel and other expenses in depth.
But Case said many counties are able to do so.
Montgomery's Web site regularly provides information on good policies and practices, Case said.
County officials fear the audit could damage their efforts to pass a 1 percent sales tax in November as a continuous tax.
The audit report will be sent to county Prosecutor Robert Herron. Montgomery's office has offered to provide prosecutorial assistance.
Herron declined to comment on the audit, saying he had not seen it.
After The Vindicator series, Morehead paid the county auditor's office $718.
Case said he did not know what happened to that payment. Morehead has not returned Vindicator calls.
wilkinson@vindy.com