COLUMBIANA

COLUMBIANA
Health board audit
A recap of findings for recovery made in audit of the Columbiana County Health Department for 2003. The Ohio auditor's office says the remaining portion has not been paid.
Total findings: $6,313.51.
Total findings against Health Commissioner Robert Morehead: $5,834.44. Morehead repaid $1,259.77 of that amount by Oct. 8, 2004.
The findings for recovery against Morehead include:
$716.61 for inappropriate purchases at Barnes & amp; Noble bookstore, such as books about football, paid for with health district funds. Morehead had repaid $639.61.
$421.51 for overcompensation of mileage and automobile expenses paid for with health district funds. Morehead had repaid $314.81. Morehead got a higher mileage rate than other county workers and was reimbursed for both mileage and gasoline and carwashes. He said his car got dirty on county business.
$949.52 for unsubstantiated, in-county meal expenses paid for with health district funds. During the course of the audit, two of the health district board members confirmed the district's travel policy does not include the purchase of meals for employees when traveling within Columbiana County. Many of the meals were at Pondi's, a Lisbon restaurant owned by Matt Borza, a health board member. Borza and other health board members told The Vindicator that Morehead could eat locally on county money as long as the meals were related to his job as health commissioner.
$2,220.41 for unsupported out-of-county hotel and meal expenses. That includes $1,490.47 for hotels, $435.81 for meals, both on a county credit card, and $294.13 in reimbursements.
$1,302 for travel reimbursements and purchases made with the health district credit card that were not for official district business. Morehead had repaid $305.
Source: Ohio auditor's office