State fails to keep track of payments

The health department's fiscal officer said the state knows about the repayments.
By D.A. WILKINSON
VINDICATOR SALEM BUREAU
LISBON -- State figures do not correctly show all the money Columbiana County Health Department board members and workers repaid after a department audit for 2003.
Records on the Web site of Ohio Auditor Betty Montgomery as of Friday show that Health Commissioner Robert Morehead has repaid some funds, and environmental director Mark Nichol and board members Matt Borza and Jack Amato had not repaid the findings against them.
But information provided recently by the health department shows that Morehead has repaid more money than shown on the Web site, and the others had repaid all the findings against them in October 2004, when the audit was released.
The state examination of the department was prompted by a Vindicator series into county spending.
After the 2003 audit was completed, the state said it would examine department spending in other, unspecified years. That examination was completed earlier this month. Montgomery's spokesmen referred questions about additional repayments since the audit was released to her Web site.
Complaint
Borza complained to The Vindicator that news accounts said he owed the money when he had repaid it.
All four men had a finding against them for costs related to an extra night's hotel room stay during a meeting in Columbus. Montgomery said the men went to the conference a day early that was not needed.
Cis Donahey, fiscal officer for the health department, has receipts of payments from all four men dated Oct. 20, 2004, for the room.
Donahey said that the following day, a board worker paid that money, along with funds not related to the findings, to the county auditor's office.
County Auditor Nancy Milliken said Donahey had been told to alert her office to any additional finding repayments. Morehead had repaid portions of the findings against him between April and early October 2004.
The health board's pay-in slip lists the names of Borza, Amato and Nichol, but doesn't state they were findings repayments.
The auditor's office receipt of Oct. 21, 2004, put the money into what Donahey said was the department's "catch-all" account. The receipt doesn't state that it was for repayment of the findings.
Milliken said there was no way her worker would have known it was.
Donahey said she has recently advised the state auditors of the various repayments in 2004.
"They are aware of it," Donahey said.
The 2004 audit also had a finding against Nichol for $13.75 for watching a movie in the hotel room during the conference in May 2003. Donahey said Nichol had repaid the money on June 23, 2003.
It wasn't clear why Montgomery's office would issue a finding for a cost that had already been repaid.
Looking into it
Montgomery's spokeswoman, Jennifer Detwiler, was advised of the repayments last week. She said she would look into it. Detwiler was unavailable Friday.
Another Montgomery spokesperson, Courtney Whetstone, said Friday no one was available to provide information.
Borza, when told the incorrect information is still on the Web site, said, "Gee, that's nice."
Herron has been reviewing the new information on the board's spending. He has declined to comment on the confidential material.
Montgomery's office also plans to audit the department for 2004 and 2005.
wilkinson@vindy.com