Columbiana health board should fire commissioner

Two years ago, we urged the Columbiana County Board of Health to fire health Commissioner Robert Morehead. Our call was prompted by Morehead's disturbing care-less attitude toward a Vindicator investigative series that revealed his questionable use of a county-issued credit card.
But it wasn't only the commissioner who seemed unfazed by the revelations. The health board, then chaired by Dr. Jack Amato of East Liverpool, wholeheartedly supported Morehead -- despite the findings of the three-month Vindicator investigation.
Now, two years later, the state auditor's office has issued its report of a special audit of the health commissioner's credit card use and what it clearly shows is an individual who is undeserving to be on the public payroll -- in a position of public trust.
It isn't just the 5,442 in findings for recovery against Morehead and a bonding company that make us more determined than ever to see him drummed out of the health department.
It is his egregious misuse of public property -- yes, a government-issued credit card is public property -- that leads us to the conclusion he has a mindset that could be described thus: I am king.
Outgoing state Auditor Betty Montgomery, in a letter to the Columbiana County General Health District, said the special audit covered the period Jan. 1, 1999, to Dec. 31, 2002, and after detailing the findings against Morehead added these words: "We also referred these matters to the Columbiana County Prosecutor."
The conclusion from Montgomery is clear: Misuse of public property is a crime.
It isn't the first time the auditor's office has called for the involvement of the prosecutor's office. But given that Prosecutor Robert Herron is the lawyer for all county departments and agencies, including the board of health, a special prosecutor must be brought in.
New state auditor
Indeed, we urge the new state auditor, Mary Taylor, who was sworn in Monday, to determine who in her office is most familiar with the Morehead case and assign that person the task of helping to prosecute the health commissioner.
Too many years have passed since The Vindicator reported that Morehead had used the credit card to make purchases for himself at a golf club in Nashport, Ohio, a department store in Pittsburgh, a souvenir shop in Daytona Beach, while he was on vacation, and from a mail-order company that advertised itself as offering "Tools for Serious Readers."
The state auditor's findings also listed credit card purchases of a Swiss Army Duetto watch, tickets to a Rolling Stones concert, men's furnishings, groceries and books.
Also included is 1,368 for illegal expenditure of public money. During the period of the audit, Morehead used the district's credit card to process cash advances totaling 1,746. Receipts were provided to document cash advances totaling 378 of that amount.
"There was no evidence the remaining cash advances were for a district purpose or whether they were reimbursed" by Morehead, the audit says.
Also included in the findings is 913 for gasoline. During the years of the audit, Morehead used a district-issued credit car to buy gasoline in addition to claiming mileage expenses for reimbursement.
In 2004, the state's regular audit of the health department revealed that 43 percent of the board's spending in 2003 was done without prior authorization required by law. Findings for recovery of 6,313 against some board members and Morehead were included in the report.
The auditor's office said in 2003 that it had "uncovered a pattern of sloppy record keeping, unsubstantiated expenses, and outdated policies that have allowed public funds to be inappropriately used for illegitimate purposes."
Then there is the issue of Morehead's using public money for many meals at a local restaurant owned by health board member Matt Borza. Board Chairman Amato said he saw nothing wrong with this practice.
In past editorials, we called on the advisory council that appoints the five members of the board of health to examine the conduct of the members. The council, made up of a county commissioner, township trustees and representatives of cities and villages, refused to do so -- even though Commissioner Jim Hoppel advocated such a review.
See no evil
This see-no-evil attitude on the part of individuals responsible for looking after the interest of "We the people," is one of the reasons government at all levels is held in such low esteem.
The health commissioner serves at the pleasure of the board of health, and members of the board of health are appointed by the advisory council.
It's time for members of the council to stand up and be counted. They should publicly call on the health board to fire Morehead. And if the board refuses, they should seek the removal of Dr. Amato and anyone else who thinks this illegal expenditure of public dollars is not a big deal.