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Audit: Morehead owes more money
The health commissioner bought a wine guide with taxpayers’ money.
LISBON — Three months before his trial on theft-related charges, Columbiana County Health Commissioner Robert Morehead faces additional findings for recovery from a state audit.
He will not, however, face more criminal charges, an Ohio auditor’s office spokeswoman said.
The state auditor’s office released an audit Tuesday of the health department that said Morehead owes an additional $681.30.
The findings were all from 2004. The latest audit covered 2004 and 2005.
The findings are for purchases of books and miscellaneous items and paying for gas and a carwash not related to health department business. All the spending was on a health department credit card.
Morehead is scheduled to go on trial at 9 a.m. Aug. 12 in county common pleas court. He has been charged with one count of theft in office, one count of theft and five counts of forgery.
He faces up to 71‚Ñ2 years in prison if convicted. He is accused of improperly spending health department funds between 1994 and 1998.
Judge John R. Milligan Jr., a retired appeals court judge from North Canton, was named a visiting judge to hear the case after local judges stepped aside to avoid any conflict of interest.
The health department said Tuesday that Morehead was at a health commissioners’ meeting in Columbus. He is free on bond and has continued to work.
Morehead’s lawyer, James Hartford, did not return a call.
James Manken, the assistant chief legal counsel for the state auditor’s office, is handling the case. County Prosecutor Robert Herron asked that special counsel be appointed because the prosecutor’s office legally represents the health board.
Herron declined to comment on the new findings but said that, legally, Manken could seek a new indictment to replace the first one.
But Emily Frazee, deputy press secretary for the state auditor, said Manken is aware of the findings in the new audit but will not pursue additional charges. Prosecutors often base their case on what they believe are the best charges, she added.
Frazee said Morehead is responsible for repayment in the new findings.
The audit ordered Morehead to repay:
U$233.17 he spent to buy books from Waldenbooks and Barnes Noble Booksellers that didn’t help the health district. The receipts from Waldenbooks did not state the title nor give a description. Receipts from Barnes Noble gave book titles that include “Golf Holes,” “Clarke’s Pocket Wine Book,” “Shut Up and Sing,” “Christmas Treasury,” “Lost Boy Lost Girl” and “Arrogance.”
U$364.03 for “gift items” and clothing at the University Bookstore, and a cell phone face plate. Frazee said the University Bookstore is in Kent. Details on the spending were not available.
U$84.10 for gasoline and a carwash while he was supposed to be reimbursed 32 cents a mile for travel.
The two previous audits — 1996 to 2002 and one done in 2003 — show Morehead bought Rolling Stones concert tickets and a watch and paid hotel and meal expenses using county money. The audits also found that he took cash advances on a county credit card.
Frazee said the 2006 and 2007 audit of the health department is to begin this summer.
The review of Morehead’s spending began with a Vindicator examination of county travel costs.
wilkinson@vindy.com