No wrongdoing found in audit of 911 fund years ago
An audit of the 911 fund for 2001 and 2002 showed two questionable expenditures, but neither warrant criminal investigation, Marion County Attorney Susan Robson told county commissioners Monday.
Robson and Scot Loyd, certified public accountant, performed the audit.
Commissioners requested the audit after receiving complaints that Michele Abbott-Becker, county communications director, was making inappropriate purchases with the fund.
One was a check for $1,366.56 to Simplex Time, which provides maintenance of the smoke detectors in the law enforcement center.
Robson said the payments started coming out of the 911 fund in 1997 or 1998, at the request of then-Sheriff Dan Harper and with the approval of the county commission. Michele Abbott-Becker, current director of communications, had no control over the decision, Robson said.
"Mr. Loyd and I are of the opinion that this bill should be paid out of the sheriff's budget in the future," she said.
The other issue involved two checks totaling $436 for the 911 for Kids program. This teaches young children appropriate use of the 911 emergency number.
In the past, commissioners ordered the 911 fund to be reimbursed for expenses related to 911 for Kids. Robson suggested Monday that it may be an appropriate expenditure under state law governing 911 funds.
"It depends on how broadly you want to interpret it," she said. An attorney general's opinion would answer the question.
Loyd and Robson found 24 checks that weren't specifically phone related. However, most were deemed legitimate after further investigation.
For example, payments to The Insurance Center are for coverage of communications equipment, Robson explained.
"It is my legal opinion that this does not constitute a misuse of funds," Robson said. "There was no criminal activity at all."
Road repairs
Property owners Carl and Juanita Stovall and Matt Classen met with commissioners to complain about conditions of 190th east of U.S.-77.
The county road had served as a detour for traffic during construction on K-150. The contractor was required to restore the road to good condition after its use was finished.
Work was done on the road but it wasn't finished properly for wet weather, they said. Heavy rains last week churned the road to mud, leaving vehicle stuck up to their axles and forcing the county to temporarily close the road.
"We're losing customers even as we sit here," Carl Stovall said. The Stovalls own a firearms business that hasn't seen any customers since early last week, they said.
Gerald Kelsey, road and bridge superintendent, said he has contacted Kansas Department of Transportation to ensure the road is repaired properly. County crews also went out on Saturday to work on the road to get it somewhat usable.
Classen said the county should oversee any repairs. "Ultimately, it's our road," he said. "Obviously, they didn't do it right."
Commissioners agreed that the county needed to inspect any repairs.
EMS report
There are 11 students in this year's emergency medical technician class, reported emergency medical services director JoAnn Knak.
Of those, three are from Florence, two each from Marion, Hillsboro, and Goessel, and one each from Burns and Lincolnville. They will train through the spring before taking certification tests.
County crews answered 72 calls in September. Of those, 27 were answered by Hillsboro-based crews; 26, Marion-based; 12, Peabody-based; and seven, Tampa-based.
First responder crews answered six calls. Of those, Goessel- and Burns-based crews answered two each, and Durham and Lincolnville-based crews answered one each.
Crews helped eight people at Hillsboro Arts and Crafts Fair and two at Marion Art in the Park, Knak said.
The Hillsboro-based unit suffered about $3,260 in damage to its front end when it hit a ditch in a field while responding to a request to stand by at a fire, Knak said. Repairs were made.
In other reports:
A total of $17,257 in write-offs for EMS charges were approved for the past quarter. About $12,313 are for Medicare patients. Medicare pays 80 percent of approved charges.
Recent hazardous waste collections gathered 2,991 pounds of household hazardous waste and 1,358 pounds of latex paint, reported Bill Smithhart, director.
Commissioner Leroy Wetta wasn't present due to a family obligation.
