Scott County supervisors back changes to travel policy

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By Deirdre Cox Baker | Wednesday, May 30, 2007 12:00 AM CDT | () comments

A new form designed for Scott County employees who travel for work purposes is being supported by elected officials as a way to tighten up financial accountability.

Scott County Supervisors got their official first look at two changes in the travel policy, including the new form, during Tuesday’s committee-of-the-whole session.

“This is just excellent,” Supervisor Chris Gallin said.

The changes were proposed after the April 16 resignation of Paul Greufe, the former assistant county administrator and human resources director. Greufe’s travel expenses for the past three years are being examined by the Scott County Sheriff’s Department and the Scott County Auditor’s Office.

Documents obtained by the Quad-City Times through a Freedom of Information Act request showed that Greufe charged $17,136.70 in travel expenditures over the past year, including 14 out-of-town trips during the past 12 months for continuing education and training. Greufe has said all the business trips were approved by his supervisor and that he followed the travel policy in submitting expenses.

However, it was unclear according to the expense reports and receipts whether Greufe reimbursed the county for housing expenses incurred by bringing his family and staying longer than one conference lasted. Travel advances also did not always match receipted expenditures.

The “Scott County Overnight Travel Expense Summary Report” is a new two-page form for all who take business trips requiring lodging or accommodations. It tracks specific charges to methods of payment and requires that employees attach all receipts and documentation to the original purchase card transaction.

Payments for conferences may stretch over four months, Scott County Administrator Ray Wierson said. That may cover the period when an employee sends in a conference registration, pays for necessary materials, arranges for transportation and other expenses. This new form allows clear tracking of the various charges, he said.

Employees will have 10 days from the end of the trip to get all details to the auditor’s office, which is responsible for reconciling the transactions.

Gallin said the form should be signed by at least two people, including a supervisor and department head. In addition to the signatures, the new form will be initialed by the person who receives it at the auditor’s office, Wierson said.

Gallin also applauded part of the new form that calls for employees to state when they return to town after a business trip. “They might still be able to work for a half-day or so,” she said.

The new form gives a clear picture of what the employee does on each trip, Scott County Board Chairman Jim Hancock said.

Clerks and other personnel will receive a refresher training on how to process the forms, Wierson said, noting there is also a Web-based method for employees who want to fill out the form via the county’s intranet service.

Practice of purchase cards questioned

The county’s practice of using purchase cards, which operate like in-house credit cards, was questioned by Supervisor Roxanna Moritz. These charges are audited every two weeks and are tightly controlled, officials told her.

Two or three fraudulent charges made from overseas showed up on current reports, said Dave Donovan, manager of facilities and support services, a department that uses the cards and also employs one of two clerks who track the system.

“I’m not sure how the number got out,” he said, but $430 in charges have been suspended by Wells Fargo Bank, the county’s purchase card contractor, and MasterCharge, the provider.

Wierson said the purchase card system is also tied to the Internet and is a great improvement over the previous system that used credit cards and lists of approved persons to use them.

Department heads dictate who gets the purchase cards and how much money is on them, he said.

“I’m really impressed with our tracking system,” Hancock said. “It’s really good at finding out about those who are not following procedures.”

Typical violations are leaving the cards in a place like a fuel pump.

The supervisors will formally vote on the travel policy changes during their regular meeting at 5:30 p.m. Thursday at the first-floor meeting room in the Scott County Administrative Center, 600 W. 4th St., Davenport.

Deirdre Cox Baker can be contacted at (563) 383-2492 or dbaker@qctimes.com.