Navajo County Tightened Travel Policies | Latest news

HOLBROOK – Navajo County Regulatory Agency has approved a long list of changes to its travel policy following the former health director’s indictment of misuse of public funds.

Regulators last week approved, without discussion, a number of changes recommended by the state auditor in the approval calendar. The board failed to hear the Auditor General’s report that led to the indictment of former Health Director Jeff Lee in connection with the alleged $ 90,000 shortfall in credit cards issued by Navajo and Coconino counties over a seven-year period discussed publicly.

Lee was charged with 16 crimes for using county credit cards to pay for gift cards, Christmas presents, hotels, meals, and other expenses. The auditor identified a number of issues including the county’s failure to monitor its credit card usage, missing receipts, misrepresentations for items purchased, lack of oversight and permits, and other issues. Lee paid back some of the charges in question, saying that he mistakenly used the county credit card instead of his own credit card for many of the items.

The alleged shortfall was discovered by the Auditor General’s office, which began investigating Lee’s expenses while he was in Coconino County. The alleged mispending in Navajo County went back several years and was undetected by the county’s own review processes.

The major changes in the travel policy mainly set limits on travel spending and who is authorized to approve travel by county employees.

Eric Scott, Human Resources Director, noted in the memo introducing the changes, “The recent Navajo County’s audit revealed that our travel policy needed revision and update. Some of the updates include travel requests, daily rates, and receipt requests. “

• Elected officials, department heads or their agents must approve the trip before the employee takes the trip.

• The district’s shopping cards should only be used to pay for the costs of the district official on the trip.

• The district manager, deputy manager, department manager, or elected official must approve the payment of a hotel bill in excess of the maximum travel price.

• Employees should use a county vehicle for travel “when practical”.

• The flight credit for a canceled trip should be used on the next trip.

• Only certain administrators can issue an advance payment for travel expenses.

• The meal costs must be limited to the daily rate and then only apply to employees with the status “Authorized travel status”.

• Employees are not required to provide receipts for meals as long as they stay below the daily rate maximum. All receipts submitted must be itemized and subject to breakfast, lunch and dinner prices.

• Employees can only collect 75% of the daily meal amount on the first and last day of travel.

• Employees must submit a claim for reimbursement within 60 days of departure. Any reimbursement after this period is considered income for the employee, who must also repay any overpayments within 120 days.

• Employees cannot request payment for in-room movies, alcohol and personal entertainment, or other uncovered expenses.

Peter Aleshire covers county government and other issues for the Independent. He is the former editor of the Payson Roundup. Reach out to him at [email protected]

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