NorCo Controller: Exec and Appointee Abused Mileage, Meal Allowance

Updated 11:10 am:

Northampton County Executive John Brown has unilaterally imposed significant reductions in the health plans offered to the County workforce. He's told them he'd like to eliminate other benefits as well. If he can get away with it, he'll keep their wages flat, too. Helping Brown is Deputy Director of Administration, Cathy Allen. He brought her with him from Bangor, and she has has taken the Brown line in union negotiations. But while demanding that employees make do with less, they're squeezing every nickel out of the county they can.

Both of them are padding their mileage and meals, according to a report that Controller Steve Barron has just released. Allen has charged taxpayers in some instances for her daily commute. She even billed taxpayers for food at two local eateries. Brown charged for his mileage from his home in Bangor to Bethlehem's Celtic Classic parade.

I first heard about this from a worker yesterday. I filed a Right-to-Know and also alerted Barron. As Controller, he has a bit more power than a bottom-feeding blogger, and does not have to wait over a month for a Right to Know Request. He has the authority to review County spending, and can review whether payments are proper.

Take a gander at Allegheny County, for example. There, the Controller recently accused the Executive  of abusing his mileage, just as being done here. The Exec dismissed the whole thing as "petty." But he returned his county car and repaid $42,700.

Barron believes that Brown and Allen combined have squandered only about $1,500 in taxpayer money. But he believes the issue is important. He told me that if the Exec and one of his appointees decide to seek travel expenses for their daily commutes, it won't be long before every employee starts to do so. Also, is it right that Allen can eat ham and eggs at Perkins at our expense, while county employees stand in line at the food bank?

Brown's expenses. - The reports obtained by Barron reveal that Brown only sought reimbursements from January through April. During this time, he charged for a 4-mile round trip to the West Easton Treatment Center. He would charge for his entire trip from Bangor by making a pit stop at a diner or Gracedale. He even charged for commutes when hew had meetings at nearby places like State Theatre or even Gracedale. He charged taxpayers for a visit with his publicist, a trip to a Pennsylvania Society event and the Bethlehem parade I mentioned.

"Clearly, waving in a parade serves no county business purpose and is more about political self-promotion," is Barron's assessment of Brown's mileage claim to attend a parade in Bethlehem. On February 28, he claimed travel expenses from Bangor to the 248 Diner, and from there to County Council. There was no Country Council meetuing that date. 

Allen's expenses. - Allen has submitted expense reports through at least September. Her gimmick is to stop at Gracedale or Human Services on her way to the courthouse, and then bill taxpayers for her entire trip. Employees are strictly forbidden from charging meals to the County unless more than 50 miles away. But she did so twice in June, and from local eateries. Most of her expense claims appear to be an abuse.

Former Executive John Stoffa stated yesterday that he never sought reimbursement for mileage, except for the annual County Commissioners' Conference. District Attorney John Morganelli, who is often pulled from his bed at 3 am to travel to homicide investigations, never charges for mileage except for the annual prosecutors' conference. He won't even allow his part-time assistants to charge mileage when they attend a preliminary hearing.

Here's Barron's report:

Please note I have requested that John Brown reimburse the county $528.64 in mileage and the Assistant Director of Administration $1,006.85 in mileage and meals.

Mr. Brown has been reimbursed $963.16 in mileage since the beginning of the year. Several of the trips are questionable. He even billed 35 miles in round trip from Bangor to Bethlehem to be in the Celtic Classic Parade. I and I'm sure the taxpayers of the county would not consider waving and marching in a parade a valid county business expense.

As for Ms. Allen she has been paid $2,273.60 in mileage and charged several trips from her home and back to county facilities. Mileage to and from home is not allowed under county policy or IRS regulations. Customary mileage of a commute is never allowed. I gave Ms. Allen the benefit of the doubt that she began working on those days at Gracedale or the Human Service Building and therefore allowed the remaining mileage unless she left and went home from a location which happened on several occasions as well.

Of the money already mentioned $54.91 has been added in for meals at Tic-Toc Diner and Perkins. Meals are only reimbursed if an employee is a longer distance from the courthouse. In audits I have been critical of the Sheriff's Department for meals at Lutz's so I must be here as well to remain consistent with previous audits and policies of the county.

This information was brought out by a county employee who noticed the mileage being registered to and from home. This prompted my investigation. I have acted on employee tips in the past when Human Service Staff under Ross Marcus and the Stoffa administration purchased $100.00 in art for the new Human Service Building. That money was reimbursed and I would hope this administration sets the example and reimburses the county for this misuse of taxpayers money as well.

Director of Administration Luis Campos has responded to these accusations.

"The Administration budgets for travel and expense reimbursements. At times meetings can be held at off County Office locations. The County’s policy for travel and expense reimbursement is in line with IRS and auditor’s guidelines. If there is an inadvertent error, practice is to correct the expense appropriately."

I saw Campos in an elevator this morning, and he said he'd get me whatever I needed. I told him he could start by complying with my RTK, filed yesterday, seeking the following: "This request relates to County Executive John Brown and Ass't Dir. of Administration Cathy Allen. Please provide a record of all mileage, travel, lodging and meal expenses claimed by and paid to each of these employees during calendar year 2014. The mileage log and any other records for reimbursement are requested. In addition, the payroll line item reflecting payment of these expenses in each pay period is requested."