McHenry County looks at spending

McHenry County Auditor Pam Palmer unveiled Tuesday a preliminary version of new rules placing tighter controls on business and travel expenses by county departments and employees.

The proposed policy, presented to the county board's finance and audit review committee, would include a more detailed list of what expenses can be reimbursed with taxpayer money and would put more direct oversight on the bills passing through Palmer's office.

"My goal is to get a policy in place as soon as possible that will be able to say clearly what is permissible and what is not," Palmer said.

Spending by county officials has received extra attention in recent months with the disclosure that the office of State's Attorney Louis Bianchi had received about $17,000 in reimbursements for candy, snacks, meals, flowers and other miscellaneous expenses since December 2004.

Palmer, who was critical of Bianchi's spending, said the proposed changes were in the works well before the state's attorney's expenses became an issue. But the new policy, she said, should prevent similar controversies in the future.

One change already enacted, she said, concerns herself. Palmer now personally reviews every bill that comes through her office -- about 750 a week -- to check for any "red flags" or problems that previously might have fallen through the cracks.

The proposal, as currently drafted, does permit reasonable expenses for business meals, but does not specifically allow items like snacks, flowers and candy.

Finance committee members did not act on the policy Tuesday, opting instead to send it to the board's human resources committee because expense reimbursements are considered an employee benefit.

However, finance committee Chairman Marc Munaretto said he agrees the county's current 8-year-old expense policy needs updating.

"We have an obligation as a county board to look at it," Munaretto said.

One possible hiccup in the changes is that for some county departments -- including the state's attorney's and sheriff's offices -- the policy could be more of a guideline than a rulebook.

While the county board determines how much money those departments get out of the county budget every year, state law says that once funding is allocated, those departments can spend it as they see fit.

Munaretto, however, said that when similar policies have come down from the county board most of those departments have chosen to follow them.

"I would expect that a re-worked travel policy would be treated in a similar fashion," he said.