Moore took trips at group's expense
By Amanda Van Benschotenavanbenschoten@nky.com
Boone County Judge-executive Gary Moore has taken at least three trips during the past four years paid for by the Kentucky Association of Counties, according to records of the group's expenses.
KACo is under investigation by the state Auditor's Office following a recent Lexington Herald-Leader report about its spending practices.
KACo is essentially funded by tax dollars, since its budget is made up of dues and fees paid by the counties.
The group spent $600,000 on travel, meals, gifts and other items in 2007 and 2008, according to the report.
That includes at least $3,000 on two trips taken by Moore, according to expense records posted on the Herald-Leader's Web site.
In a statement, Moore said he often attends National Association of Counties (NACo) conferences and events.
"From time to time KACo has offered to cover some of this expense, saving the citizens of Boone County budgeted tax dollars," he said.
In early March 2007, he traveled to Washington, D.C., with a state group for a NACo legislative conference.
KACo paid $2,279.79 for Moore's five-night stay at the historic Willard InterContinental Hotel, just two blocks from the White House.
The group also paid for his August 2008 trip to the NACo annual conference in Kansas City, Mo.
His Delta Air Lines flight cost $420. A note on the expense record asks if Moore should be sent an invoice for the flight; a second note says KACo would pay for it.
The group also paid for his three-day stay (and that of at least 22 other people) at the Holiday Inn Aladdin.
The Herald-Leader has reported that Moore's flight and hotel stay totaled $720. KACo also paid $7,000 for a group dinner on that trip.
Moore disclosed that he also traveled to Hawaii in July 2005 for the NACo annual conference. That trip was not included in the other records.
He was accompanied by County Commissioners Charlie Kenner and Terri Moore, then-County Administrator Jim Parsons, and some of their spouses, whom he said traveled at their own expense.
Moore said most of the trip was paid for from the county's training and travel budget, which is approved annually in the operating budget.
Moore said he used personal SkyMiles for his flight, and KACo paid for the hotel.
He issued three brief statements this week, but he has declined to discuss further details about the trips.
The issue was raised Tuesday by his primary opponent, Commissioner Cathy Flaig, who says she has never taken a KACo-funded trip.
In a statement Thursday, she accused Moore of "a lack of judgment" for accepting travel from a group that does business with the county.
Moore said Flaig is attacking him on the issue "because she has no real vision to move Boone County forward."
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2 comments:
Gary, Turn before you burn!!
I'm so sick of everyone in the Boone County Fiscal Court right now. Even Cathy! Cathy and everyone was snowed once agian. You approved a History major and a P. Science minor with a master's but not in social work get hired in the human services department and on top of that she is from Campbell Co. When you had a couple of in house Master level Social Workers that could of been put in the position for less than the $45,000.00 you are paying someone with no work history in social worker. She has worked in the Child Care field. Jeff said Boone County needed a Social Worker with a Masters in that position? You got someone with a masters but not in social work with no work history in government. Wow! Don't you all ask questions? Who does she know and why was her resume pulled out of 300 who had the requirments posted on the job.
Start being the gate keepers instead of the 3 blind mice.
Also, get some morals and fire the ones who are sleeping with each other on the 2nd floor. Is that what you are all about.
Thanks for nothing. I hope people really open their eyes with the election because Boone County is going fast.
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