Planning Office explains spending

Responding to recent allegations that taxpayer money has been misspent, the Flathead County Planning Office announced Monday that records of all expenditures will be made available for public review.

On Thursday, the planning department "will release complete records of every expenditure since the arrival of Planning Director Jeff Harris in June of 2005," according to a press release.

The planning department staff will compile hundreds of pages from the county Finance Department over the next couple days and copies will be made available in the department's foyer, Harris said.

The action is being taken in response to the American Dream Montana property-rights group and former county Commissioner Dale Williams, who have challenged the propriety of a variety of planning expenses.

Harris insists there has been no improper spending.

"The intent is to get the word out there that we have nothing to hide and if people are interested they can come in and take a look," Harris said.

"Right now, our expenditures are being presented to the public with minimal context and maximum imagination," he said. "We want everyone to see how we've spent the public's dollars, but it's important that they get the whole story."

Harris cited several examples of spending that has been questioned.

In 2005, the Planning Office and the county Parks and Recreation Department jointly purchased a utility work boat. The boat is used for inspecting docks, for investigation of lakeshore regulation violations and to maintenance and repair public beach facilities.

"We thought it was prudent to split the cost of a boat with another department, in order to save money to the taxpayers," Harris said. "But if taken out of context, 'the Planning Department bought a boat' can create a damaging understanding."

Similarly, the department purchased a wooden shed, not for some wasteful reason but for storing department documents, he said.

Also questioned was the purchase of a bed liner for a truck the Planning Office purchased. In that case, Harris said, the cost of the truck came in $11,000 below the $25,000 that was approved for the purchase, and the bed liner is an expense that easily will be recovered when the truck is traded in.

Harris said the department also is preparing a 'response document" to explain every expense that has been challenged. The document will be presented to the county commissioners.

"If this department has violated any county spending policies in the past, I'll be held accountable," Harris said. "But the public and the press need the entire record, with the appropriate context. A few people throwing out half-truths and claiming that expenditures are 'fraudulent' can do a lot of damage, unless the whole story is conveniently available to everyone else."

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com