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News
County board questions Coroner's hefty dinner tab : News : Oswego Ledger-Sentinel : Hometown Newspaper for Oswego and Montgomery, IllinoisCounty board questions Coroner's hefty dinner tab
| Toftoy says charges from Chicago conference were budgeted for his office
| by Matt Schury
| 1/14/2010
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Members of the Kendall County Board insisted they just wanted an explanation as to why Kendall County Coroner Ken Toftoy spent about $260 for dinner one night at a conference he attended this fall.
The County's Budget and Finance committee forwarded all the county bills to the county board but held Toftoy's charge. After discussion, the board unanimously approved reimbursing Toftoy for the restaurant bill.
Toftoy explained to the board at their meeting last week that the bill was for one night during the conference when he and four or five other county coroners went out to dinner at Harry Caray's restaurant in Chicago.
He added that each night during the conference a different county coroner picked up the restaurant tab and the night they went to Harry Caray's restaurant it was his turn to buy dinner.
The claims show a charge for $1,187.37 for the coroner's office for the Illinois Association of County Official's fall conference. The $260 charge on a Visa bill was separate.
Toftoy said all the other bills were charged to his hotel room at the Marriott in downtown Chicago.
After the meeting, Toftoy noted that his budget includes an $8,000 line item for conferences and training.
"I've never gone over that $8,000. That's for me, the five deputy coroners, they all use that eight grand," Toftoy said after the meeting.
Toftoy told the board he was "baffled" by the their decision to not pay the bill.
Board member Nancy Martin mentioned that the county has been asking officials when they turn in a bill for reimbursement to have the detailed items on the bill as well as who was at the meal and what was discussed.
"So when the auditors come in they have that information in front of them so they know it is a legitimate charge," she said.
Toftoy asked the board why no one bothered to just ask him about the bill.
"We're all adults here and if someone would call me and ask about it-but I find out two weeks later I'm not getting paid. I'm a little perturbed by it," Toftoy said.
The size of the bill drew some questions for board member Jessie Hafenrichter.
"I think that's why they asked, Kenny, because it was that one meal," Hafenrichter said.
She added that the board just asked Toftoy to explain the charge as part of their "due diligence."
Kendall County State's Attorney Eric Weis pointed out that from a legal standpoint Toftoy did not do anything wrong and that once the board approves an elected official's budget there is nothing the board can do unless the official goes over budget.
"From an elected official standpoint, there is the legal end and there is the perception end," Weis said.
"If people don't like what is being spent, there is obviously another issue which is the election process and that's how you take care of someone who you don't like how they are spending their money," Weis said.
After the meeting, Toftoy suggested that the County Board's expenses be scrutinized.
"I think that it's time that the people look at the county board members' bills," he said. "Do we ever ask about them?"
Toftoy insists that he doesn't want a county issued credit card and instead puts the charges on his personal card and is then reimbursed.
When asked why he felt the county called him in front of the board during he a meeting he responded, "possibly it's election time."
"If you're unhappy with me then run someone against me, maybe they'll beat me," he said.
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