CREDIT CARD ABUSE????

Expenses at Hempfield authority under scrutiny
By Richard Gazarik
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Wednesday, June 27, 2007

• The Hempfield Township supervisors don't have any.
• Neither do members of the Municipal Authority of Westmoreland County,
• the Westmoreland County Airport Authority
• or the Unity Township Municipal Authority.
• Directors of the Hempfield Township Municipal Authority have at least four.
• What are they? Personal credit cards.

The authority's policy allows four of its five members to charge for typically nonreimbursed expenses -- liquor, nightclub visits and airfare for spouses -- without requiring them to submit itemized receipts.
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Other authorities restrict use of credit cards or have none.The Hempfield supervisors Monday decided to review all authority expense accounts for at least the past seven years to see if there has been any abuse.Supervisor Bob Davidson, who serves on the authority, has demanded the resignations of authority Chairman Robert Regola Jr. and member Brian Melenia for allegedly misusing the cards after they attend seven conferences in one year and racked up $8,000 in expenses. Neither man has resigned.The authority's policy allows four of its five members to charge for typically nonreimbursed expenses -- liquor, nightclub visits and airfare for spouses -- without requiring them to submit itemized receipts. Other authorities restrict use of credit cards or have none.The Hempfield supervisors Monday decided to review all authority expense accounts for at least the past seven years to see if there has been any abuse. Supervisor Bob Davidson, who serves on the authority, has demanded the resignations of authority Chairman Robert Regola Jr. and member Brian Melenia for allegedly misusing the cards after they attend seven conferences in one year and racked up $8,000 in expenses. Neither man has resigned. …… The authority has no policy on travel expenses, though the Pennsylvania Municipal Authorities Association in Harrisburg recommends its members have a written policy."This is a policy they set for themselves," said Supervisor Kim Ward, chairman of the Hempfield board.