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Oregon Road Conditions & Cams Email Story to a Friend July 3, 2005 Officials probe credit buying Gold Hill rescinds its employee cards as it looks into the police chief’s purchases By SANNE SPECHT Mail Tribune GOLD HILL — City officials temporarily rescinded employee credit cards and are reviewing recent credit purchases made by their police chief. Jan Fish, City Council member and police commission liaison, said Chief Dean Muchow may need to refund money for charges made in violation of city policy. "We need to correct some errors," said Fish. "This is just not proper." Muchow’s June Visa bill totaled $2,368.83. Unusually large amounts were spent on restaurant charges, gas expenses and gift charges at local hardware stores, Fish said. Muchow said most of the expenses involved compensation to volunteers — including reserve officers, City Council members and professional contractors. Advertisement "Some of it might conflict with policy now, taken at its narrowest view," said Muchow. "Primarily the card was used for expenses in building the police station." One volunteer donated $4,000 worth of commercial-grade vinyl for the station’s interior flooring, he said. Muchow repaid the civic-minded contractor "with a few lunches and a $200 gift certificate." "We were getting a huge bang for our buck," Muchow said. "We built a facility for a minimal cost of $10,000 that would have cost over $50,000." Muchow has had trouble with city officials questioning his expenses before. Muchow was indicted in September 2004 on misdemeanor charges including official misconduct and theft — after resigning as chief of police in Union. Two of the charges were dismissed, and Muchow was found not guilty on two charges of official misconduct in a short jury trial. "It took the jury less than 20 minutes to find me innocent," said Muchow. "I actually got hugs and kisses from some of the gals in the jury." He currently has a lawsuit pending against the city of Union and specific individuals, he said, but declined to give further details. Muchow told Gold Hill council members he was facing indictment prior to his hire in December 2004. Muchow’s contract stated he would resign if found guilty in Union, he said. "It would have been a moot point," said Muchow. "If I’d been found guilty, I would have lost my license (to be a police officer)." Mayor Sherry Young and Fish said they only recently discovered their police chief had faced trial in Union. Muchow was hired before either came to office, they said. "I was just informed. It gives me cause for concern," Fish said. "But since he was acquitted, it’s not something he can be held liable for." But Fish said Muchow will be expected to repay any non-official charges. More than $500 on June’s bill were incurred April 12-22, while the chief was in La Grande, Ontario, Salem, The Dalles, and Boise, Idaho. "There were two Visa bills involved," said Fish. "We’re going to have to go over it line by line, and explain he should probably refund (money) to the department. Some of that gas needs to be repaid. He told me he was visiting his family. We’re not paying for his vacation." Credit-card receipts helped prove his innocence in Union, Muchow said. He was attending a $175 police training seminar in Salem on April 22, the bill shows. "The good thing about credit cards is that it documents everything you do," said Muchow. "I haven’t seen one untoward expense that wasn’t substantiated towards accomplishing our goals," he added. Young said Muchow’s troubles with Gold Hill may have been due to ignorance. City Recorder Darla DenHerder didn’t give Muchow a copy of the city’s credit-card policy — or let the council know Muchow’s charges were piling up, she said. "We didn’t know it was going on," said Young. "We’ve told (Muchow) no expenditures without council approval. He has since signed the credit-card policy." DenHerder admits she neglected to have Muchow sign the city policy statement when he was hired. "I gave him the policy at the June 6 council meeting," she said. "It was an oversight that it wasn’t brought to him sooner." Muchow said DenHerder told him there was money in the police budget which needed to be spent. "She said, ‘Spend every penny, because you won’t see it next year,’ " said Muchow. DenHerder does not deny telling Muchow to spend to the limit of his budget. She said the council should have been aware of the charges. "The council had received copies (of the chief’s expenses). I just put the packets together," she said. "(The chief) had a budget — and he stayed within his budget." DenHerder’s contract was not renewed by the city. Her last day of employment was June 30. Young said the city’s budget has been especially tight after Jackson County commissioners moved the Justice Court from Gold Hill to Central Point. "That cost us about $10,000 a year. But we’re going to get it all worked out," said Young. "Dean’s a good guy and he’s been doing a good job." Reach reporter Sanne Specht at 776-4497 or e-mail Officials probe credit buying ">[email protected] . Mail Tribune Home | Local News | Sports | Business | Obituaries | Life | Opinion AP News | Archives | Site Map | Community | Classified Copyright © 1997-2005 Mail Tribune, Inc. All rights reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms & Conditions | Website Feedback www.bingo.com Home Security Systems Trunks, Footlocker dvd-r Distance Education Computer Security Ztech Media Hosting Sports Equipment Online Casino Reviews Student Loans tcg student loan consolidation Online Pharmacy online casino Myspace Home Equity Loans Windermere Van Vleet Rogue Valley Travel Reservationstogo Hotel Reservations Southern Oregon Loans Online Casino News Natto Kinase Nattokinase Casino Gambling Sites Budget Website Templates Investments & Loans Advertisement s