Highway Commissioner Slush fund uncovered by State Board of Accounts

A few months ago the County Highway Superintendent was allowed to retire while the department was said to be under investigation.  On December 5th the Indiana State Board of Accounts announced its findings.

Here are some the overview:

RECEIPTS NOT RECORDED OR DEPOSITED 

Ronald N. Quakenbush, County Highway Superintendent, was responsible for the operations of the Highway Department.  Among the duties of the Highway Superintendent is the removal and disposal of old culverts, guard rails, and other items of salvageable materials. 

The normal process for disposal of these items was to haul them to various recycling companies.  The truck drivers, at the time of delivery of the scrap, would receive either cash or vouchers.  If they received vouchers, they would immediately turn them into cash at the machines provided at the recycling company, and then, the receipts along with the cash, were given to the Highway Superintendent.  

The Highway Superintendent was to turn the monies received into the County Auditor to be deposited into the County's bank account and recorded in the County Highway Fund. There were allegations made by some of the employees of the Highway Department that not all monies received from the sale of this scrap metal were being turned into the County Auditor.  

They stated they would bring the receipts from the recycling companies and the cash to the Highway Superintendent and he would put some of the money into a locked drawer in a filing cabinet in the Highway office.  According to these employees, there was a significant amount of cash in the drawer at all times.  These employees also stated on numerous occasions they would be given cash from that drawer to purchase items for the Highway Department and bring the receipts to the Superintendent.  

In some instances, the Highway Superintendent would then submit a claim, along with these receipts to the County Auditor for reimbursement, as if he had paid for these items personally.  In addition to the above allegations, they also  stated he would use money from the drawer to purchase candy, water, soft drinks, and ice cream and then sell them to the employees 

EXAMINATION REPORT OF FLOYD COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT


Mr. Quakenbush has been asked to repay the County $17,000