Nothing has changed in the pay dispute between the Freeborn County Auditor-Treasurer and the County Board that nearly led to the payment of an unsubstantiated claim last month.

Tuesday, January 09, 2001

Nothing has changed in the pay dispute between the Freeborn County Auditor-Treasurer and the County Board that nearly led to the payment of an unsubstantiated claim last month.

County Auditor-Treasurer Dennis Distad submitted a voucher for $5,200 to the Freeborn County Board of Commissioners for several years of deferred-compensation match payments, a benefit he does not receive as an elected official. The incident was reported to the Freeborn County Attorney and to the State Auditor’s office. Neither are investigating the matter.

County Administrator Gene Smith contacted both offices after the Dec. 19 incident.

&uot;Their position is that they are going to take no further action,&uot; said Smith.

County Attorney Craig Nelson said since the claim did not go through, no laws were violated, and he is not considering criminal charges. State Auditor representatives could only say they had no file open on the matter.

Distad maintains that he intended for the $5,200 match to be deposited to his retirement funds, not issued as a check to him. But the claim form indicates only that the funds be released to Dennis Distad, County Auditor-Treasurer.

&uot;The money was from the deferred retirement compensation (account),&uot; Distad said. &uot;I didn’t know how much explanation there should be.&uot;

&uot;If the claim had been processed, it’s my belief that a check would have been issued to Dennis,&uot; Smith said.

At the suggestion of the state auditor, Freeborn County began requiring that all claims be approved by someone other than the payee in Feb. 1999, Smith said. Distad and some other department heads had not been acting in compliance with that change, Distad said.

&uot;I had been submitting my claims down here the way I have for the past 15 years as department head,&uot; he said.

&uot;As of the 26th (of Dec.), we have clarified procedure,&uot; he said.

Distad does not plan on discussing the issue with the county board before regular salary discussions in August. The 2001 board has not discussed the issue of extending the deferred compensation match, a benefit reserved for salaried employees, to elected officials, Smith said.

It is difficult to determine the effect the deferred compensation match would have on the retirement funds of the handful of elected department heads, Smith said. But appointed employees have come out in favor of extending the benefit.

&uot;It’s more principle than dollar-wise,&uot; Distad said.