State auditor questions Conservation Dept.'s plan for new plane

Claire McCaskill's report released Friday questioned some of the department's procedures and expenses.

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- State Auditor Claire McCaskill questioned Friday why the Conservation Department didn't discuss plans to purchase a new airplane during an audit of the office.

The department has been looking to buy an eight-passenger plane, and said it was willing to spend up to about $1.8 million, though commissioners rejected their lone bid Thursday, putting the purchase in question.

McCaskill acknowledged the department -- whose commissioners are political appointees and whose budget comes from constitutionally-guaranteed taxes and fees -- had no obligation to consult with her. But she said past questions on proper use of state planes and current budget constraints make it necessary to guarantee taxpayer money is used wisely.

"Had they told us they were planning on doing this, we could have analyzed that," she said. "I'm skeptical."

Denise Garnier, the Conservation Department's assistant director, said she appreciated McCaskill's offer to review the office's plane plans, but she said such a step was never included in past purchases.

"Involving the auditor's office in decision-making is a pretty unprecendented thing," Garnier said. "It's really not an offer that we've ever had before."

The department currently has a two-passenger plane, a four-passenger plane and a larger plane it shares with the Department of Transportation. It planned to sell its four-passenger plane and its half of the larger plane and replace them with a Cessna Grand Caravan.

Garnier said the department was still determining what action to take after turning down the bid it received for the plane.

The auditor's report released Friday praised the Conservation Department at times, but also questioned some procedures and expenses.

The audit said the department spent more than $980,000 on clothing reimbursements for its employees over the two-year period it examined and said such spending on clothes emblazoned with the department name was unnecessary for workers who infrequently deal with the public. The department said a task force was reviewing its clothing policy and planned to put new guidelines in place by Dec. 31.

The Conservation Department said it also planned to put a new policy in place by year's end on gifts and awards. The audit said the department spent about $63,000 on plaques, clocks and other awards for its employees.

McCaskill's report also said the Conservation Department does not always document roll call votes taken in closed session and does not always publicly report such decisions, as required under state law. The department said it was simply an oversight.