Commerce City – South Adams County Water and Sanitation District officials vow to tighten oversight of spending after a former manager admitted using the district’s money on pricey meals and trips.
Credit-card expenditures from the past five years are being reviewed, many of which were made by ex-district manager Larry L. Ford, said district spokesman Steve Caulk. Expenses being examined mainly are from 2001 to 2005.
Ford worked for the district for 46 years before he retired in 2004. He was elected to the district’s governing board last year.
Among the purchases being examined include a trip made by Ford, employees and family members to a conference in Washington, D.C., in June 2001. The group soon left the conference to tour the Pennsylvania Amish country, Ford told Denver’s Channel 4.
Ford couldn’t be reached for comment Friday.
That type of expense will raise suspicions under a new travel policy being written by the district, Caulk said.
Ford also spent thousands at his wife’s picture-framing business for gifts and then donated the items to charitable groups.
The district often contributes to local charities since it is a high-profile organization in Commerce City, where it serves 14,000 customers, Caulk said.
“It’s hard for me to comment on a decision that was made five years ago,” Caulk said. “But I can tell you that a purchase like that today, under the district’s new purchasing policy, would probably be flagged.”
Thousands of dollars were spent on meals, with some costing $100 a person. Many involved spouses, according to Channel 4.
Ford told the TV station the purchases were probably out of line.
“Of course you get in some bad habits,” Ford said. “I’m not saying I didn’t have some bad habits and I didn’t do something I shouldn’t have.”
The district board initiated the investigation into employee spending habits after noticing high amounts on credit-card receipts, Caulk said.
It’s rare that a special district gets into trouble for overspending, said Evan Goulding, executive director for the Special District Association of Colorado.
“Board members are generally hardworking, sincere people, and they have internal safeguards set up to prevent this type of situation,” Goulding said. “This is very unusual for Colorado.”
Staff writer Monte Whaley can be reached at 720-929-0907 or mwhaley@denverpost.com.
