Fund scandals erode coffers, Utahns' trust

Ethics are often defined in shades of gray. And more and more local government officials are being accused of turning that gray into green.

Charges of forgery and embezzling $43,000 of public funds surfaced this past week against a Draper employee, while an Orem city employee is accused of siphoning more than $200,000 away from taxpayer funds.

The recent flurry of city government scandals may indicate government employees have become so lax about handling public funds that they feel justified in taking a little off the top, said Draper City Manager Eric Keck.

But as city employees further fuzz ethical boundaries, taxpayers may be the ones losing out — and losing faith in government in the process.

"It has been my experience that individuals become comfortable in a setting where they think they know how far they can push the envelope, and then they do something illegal," Keck said.

With former Salt Lake County Mayor Nancy Workman now on trial for misusing public funds, government leaders pushing ethical limits have raised awareness that any public official may be tempted to cross the line, Keck added.

Charges of misconduct are not limited to Salt Lake County or even to large cities. A quick review of recent charges of misuse of public funds reveals allegations against a Tabiona town clerk charged with funneling $100,000 from city coffers and a Springdale town manager accused of pilfering more than $150,000. Iron County's sheriff was charged with six felonies involving allegations of theft and misuse of public funds, while an Ephraim city recorder faced 44 felonies connected with her government job.

In Draper's case, code enforcement officer Betty McKendrick, 46, was charged Thursday with diverting money from an anti-littering program to her own bank account. The felony charges include misusing public money, forgery and theft. McKendrick was a city employee for six years.

Even long-time employees with clean track records can be tempted by the easy access to public funds, Keck said.

"It's all about ensuring there are adequate controls so they don't become complacent when they handle cash," Keck said.

Draper city employees do get an annual ethics refresher course, complete with copies of the Utah Public Officials and Employee Education Act of the state code, which aims to "promote the public interest and strengthen the faith and confidence of the people of Utah in the integrity of their government." The code delineates everything from recognizing conflicts of interest to accepting gifts and disclosing protected information.

But Colin Wood, North Salt Lake city manager, said training is not always enough to curb unethical behavior.