Open Illinois.org

Champaign County has a problem. Its nursing home can’t seem to manage its money.

The News-Gazette reports:

[University of Illinois accounting professor] Rachel Schwartz, who has offered her services to the county unpaid, told the Champaign County Board that there are discrepancies. For example, the home reported spending $342,875 for contract rehabilitation services in fiscal 2007 on its unaudited expense report, but gave the state a $567,495 figure for the same expense.

Schwartz said a Texas firm has been the home’s sole provider for physical, occupational and speech therapy.

This is why knowing not only how much money is being spent on specific projects is important, but also who is being paid to provide goods and services. Who knows what this “Texas firm’s” reputation is, after all?

Schwartz questioned whether the services are subject to an annual bidding process.

Nursing home Administrator Andrew Buffenbarger was not at the meeting to answer questions.

That is not an encouraging sign.

Another public speaker, Dianna Visek, asked the board and county auditor to post contracts and expenses on the Internet, and called for more openness on Open Meetings Act and Freedom of information Act questions.

“It’s important that citizens feel there are no secrets other than extremely limited topics protected by state and federal laws,” she told the board.

Dianna is one of the Institute’s Liberty Leaders and has pushed hard for fiscal transparency, most recently helping to get it for the City of Urbana.

Keep up the great work, Dianna and everyone else involved!