Shelby Co TN: County (credit) card used by Jones to buy books, DVDs, DDs online

By Michael Erskine and Marc Perrusquia erskine@gomemphis.com perrusquia@gomemphis.com August 30, 2002

Amid the Christmas season last year, Shelby County Mayor Jim Rout's top aide shopped online with his county-issued credit card.

Tom Jones, Rout's senior adviser, spent $112.65 on a variety of books in late December, including The Pop-Up Book of Nightmares, Dangerous Curves: The Art of the Guitar and Walking the Bible: A Journey by Land Through the Five Books of Moses.

That purchase from Amazon.com is among dozens Jones made for books, CDs and DVDs in the past five years, according to details in 1,000 pages of photocopied credit card statements and receipts released late Thursday afternoon.

Jones, whom Rout suspended with pay Monday, is being investigated for his personal use of a county credit card issued to the Mayor's Office. Jones, 54, said Wednesday that he had reimbursed the county for $35,000 in personal charges and has about $10,000 left to pay up.

Documents provided by the County Attorney's Office Thursday showed only that Jones, who is paid $101,856 a year, had reimbursed the county for $18,194.24. That total included 26 personal checks since 1998, and 11 within the past two months for $13,723.94. One check, dated Aug. 27, 2002, was for $7,195.74 and covered nearly two years' worth of charges.

However, county finance administrator Mike Swift said late Thursday that Jones had indeed provided reimbursement for close to $35,000.

The procurement card policies and procedures manual states it is a misuse of a card to use it for "the sole benefit of the employee." Penalties include disciplinary action ranging to termination.

The manual prohibits the use of the card for travel and food. Among the documents obtained Thursday are reimbursement checks from Rout's campaign for airplane tickets.

Jones said he believes senior members of the administration have been exempt from that policy.

According to the manual, the guidelines are for employees in departments "which have selected employees to use a Procurement Card to purchase goods, service(s), or for specific expenditures. . . . The decision of when and to whom a Procurement Card is issued will be made only by the Division Director or authorized designee."

Jones, as a senior staff member, is above the level of director in the executive branch hierarchy. He answers directly to Rout.

But Chief Administrative Officer Jim Kelly said Thursday he believes the policy applies to Jones.

Kelly said problems with Jones's procurement card usage turned up in a routine audit that Rout ordered to close out his administration. Saturday is Rout's last day as mayor.

Auditors examined expenses of at least nine top administration officials but found problems only with Jones's spending, Kelly said. Others examined included corrections director Mark Luttrell, who becomes sheriff Sunday; administration and finance director John Trusty.

Trusty didn't return a reporter's call Thursday. But county finance officials have long maintained it is not their job to police the purchasing card policy; county finance merely pays the bills and serves as an archive for the county's financial dealings, they say.

Enforcement is left to individual elected officials, such as the mayor, the sheriff and the property assessor, who are responsible for disciplining the employees under them. Kelly said he understands that practice has resulted in differences in the way the policy is enforced.

Jones clearly used the card for business expenses, including frequent travel with Rout that covered hotel, airfare and restaurant costs in the United States and overseas. But other hefty charges that appear to be for personal reasons were made at Seessel's, Borders Books and Music, Davis-Kidd Booksellers and even included airfare for Jones's family.

In Rout's letter suspending Jones, obtained by The Commercial Appeal Thursday, the mayor instructed Jones to turn in all county credit cards, keys, cell phones, beepers and "any other county property in your possession."

"You are asked not to enter the workplace during this suspension unless specifically authorized by this office, the CAO or the County Attorney," Rout wrote. The letter, dated Aug. 26, was copied to Kelly and County Atty. Donnie Wilson.

Wilson said Thursday that he is not overseeing the case and has asked Richard Beeler, a former county attorney in Knox County, and Herbert Gerson, a local attorney, to conduct the investigation. They were retained Aug. 22.

Mayor-elect A C Wharton, who officially takes office Sunday, said Thursday that he has not spoken to Jones about an appointment in his administration. But Wharton said Jones, like every other appointee, is neither "in" nor "out" at this time.

IF it were you or I abusing the use of a PRIVATE company credit card we would be FIRED. But because this is the mayor's friend he is being given a PAID weeks vacation.

This is a 20+ year government employee..he wasn't fired because he is the mayor's friend..and if he were fired his pension would be lost. Mayor Rout is covering his friends butt.

Let Mayor Jim Rout know how you feel about it.
rout-j@co.shelby.tn.us

This is the difference between Republicans and Democrats.

If this guy were a RAT, all of the RATS would be lined up to defend him: "But he was doing such a good job;" "He got confused---he didn't mean to steal any money;" "He said he was sorry---can't we just move on?"; "There was slavery in the past so we must make allowances;" "Everybody does it, they are just singling this guy out."

I hope this guy is charged with the crimes it appears he committed.

You are right rout is a RINO. The new mayor takes office Sunday. He "may" not retain jones, as it is an appointed position. BUT he will be let go with FULL a pension.

Even with rout being gone Sunday doesn't mean we should over look this. I already have sent my email.

No, not really. My company gave me an AmEx, no limit - the trick is, I have to pay the bill. They then pay me back for legitimate business expenses.

I can use it for whatever I want - they object to the charge, I get stuck paying it.

Not a card I use often.

Dennis had the same deal with his company. BUT he carried our personal card to use for personal emergency purchases. Company card was for company business.

This guy has been in gov't over 20 years he knew the rules, and choose to ignore them out of arrogance. A many making that kind of money and he needs to rip off the taxserfs who pay his salar to boot. We got stuck with the interest payments to I bet.

My Federal agency has a few people who are assigned to review all charges made to our credit cards.

You have to be very careful because they will catch anything out of the ordinary. I once bought food at a drug store and was asked why I was charging drugs to a government credit card.

Since I don't like to have anyone looking over my shoulder, the only thing I use the card for now is airline tickets since airlines will only give you the government rate if you charge the tickets to a government card.

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