NORTHWEST ARKANSAS — A deputy prosecutor in Sebastian County has decided not to file charges in an investigation into whether automotive parts were purchased with Greenwood city money but were installed in private vehicles.
Allison Houston said Tuesday after reviewing a Greenwood police report dated Jan. 24 on the car-partsinvestigation, the state could not prove that a crime was committed.
But a city employee, mechanic Mike Noren, was fired and Street Department Supervisor Don Keyes was reprimanded and paid the city more than $500 for city money that was improperly spent, Mayor Del Gabbard said Wednesday.
Gabbard said Keyes told him he decided to pay backthe money because the improper purchases occurred on his watch.
The total amount of city money that was improperly spent exceeded $500, Gabbard said, but he could not quote a figure when contacted Wednesday.
Gabbard asked the Police Department in early January to investigate allegations that were made by former Alderman Jim Newcomb that citymoney was being used to purchase car parts that were used in private vehicles and that the city’s garage was used to work on private vehicles.
In January, Newcomb said he found from a review of city records that improper purchases totaled between $10,000 and $20,000 over three years.
Houston said the amount of purchases totaled just over$400. She said there was no criminal conduct because Noren had authorization to charge and sign for the purchase of automotive needs for the city and because Keyes approved the purchases.
The investigation conducted by police Lt. Nicholas Driscoll showed he found among receipts from O’Reilly Auto Parts over the last three years that $407.55 worth of carparts the city bought didn’t fit any city vehicle.
During his investigation, Driscoll learned from city employee Gary Strange that he saw Noren also buy various vehicle fluids on the city’s account but use the fluids for work on his and other private vehicles at the city shop. The report said one of Noren’s co-workers, Greg Dickerson, told him he saw Noren working on private vehicles during working hours.
According to Driscoll’s review of city purchasing records, the Street Department bought more carburetor/brake cleaner, argon gas and diesel fuel than usual in 2009 and 2010 for additional charges totaling nearly $2,400.
Driscoll also questioned a local woman who said Noren worked on her car at the city shop. She said Noren rebuilt the engine of her car and replaced the transmission at different times. She told Driscoll when she purchased parts for the repairs that Noren told her to have them delivered to the shop.
Driscoll’s report stated that Noren denied buying any parts not for city vehicles but added that sometimes parts arrived for other departments and he would sign for them.
He admitted to replacing a transmission for the Greenwood woman and said that he only worked on personal vehicles six or seven other times after hours and on weekends.
He also said the accusation that he filled up his personal vehicle and gas cans with city diesel fuel was a lie.
Gabbard said Wednesday he planned to take steps so that car-part purchases were watched more closely so that improper use of city money did not happen again.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 7 on 03/03/2011