MINGO JUNCTION - Auditor of State Mary Taylor is seeking financial recovery from the village in a combined amount of $696.96 for two purchases she says were not in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles.

In a letter sent to council, Taylor said there was no evidence to substantiate the validity of a $253 purchase made by a village employee on Oct. 31, 2007.

"A purchase order for the purchase had not been prepared and there was no invoice for the expenditure," the findings indicate.

Mayor Domenic Chappano said there was absolutely no malice involved in the request for reimbursement.

He said the employee sought reimbursement from the village for money spent on VHS tapes, which were being used with a recording system that had been installed at the municipal building under the request of former Village Administrator Joe Pierro.

The employee believed the village would reimburse her for the supplies, but later discovered it would not. Chappano said the money was immediately paid back and the employee ultimately ended up paying for the video tapes herself.

The incident was simply "an honest mistake," Chappano said.

The second finding involves $443 which was spent on wine for a Christmas party at the Mingo Senior Center on Dec. 16.

Taylor states "the purchase was prepared to request reimbursement to the senior center petty cash fund for alcohol purchased for the annual Christmas party."

The auditor of state says the purchase order was prepared and approved by the director and certified by Clerk Rocky Petrozzi.

Chappano stated he had not been aware of the matter at the time, but "at this point in time, the matter has been corrected."

Petrozzi was not available Friday to comment on whether any paperwork has been submitted to the state indicating the findings having been paid.

(Ghrist can be contacted at jstenger@heraldstaronline.com.)