Audit: Minnesota Gambling Control Board inappropriately paid three board members

Thursday, July 13, 2000 | 4:01 a.m.

The report recommends that the board members repay $3,245 they received for attending board functions. State law prohibits government employees from receiving the payment if they are reimbursed from another source, which board officials say they were not.

One board member used vacation time to attend board functions. Another used unpaid personal time. The third has retired and couldn't be reached. Two were county employees; one was a city employee.

"It's our belief that the intent of (the statute) is to prevent employees of the state or political subdivisions of the state from "double dipping" at taxpayer expense," Executive Director Harry Baltzer wrote in response to the audit. "We believe these board members have met that test and were paid and accepted per diem in good faith."

The case was referred to the attorney general's office, which will decide whether to pursue reimbursement from the employees.

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