As I was perusing newspapers on Saturday, I found this in a story about Morgan’s defense of his “slush fund” appropriations by Florence Gilkeson. (from The Pilot)
?Not only were these projects recommended and funded by the legislature, but there were press releases issued on each grant,? Morgan said.
Morgan said that the funding was part of the budget approved by the legislature and was available for scrutiny by fellow legislators and the public in general.
?For each one of these projects, there is a line item somewhere in the budget,? he said.
But these comments run contrary to a story that appeared the same day in the Carolina Journal.
Last fall, Morgan instructed the Department of Health and Human Services to send $500,000 to his district of Moore County to set up a senior center. He later decided to double it.
On Oct. 14, 2004, DHHS Division of Aging and Adult Services Director Karen Gottovi sent a memo to Moore County Manager Steve Wyatt informing him of the money.
?The Joint Conference Committee Report on the Continuation, Expansion, and Capital Budget authorizes $500,000 for the development of a senior center in Moore County.”
But Gottovi?s statement about the source of funds was incorrect. No specific line item mentioned the Moore County funds, and which account the funds were to come from was not clear.
On Dec. 16, 2004, DHHS budget analyst Pam Leaman notified Aleta Mills in Secretary Carmen Hooker Odom?s office that Morgan wanted more money for the project.
?In a conversation with Sabra Faires in Morgan?s office today we have learned that the additional $500K was placed in a reserve in DHHS?s budget, not in OSBM?s (Office of State Budget and Management). The Division of Aging is ready to allocate the $1 million NR (non recurring) funds to Moore County.?
But the exact source of funds was still not clear.
So it seems that there are still many questions, people cannot continually claim that this is a line item if it doesn?t show up.
