Zimmerlink continues to seek reimbursement
The short stay at the summer County Commissioners Association of Pennsylvania (CCAP) conference by Fayette County Commissioner Angela M. Zimmerlink and its cost to the taxpayers drew both criticism and support during the commission’s recent meeting.
Earlier this year, both Zimmerlink and Commission Chairman Al Ambrosini registered to attend the annual CCAP conference and trade show that was held at Hershey Lodge in Hershey.
While travel and other costs incurred by the officials are routinely approved and paid, Zimmerlink had to wait until Wednesday to be repaid.
Zimmerlink said Commissioner Vincent Zaptosky added the second signature to the requisition, allowing for it to be processed and a check issued.
Earlier, both Ambrosini and Zapotosky advised Zimmerlink that they wanted to discuss the matter before they would initial the requisition.
Ambrosini said that he requested a private meeting with Zimmerlink to discuss the cost.
“It turns out that she spent $350 for the registration fee to attend a committee meeting on Sunday,” he said. “She didn’t have to register if that’s all she wanted to do. She could have stayed overnight and returned home and saved (the taxpayers) $350.”
The $350 registration fee was paid in advance by the two attendees, according to their respective receipts.
In early September, Zimmerlink submitted a requisition to be reimbursed for her expenses tied to the conference that included $216 for overnight lodging and $33 for Pennsylvania Turnpike tolls, plus the registration fee, totaling $599. Zimmerlink used a county-owned vehicle to travel to Hershey.
Although Ambrosini has yet to submit documents for reimbursement, his costs total $1,123 and include $649 for his three-day hotel stay, $101 for mileage, $23 for turnpike tolls and the $350 conference registration fee, according to the expense statement requested by the Herald-Standard.
Ambrosini said that he used his personal vehicle for the trip.
Zimmerlink, meanwhile, said she traveled to the conference on Sunday to participate in a mid-afternoon meeting.
According to turnpike records, Zimmerlink got on the toll road about 9:30 a.m. Sunday and again around 10:40 a.m. Monday.
“I serve on the (CCAP Governance) Committee, that’s why I was there Sunday,” she said. “In the evening, there are also things going on.”
According to the conference agenda, Democratic and Republican caucus breakfast meetings were held followed by the conference opening session on Monday.
Stuart H. Brody, conference keynote speaker, also addressed those attending the conference during the opening session Monday, according to the conference agenda.
During her time at the conference, Zimmerlink said that she additionally visited the vendors area and conversed with numerous other commissioners about the issues facing all county officials, such as funding cuts, prison overcrowding, and other topics.
Zimmerlink said that her time was well spent and her decision to leave Monday was because the remaining sessions and activities were not relevant to a second-term commissioner or ones she wanted to participate in, such as a golf outing or a dinner gathering.
Her attendance also allowed her to receive valuable materials that will aid her as a commissioner, she said.
“I am proud to serve on the governance committee of CCAP and I am pleased that CCAP and the commission officers have asked me to serve again in 2013,” said Zimmerlink.
Ambrosini said that to get the full value of the conference it is important to take part in the entire event.
“I wanted to go to two or three sessions, but they were being held at the same time,” he said. “They were all important. Information is always evolving and if you are going to pay $350 to register, you probably should take advantage of the information they offer.”
Franklin Township resident Ralph Mazza raised the reimbursement issue at the recent meeting and prior to Zapotosky’s signing off on the reimbursement, and questioned why the matter had yet to be resolved.
“(Zimmerlink) said that she attended the meetings that she was interested in,” said Mazza. “I’ve been coming to these meetings for many, many years and have seen numerous expense accounts (submitted) and this is the first time I’ve ever seen someone’s expense account rejected.”
Mazza’s wife, Jeri, said that the commissioners approved the travel of other department employees and never questioned their whereabouts.
“How do you know they were there or were attending the meetings?” said Jeri Mazza.
“But without question, their expenses are paid.”
Ambrosini, meanwhile, said that he did not intend for the reimbursement issue to become a public matter and that he would have preferred to keep it an internal matter.
“I wanted to handle this in an administrative fashion,” he said.
“What was the reason for (Zimmerlink) going? Was it to allow her to issue a press release telling everyone that she attended the CCAP conference? She didn’t attend.”