Potato commission director accused of spending public money on family

Boss resigns under pressure, may have altered records

MOSES LAKE — The Washington State Potato Commission's former executive director will likely face criminal charges, following a state investigation into his alleged misuse of public funds for personal gain and efforts to cover up.

Pat Boss, of Moses Lake, reportedly misused at least $8,535 in public funds, from July 2002 until he left the commission in May 2005, according to an Oct. 18 report published by the state Auditor's Office.

The state's report — which also noted an additional $3,545 in allegedly unsupported and questionable purchases by Boss — details his methods of reportedly falsifying accounting records as he allegedly tried to conceal personal charges he made with the commission's credit card.

The state auditor referred its findings to the Grant County Prosecutor's Office for appropriate criminal action.

Grant County Deputy Prosecutor Teddy Chow said he's reviewed documents relating to the investigation against Boss.

"There is enough to charge," Chow said Wednesday.

Boss didn't return a phone message seeking comment.

Boss was hired by the Moses Lake-based commission in November 1996, as director of governmental affairs. He became executive director in 1998, and was highly regarded for work benefiting state potato growers. He earned $106,000 annually, before resigning from his position in May 2005. He now runs a public affairs agency.

The state gave 13 examples of what it described as the former executive director's misappropriation of public funds and falsification of accounting records.

In January 2004, Boss and several commission board members attended a national potato conference in Cancun, Mexico. Boss reportedly used the commission's credit card to pay hotel charges of $1,701 for himself, his wife and two kids. Total charges for the room allegedly exceeded the daily allowance by $549.

Eight months later, Boss reportedly used the commission's credit card to charge airline tickets for both he and his wife to Japan, for a September 2004 trade mission to promote Washington products. The credit card statement reported the airfare was altered, according to the state. Both of their names were removed and "Service Charge" was handwritten on the margin. Boss' ticket for the Tokyo trip cost $1,616; his wife's was $2,155.

Days later he allegedly used $1,490 of commission funds to buy his wife another airline ticket. No documentation showing the purpose of the ticket was found by the state auditors.

Later he reportedly used commission money to fly his wife and one child to Washington, D.C., totaling $766. He then allegedly altered the next month's travel account statement, removing their names to conceal the transaction, according to the auditor's office.

Boss reportedly used the commission's credit card on at least two occasions to fund repairs to personal vehicles. He first reportedly charged $304 for tire and wheel work, then $572 for later repairs.

He allegedly spent $264 on jewelry in Bangkok, Thailand, and took an unexplained cash advance of $776, according to the state. He reportedly obtained an unexplained cash advance in Las Vegas for $319. He allegedly bought three basketball game photographs for $208, later claiming they were "staff photos." All were charged to the commission's credit card and accounting records were all missing or altered, reported the state auditors.

He reportedly charged several retail items with the commission's credit card, including deck stain, a power washer and luggage. Most of the retail merchandise was subsequently returned and credited to the commission's account.

When he was confronted by the commission about the abusive spending, he paid $2,920 in a verbal settlement before resigning. As he left the commission, Boss received $13,537 for unused vacation. The state's report said he should not have received the payment. Commission officials confirmed the leave payment was done in error.

The state recommended the commission recover $16,442 from Boss or the commission's insurance company for the misused funds and the related investigation.

Scott Renick, a state audit manager in Wenatchee, criticized the commission in the report for paying more than $250,000 a year on travel-related costs without a formal, written policy on travel expenses.

Garth Dano, Boss' attorney, said his client provided "exemplary services" to the commission for more than eight years.

"It is a tragedy that the matter he thought was settled last year is being used by some to try to destroy his reputation," Dano said. "Furthermore, had someone come to Pat and indicated that the commission was seeking additional reimbursement, it could have been taken care of last year."

Dano said the state audit report "mis-characterized" Boss' activities.

"Obviously, the state's word can't be trusted, which comes as no surprise," the attorney said.

The commission adopted a comprehensive travel policy after Boss resigned, said Karen Bonaudi, the commission's assistant executive director. It also established an audit committee to review expenditures and credit card activity to prevent further abuse, she said.

"The commission has always had a good, strong reputation, so we're concerned about what people think of us," Bonaudi said. "The commissioners, individually, are working hard to keep in touch with the growers whose assessments fund this commission."

The commission gives "much consideration" to getting the greatest return on the money assessed from potato growers, she said.

The commission is a quasi-governmental agency, established in 1956, representing the state's 300 growers in business and government. Its overall budget was $3.3 million in 2005, flowing from assessments on potato growers in Washington. Expenditures amounted to $3.7 million in 2005.

The auditor's report is available online at www.sao.wa.gov.