Kiffmeyer: Staff errors led to overpayments

07/17/2007

BOB VON STERNBERG
Star Tribune
Last update: July 16, 2007 – 9:28 PM


Former Secretary of State Mary Kiffmeyer said Monday that staff members in her office were responsible for overpayments to staff and herself during her last two years in office.
She was responding to a report released Friday by the legislative auditor's office. It found that employees in the secretary of state's office were overpaid by $190,000 and that Kiffmeyer was personally overpaid for mileage reimbursement.

Kiffmeyer had not returned calls Friday seeking comment.

The mileage reimbursements were "miscalculated" by an employee and an employee in the office's human relations department approved pay rates higher than allowed under a collective bargaining agreement, Kiffmeyer said.

"With so many rules, we're dependent on HR folks giving us advice," she said.

Kiffmeyer said she has passed along clarifying information to Mark Ritchie, the current secretary of state, who defeated her in November.