Bob Harrington, state forester for the Department of Natural Resources and Conservation, said he's trying to track down the four firefighters who charged the meals on Aug. 9, and get them to pay back what might be around $35.
He also plans to have supervisors re-emphasize allowable charges to all employees, and possibly change the way charges are handled.
"I think what happens is people get their outlook on life skewed sometimes with what they think they deserve and what they do deserve," Harrington said on Friday. "This type of thing is the exception, not the rule and is not anything condoned by any of the leadership in this department. Does it happen? I'm afraid it does once in a while. But we will not accept it."
He said while the amount may not be much, the perception that this type of activity goes on unchecked has a much higher cost, especially when the DNRC is being scrutinized for the $66 million bill the state will pay this year for firefighting costs.
State legislators recently commissioned the state auditor to investigate firefighting costs.
"This is something we take quite seriously," Harrington said. "It's not so much the dollar amount
