Platte County official accused of paying for his beer garden and rum with county credit card

Platte County’s head of building maintenance has been arrested and charged with a felony, accused of using the county’s credit card to build a beer garden at his house and to buy a lawn mower and a bottle of Sailor Jerry Rum, among other items.

Kenneth M. Bozenhardt, 54, was charged Saturday with one count of felony stealing. Platte County sheriff’s deputies on Friday executed a search warrant on Bozenhardt’s home and seized property allegedly bought with county funds at a local Home Depot.

As the county’s director of facilities, Bozenhardt has been responsible for maintenance on county buildings and the purchase of building-related supplies.

But Platte County prosecutors say Bozenhardt, for nearly 15 months, used the county’s credit card and business account to stock his home with various items, some of which went into construction of his home beer garden, which he allegedly bragged about to county employees, according to court documents.

Investigators detailed purchases of 10-foot cedar posts, 12-foot cedar boards, potting planters, potting pebbles, a watering can, flags, flag holders, and a sun shade. Other items included a welder and a tool cabinet.

Court documents also say that Bozenhardt admitted pocketing $200 in 2016 after scrapping materials from maintenance jobs around county facilities.

Invoices for all of the items had been paid by county commissioners. County procedures require signatures of at least two commissioners before any payment.

Platte County prosecutor Eric Zahnd said he would ask a special prosecutor to handle the case, as he has in previous cases involving high-ranking county employees with whom he has regular contact.

A judge set bond for Bozenhardt at $2,000.

This story was originally published August 6, 2016 at 9:05 PM with the headline "Platte County official accused of paying for his beer garden and rum with county credit card."