Ruling nears for Clay County officials accused of misusing tax dollars on birthday cards

A circuit court judge will likely decide this month whether two Clay County commissioners misused taxpayer money when they mailed birthday cards and free museum passes to some registered voters who were 62 and older.

A Gladstone man filed the civil lawsuit, alleging commissioners Luann Ridgeway and Gene Owen spent at least $10,000 for cards and postage over several years. Enclosed in the cards were free admission tickets to the Jesse James Farm and Museum in Kearney.

Eight witnesses were called during the one-day bench trial before Judge Daren Adkins, who is a visiting judge from Daviess County. Adkins said he would take the matter under advisement.

In the lawsuit filed in Clay County Circuit Court, Gary S. Markenson accused the commissioners of using county funds for their own private purpose and benefit by targeting older residents who voted in one of the two most recent general elections. The birthday cards and free passes were not sent to every county resident.

At the time, Ridgeway said she did the same outreach in county government that she did for years while serving in the Missouri House and Senate.

However, Markenson said that sending the cards was an inappropriate use of county resources. Commissioners should use their own money if they want to send birthday cards to constituents, said Markenson, a former executive director for the Missouri Municipal League, which trains elected officials on various administrative and ethical issues.

Ridgeway and Owen were each re-elected to four-year terms in November.

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 1:27 PM with the headline "Ruling nears for Clay County officials accused of misusing tax dollars on birthday cards."