VILLA HILLS — Officials from the state auditor's office could begin checking Villa Hills city records as early as today amid allegations of improper spending by past and current members of council and by city employees.

        Harold McKinney, spokesman for Kentucky Auditor Ed Hatchett, said the office is responding to anonymous tips that city credit cards were used for golf outings, bar tabs, hotel rooms and trips to Hooters.

        “We are coming up to look some things over, but we're not officially beginning an audit,” Mr. McKinney said Thursday.

        City credit card billing records obtained by Fort Wright attorney Jeff Harmon through Kentucky's open-re cords law show most of the spending took place during the administration of former Mayor Denny Stein, who was defeated two years ago by now-Mayor Steve Clark.

        Mr. Harmon made the records public during a heated Wednesday council meeting.

        Mr. Stein and members of council defended the spending and claimed releasing the records in a public meeting is part of an orchestrated attempt to divert scrutiny from Mr. Clark, the subject of a Kenton County grand jury investigation over a check he sent to a Florence concrete company.

        “I don't care if they come after me,” Mr. Stein said Thursday. “Everything in those records is explainable, but no one cared to ask. They just throw these things out.”

        “It's a smoke screen and a diversion,” said Councilman Mike Sadouskas. “It's unfortunate, but people who make these baseless, maybe slanderous, accusations will be dealt with at another date.”

        Mr. Harmon would not say whom he represents, but council members think it is a group of Villa Hills residents sympathetic to Mr. Clark.

        Mr. Harmon said he thinks that members of council and even some city employees who supported Mr. Stein instigated the investigation into Mr. Clark.

        Some members of council, including Mr. Sadouskas, have clashed with Mr. Clark but he and others have denied having anything to do with the investigation.

        The Kentucky Attorney Gener al's Office and Kenton County Commonwealth Attorney Don Buring began investigating Mr. Clark this summer after it was learned he sent a check for $25,025 to a Florence concrete company.

        The money was supposed to go for sidewalks. But any project over $10,000 must be put to public bid. The check was sent without council's knowledge, members have said.

        Mr. Clark, who did not return a phone call to comment, has admitted the check was sent by mistake. But he also has denied any criminal wrongdoing.

        Mr. Stein said spending on his watch can be explained.

        For instance, he said, council members reimbursed the city for several of the expenditures, including charges at the Drawbridge Inn in Fort Mitchell.

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