At a glance: Key EMSA audit findings

• Board of trustees reviews budgets in general rather than individual expenditures and has no cost threshold by which more expensive items must be approved.

• Questionable employee purchasing/reimbursement policy, including use of personal rewards cards, travel expenses paid in advance, and sizable bills for meals, valet parking and room service.

• Questionable purchases by authority for retirement and anniversary parties, floral arrangements and Oklahoma City apartment.

• Questionable purchases by EMSA's chief executive officer, Stephen Williamson, including room service, spa treatment and satellite radio subscriptions.

• Perceived conflicts of interest between EMSA and service contractors, sometimes without board approval and in violation of authority's code of conduct.

• A third of board meetings canceled since December 2006 because of a lack of quorum or scheduling conflict.

• Lack of careful selection, orientation and training of board members.

• Inherent difficulties with utility program address data, leading to billing errors and misleading language in account statements.

Major changes already instigated by EMSA since audit began:

• Installed a per diem limit for travel which matches federal standards.