HAMMOND | City Council members won't authorize paying Mayor Thomas M. McDermott Jr.'s American Express bill until they receive an itemized report of his expenditures.

Council members unanimously agreed to pull McDermott's $1,759.98 December bill Monday night after Hammond resident and taxpayer rights activist George Janiec said the claim failed to provide the itemization called for in a recently released state audit of the city's financial practices.

The statement, which consists of a $55 annual membership renewal fee, a $330 contribution to the Indiana Continuing Legal Education Forum, $1,163.75 for logo apparel and accessories from Progressive Gifts, $47.76 for gasoline and $163.47 for one night at the Conrad Hotel in Indianapolis, is self-explanatory, McDermott said.

"There's nothing on there that's improper," McDermott said Tuesday morning. "That's all clearly city business."

Councilman At-large Bob Markovich, who made the motion that the claim be pulled and sat in on the review with the State Board of Accounts, said council members need to know more than just who is receiving money.

"This council and this city has been written up in the State Board of Accounts audit for not using the American Express card to state statute," Markovich said Monday night. "The information needed to submit the claim has not been submitted accordingly."

Markovich said since the statement includes travel expenses, it also needs to be accompanied with a specific form required by the city.

"There is no receipt here to substantiate it," Markovich said.

City Controller Bob Lendi contended that the statement had the necessary information to be paid and not paying the claim would result in the city having to pay finance charges. Markovich noted bill was due Jan. 9 and is already late.

McDermott said he is willing to provide more information on his expenses in the future, but said Monday night's debate was little more than political posturing.