Since 2007, the Lake County Solid Waste Management District has wracked up $141,864 in credit card bills, with some of the money spent wining and dining for a trash-to-ethanol development project.

A Times review of district charges between January 2007 and July 1, 2010, shows thousands spent on meals and gas, as well as common office supplies and community outreach materials.

Thousands of dollars went to court local and state politicians and business developers, bills one district board member said might lead to the district considering meal spending limits or "using (the) money for other things."

A healthy appetite

During the past 3 1/2 years, taxpayers have paid for at least $27,973 worth of meals charged by waste district officials.

The bills and bistros vary, from as small as fast food and a $2 coffee to as large as $68 per diner at region fine dining establishments and steakhouses.

But putting fork to plate, Executive Director Jeff Langbehn said, is all in the interest of county solid waste affairs.

The lunches "all deal with business," Langbehn said."We don't try to spend money foolishly."

Between 2008 and this summer, the district spent at least $3,698 on lunches at costly eateries in Merrillville, including $1,955 at fine dining restaurant Gamba Ristorante.

"If somebody is coming in to meet with us, especially for multimillion-dollar projects, we’re probably not going to go to McDonald's," Langbehn said.

He said the district weighs such upscale meals with the return on investment.

"We bought some expensive lunches," he said. "Was it worth it?"

In the case of the district's planned waste-to-ethanol plant, Langbehn said, "Yeah, that's a pretty good investment."

Representatives from Evansville-based Powers Energy of America -- the company that plans to build a plant in Schneider to transform the county's garbage into ethanol -- have been among the district's culinary guests at Gamba and other local eateries.

The names of Powers officials began appearing in early 2007 district credit card records that detail December 2006 charges. In December 2006, Powers Energy President Earl Powers dined with Langbehn and two other district officials at The Patio in Merrillville with a final bill of $177.68.

In the months and years since then, the district has spent at least $2,570 in meals with Powers officials.

In December 2009, to ensure Powers made a district meeting on time, the district shelled out $150 for a limousine to collect Powers from the airport, a charge Langbehn said Powers was expected to refund.

According to Langbehn, schmoozing over fancy meals is how private business operates, and the district -- a taxpayer funded agency -- is along for the ride, hopefully with an eye toward solid waste projects.

"Do I like the fact that we have to deal, we have to eat at the Gamba's?" Langbehn said. "I prefer that we didn’t because it’s expensive.

"Especially in these times, we're cognizant," he continued. "In a practical matter, we have to do it. I would absolutely prefer that that never occurred."

Dan Lowery, good government expert and new president of Calumet College of St. Joseph, noted it ultimately can benefit government groups to loosen the purse strings in favor of progress.

"A lot of good business can get done a those meetings. That’s how partnerships are formed," Lowery said. "That could be very much in the public interest."

"But," Lowery added, "the question becomes the volume."

More regularly than the swanky eats, Langbehn has charged several less-expensive breakfasts and lunches as business meetings, often frequenting The Patio and Asparagus, he said, because the establishments are near the district's Merrillville office.

On the road

A significant portion of the $20,118 the district spent on gas fueled tanks heading to and from Indianapolis, according to the spending records.

As district board member and Lake County Councilman Larry Blanchard noted, Langbehn and others spend a lot of time lobbying the Statehouse on solid waste issues.

District officials also occasionally traveled to conferences at locations including Denver and New Orleans.

A fact-finding mission related to the district's trash-to-ethanol plant also wracked up food and hotel charges.

In November 2008, a contingent of region municipal leaders traveled to Arkansas to check out INEOS Bio and its technology proposed for the plant.

At a steak and shrimp restaurant 10 minutes from the INEOS site, the group spent at least $1,210 over three visits.

Cutting back?

In June 2008, amid efforts to cut agency spending in tight budgeting, Langbehn vowed to no longer pick up the tab for business guests at meals.

According to credit records, just three months later, the district picked up a $204.76 tab at Indianapolis' Palomino restaurant for Powers, Langbehn and district attorney Clifford Duggan.

Subsequent meals with Powers officials, region politicians and other businesses followed.

Langbehn said last week his agency tries to mitigate meal costs.

District charges are subject to board member scrutiny and approval, and Langbehn said members occasionally have questioned charges in the past.

"Every single one of those bills are presented to the board. Every single month they’re approved," he said.

Among those approving the bills has been Blanchard, who said such spending "needs to be looked at."

He added the district has "held the line and even reduced their levy over the years. I know they give a lot back (in recycling grants)."

Blanchard suggested the district could consider adopting individual meal spending limits -- or per diems -- as the County Council uses.

County government sets per diems at $10 for breakfast, $15 for lunch and $25 for dinner, per person.

As Langbehn acknowledges, district meals often far surpass those levels. For example, one dinner at Indianapolis' Capital Grille in November 2009 for three people came to $303.

Langbehn said his agency tries not to log exorbitant bills, but problems arise when private groups weighing district business want to eat at pricey spots, such as Indianapolis' Oceanaire.

"OK, what do I do?" Langbehn said. "If the meeting is for the district, and your per diem won't (cover) the first thing on the menu, you’re screwed."

"If I had my preference," he added, "I would never sit in a business lunch again."