URBANA – A University of Illinois accounting professor said Thursday the county nursing home's books are flawed.

Rachel Schwartz, who has offered her services to the county unpaid, told the Champaign County Board that there are discrepancies. For example, the home reported spending $342,875 for contract rehabilitation services in fiscal 2007 on its unaudited expense report, but gave the state a $567,495 figure for the same expense.

Schwartz said a Texas firm has been the home's sole provider for physical, occupational and speech therapy.

The billing is sometimes for more than 13 hours a day, even though the nursing home does not offer therapy all day, Schwartz said.

Additionally, she said, the home pays the Texas firm for hours that are not reimbursed through Medicare.

Schwartz questioned whether the services are subject to an annual bidding process.

Nursing home Administrator Andrew Buffenbarger was not at the meeting to answer questions.

Schwartz spoke during the public participation session. Board member Carol Ammons, a Champaign Democrat, asked fellow board members to suspend the rules to question Schwartz. The move was seconded by fellow Champaign Democrat Matthew Gladney but defeated by a voice vote.

Another public speaker, Dianna Visek, asked the board and county auditor to post contracts and expenses on the Internet, and called for more openness on Open Meetings Act and Freedom of information Act questions.

"It's important that citizens feel there are no secrets other than extremely limited topics protected by state and federal laws," she told the board.

"Sometimes government bodies are so afraid of embarrassment that they hide issues that aren't protected by law and would actually benefit from being publicly aired."