The Town of Boothbay Selectmen have found a second questionable charge on a credit card account used by former Town Manager James Chaousis. In a certified letter sent to Chaousis on May 28, town officials allege Chaousis spent $4,388.11 for two personal cell phone accounts dating back to 2011.

The letter also asks for an explanation regarding a Sept. 6, 2011 charge at Dead River Co., a heating oil supplier.

An audit conducted by Purdy Powers & Associates described both charges as those of a personal nature. Selectmen’s Chairman Dale Harmon wrote the letter requesting reimbursement for those charges.

In the letter, Harmon said the town conducted the same type of audit when Chaousis’ predecessor left as town manager. He wrote that the auditor had determined that there were two categories of charges deemed to be personal. Town officials enclosed a spreadsheet requesting Chaousis to review past charges to see if any others were non-business related.

The two personal cell phone charges began in August 2011 and ended in March 2015. Chaousis ended his 52-month tenure as town manager in March.

In the letter, Harmon requested Chaousis reimburse the town within the next month.

“A copy of the spreadsheet showing the monthly amounts incurred by the town were for your family members’ cell phone equipment and service is enclosed,” wrote Harmon. “The total amount is $4,388.38. The town expects full reimbursement within 30 days receipt of this letter.”

The audit also discovered a second questionable charge. The auditor discovered a $709.80 to the town manager’s Capitol One Visa Business Card at Dead River Co.

On June 3, Chaousis said he received the letter, but due to a busy work schedule hadn’t paid much attention to it. He agreed there had been some co-mingling of personal and business expenses during his tenure as town manager. But he challenged the notion that the expenses were unauthorized.

“I think it’s been stated as an unauthorized expense, but the selectmen authorized every one,” Chaousis said. “It certainly appears there has been some co-mingling of personal and business expenses.

“I’ll clear that up and pay what the selectmen believe I owe them. That’s fine. There is nothing nefarious here.”

Chaousis said he didn’t know how the two personal cell phones became co-mingled with his municipal paid town manager account.

“It was inadvertent. I don’t really know,” he said.

Harmon’s letter reminded Chaousis that Boothbay didn’t purchase heating oil from Dead River. He also reminded him of a previous incident on Dec. 19, 2011 where Chaousis mistakenly used a town credit card for $471.93 Dead River purchase for personal use.

“As you know from a previous incident, the town doesn’t use Dead River for fuel supply needs. On behalf of the board of selectmen, I ask you review the spreadsheet relating to town credit card purchases from November 2010 to May 2012 and identify those of a personal nature.”

Harmon was one of three selectmen who supported a contract extension and pay raise for Chaousis before he took the Rockland city manager’s position.

Harmon ended the letter stating how disappointed he and his fellow board members were about the alleged unauthorized cellphone and credit card charges.

“I was one of your biggest fans and supporters when you worked for the town. I believe you served the town admirably. To learn of these charges, which appear to be more than an inadvertent one-time deal was a huge disappoint to me and my fellow board members. I trust you will attend to these matters quickly so that we can all put this behind us,” Harmon wrote.

Chaousis claims he paid for several municipal expenses on his personal credit card during his tenure. The town’s 365 Office System Web-based email system is one of those purchases, according to Chaousis.

The town no longer has a line of credit so Chaousis put it on his personal line. The former town manager asserts he is still paying for the approximately $80 per month charge.

“There are lots of things that can only be bought on the Web. I did that to get the town a better deal. We’ve never settled up on that or other expenses I paid for. But I’m not worried about it,” he said.

Chaousis said he allows the monthly email charge to continue on his credit card because he didn’t want then interim town manager Dan Bryer to be responsible for the expense.

Related: Selectmen want Chaousis to pay for unauthorized cell phone lines