KNOX — Officials in Starke County say they've accounted for hundreds of thousands of dollars in missing Major Moves money. The discrepancy was discovered on Monday. The county received $434,000 in Major Moves money in 2006 and another $433,000 late last year.

The 2006 money was mostly accounted for, but officials did not know what happened to the 2007 money until Thursday. County officials told WSBT News the state’s Department of Local Government Finance (DLGF) put the Major Moves money in the county's motor vehicle fund. The highway department used the money for its operations, but county officials didn't know the Major Moves money had been placed in that fund.

“That money was spent; it's not missing, it hasn't disappeared, it was spent,” said Michaelene J. Houston, Starke County Auditor. “The state DLGF based their budget with those figures included.”

The State Board of Accounts will determine whether the highway department’s spending was proper. Taxpayers can’t help but wonder if something else is going on.

“I think it's a crying shame that no one can account for that money,” said Pat Zobrisd, a taxpayer. “That's a lot of money.”

County commissioners say they will look into whether anyone in the county knew the state placed the Major Moves money into the highway fund and didn't tell anyone. The former highway commissioner, Pete Stanojevic, committed suicide in February. The State Board of Accounts report should be issued in a few months.