Following the money often leads to the source of trouble.

A recent audit of Concordia Parish Recreation District No. 1 indicates taxpayer money was grossly misused by those entrusted with its oversight.

The Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office believes the district — which serves Ferriday, Clayton and Wildsville — misused approximately $150,000 in the last couple of years.

Note that money wasn’t directly stolen, but was used outside the bounds of the law — and in some cases common sense.

Auditors found the district donated more than $65,000 to more than a dozen organizations, but didn’t properly document the donations or create agreements showing the purpose. Of the total donations, $18,000 was for causes unrelated to recreation in any form or fashion.

For the recreation district to be dolling out cash to something unrelated to recreation is, at best, simply bad judgment.

But perhaps all the money went to truly good causes, you say? That doesn’t make it correct, but such a case would at least make it more understandable.

Unfortunately, it gets worse. Auditors also found the recreation board members had voted themselves raises — to levels above what is allowed by state law.

As a result more than $15,100 in taxpayer money was paid to eight board members, the auditors reported.

Perhaps the state of Louisiana should rethink the level of oversight applied to boards such as the recreation boards and consider putting more teeth into what can happen when those entrusted with public money misuse it — either through blatant disregard or just plain ignorance.