ST. LOUIS COUNTY (KMOX) - St. Louis County Executive Charlie Dooley is defending the St. Louis County Children’s Service Fund after an audit questioned unrestrained spending and cozy relationships between vendors and the CSF.

The audit, released Monday, questioned a $250,000 contract which Dooley and the County Council signed off on for a needs assessment for the Children’s Service Fund. Specifically, the audit questions why the most expensive bid was accepted.

“At the time, that seemed to be the best possible bid at that time,” Dooley said Tuesday, adding that council members also signed off on the contract. But council members say they were not presented with other options.

“We’re not going to please everybody. Somebody’s going to be unhappy no matter what we do,” Dooley said. He says the majority of the problems with the Children’s Service Fund rested with former director Kate Tansey who resigned in October amid an FBI investigation.

“They’re doing good work, things are getting done. One person made a mistake. Don’t throw it out because of one person,” Dooley said.

The audit called for, among other things, stricter bylaws for the Children’s Service Fund. Board members are meeting this week to discuss the implementation of those.