Commissioner Dwight Jones wrote a check for $940 on Sept. 21. That's nearly half of the total of $2,227 billed to Jones' state phone since he took the job over two years ago.

Billing records show that Jones called friends from New York to Texas and talked to family in Kansas during calls lasting a half-hour each.

Department policy requires employees to reimburse the state each month for personal calls. Department spokesman Mark Stevens said Jones knew about the policy that his failure to pay was an oversight.

Jones has purchased another cell phone to use for personal calls.

Information from: The Denver Post, http://www.denverpost.com