Latest news with #Auditor'sOffice
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State to audit Humansville for the first time after residents petition amid turmoil
For more than a year, the city of Humansville has been embroiled in multiple controversies, including concerns about misused funds. Residents of the small Polk County town have now gathered signatures required to request the State Auditor's Office conduct an audit to ensure the city is operating properly. While the Board of Alderman had previously voted to initiate a state audit themselves, the action failed when Mayor Tracy Mason broke the tie by voting against it. Residents then gathered 170 certified signatures to request the audit, above the required 135 signature threshold, according to an Auditor's Office news release. "With the numerous issues that have occurred in the city over the last year, and with allegations of missing money, it's important that we shine the light of truth and transparency on the city's government," State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick said in the release. "We will do our best to give taxpayers a better understanding of the financial health and operational effectiveness of their city. If necessary, we will also provide recommendations to improve the performance of their government." This is the first time, according to the release, that the city will be audited by the Missouri State Auditor's Office. Fitzpatrick asked for patience during the process and encouraged those with any information to reach out through the Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at moaudit@ or by visiting Two state investigations already have been conducted within the city government of Humansville. One, by the Missouri Secretary of State's Office, resulted in charges being filed against city employee Sophia Piper alleging election interference, although that case was dismissed right before a trial was set to begin in April due to witnesses failing to appear. The other investigation was conducted by the Missouri State Highway Patrol looking into misuse of public funds. While a representative from the MSHP confirmed in October the investigation was complete and forwarded to the Polk County Prosecutor's Office, no additional updates have emerged since. More: Stone County Developmental Disabilities Board didn't comply with state law, audit finds There is also plenty of other controversy involving former aldermen and city staff. In November, the city attorney sued former alderman Ashley Albright and two other women for defamation after Albright accused the attorney of sexual harassment. Prior to that, former alderman Robert Thomas filed a lawsuit against the city for alleged Sunshine Law violations. Both lawsuits are ongoing. Most recently, former Humansville police chief Ryan Snow filed a lawsuit against the city claiming his firing was illegal and the city still owed him wages. Snow played a role in initiating the state's investigations, which the lawsuit claims was a reason the city retaliated and dismissed him. Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@ This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Humansville to be audited amid turmoil after resident petition
Yahoo
09-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Multnomah County overpaid more than $78K for recruiting services, report finds
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – A report released Thursday reveals Multnomah County overspent more than $78,000 to help recruit executive-level staff. The report, released by the Multnomah County Auditor's Office, stemmed from a tip submitted to the Good Government Hotline, a tool for county employees and community members to report suspected fraud or misuse of county resources. The tip alleged that the county improperly awarded a contract to a contractor who was not a qualified provider, as required under Oregon law and county policy. While the Auditor's Office says it did not substantiate the claim, they did find cases in which contractors potentially overbilled the county after reviewing invoices. DUI suspect stabbed to death following altercation with deputy near Ridgefield During the investigation, auditors reviewed 40 county executive or staffing recruitments between July 1, 2020, and October 17, 2024. The Auditor's Office reviewed 24 county contracts for the recruitment services, noting the total cost of the 40 recruitments was around $1.6 million. Overall, the report says the county overpaid more than $78,000 for the recruitment services and cited to reasons driving the overpayment. First, auditor's said the county permitted a contractor to charge a higher rate than provided by the terms of a contract. This includes one case when the county overpaid for services by more than $44,000 after telling a contractor they could charge a higher rate than what was agreed to in the contract. Second, the county did not properly reconcile if incoming invoices matched the terms outlined in the contract. This includes the county failing to detect nearly $34,000 in billing errors, auditors found. Dozens of Portland Albertsons workers will be laid off due to lease issues During the investigation, the Auditor's Office said nearly half of the contracts they reviewed did not include complete financial terms. 'We found that numerous county rate-based contracts lacked financial terms, which can cause confusion as to the intended payment agreement. In the case of one contractor, terms that would have reduced costs for the county were left out of a contract,' the Auditor's Office said, noting even though contracts usually undergo numerous rounds of review, they found 11 out of the 24 contracts they reviewed did not have financial terms. 'Without financial terms, it is uncertain how much the county should expect to pay the contractor for goods or services,' the Auditor's Office said. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now In one case, the county failed to include a term in the contract that would have saved the county money, the report notes, however, auditors said they alerted county management, which resolved the issue. 'During the procurement process, the contractor proposed a $49,500 maximum on its fee for executive recruitments. That maximum was not incorporated into either of two final contracts with the contractor. After we discussed with management that the maximum had been left out of the contracts, the current contract with the contractor was amended to include the cap, as of January 1, 2025,' the audit states. Next, the report highlighted a case when the county reached an agreement with a contractor outside of the county's typical process. Shuttered Oregon chateau named among America's 'most endangered' historic sites For an executive recruitment, the county reached an agreement to pay a contractor fee equal to 30% of the starting salary of the person hired. In this case, the county had an existing contract with the contractor for a different scope of work – to recruit for IT rather than executive recruiting. The terms of the existing contract laid out an 18% rate rather than the 30% rate, auditors learned. 'Because of the differences in scope of work and the rate, the county's existing contract was not reconcilable to the agreement the county department reached separately. The department should have sought appropriate procurement authority or used a different contract. Other contractors may have been excluded from this opportunity due to procurement rules being circumvented,' the report says. Fred Meyer employee stole $60K for gambling In a statement on the report, Multnomah County Auditor Jennifer McGuirk said, 'The county has a responsibility to be efficient with taxpayer dollars, and the current general fund reductions make this even more important,' adding, 'The county needs to reinforce contracting and invoice approval requirements to ensure that incoming invoices agree with the contract financial terms.' Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson sent a letter on May 6 to McGuirk agreeing to the recommendations. 'Recruitment efforts are conducted at the department level, and external recruitment firms are retained to assist in accessing expanded national executive professional networks and candidates who possess the expertise specific to the requirements of executive level management for each department. To ensure compliant procurement and contracting practices are adhered to, a plan to address the recommendations from this investigation has been developed,' Vega Pederson wrote, noting training will be provided in June 2025 to the Purchasing Advisory Council, Purchasing Leaders Group and Finance Managers Forum to reinforce contract policies. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Lt. Gov. Cournoyer campaigning for new role as Iowa State Auditor
DES MOINES, Iowa — Iowa's Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer announced she is running for Iowa State Auditor Tuesday morning. Cournoyer, a Republican, was appointed Lt. Governor in December of 2024 by Gov. Kim Reynolds after the previous Lt. Gov. Adam Gregg resigned in September 2024 to head the Iowa Bankers Association. In Tuesday's campaign announcement, Cournoyer called for the Auditor's Office to be used as a watchdog for taxpayers and not a political weapon. 'It's time for an Auditor who prioritizes transparency, efficiency, and results over headlines and partisanship,' said Cournoyer. Trone Garriott running for Iowa's 3rd Congressional District Iowa's current State Auditor, Rob Sand, is the only Democrat to hold statewide office and has been critical of the Republican-controlled legislature and Gov. Reynolds for passing SF 478. The law restricts access by the Auditor's office to certain state information it may be seeking during an audit. Sand has not made a public announcement about his political plans for the future, but it is widely expected that he will run for the Democratic gubernatorial nomination. Gov. Reynolds is backing Cournoyer with her endorsement. 'Chris is a true fiscal conservative with a strong record of improving government efficiencies and accountability. Her background in technology and her unwavering commitment to taxpayers makes her an ideal watchdog every Iowan can trust. Iowans can rest assured Chris Cournoyer will always have their best interests at heart,' stated Reynolds. Cournoyer was serving in the Iowa Senate when she was tapped for the Lt. Gov. role. She has been in the Iowa Senate since 2019 with her latest term representing District 35 expiring in January of 2025. An advocate for STEM skills, Cournoyer is a member of the Iowa Governor's STEM council. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Computer Science from the University of Texas and is a website developer and designer. Iowa news Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to
Yahoo
21-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Charleston County to mark National Community Development Week with series of local programs
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCBD) – Charleston County is looking to celebrate National Community Development Week with a series of events showcasing local programs and their community-wide impact. Citizens can learn more about the Community Block Grant Programs at the Charleston County Public Services Building in North Charleston from 10 a.m. until noon on Monday. Those who attend can also discuss critical county services with representatives from the probate court, the Board of Voter Registration and Elections, the Auditor's Office, and other departments. Then on Tuesday, a legal seminar and wills clinic will take place from 10 a.m. until noon at the Wiltown Community Center (779 Parkers Ferry Road). Charleston County staff will be on hand to discuss critical county resources. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
28-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
State Auditor investigates sheriff for alleged use of inmates on farm
JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – State Auditor Shad White has opened an investigation into Rankin County Sheriff Bryan Bailey. This follows reports that jail inmates worked on his family farm, using taxpayer-funded equipment. The Auditor's Office confirmed on March 28 that White ordered the investigation after a New York Times and Mississippi Today investigation alleged Bailey used trustees to staff his mother's chicken farm in Puckett. The report said the inmates cleaned chicken houses, cleared land and used county-owned equipment. Justice Department opens civil rights probe into Mississippi sheriff's office after torture of 2 Black men Former Rankin County Deputy Christian Dedmon admitted to participating in the work as he serves a federal sentenced linked to the Goon Squad scandal. Bailey has not responded, but his attorney, Jason Dare, issued a statement defending the trustee program. He said inmates receive wages and claimed the chicken supplies were for a jail coop. The State Auditor's Office issued the following statement to WJTV 12 News: The office and Auditor White are aware of the reporting and Auditor White has ordered an investigation to begin. We cannot prosecute anyone, but we will be contacting federal prosecutors to discuss how to proceed in coordination with their previous work on the sheriff's office. State Auditor's Office Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
