How To Lose $300,000.00 Without Really Trying!!!!!
How does a person manage to lose $300,000.00 for seven months then come to the Budget Committee and basically say, oops? If the books are reconciled each month would that amount of money normally stay hidden? Is $300,000.00 a significant amount to be bothered with?
I can understand making a mistake, CPA's and other professionals make mistakes, even regular folks like me make mistakes but how can you go for such a long time without realizing that mistake when it involves this amount of money.
Combining this mistake with some other shortfalls in budgets the county was told this morning at the budget meeting that there is a short fall of $223,009.54 now in the budget and would have to be taken from the general fund.
Now just moments before this startling announcement Mr. Griggs from the Ambulance Service stated that the cost to mount two boxes on a chassis for the Ambulance Service was $14,000.00 less than had been expected. In his way of thinking that was his money and should be used on the Richland station not returned to the general fund. His request was presented as "no new money' involved. My question is when will the Commissioners start seeing that because there is no new money there is new spending. Whether it's new or old money it still has to come from somewhere and at last check all the money trees on Minor Hill Highway had been replaced. It's this kind of thinking that has put the county into a very deep financial hole with little hope of getting out. Allen Barrett
I can understand making a mistake, CPA's and other professionals make mistakes, even regular folks like me make mistakes but how can you go for such a long time without realizing that mistake when it involves this amount of money.
Combining this mistake with some other shortfalls in budgets the county was told this morning at the budget meeting that there is a short fall of $223,009.54 now in the budget and would have to be taken from the general fund.
Now just moments before this startling announcement Mr. Griggs from the Ambulance Service stated that the cost to mount two boxes on a chassis for the Ambulance Service was $14,000.00 less than had been expected. In his way of thinking that was his money and should be used on the Richland station not returned to the general fund. His request was presented as "no new money' involved. My question is when will the Commissioners start seeing that because there is no new money there is new spending. Whether it's new or old money it still has to come from somewhere and at last check all the money trees on Minor Hill Highway had been replaced. It's this kind of thinking that has put the county into a very deep financial hole with little hope of getting out. Allen Barrett
posted by Allen Barrett | 10:27 PM
38 Comments:
I've been hearing this rumor for days. Heard Ms. Garner mistook a "6" for a "9" which does not make sense. What is the deal? How was the $300,000 error made, exactly?
We'll see how accountability is going to work now in the Financial Management Office!!! Folks that make $50, $60, $70, $80, $90 thousand dollars shouldn't be making this type of mistake ........... that isn't caught in subsequent monthly audits. Or can they in lovely Giles County? Does the deputy director check the director? Deputy makes what $50K and director around $80K? What is their salary anyway? Anybody know?
Simply amazing!
Its not the financial management accounting system that is at fault here its the fault of the employees. Financial Management Committee is responsible for the employment of Ms Garner. They should let the woman go and advertise for a replacement. And NO, they should not just have Beth Sigmon slip into the position. Its time the people on the Financial Committee took some responsibility toward the taxpayers of this county and did the right thing. I hope every once of them gets voted out of office next year.
Just an example of a good law misused.
Sigmon is still drawing a huge salary and has yet to pass her CPA exam.
When the Financial Committee hires friends and kins it sorta makes it difficult to hold them responsible and they don't want anyone without ties in there because they can't control that person and run the Financial Management Office. Get the point? As I recall it was reported on this blog that Tee Jackson gave Mrs. Sigmon a $14,000 per year raise just before being transferred to teh FMO. Know anyone else in the school system who got that kind of raise? Well there was one other clerical person who got a very hefty raise!!!! And who thought the Financial Management Office would be a better option? Or who thought it could be run without interference from those in charge "of the hen house" as Judge Lee so well put it? This just proves that it can't until the Committee is changed to folks who don't directly benefit from being in charge of the "hen house".
Someone with a huge salary & no qualifications would be an ideal candidate for rollback & out.
Got to cut somewhere & it absolutely shouldn't be someone who earns their pay. the promotion was apparently political & corrupt reasons. You don't give someone a raise because they are going to take an exam, before they pass the exam!
Mr. Barrett:
Post who is on the Comittee that make those dicisions and all the people that are working in the Fincinal Directors office with their salary.
Then we all will be able to see clearly the problem.
Interesting, don't you think Mr Barrett? So many people love to jump on you for posting facts regarding our county business, but then call on you for help when they are too lazy or ignorant to find out info for themselves. By the way, lazy may be an insult, but ignorant is not. It simply means that one has no knowledge of whatever is being discussed. The names of all county employees is public record, one only has to look it up, or make a phone call. Ask Mr Barrett to do it, then jump on him for "name calling." I don't always agree with Mr Barrett, but have been a long time admirer of his ethics as far as ALWAYS signing his name to his posts. Prime example is sure to follow this msg, it will be almost comical; watch and see how many jump on this msg, "anonymously." And yes, I do fall into the group of cowardly anonymous posters, but I would never ask Wab to pick up the phone and make a simple call for me. If I want to know who works where in the county, I could find out something like that for myself....
Sorry to vent, just tired of folks expecting other people to do what they are quite capable of doing. Suffering from the President's new "womb to tomb" policies, I guess. Again, I apologize for the off topic posting.
Garner has not business running the county finance office if she is going to make $300,000 errors. Isn't she a CPA? Isn't she supposed to have oversight over the finance dept? Corporations would fire an employee over something like this. Who is going to do something about this? Is she going to be allowed to continue at this pace putting our county in jeopardy? Who can answer this question? I would like to know.
Let me be the first to "jump". Posting one's name on this blog is NOT necessarily a sign of ethics. Some people do it simply to gain attention for themselves or to feed an ego. Conversely, many who wish to remain anonymous do so for a variety of reasons. While some may be cowardly and timid, others simply have no need to be in the spotlight. Some have to remain anonymous because of their jobs, families, and etc.
Ethics? No, I don't think so in this case.
The key word in your post is "think" 7:27. You can't know for sure anybody's motives. But even so, whatever the motive is, it's easy to judge and criticize and remain anon-I am not willing to open myself up to that kind of negative scrutiny that wab does and obviously neither are you. It's the old "saying things behind someone's back vs saying it to their face". Barrett says it to their face, I don't for whatever reason or EXCUSE I choose. So yes, I would say he is much more ethical than me in this situation. All of us anonymous folks are just gossiping and nobody knows who we are. If he lies, he can be held liable, not us anons though; ethical is the proper word, whether I agree or disagree with him.
3:10
If you feel strongly about this, you need to at least call your commissioners and complain. Maybe if enough people (voters) call them they might get off their butts and do something about it. I have already called mine. Now its your turn. Dont just sit back and say nothing. If we dont start complaining we deserve what we get. Time to speak up!
9:03 you are correct and I am the 3:10 poster. I have already contacted several commissioners. I have not wasted any time in letting my voice be heard. I have even been to see them in person. I recommend everyone do as you suggested. We do have a voice and we do have the power. We have another election coming up and we all need to vote our conscience and do the right thing.
7:27 looks like your jealousy is getting the best of you again. It just amazes me how you know so much about what motivates so many other people and especially WAB.
WAB has become an inspiration to many down trodden people in this county and a terror to many uppity big wheels. The thing you can't stand is that you're not WAB but just a small-minded little person with an exaggerated sense of self importance who blames others for your shortcomings. I'd bet a dollar you're under 5'6".
I'm lost, what are ya'll wanting us to contact Commissioners over, is it the fact that the incompetent Financial Director need to be fired? If so, I agree.
How many more mistakes can this County afford?
ruby..
It just amazes me how people like you cannot or will not see the same thing in your hero that MANY of us do.Sure, he may be the champion of some people, but that is a small minority. But think about it this way. Anyone who stands on his soap box spewing contentiousness will always have a certian following. Would you agree with me on that?
And here you are again, 5:46 posting about a private citizen as opposed to the issue. Can you not read the rules, or do you think they apply to everyone but you? You seem to refer frequently to wab as "your hero" allegedly talking to other people. To paraphrase an old saying, "me thinks you doth protest too much." Maybe this Barrett man is your hero, and that scares you so you have to create the smokescreen of negative criticism and the ability to discern his motives. Here is my perception, although I am not as gifted as you and cannot read people's minds or hearts, but in my OPINION, you are very close to cyberstalking wab like a lovesick school-kid. Are any of the county's issues important to you, or is your sole reason for logging on here just to comment on one private citizen? ISSUES, please and refer to the rules. Wab doesn't post in secret,why don't you contact him directly about your personal issues.
good point 8:05 but cowards never confront their fears or their perceived superiors.
What is going to be done about Garner and her $300,000 mistake? This woman should be fired! This is ridiculous! She is accountable to the finance committee and they need to take action. How is this $300,000 shortfall going to be corrected? Where is it coming from? We need to get someone in there that is more competent to do the job.
8:05
Have you lost your mind? Cyberstalking? Isn't that a bit over the top? I have sufficiently explained myself on another thread concerning your misunderstandings, so I'll not repeat it here.
In my OPINION, you need to get a life of your own and think for yourself.
What happen to this money? Was it spent on something never reported or never had the money in the first place?
why is she just now finding this mistake? Does she not balance her books monthly? She is an accountant, isnt she?
Lighten up - TJ needs a crisis to get a choke hold on her??
What are you saying, that T.J. is setting her up or what?
getting warmer........
To take any action with Garner, those on the committee would have to admit a mistake .... er, ANOTHER mistake. They've already paid around $70,000lawsuit to one candidate for the job for not following hiring procedure, I believe ... if they let this one go, they'd have to admit mistake TWO. At meetings I've sat in on I've yet to hear FM Director answer one question fully. FM was a good thought ... but can't work here as long as it is the way it is. Comm Lee gets it. As long as the "fox" is in charge of the "hen house" ....
can't disagree with anything you say- point I have is, boot the rats & make their life so miserable that they know their ship is afire & away they'll go!
Not have financial management is not an alternative - it's a must is we want civilization!
We voted in the financial management act. Excellent accounting procedures that meet government requirements. Voters did not make error when they voted for it. Problem is the members of the financial management committee, first in their hiring then in the way they try to manipulate the laws. It will all come out in the end and remember next year is voting time. Thats when we could get many problems straightened out by getting rid of the people we know are not doing right by the citizens of this county.
You were all told that the control would not be where you were all advertising when you promoted this. The control is exactly where it always has been it is just costing the county more to do. Where have we saved a penny? It does not matter who was put in the job you cannot make some people happy.
6:39 Where is it costing more money? The bookkeepers working in various depts have been transferred to the central office, along with their funding.
Now here's something interesting. It has now been discovered through the finance office that a school employee who owns a grass cutting business has held the contract for several years. So for all those years the previous county bookkeeper didnt even bid that job out as well as it being against state law for employees to benefit from other county employment. Good job Loretta Garner!
You are kidding. How many bookkeepers went to the office and how many employees are working there now? Three from the school, one from highway, one from ambulance and two from county. That is five plus Mrs. Garner. How many are in there now? Mrs. Garner was not employees before so she is also extra.
No. Three from county. Jamie was already in there right after Judy Roberts left and before Garner was hired at Finance Director. Then when Melanie White was let go, her salary was split between Higgins who was hired to replace White, and Phyllis Holley was brought in part-time. Now, while I don't disagree that Garner could probably got by without hiring Holley, she did not get any more monies allocated to her department.
I also believe Ms Vanzant had a hand in this because she still can't get it through her head that she is no longer in charge of the finances and the sooner Garner wakes up to that the better.
I was told that Holley worked part-time with full time benefits. True?
Will an investigation into her personal and professional life be started soon? Will the hound be on the hunt?
You will recall that Holley was at the ambulance service and was a direct information link to Vanzant.
Looks like the "investigation" has gotten under way. Oh yes, something sinister has been going on for sure. Can we say "corruption" again?
Vanzant seems to think she is in charge of financial management. Ha Ha
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