During the Sept. 29 County Council meeting, the Councilman from District 1 asserted that this all (meaning the opposition to Council’s behavior) began with the allegations regarding the previous Administrator’s misuse of his county computer, which was made public in April of 2013.
I’d like to correct the Councilman’s misunderstanding of the facts. In 2011, I was approached by the County’s Auditing firm Elliott–Davis as part of their normal audit procedures. They wanted to know if I or anyone I knew in the employ of the County was privy to or had witnessed any questionable practice.
As it happens, I was in possession of copies of checks, provided to me by a fellow employee who had access to this information as part of their normal duties. These checks were issued by the County to a couple of vendors, the checks were in round numbers, for example $20,000, or $15,000, and were being cashed at convenience stores and not deposited in any financial institutions, and for these reasons were considered “questionable” These checks amounted to approximately a quarter million dollars.
I provided copies to the auditors, and they issued audit write ups citing bad practices on behalf of the County. The County Administrator issued a response to these write-ups saying we (the County) would no longer issue checks in this manner. Each of you were provided copies of this audit. One would be inclined to think that you read the audit and were aware of this practice. Yet the practice continued. I can only assume you didn’t read the audit, or you didn’t care. In any event your failure to take interest in the practices of your administrator and staff was the beginnings of the opposition to your decision making, your lack of transparency, and your questionable self enrichment, so no! this didn’t start with the revelations about the misuse by your County Administrator.
My point is that the Councilman was, and is, simply wrong, Yet he continues to cling to his own set of facts and misconceptions regarding the nature of the issues being raised by Saving Fairfield and others who are disappointed with the leadership in this Council.
Bob Carrison
Winnsboro
I go with the “you didn’t care” statement. Remember, these Councilpersons thought they worked for the Administrator, not the People of Fairfield County.