We elect our Fairfield County Council members in hopes that they will work to make our county a better place to live by attracting new business and improving infrastructure, facilities, and services. We also expect our Council to look after our best interests as taxpaying citizens, especially when it comes to how and where our money is spent. That is certainly not the case. The discussion at Monday’s regular meeting about the $1.4 million in IRS penalties and interest the county owes, and the $1.1 million already paid, is hard evidence that our Council does not provide adequate oversight on how our money is being spent. If there are established processes and procedures that were not followed, then individuals need to be held accountable, which is also Council’s responsibility. The forensic audit that will take place should uncover any violations of procedures, and we citizens expect that proper procedures to select and hire the auditor will be followed, like getting several bids and references for each auditor considered. If we don’t have adequate processes and procedures then Council needs to make sure that is fixed too.
Council has an extremely important decision to make in selecting our Administrator. Let’s pray that they make the best decision for the county, and that the chosen Administrator never lets this massive waste of money happen again, and is transparent in finding the problems, and fixes any and all inadequacies in our people, processes and procedures.
Don Goldbach
Lake Wateree
