"Audit finds $3.5M for roads," Jan. 14, and "Our View: Lessons from county audit," Jan. 21
On Jan. 14, The Daily Times reported that an audit of Wicomico County's 2009 financial statements by accounting firm PKS & Co found the following discrepancies and problems:
$3.5 million unspent road funds were mistakenly classified as not available.
A lack of oversight existed for the State Attorney's Office checking account.
The Finance Department was tardy in completing its financial information, there was insufficient tracking of the roads division stone supply and use of split invoices persisted in several county departments such as was used during the landfill fraud. Finance Director Pat Peterson said, "I don't think there was that many of them and didn't know which departments had engaged in the practice."
County Councilman Joe Holloway said the issues with the State Attorney's office had been going on for two years and said it's upsetting the county didn't realize it had another $3.5 million available for road funds.
The Daily Times editorial of Jan. 21 described the audit as yielding "some interesting information," while focusing mostly on the $1,630 purchase of the four trash cans, which sparked public outrage. The sudden revelation the county now has $3.5 million more to spend on roads got less attention.
As the outrage about the trash cans tapers off, will there at least be some concern for problems some of us consider far more troubling?
Jack McAllister
Salisbury
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
27 comments:
the problem is the same leadership is leading the public works dept. There needs to be a new leadership group in place in Public works. A team that has some imagaination instead of one that just complains that they don't have enough funding. Things are going to get worse for that dept. unless there is a change in leadership.
It's not just the public works department -- the parks and rec. department is worse. Mackes and Pollitt want to buy land across the street from the Civic Center, at the old mall site, for $300,000 per acre. Lots at the Centre at Salisbury are on the market for much less than that.
Mr. McAllister: please come to the next County Council meeting and protest this madness before it's too late to stop it.
The new system that has been put into place since the landfill issue will resolve all of this, so next years report will not have the discrepancies.
start making recycling mandatory and use prisioners as the labor to sift everything that comes in. The county profited $200,000 from 20 percent of the county voulntarily recyclying. Image if the county government buildings, Wor-Wic and SU made it mandatory, just that increase alone will provide a lot of additional funds. Start with all business and government buildings. That would at least triple the profit.
You are right we need some imagination start new things, however no imagination needs to be done on this, just look at all the other landfills across the country that make a profit on it and 100% get recycled for something.
If it has been known by council that problems existed in the states attorney office, why hasn't something been done before now? The road funds seem to be an oversight but the problem with the SA's office seems more serious to me.
You are very optimistic 11:18. I don't see how a system evolving out of the landfill situation could possibly fix a problem in the States Attorneys office. Please explain if this is true. I find you statement hard to believe.
They must have got their budget
input from the Barrie admin. of Salisbury.
This is an example of neglegent oversite at the county level in Wicomico.
Can you just imagine how much waste, theft and fraud goes on at the State and Federal level?
And these Government slugs are always crying for more tax money!
When you promote incompentence this is what you get. They refuse to put a person that is a trouble shooter / problem solver in that position because the "Good Ole Boys" would no longer be in control. This is what you get with College degrees that know nothing about the work that they supervise or promote from within the "Good Ole Boy" system. Where is the County Auditor? Where is the County Attorney that was put into the County retirement system without having to buy his time for the previous years he never contributed in? Very poor Acounting Dept also.
The blind eye to stolen time too!
Melson Road in Delamr could use some of that 3.5 million, that road is totally unacceptable!Gonna start sending my wheel aligment bill to the county!
The entire trash can fiasco was just a smoke screen from the real problems that will inevitably be exposed.
anonymous 2:32, I firmly agree with your statement.
2:32 ,I firmly disagree with your statement. Real problems were exposed and I'm sure there will be more on the way. Looks to me like the problems are inthe finance and purchasing departments at the GOB.
Doesn't Pollitt have a handle on these two departments?
The purchasing department has issue because Ted Shea will not allow the purchasing director to do what needs to be done. He beats his head against the wall over and over again. This is how government workers are created. Total frustration and then they give up. Any organization is a direct reflection of its top management physically as well.
One word. Gluttony.
pat peterson has been there forever and this kind of crap has been going on forever. anyone else see a connection with accountability here?
I have said for the last twentys years the corruption in Wicomico County is deep. Corruption does not have to be criminal.
I thought this crap stopped with Carl Peterson and Matt Craemer losing control of the the ball. I quess not.
The County Roads has been underpaid for so long it is embarssing. The Jail has been in National News in the wrong same thing. The teachers have been taken care of for sooooooo long. The deputies have taken one screwing after another by the County Council and Human Resources I am shocked they have not filed a unfair labor practice suit.
Actually every county worker who did not get FIFTY THOUSAND plus paid into their retirement account should file suit. Hell even contractual could get in on this one. Right Ed Baker and Council. Oh thats right Ed you can not give legal advise on this issue because you are the one that got the FIFTY THOUSAND bucks paid into your retirement.
Was that a bonus for screwing every man and women that wears a badge in this county. I sure hope not. I guess that fifty K was in Ricks lunch box ????
Darn my bad. Sorry fella for throwing you and the rest of the crooked ass politicians under the bus.
Is anyone listening "trash cans". We got furlough days and Ed Baker got Fifty K. W.T.F. is going on in wicomico. They took food off of your table and caught this guy up in the retirement system. WOW Maybe Sheila Dixon can come down and run the county. She is a saint compared to what we have right now. Furlough days but we do need a new Library.
Mike Lewis where do you stand on this. I have not seen or heard one word about this from you and it does affect your workers. Gary Mackes what about you. WCBOE what about you. Oh sorry B.O.E. that would be a cut for you guys. County Roads speak up. Health Dept. Corrections.
I think all the county employees need to contact the TEAMSTERS. Hellooooooo. They scared the crap out of the Chicken King for a reason. I guess sometimes you just have to go to Hell to fight the Devil. I am no fan of any labor union but you can only keep taking the beating by goverment for so long.
Mike Lewis if you sit on your hands here you will regret it. You are elected. They can not fire you. You are the the elected law of the county. I am by no means saying you are, but if you are, you will never be able to live with yourself. Do what is right and just here.
Demand an audit. Look into this rumor about Ed Baker and the FIFTY K put into his retirement account while you have deputies with the worst disbility in the state. Take action if it is true. The men and women who go out day in and day out fighting crime deserve it. Clean up that crooked cess pool located right behind your building. Demand the truth from your County Council on issues with your budget. All the county employees not just deputies are watching.
God Help this county when I retire or get fired and have no fear of reprisal.
"By the sweat of thy brow"
God Bless America
One angry Wicomican.
If the prosecutors office can't manage their finances, how can we expect the rest of the county to manage theirs? Talk about cutting waste, get rid of some of the dead wood in that office, way to many lawyers for the case load.
You go 6:21 pm. Please tel it like it is. Wicomico County Goos 'Ole Boy System of things really sucks. And, yes we do need a union.
Talking about roads, whats with the bay bridge? The westbound looks like it is rusting away!!!I never see anyone working on the westbound
Holloway and Prettyman voted against the Ed Baker retirement
scheme. Remember that when the election comes around in November. Kudo's to both of them. The other five have some defending to do. I can't forgive them. What about you?
Lets not forget Matt Creamer's 10,000 pay raise in 2008.
Please tell about the issues at the States Attys Office, was the money used for trips to Ocean City and booz?!
6:21 set a meeting with the Teamsters I know of at least 29 people that will attend. Pollitt and Company need to be held accountable by the workers. They obviously do not care what the voters want
Wicomico County has got to have the worst checks & balances system I have ever heard of period. Wicomico County citizens, although I am not sure why, gave the county a pass on the landfill debacle when a more appropriate course of action would have ended with all those culpable being incarcerated not retired with a fat check every month! The very thought that within a roads budget $3.5 million would show up only as the result of an outside auditor is laughable. The citizens of Wicomico County should wonder just how much money has gone unaccounted for over the last several decades and with this unnerving thought in mind the citizens should call for wholesale changes in the county finances and establish a zero tolerance policy for stupidity! If those county employees responsible for participating in, turning a blind eye to or not caring that an ongoing criminal enterprise was stealing who knows really how much money were in prison now I'll bet $3.5 million would not just be overlooked in a departmental budget.In the mean time people are furloughed and services to taxpayers will be worse than usual. Perhaps we need the sign at the Rt. 13 welcome center to flash "Welcome to Wicomico County we're stupidity reigns, but we have great school rankings"!
The State's Attorney's Office was in full compliance with all county requirements/regulations. The audit was in error. Mr. Holloway's comments were in error. That was made clear at the council meeting.
8:31pm "Mr. Holloway's comments were in error!" No, no, no. I saw the audit and that is exactly what the letter stated. Now, if the SAO & the Finance Office didn't have it together so be it. Don't blame the messanger(Holloway). He's one on this council that does the right thing. So stop it right now.
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