AREA NEWS
ERIE — Neosho County Treasurer Gabby Sands read a statement to county commissioners Tuesday asking for decorum before statements are made, especially if they relate to allegations of missing funds.
She asked that the county handle financial concerns responsibly. She said it was crucial to keep such concerns information internal until all the evidence comes in before making public statements.
“Bringing allegations forward without certainty only creates confusion but also damages our relationship with the community and taxpayers. The public trusts us to manage their money wisely. And when they hear unverified claims, it can shake that trust, leaving them to question whether their tax dollars are being handled properly,” Sands said.
Integrity and accountability maintain public confi dence, she said, adding that she’s seen the repercussions when allegations are made prematurely.
Moving forward, she encouraged the county to be diligent in presenting factual, evidence-backed information to the public so
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can have full confidence “in the work that we do. Our goal is to ensure transparency and to reaffirm the community that their financial well being is our top priority.”
The commission is looking at engaging an auditor to review spending in three departments after former department heads or employees left, including county attorney, county treasurer and landfill.
She also asked commissioners to consider hiring an independent auditor instead of the person who normally audits county accounts. She said an impartial person without bias is needed to conduct the audit to ensure integrity of the process.
Commissioners thanked Sands for her statement and her passion for her job. In other business, the commission: — Agreed to send the entire $2 million sales tax allotment to the ambulance service at Neosho County Regional Medical Center. Generally these payouts come in increments over the year but the hospital’s attorney asked for a lump sum payment.
— Agreed that Road and Bridge Director Mike Brown could bid up to $60,000 to purchase a bucket truck.
— Agreed to pay $7,827.96 to Fire Alarm and Safety for improving the fire alarm detection and notification system on the elevator in the courthouse.
— Heard from County Clerk Chasity Foreaker that computers at the courthouse will need to be upgraded if they are older than 2020 models. Up to 35 PCs may need to be replaced and the cost could be $50,000 to $70,000. Commissioners will continue discussion of the issue.
— Heard from Commissioner Nic Galemore that the commission needs to discuss decommissioning expenses related to the Neosho Ridge Wind farm. He said the cost of removing a turbine can be as much as $2 million and commissioners need to protect the taxpayers.
