State Auditor's report sparks controversy in Greene County Commissioner's meeting
The Greene County Commissioner’s meeting on Monday streamed live on Facebook to over 100 viewers and prompted several citizens to attend the meeting and address the commissioners.
The State Auditor’s investigative finding on Greene County started after the Office of the State Auditor received allegations of potential altering of documents, excessive audit fees, and misuse of credit cards.
One finding from the State Auditor’s report alleged that the County Manager failed to demonstrate a commitment to integrity and ethical values by requesting a vendor alter an invoice date.
“He didn’t do it for personal gain, he would personally gain nothing. He did it to help the counties standing in the audit,” said Mr. Rick Davis, one of Greene County’s citizens who spoke to support the county manager.
Kyle DeHaven, Greene County Manager, admits to asking the vendor to change the invoice date. The State Auditor's report found that DeHaven requested the date change on three separate occasions, and when DeHaven’s staff presented the check to the former County Finance Officer for his signature, he refused to sign it.
“It was a momentary lapse in ethical judgment that took place when the decision was made to have an invoice reissued. Conversations with colleagues took place, and the correction was made timely. No statute was violated, or law broken,” said DeHaven. “It was an isolated incident, not a pattern.”
Listed below is a shortened summary of the timeline listed in the auditor’s report pertaining to the invoice.
The vendor completed the repair in late June 2018.
On July 6, 2018, the vendor submitted an invoice dated June 28, 2018. The County Manager told the Public Works Director to ask the vendor to reissue the invoice with a later date.
On July 12, 2018, the vendor emailed the County a new invoice “with the requested date” of July 2, 2018, the County Manager requested another changed invoice date.
On July 16, 2018, the vendor emailed an invoice “with the requested date” of July 28, 2018.
On July 20, 2018, the vendor submitted yet another invoice “with the requested date” of July 27, 2018.
When the Accounts Payable Clerk presented the check to the former Finance Officer for his signature on August 1, 2018, the former Finance Officer refused to sign the check because he believed the expense should be posted to the 2018 fiscal year.
The County Manager informed the former Finance Officer that he changed his mind and verbally instructed the former Finance Officer to post the expenditure in the 2018 fiscal year.
After the Accounts Payable Clerk approached the County Manager to sign the check, the County Manager discussed the incident with colleagues in other counties and with a representative from the Local Government Commission.
On May 20, 2019, the County Manager discovered that the expenditure was still recorded in the 2019 fiscal year. In an email sent to the County Manager later that day, the former Finance Officer reminded the County Manager that he “refused to have any involvement with this transaction.”
One citizen struggled with the decision to speak out on the State Auditor's report and first thanked Commissioners Antonio Blow and Susan Blizzard for saving the county money.
“Pertaining to the audit,” said Mr. Grossman, “there has to be accountability. You guys have to have accountability.” As he walked away, he looked at DeHaven and said, “He has to have accountability.”
The altered invoice wasn’t the only area of concern addressed at the meeting. Both Commissioners Blow and Blizzard verbalized requests for documents and information that had not been provided to them by the county manager in a timely manner, including the drafted response to the State Auditor.
“I encourage the board to address each recommendation individually and to clearly outline our actions and own all findings, should more time be needed, please request an extension,” said Blow. “I believe we need more time to review. To consider each recommendation and submit a response that all five commissioners can agree on.”
According to the minutes from the Commissioner’s February 3rd, 2020 meeting, DeHaven asked the chairman to proceed with his contract negotiations. Neither Blow nor Blizzard received the revised contract, with Blow stating that he had not seen the revised contract and did not want to vote on something he hadn’t seen.
Blow did not agree with the tone of the response the commissioners sent to the State Auditor in response to the investigative findings.
“I did not agree with how this matter has been handled,” said Blow.
Blizzard spoke on DeHaven’s self-professed lapse of ethical judgment and brought up concerns she’s had. She compared the situation to the former East Carolina University interim chancellor who also had a lapse of judgment and resigned.
“Mr. DeHaven you should follow the example of the interim chancellor and end the investigation and possible legal actions,” said Blizzard.
Another key finding in the State Auditor’s report was that the county failed to properly maintain it’s financial records resulting in more than $191,000 in consultant expenses and additional audit fees since 2015.
“The board is painfully aware of this, and has been for several years,” said Chairman Bennie Heath. “Regretfully our previous attempts failed to produce the intended results. We feel we have the appropriate personnel today to remedy the finding.”
