Jailer questioned about county audit By Cindy Henning The audit report of the Meade County Fiscal Court from the fiscal year June 1, 2003, to June 30, 2004, was accepted at the February business meeting after questions from Magistrate Theresa Padgett about its only recommendation – a requirement for improved accounting procedures for the jail canteen fund. Magistrate Padgett read from the report that the previous year’s audit had included the same recommendation with no response from the jailer. She stated that this lack of response could result in $250 per day fines for the jail, plus daily fines for Fiscal Court. She questioned why this had continued to be a problem at the jail. Meade County Jailer Troy Seelye explained that the first audit recommendation covered only six months under his administration from June 1, 2002, to June 30, 2003, and the lack of jailer response was from the previous administration. Seelye stated that past audit reports going back for years showed the canteen money records needed improvement, but he had been assured by the county treasurer that he was following proper procedure. With about a million and a half dollar general jail budget to administer, Seelye did not focus on changes in the canteen fund reporting until he received the same recommendation in his first full year audit report in December 2004. According to this last audit report received on Dec. 27, 2005, Seelye succeeded in finding a way to improve the canteen fund reporting process. The jailer’s response was as follows: “Effective May 25, 2005, the detention center installed a new computer and records system exclusively for the administration of the jail canteen fund. Using this system the canteen administrator is able to maintain and to provide the required financial reports and accounting records. Also the detention center has contracted with the Keefe Commissary Network to provide commissary services.” Magistrate Padgett also questioned the use of canteen money to pay medical bills and the absence of a sales tax certificate for the jail. Seelye responded that medical bills could not be paid with canteen money, but could be used as reimbursement under specific circumstances. He further explained that the sales tax certificate is handled out of state since the commissary services are based in Saint Louis, Mo. Magistrate Padgett asked if the jail canteen records could be included in the magistrates’ monthly court packets. County treasurer Shirley Fackler agreed to provide copies. After accepting the audit report, the court approved Richardson, Pennington and Skinner, PSC’s lower bid to audit the court records for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2005. Magistrate Padgett was the single no vote due to questions about the auditors’ past oversight during the county school system’s million dollar embezzlement loss. Another jail related issue was the passing of a resolution by the court in support of House Bill 274 relating to the commonwealth of Kentucky taking over county jails. Magistrate Padgett abstained from voting since she questioned the purpose and wisdom of such a bill. Magistrate Harold Davidson responded that even though the legislators agree that it is an imperfect bill and would probably not pass, it focused attention on the need for increased jail funding. Magistrate Kent Allen recalled his past prediction that so many new jails would cause financial problems for the state and said his yes vote would probably not make much difference. Jailer Seelye agreed there is a problem as the president of the Kentucky Jailers Association reported unfunded mandates for jails are bankrupting many counties by requiring 60 to 70 percent of the entire county budget. Magistrate Don Callecod said the bill recognition could increase state reimbursement to local jails which recently returned $84,000 to the county.
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