Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 116, No. 51	December 17, 2008

County audit uncovers state KRS violation

By LARRY SEE JR.
Messenger Staff

The 2007 Meade County Fiscal Court audit has uncovered some payments made in violation of KRS 61.210.

But Fiscal Court members were told since this action was done unconsciously and as long as it wasn’t done again “it would all be fine,” county treasurer Shirley Fackler said.

Magistrate Herbie Chism sought the explanation, after reading in the notes the KRS violation. He wanted to know what would happen.

“Shirley (Fackler) talked to the state auditor and I’ll pass it on to her,” Meade County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft said.

“I talked to the state auditor and they said it was unremarkable,” Fackler said.

She said if the matter required further investigation, state officials would have sent a letter to County Attorney Margaret Matney seeking further review.

The KRS states “no public official shall, directly or indirectly, receive any benefits or emoluments from, furnish any material or other thing of value to be used in, or be interested in any contract let by the fiscal ourt for the construction of any roads, bridges, or parts thereof, or any other public internal improvement.”

“During the current fiscal year, the Meade County Fiscal Court issued a check to Steve Wardrip Trucking for work that was completed, since his company had the equipment to do so. Steve Wardrip, a magistrate of the Meade County Fiscal Court, is the owner of this company. However, since the party involved did not charge the county for these services, only the cost, the Fiscal Court felt it was not a significant issue,” the auditor wrote.

Craycroft said the audit report was received by county officials earlier in the month. despite the fact the cover letter in the audit was dated May 22. Magistrate Randall Hardesty moved to accept the audit, which was supported by Wardrip.

The amount paid to Wardrip totalled $840, and was disbursed with three checks between Jan. 10, 2007, and Dec. 19, 2007, according to the response from a Open Records request from Craycroft Monday morning.

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