A state audit has found several issues in the Ballard County Fiscal Court, including overpaid health reimbursements, unpaid overtime and incorrect contributions to employee retirement funds.
The 14-page summary covers the 2014 fiscal year and was issued by State Auditor Mike Harmon’s office; the findings have also been turned over to the Kentucky Attorney General’s Office.
The audit found a total of 17 discrepancies, which you can find in the full document below.
County Attorney Vicki Hayden says officials have already begun to address that list, starting with the health reimbursement account. She added that currently, most of those operations are carried out by a single person, the treasurer.
“Every county is audited annually, and we are just dumbfounded why none of these issues had arisen in any of the prior audits,” Hayden said.
The fiscal court will employ an automated system along with new procedures and forms beginning with the next fiscal year in July.
“It’s like a credit card system,” Hayden said. “The money is just deposited onto your card that you are allotted each month and then when you pay your medical bill, you just swipe that card. So that will keep events like this from ever happening again.”
Meanwhile, officials are working to sort out incorrect payments to the County Employee Retirement System. Hayden says confirming all affected employees and how much they were underpaid could take a couple months.
In the report, Ballard County Judge/Executive Vickie Viniard partially attributed the error to software issues. Viniard did not respond to a request for comment.
The audit also cites former County Jailer Mike Horn and former Deputy Jailer Monica Galloway for their mishandling of accounting records and inmate fees.
Earlier this month, the pair were indicted on one count each of official misconduct. Hayden says the case did not involve theft.
At the same time, the audit says former treasurer Belinda Foster overpaid herself $13,007 from the health reimbursement account over a four-year period. That case goes before a grand jury March 4th.
In addition, the county made reimbursements for unqualified items including gum, soft drinks, and over-the-counter medication.
