Dateline: October 11, 2001

Audit checks up on county treasurer  

Roger Estlack, Clarendon Enterprise

An independent auditor said Monday that records in the county treasurer’s offices are accurate and are in keeping with accepted accounting principles.

Gordon D. Maddox of Memphis conducted a special audit of Treasurer Becky Jackson at the instruction of the commissioners’ court after allegations of misconduct surfaced regarding her salary. Jackson requested the audit herself.

In Monday’s regular session of the court, Maddox said Jackson had contacted him three weeks ago regarding payments for travel expenses and salary, saying her office was under investigation by the Sheriff’s Department and the Texas Rangers.

Maddox said he was also called by County Tax Assessor/Collector Wilma Lindley, who also asked about the same subject and said she was concerned about possible “improprieties” in the treasurer’s office. Maddox said Lindley told him she had reported her concerns to the sheriff’s department.

Donley County Sheriff Butch Blackburn confirmed Monday that an investigation of the treasurer’s office is ongoing but declined to comment until its completion.

According to the audit, Jackson’s 2000-01 salary was $19,095.62, payable in 1/24th increments twice a month. Jackson also had a budget of $900 for travel and meetings, which was divided into a $600 auto allowance and a $300 reimbursable travel allowance. The auto allowance was paid in $25 increments each pay period for “non-accountable travel.”

The audit states: “The computer system posts both the salary and the auto allowance to ‘Salary,’ thereby overstating the actual paid salary by $600, which is the non-accountable travel. Therefore, during November 2000, rather than reclassifying the $50 per month travel from ‘Salary’ to ‘Travel’ on a monthly basis, the Treasurer made a total entry of $600 from ‘Salary’ to ‘Travel’ for the total year. This was made for logistic purposes and simplification.”

Maddox said the auto allowance was added to Jackson’s salary by the computer because that $600 is subject to income and payroll taxation.

Following the auditor’s report, Jackson said she felt she was due a public apology from whoever made the false accusations.

Commissioners accepted Maddox’s report and directed copies to be sent to the sheriff’s department and Texas Ranger Gary Henderson.

In other county business, the court nominated Donnie Hall and Buster Shields to the Appraisal District Board and heard from Calvin Cleaver of Ashtola regarding flooding on his property. The court also re-appointed Jacquetta Owens as the election judge of Box 301 at the Clarendon Community Center.