Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway wants an investigation of Greene County after a whistleblower alleged that public resources were misused to advocate for a sales tax ballot measure. Wochit
The state auditor's office is urging the Greene County Commission to bring "a quick resolution" to a saga that began more than a month ago, when a whistleblower alleged that public resources were misused to advocate for a 1/2-cent sales tax.
On Wednesday, Missouri Auditor Nicole Galloway's office sent a letter to a lawyer representing county leaders. The auditor's office, again, called for the commission to allow Galloway to "investigate the serious allegations."
"We remain concerned the longer this issue stays behind closed doors, the longer it will take to resolve the issues and the higher the cost will be to local taxpayers," wrote the auditor's attorney, Paul Harper.
Harper's letter answered a series of questions posed by county-hired attorney Eddie Greim at a previous meeting. The letter indicates the two met to discuss whistleblower complaints on Jan. 3.
Greim appears to have asked about the auditor's office's legal authority to investigate allegations.
Greene County Sheriff Jim Arnott took to Twitter on Friday to say the auditor is obligated to "immediately turn over" the information she has to the Missouri Attorney General, the Missouri Ethics Commission or the Secretary of State.
"I am asking, please turn over the information so it can be immediately investigated and not continue to play out in the media," Arnott said in a video posted to social media.
In Wednesday's letter, the auditor's attorney said state law outlines what happens to citizen complaints submitted to the office. After receiving complaints, the office determines if they are credible. If so, it investigates those complaints to determine whether and to whom the matter should be referred for further action.
The letter said the office makes no presumption that violations of ethics laws or election laws occurred.
"The goal of an independent audit is to ascertain facts, not presume them," Harper writes.
In response to a question about costs, the auditor's office said it would complete Greene County's audit by using "existing appropriations within this office's budget and will not bill Greene County."
The county-hired attorney apparently also asked about the cost of an audit if a citizens' petition succeeds. The auditor's office provided a document that said the cost of an audit for political subdivisions of a similar size and function has ranged from $150,000 to $200,000.
In an interview with KOLR, the sheriff and his attorney discuss recent interactions with the Missouri Auditor's office. KOLR
Finally, in response to Greim's request for a draft ordinance or resolution for the commission, the auditor's office provided examples of previous ordinances enacted by other local governments that calledl for an audit by Galloway's office.
The Greene County Commission met behind closed doors Friday afternoon. It's not clear what was the topic of discussion.The reason given for closing the meeting falls under a category that includes legal actions and confidential communications between a public governmental body and its attorneys.