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Show Commissioners accuse auditor FARMINGTON A plea for dismissal of all charges against two Davis County commissioners and one former commissioner was to be filed in Second District Court here Tuesday. The plea, prepared by the County Coun-ty Attorney's Office, asks that all charges of malfeasance in office and misuse of public funds, as well as all other related charges, should be dropped as being without foundation. found-ation. Meanwhile, nine allegations which charge County Auditor-Ruth Kennington as "being aware or directly involved with abuses of staff, equipment and corresponding correspond-ing county funds" were announced this week in a prepared statement, by the county commissioners. They are: Misusing county equipment by generating political comments during hours of employment. Condoning the use by an employee em-ployee of a fictitious name or names under which several letters to the Editor were written concerning concern-ing the auditor's office and county government, some of which were published. Directing an employee to deliver de-liver incomplete, inaccurate and selected information concerning the actions of county employees and elected officials. Failure to use county equipment equip-ment and supplies in a prudent and frugal manner and using supplies to ... promote personal political opin-, ,., .. ions. - ' Violations of Davis County Policies and Procedures Code of Conduct and Merit System Article XIX, Political Activity, as well as other behaviors identified as unsatisfactory un-satisfactory in the Personnel Policies. Poli-cies. Benefiting acquaintances by releasing selected privileged information infor-mation to individuals not authorized autho-rized to receive it. Distributing confidential wage and time information to persons per-sons not authorized to receive it. Distributing written literature without authorization, specifically letters and other political informa- O CONTINUED ON PAGE 2 Commissioners accuse auditor CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 O tion produced on county equipment equip-ment which are unrelated to staff job duties. Preventing staff from performing per-forming assigned internal auditing duties and instead engaging in prohibited pro-hibited political activity and other unsatisfactory behaviors during working hours. The commission also took action Tuesday to relieve the county auditor au-ditor of her internal audit duties and announced that an independent indepen-dent (private) firm will be hired to audit the county books. "The independent CPA auditor shall have authorization to audit each and every county department and shall have access to all records maintained by the county," the commissioners stated. The commissioners said they have repeatedly directed Ms. Ken-nington Ken-nington to conduct internal audits on all county departments. "She has not done this but in stead has gone out of her way to do things that would bring discredit to the county," said Com. Bill Peters, who is charged in earlier allegations allega-tions by the auditor. Also charged with malfeasance of office and misuse mis-use of public funds" are Commission Commis-sion Chairman Harold Tippetts and former commissioner Glen Saunders. Saun-ders. Com. Peters said the charges against the commissioners were a "deliberate act to manipulate a free election service and was done at a time most beneficial to those who made the allegations public. Their action worked and resulted in getting get-ting two good men elected out of office," he said. The commissioner also charged the plaintiffs in the earlier allegations allega-tions as being intent on influencing the voting public with their last-minute last-minute allegations. "These charges have cost the public tens of thousands of dollars because of the efforts of the commission, com-mission, county attorney and others to prepare a defense against the allegations," said Com. Peters. He noted that if the charges are not dismissed and the case goes to court, there very likely will be counter suits of civil and criminal nature filed against the auditor, deputy de-puty auditor Jim Larson and perhaps other "John Does." A complaint against the commissioners commis-sioners will be heard in pre-trial court on Nov. 21. Trial date is set for Dec. 7. The internal auditor position in the County Auditor's office was added last year. This is the position that the Commission last week stopped funding, thus eliminating the position. Earlier, the Commission Commis-sion transferred two employees out of Ms. Kennington's office and into the county's administration office on the grounds that the auditor au-ditor was blocking them from doing their work. Ms. Kennington took office in January, 1987 after being elected the previous November. She still has until Dec. 31, 1990, to serve under her current election. |
