Released Tuesday, January 2, 2024.
STATEMENT OF THE TOWN OF JONES REGARDING THE STATE AUDITOR’S INVESTIGATIVE AUDIT REPORT DATED JANUARY 2, 2024
The Town of Jones today received an Investigative Audit Report prepared by the State Auditor and Inspector’s Office. The Report concerns misappropriation of funds handled by the Court Clerk’s Office between 2016 and 2019 and reporting discrepancies/lack of oversight extending into 2022.
The Investigative Audit was requested by the Jones Board of Trustees. The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation has also been involved in the inquiry. The Town is fully cooperating with both agencies.
Two of the employees involved, Pam Lucas and Brenda Rowlett are no longer employed by the Town. Ms. Lucas was fired in 2019 after an internal investigation revealed that she had allegedly misappropriated fine payments. Ms. Rowlett left her employment in 2022.
The third person named in the report, Tammy Wallace, was reelected Town Clerk last April. She has voluntary taken administrative leave pending further review of this matter by the Town Board of Trustees. Oklahoma law does not provide a mechanism for a Board of Trustees to remove an elected Town Clerk absent criminal conviction. Ms. Wallace has not been charged with any offense related to the Investigative Audit.
The Board of Trustees has taken several steps to address the problems revealed in the Investigative Audit. These include:
Separation of the Offices of Town Clerk and Court Clerk. Last summer, the Board of Trustees adopted an ordinance creating the office of “Court Administrator.” The Court Administrator oversees Municipal Court operations independent of the Town Clerk. The current Court Administrator was not a Town employee at the time the events described in the Investigative Audit occurred.
Review and Modification of Financial Reporting and Recordkeeping Systems. The Board of Trustees, with the assistance of the Town Treasurer, have engaged an outside public accounting firm to audit and assist with the modification of all Town financial recordkeeping and reporting systems, not just those within the Court Clerk’s Office. The Municipal Court is also revising all pay orders to address issues identified in the Investigative Audit and to comply with new legislation mandating payment structuring.
The Trustees also adopted an ordinance establishing the office of “Town Administrator.” This ordinance grants the Town Administrator broad control over the day-to-day activities of Town employees including the elected Town Clerk and Town Treasurer. The office was filled in late July. However, the initial hire elected to leave in November to pursue other opportunities. The Board of Trustees is actively pursuing a replacement.
The Board of Trustees recently hired a Deputy Town Clerk with significant municipal experience to assist the Town Clerk. She will assume the duties of Town Clerk during the interim period.
The Town has implemented a number of security measures that will be administered by the Police Chief. These include installation of numerous security cameras, limiting computer and physical access to certain recordkeeping systems, and review of building access privileges.
Recently elected Mayor Missy Wilkinson would like to assure Jones residents that every effort is being made to bring this situation to a final resolution and to ensure it never happens again. “This situation has been simmering for some time. With the release of the Investigative Audit, it is finally to the point that the public can be fully informed about what has happened.”
Please direct any questions to Mayor Missy Wilkinson at trustee1@jonescityok.org