Tuesday, April 30, 2013

Attention Cedric....

Tonight at the Board of Supervisors' Meeting we were given a report from the independent auditor, Michael Thompson.  This particular report was a partial report on Tunica County Utility District (TCUD).

The Beat 2 Supervisor made a big fuss about the cost of Mr. Thompson's services.  Hello Cedric:  It doesn't matter how much money this audit costs. It has to be done. 

Why are you protesting so much?  Why do you so strongly object to this audit?  Is there something you know that we don't?  Just incase you have forgotten, we are reposting the letter, signed by three organizations, asking for this audit on behalf of the residents of Tunica County.

Here's the letter:
15 Oct 2012

Hand Delivered to the Tunica County Board of Supervisors at their 5p Meeting

This letter is being written to request an independent audit of each and every department, commission, facility and component unit attached to or established by the Tunica County Board of Supervisors.

Recently, the Tunica County Board of Supervisors voted to levy a tax increase on its residents. At your Public Hearing prior to voting on this tax increase, the public voiced their concern over the debt inherited by this Board of Supervisors as well as the past decisions made to spend the monies of the residents of Tunica County.

We have reviewed the last two Audited Financial Statements and Special Reports contracted for with Williams, Pitts and Beard, LLC and have found certain entities were not audited by Williams, Pitts and Beard, LLC. As stated in the above Report, these would be “the financial statements of Tunica County Airport Commission, Tunica County Public Projects, Inc., Tunica County Tourism Commission, and Tunica County Utility District.” These Component Units were audited by other auditors and submitted to Williams, Pitts and Beard, LLC. Specifically, we are asking for an independent audit as stated in the opening paragraph. One audit, one report.

Overwhelmingly, the voters of Tunica County chose to replace three members of the former Board of Supervisors. Along with this fresh start, we the undersigned organizations are making this request for an independent audit to know exactly the state of our finances. By fulfilling this request, the Tunica County Board of Supervisors will establish a path forward for our County.

Barbara R. Tuchel
Tunicans for Transparency in Government

Mark E. Hudson, President
Tunica County NAACP Branch

Robert Hall, President
Concerned Citizens for a Better Tunica County







Circuit Clerk Asks for Pay Increases...Our Response

Following is a report from the Transparency Committee:

30 Apr 2013: Board of Supervisors’ Meeting @ 5p

At the last Board of Supervisor’s meeting, the Tunica County Circuit Clerk appeared before you to request an increase in salaries for her employees. Our Committee has asked for an appointment with you this evening to present documents and information to consider before you grant this request.

At the forefront of our thinking is that Tunica County needs to move toward a merit based raise system rather then the “across the board” system of the past.

Whether Tunica County is holding a Primary Election where the Democratic Committee is in charge or a General Election where the Election Commission is in charge, the Circuit Clerk’s office is always involved. Tunica County residents depend on the Circuit Clerk for accuracy and efficiency.

The first documents we are presenting are from the Primary Election of 2007. These documents are copies of pages 39 through 41 of the Record of Absentee Voters. You will notice on these copies that 20 Absentee Ballots were sent to P. O. Box 772. (Note that none of these ballots are marked with a received date by the Circuit Clerk’s Office.) At what point does an employee stop to think this might be wrong? We all need to be reminded that someone went to prison based in part by this record.

The second insert into this report comes from our report at the Public Hearing on Redistricting that was held by the Board of Supervisors on 6 Jan 2011.

1. As of 31 Mar 2011, Tunica County had 6255 registered voters.

2. By our hand count, we discovered there are 399 people who remain on the active voter rolls even though they registered prior to 31 Dec 1999 and these same people have never voted in Tunica County.
3. By our hand count about 80 people are using a P. O. Box as their official address for voter registration purposes. This address has to be the physical address (of the registrant.)

4. We’ve found instances of married couples being registered for different precincts and at least 2 of these mistakes have these couples voting in different Beats. Example: Marilyn Young #1 and Melvin Young #6.

Our third area of concern is the $56K refund to the Circuit Clerk in 2012. Truly, I can’t begin to talk about this because I still don’t understand what happened. What I do understand is that some action in the Circuit Clerk’s Office caused this expenditure from the General Fund of this County.

Our fourth concern is around the slowness with which ballots are counted in this County. Again, whether it is the Primary or the General election the Circuit Clerk’s Office is involved. What is etched in my memory is the last General Election when the whole United States of America had been called for President Barack Obama and Tunica County was still tallying our 12 little Precincts.

In conclusion, the Transparency Committee is asking the Board of Supervisors to do a little more investigation of your own before granting this request by the Circuit Clerk. It is important for our County and for the County’s employees that we begin to transition to a merit based raise system. Just because the employees across the lobby from the Circuit Clerk’s Office earned and were granted raises does not necessarily mean raises need to be granted in the Circuit Clerk’s Office.





Wednesday, April 3, 2013

1 Apr 2013 BOS and Rosa Fort High School Graduation

During the Board of Supervisors' Meeting a report of what is on the calendar at the Battle Arena was given.

In this report it was mentioned that the Director of the Arena had met with the Tunica County School Board to ask them to move graduation to a Monday rather then the traditional Sunday so the Arena would be able to secure another contract for this particular weekend.  The School Board approved this change.  (See note below.)

At the Board of Supervisors' Meeting the Beat #3 Supervisor asked that RFHS Graduation be moved back to Sunday.

Here's the rub:  Both Boards are elected separately and independently by the residents of Tunica County.  It seems improper for a Supervisor to use his or her position to interfere with a decision made by the Board of Education.  If a Supervisor has a personal problem with a decision made by the Board of Education, call your elected member of the Board of Education.

Note:  It is now my understanding that the Director of the Arena talked with the County Administrator about changing the date of graduation.  I do not know who the County Administrator spoke with to authorize the date change for the graduation ceremony.  Somehow, the date was changed.

So, that's one problem.

Here's another:  When RFHS holds graduation at the Battle Arena, this occasion is not free to the residents of Tunica County.  Each time RFHS holds graduation or cheerleading competition at the Battle Arena, it costs the County around $10K to move dirt and whatever else goes along with a change from a horse show.

The Board of Education has around $7 - $9 million dollars in the bank.  If they want to hold graduation or cheerleading at the Arena, why can't they pay for it?

If you think the Board of Education should be paying to use the Battle Arena, what would they be willing to pay?  Would the BOE want to pay $10K on a weekday or would they like to pay the entire amount of the revenue lost because the Arena could not be booked by a paying client on a weekend?

Next there is the problem of cross messaging.  On the one hand, the Board of Superviosrs' is telling Battle Arena to book everything they can to bring money into the County.  On the other hand, some Supervisors are telling the Arena to move graduation back to Sunday and give up a bookable weekend. 

You know, we are all entitled to our own opinion but we are not entitled to our own facts.  Letting RFHS use the Battle Arena for free is expensive.  It is expensive on a Monday but more expensive on a Sunday.

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

1 Apr 2013 CEO at Healthcare Authority

Following is a copy of the report this Committee presented to the Board of Supervisors.  The documentation mentioned in this report may be found in the Public Records after 1 May 2013.
1 Apr 2013: Board of Supervisors’ Meeting @ 9a

Our Committee asked for an appointment with you today in an attempt to correct your minutes in the Public Record Book #155 on page 489 and to open a conversation with the Board of Supervisors surrounding the hiring of the CEO at the Tunica County Healthcare Authority and the possibility of hiring a Human Resource Manager.

Attached to our report are the following:

1. A photocopy of the above referenced page.

2. One Freedom of Information letter dated 1 Mar 2013 and addressed to the Tunica County Healthcare Authority requesting:

a. Total number of applicants who applied for the CEO position.

b. Total number of interviews granted for this position.

c. Total number of applicants who both applied and are residents of Tunica County.

d. Total number of interviews granted for applicants who also live in Tunica County.

3. Copies of email correspondence between Dr. Osborn and myself in response to the Freedom of Information letter.

The first thing you will notice from the Public Record of your minutes is that 53 applications were received and 12 of these applicants received telephone interviews. From the telephone interviews, three of the 12 applicants were granted face-to-face interviews.

Next, take a look at the email conversation between Dr. Osborn and myself as a result of the Freedom of Information letter our Committee sent to Tunica County Healthcare Authority.

Here is a recap of the email information:

Dr. Osborn: “In response to your request, 50 applications for the CEO position were received. Of those 50, initial telephone interviews were conducted with 14. In person interviews were conducted with three finalists.

There were no applications received from individuals living in Tunica County. Therefore, no interviews were granted to individuals living in Tunica County.”

Barbara Tuchel: “Thx for your quick response. Would you please recheck one more time about there being no application from anyone in Tunica County. A long time Tunica County resident is saying he/she submitted an application and was not interviewed by phone or in person.”

Dr. Osborn: “Of the fifty applications submitted to me, none were residents of Tunica County.”

It is this Committee’s understanding that an application for this position was given to the County Administrator and a copy of the applicant’s resume was placed in every Supervisor’s mailbox.

What happened?

Secondly, it is our understanding that the new CEO was hired with a salary of $105K. This amount is the approximate salary of Dr. Osborn who has been a Tunica County employee for quite some time. When the Board of Supervisors replaced the Road Manager the difference in salaries between the former and the present was approximately $30K. (Billy Watson was making $110K and Joe Eddie Hawkins is making $80.) So, historically this is the pattern you have set for new hires. Why was this position handled differently?

Using the above reporting as an example, it has become apparent that Tunica County is in need of a Human Resource Manager. Hopefully, you will consider this position a priority and will ensure this person reports directly to the Board of Supervisors.