Saturday, December 22, 2007
Among the preliminary findings made by the independent auditors hired by council are:
Those who wish to access the Audit documents on-line can click:
At the very least, we believe that the financial cost of the Audit has proved to be justified and, therefore, should be borne out of Sheriff Nash's discretionary fund accounts rather than from the Dorchester County General Funds. And while it is true that the Dorchester County Auditor and the County Treasurer should have discovered some of the problems--at least with the telephone toll charges--it is also true that even a cursory review of the accounts would have revealed that tens of thousands of dollars were being diverted. Likewise, even a cursory review of the Audit Documents clearly establishes that many of the listed expenditures are inappropriate at best and possibly unlawful.
It is shameful that Sheriff Nash chose to spend the "Prisoner Recreation Funds" to benefit himself and his political and philosophical allies rather than the prisoners. For example, the documents now available to the public indicate that he has increased the salaries of his two "Chaplains" and that he is now paying them collectively Four Thousand Six Hundred and 00/100 ($4600.00) per month. This position is (quite competently) filled by volunteers in Charleston County, so there was no need to raid the Prisoner Recreation Fund to pay these men. And sadly, had almost Two Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($200,000.00) Dollars not been lost or squandered, the children of the Dorchester County prisoners could have been provided for without having to seek charity from local churches.
Sheriff Nash should be required to tell all the children of the Dorchester County inmates that he has been extorting their parents on the Toll Phone charges and that what was neither stolen nor sent to his private business was used to party down with his friends and supporters. Merry Christmas kids. Ho, ho, ho.
Turning to a related issue, we hope that the Audit will be expanded to determine who benefited from the Seventy-Five Thousand (75,000) hours of "voluntary" labor that is provided each year by Dorchester County inmates. Maybe, if the "Prisoner Recreation Fund" was used to compensate these men rather than for entertaining "foreign dignitaries" they could make some inroads on their fines, their past due child support obligations, and their restitution obligations.
Finally, and also on a related issue, we note that many of the comments to the articles in The Post and Courier are insightful. For example, we have pasted comments from "Slayer" and Lillycollette hereinbelow.
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http://web.charleston.net/news/2007/dec/20/sheriffs_office_audit_outlined25484/#comments
Posted by Slayer on December 20, 2007 at 10:55 p.m.
It is shameful that Sheriff Nash chose to spend the "Prisoner Recreation Funds" to benefit himself and his political and philosophical allies rather than the prisoners. For example, the documents now available to the public indicate that he has increased the salaries of his two "Chaplains" and that he is now paying them collectively Four Thousand Six Hundred and 00/100 ($4600.00) per month. This position is (quite competently) filled by volunteers in Charleston County, so there was no need to raid the Prisoner Recreation Fund to pay these men. And sadly, had almost Two Hundred Thousand and 00/100 ($200,000.00) Dollars not been lost or squandered, the children of the Dorchester County prisoners could have been provided for without having to seek charity from local churches.
Sheriff Nash should be required to tell all the children of the Dorchester County inmates that he has been extorting their parents on the Toll Phone charges and that what was neither stolen nor sent to his private business was used to party down with his friends and supporters. Merry Christmas kids. Ho, ho, ho.
Turning to a related issue, we hope that the Audit will be expanded to determine who benefited from the Seventy-Five Thousand (75,000) hours of "voluntary" labor that is provided each year by Dorchester County inmates. Maybe, if the "Prisoner Recreation Fund" was used to compensate these men rather than for entertaining "foreign dignitaries" they could make some inroads on their fines, their past due child support obligations, and their restitution obligations.
Finally, and also on a related issue, we note that many of the comments to the articles in The Post and Courier are insightful. For example, we have pasted comments from "Slayer" and Lillycollette hereinbelow.
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http://web.charleston.net/news/2007/dec/20/sheriffs_office_audit_outlined25484/#comments
Posted by Slayer on December 20, 2007 at 10:55 p.m.
Final continuation
12. What percentage of time does Nash spend at his Dojo? (That’s his martial arts business in the Oakbrook area of Summerville) Just how many businesses does he operate?
13. Nash has told the media that his department does not pay for the character training he mandates for all of his officers to attend. I direct you to look at the document posted on the Post and Courier’s web site. Did this man of ‘character’ lie to us? That’s the way I read it.
14. Another thing, the Sheriff’s department pays two chaplins, who make more money that a deputy does. While I do not object to having a chapin (this is usually a volunteered position) why are they paid more than the person who puts his life in danger, and why are they given a county car to drive? Again, I would like to know the answer to this.
If you really want to get your blood boiling as to the mismanagement of money by our Sheriff of Character, read the audit documents. The bottom line is that he was at the helm and allowed this mismanagement and theft to occur on his watch. Don’t blame anyone else, Sheriff. The buck stops with you.
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Posted by lillycollette on December 22, 2007 at 3:44 a.m.
When they're through -- Delving for Dollars -- in Dorchester County "maybe" (lol) someone will take that auditing magnifying glass to the Charleston County family court. There's a serious big-time need for a federal forensic audit there too.
Labels: Audit
