PINEVILLE, Mo. -- The president of the Goodman Fire Protection District board faces two Class B misdemeanors after a Missouri State Auditor's report outlined a long list of problems with the district's finances and books.
McDonald County Prosecutor Bill Dobbs announced the charges against Jimmie Morgan on Friday morning.
Morgan will be issued a summons to appear in court at a later date, Dobbs said. Morgan declined to comment Friday.
In a written statement Dobbs explained he reviewed the audit report and met with the audit team to review the documents and exhibits.
Morgan is charged with two counts of prohibited acts by certain elected or appointed public officials, Dobbs wrote.
The state audit, released in late December, identified deficiencies in internal controls, noncompliance with legal provisions and the need for improvement in management practices and procedures.
Morgan, in a story that appeared in the Dec. 23 issue of The McDonald County Press, said the whole process has been a "witch-hunt type situation" stemming from a couple of people at the Fire Department who were not doing their jobs and were dismissed.
Morgan noted many of the items the audit questioned happened before he became president.
The audit was done after DeAun Richmond filed an audit request. Richmond at one time sought election to the fire protection board, along with her mother. Her father had been fire chief of what became the Goodman Fire Protection District for more than 30 years.
The Goodman Area Fire Protection District was organized in 2005. It covers 96 square miles and has three fire stations. It isn't connected with the city government of Goodman.
NW News on 01/23/2016