Benton County plans new financial controls

BENTONVILLE -- Benton County's justices of the peace were briefed Thursday on new financial controls the county is planning after a former employee was accused of theft.

County Judge Barry Moehring told the Finance Committee the controls are meant to provide a better system of checks and balances and will cover policies and procedures and training regarding travel reimbursement; purchasing; and using credit cards among others. The county will also examine policies for using county vehicles, marking county vehicles under the county judge's authority, and use of the county's fuel system by employees.

Moehring also said he'll be looking for an accounting firm to do a third-part assessment to identify possible problems with the financial control systems and to suggest solutions.

Connie Guild, former accounts payable and grants manager and a 16-year employee, was fired from her job Sept. 7 after FBI and IRS agents contacted the county about "irregularities" they discovered involving public funds and asked Brenda Guenther, comptroller, for information from the accounting office.

Officials have said the investigators are looking at a travel reimbursement system in place since 1992, with Guenther saying the problem goes back at least as far as 2008. Guenther said Thursday she hasn't heard from the agencies on any resolution of the investigation.

Moehring said some of the measures were prompted by the problems with Guild and others were good practices the county needs to do as a matter of routine.

"Some of the things would be extensions of that," Moehring said of the investigation. "There is certainly some spillover effect. But some of the things are things we should be doing anyway from time to time."

Moehring said he'll provide justices of the peace with more information as the plans develop.

"We're in the first inning here," he said.

The committee also reviewed a number of monthly reports, including a year-end report on operation of the convenience centers, which provide residents with an opportunity to dispose of unwanted household items, such as bulky furniture and appliances, scrap metal, and some household hazardous wastes.

The county opened two more centers -- in Rogers and in Siloam Springs -- last year in conjunction with the Benton County Solid Waste District operation in Centerton. A third location is planned for Bella Vista this year.

"I think this is one of the better programs we've acted on," Susan Anglin, justice of the peace for District 9, said of the centers.

NW News on 02/03/2017

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