by Associated Press Published: January 29,2013
Tags: agency, appropriation, audit, auditing, auditor, education, elementary school, funding, high school, junior high school, lawmaker, legislation, legislative, legislator, Legislature, public education, public school, school, school ffunding, secondary education, state government
JACKSON — Mississippi Auditor Stacey Pickering is calling on lawmakers to write new, stricter rules on computing how much state money goes to local schools. The Republican told the House Appropriations Committee he can’t approve the Mississippi Adequate Education Program formula, as required by law, because his office has found unreliable numbers on attendance, students [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: January 25,2013
Tags: auditor, city government, civil tiral, judicial, judiciary, justice, law, legal, mayor, politician, Politics, state government
SOUTHAVEN — Mayor Greg Davis will be in Jackson next week for the civil trial where Mississippi Auditor Stacey Pickering is trying to recover funds that the state says the Southaven mayor owes the city. In November 2011, Pickering ordered Davis to repay more than $170,000 for the mayor’s unsubstantiated expenses for trips, personal counseling, [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: January 25,2013
Tags: auditor, campaign donation, foundation, investigate, investigation, investigator, law enforcement, media, misappropriation, newspaper, open records, political campaign, political donation, Politics, search, state agency
BILOXI — Investigators have searched the home of Tina Shumate, coastal management and planning director at the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources. David Huggins, who heads the Investigative Audit Division of the State Auditor’s Office, tells The Sun Herald a search warrant was served at Shumate’s home Tuesday. Huggins would not release any details about [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: January 11,2013
Tags: audit, auditor, boat, boater, boating, disaster recovery, disaster relief, federal governmenyt, fish, fisherman, fishing, investigate, investigation, investigator, law, legal, maritime, state agency, state government, subpoena
BILOXI — The State Auditor’s Office has served a subpoena for access to two key Mississippi Department of Marine Resources’ financial accounts. That’s according to a published report. Assistant Attorney General Sandy Chesnut tells The Sun Herald the auditor wants record from an account that holds disaster-relief money and from the Rigs to Reefs account. [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: December 17,2012
Tags: agency, audit, auditor, bid, bidding, competitive bid, contract, department, federal, government, marine resources, state
BILOXI — A preliminary audit by federal authorities says the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources may have skirted laws requiring competitive bidding in awarding more than $600,000 in contracts and an additional $116,000 to a consultant. The Sun Herald reports the U.S. Interior Department’s Office of Inspector General’s preliminary audit questions DMR’s dealings with Barber [...] [...]
by MBJ Staff Published: December 6,2012
Tags: audit, auditor, board of supervisors, county, elected official, fine, government, misappropriation, public official, repayment, supervisor, tax, taxpayer
LEAKESVILLE — State Auditor Stacey Pickering has returned $70,280.72 to Greene County following an investigation into supervisors’ misuse of funds used as part of an illegal kickback scheme carried out through a contract for Katrina debris removal and legal expenses. These funds represent $64,030.72 in principal and $2,146.08 in interest and investigative costs. Pickering previously [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: December 5,2012
Tags: auditor, build, building, construction, disaster, disaster recovery, federal, flood, flooding, government, higher education, hurricane, natural disaster, rain, storm, storm surge, tropical, university, Weather, wind
LONG BEACH — A federal auditor says FEMA should demand the return of $5.3 million of Hurricane Katrina reconstruction money from the University of Southern Mississippi. The Department of Homeland Security’s Inspector General says it reviewed $12.2 million of the $41.1 million that USM received to rebuild its Gulf Park campus in Long Beach following [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: November 15,2012
Tags: arraign, arraignment, arrest, auditing, auditor, city, court, embezzlement, equipment, government, indictment, judge, judicial, judiciary, justice, law, law enforcement, legal, municipal, municipality, state, steal, stealing, surplus property
BASSFIELD — State Auditor Stacey Pickering says two individuals turned themselves in to the Rankin County Sheriff’s Office last Tuesday following multiple count indictments. These indictments are a result of the investigation into surplus property purchased by the City of Bassfield and converted to personal use. Brenda Saulters and Billy Matthews were booked on the [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: November 12,2012
Tags: audit, auditing, auditor, bond, crime, criminal, elected official, embezzle, embezzlement, embezzler, investigation, law enforcement, money, public official, refund, repayment, state agency, steal, stealing, tax, taxpayer, theft, thief
BROOKHAVEN — Mississippi Auditor Stacey Pickering has closed his office’s investigation into embezzlement by a former Lincoln County Circuit Clerk. Pickering last week delivered a check for more than $61,000 to Lincoln County Supervisors. The Brookhaven Daily Leader reports the check represents the last of the money the auditor’s office says Terry Lynn Watkins had [...] [...]
by Associated Press Published: November 5,2012
Tags: acquisition, audit, auditor, buy, land, property, purchase, real estate, sale, sell, state agency, state department, tax, taxpayer, taxpayer money
BILOXI — Federal auditors question $12.6 million of $14 million approved by the state Department of Marine Resources to buy and conserve coastal property using money from offshore oil leases. DMR paid 16 times the county tax appraisals for some land, and 25 times the amount on county tax rolls for one parcel, auditors from [...] [...]
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