Auditor: Fiscal Court Didn't Follow Statute
By WestKyStar Staff
PADUCAH, KY - A report from Kentucky State Auditor Adam Edelen gives McCracken County Clerk Jeff Jerrell a good review in his handling of the financial responsibilities of his office, but it also says the McCracken Fiscal Court did not set a maximum salary for employees in Jerrell's office for 2011, as required by KRS 64.530.
According to Edelen, "The audit found that the clerk's financial statement presents fairly the revenues, expenditures, and excess fees of the McCracken County Clerk... As part of the audit process, the auditor must comment on non-compliance with laws, regulations, contracts and grants. The auditor must also comment on material weaknesses involving the internal control over financial operations and reporting." This is the portion of the audit which indicated the fiscal court did not set maximum salaries for Jerrell's employees as required, and stated, "...we recommend the fiscal court fix annually the amount for salaries for the county clerk as prescribed by KRS 64.530."
Jerrell's salary is determined by state lawmakers.
In response, Jerrell said that he submitted a maximum salary order for approval by the fiscal court at their April 25, 2011 meeting, but the submission was omitted by McCracken Judge Van Newberry before the meeting, as per fiscal court minutes approved on May 9, 2011.
A maximum salary order is essentially a recommendation for salaries of Jerrell's employees in the county clerk's office. He indicated that this oversight may have kept them from getting cost-of-living pay increases this year.