Traveling through Hampton County recently, I'm reminded of the old Five Man Electric Band rock and roll song, “Signs, signs, signs everywhere, blocking the landscape, breaking the heart.” While not everyone has access to the Hampton County Guardian or access to a computer to read online articles, the Hampton County Citizens for Active Recovery (HCCAR) informs residents about county issues through roadside signs. I think it is necessary.
As a follow-up to the Guardian's recent article on the county council's failure to submit an audit, HCCAR would like to summarize some of the issues and the blatant disregard by the council on very important matters. As the old rock and roll song suggests, the council's actions are indeed “Breakin my Mind.”
- 2023 Audit: The first major problem is the council's inability to produce a regular audit for 2023, as reported by the Guardian. That audit was scheduled to be submitted to the state by Dec. 31, 2023. The county was granted an extension until March 31, 2024, but the audit has not been completed as of that date and state funding for some accounts will be suspended. Hampton County. You would think there was no way the council would make the same mistake for the second year in a row, especially considering they've had a full-time administrator on the job since January 8th, and have an even larger number of consultants. Why is the audit so important? Since 2015, Hampton County has seen his net worth decrease by more than $10 million and is now in the red. The 2023 audit will show whether the net worth is still declining or if the bleeding has stopped. The audit has been delayed for almost four months, and no completion date has been announced. The blame lies with the council and its inability to manage important functions of government. Remember this bullet point as election time approaches.
- Independent forensic audit: The county hates audits. A much-needed independent forensic audit has yet to be commissioned by the council. Tax shortfalls and misspending go unaccounted for, and we sit back and watch the days go by without anyone being held accountable for those funds. Most worryingly, we heard that administrators assembled a select group of employees and one selected official to score companies that offered to perform forensic audits. Administrators, city council members, and county employees should not be involved in forensic audits or have any relationship with auditing firms. The Council should have asked either state agency to select a reputable forensic audit firm and independent counsel to lead the investigation. The work must be independent to ensure that the taxpayers who paid the money are fairly represented.
Of the four companies targeted in the forensic audit, three have no offices in South Carolina, and the fourth has only a satellite office in Charleston. According to information published on each company's website, there are only a few companies that specialize in forensic auditing, and one out of four has been sanctioned by the Securities and Exchange Commission for poor organizational quality control. It seems that he is receiving it. You can read about corporate issues at (https://www.sec.gov/news/press-release/2023-114A simple). A quick Google search will give you an overview of some companies' serious concerns. Why were they considered?
- A fundamental review of Hampton County's money management issues needs to be independent. That means no one, not even county employees, elected officials, or even members of Congress, may have any ties or contact with the auditing firm. That is the only way the public can be assured that the process is untainted. I don't understand why the council, after delaying and dragging its feet on this issue for so long, is suddenly trying to offer a contract to a company of the workers' choosing. Also, why not wait until Congressman William Hagar secures state funding for the audit? While waiting for the funding to be finalized, cancel the RFP issued by the county and let the state government Have the agency select a fully independent auditor and an independent attorney to oversee the process. Once the financing is complete, sign the contract. As one of my mentors always said, “Justice doesn't have to be swift, it just needs to be certain.” Remember this bullet point as election time approaches.
- Long-forgotten recreation complexes: It all started when I started asking questions about recreational facilities. I decided to ask the questions that cannot be asked of children who are less variable. The recreational complex, approved by residents in 2012, has lost momentum due to other serious concerns in the county. A proposal to turn the Wade Hampton site into a recreation complex is being considered, and while that certainly won't happen until the high school is moved, there is currently more than $1 million in the CPST account that could be used for recreation facilities. There should be $3 million in federal funding set aside. Recreation complex by Congressman Jim Clyburn. The county could have engineers determine the feasibility of converting the old high school site into a recreational complex. Planning for a smooth transition can begin now. Parking improvements can now be made on high school grounds without disrupting current activities. Let's not forget the $3.6 million the council allowed to be wasted on unidentified things. Perhaps a forensic audit could identify areas where funds were misused. The unauthorized spending was acknowledged on January 10, 2022, and to date, the board has not made any provision for repaying these funds. Do you feel deceived like me? Remember this bullet point as election time approaches.
- consultant: The county had been working well with the MRB consultant group to advance fiscal issues until three council members felt the need to fire them. They felt the county needed an administrator and not consultant services. So his three-person voting group hired a new administrator, and he and several consultants now run the county. MRB has hired a qualified financial director who has indicated that the 2023 fiscal year audit is expected to be completed by March 31st. However, he was fired by management for no apparent reason. They have not found a consultant to replace him who can complete the audit on time. Remember this bullet point as election time approaches.
- turn over: Since January 2024, several employees working in the administrative services sector have resigned or been fired. As things appear to be spiraling out of control, councils need to find out why employees are leaving management areas at an alarming rate. Many were key employees directly responsible for completing the 2023 audit. Hampton County appears to be sinking deeper and deeper into despair. How do we turn this ship around? We're definitely headed for a rocky coast. Voters need to consider what decisions they can make to ensure this outrage does not continue beyond the next election.
