POST Voice The Pender-Topsail
Fireworks this Friday Fireworks, postponed from July, will light the sky in Surf City Friday as the end of summer celebration takes place. Read about it on page 10A.
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Rain fouls up football A soggy Friday night forced the cancellation of one game and post-poned another to Monday night. Read about it in sports on page 1B
Wednesday, August 27, 2014
Volume 43, No. 48
The Media of Record for the People of Pender County
50 Cents
Rumors fly over missing county money
No money missing, just accounting problems, official says By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher Amid rumors of missing money from the county coffers, officials say it’s all there – it just has to be found and accounted for. With county financial problems costing hundreds of thousands of dollars to straighten out, rumors are flying across Pender County that money – upwards of $3 million – is missing. Interim county manager Bob Murphy says no. It’s all there. It is just a matter of figuring out what money belongs where.
Financial foul-ups push costs past $130k
“Missing is not an appropriate term. The money is not missing...it just has not been properly recorded.” Interim County Manager Bob Murphy
“Missing is not an appropriate term. The money is not missing. There have been some issues with funds not properly posted. We would receive monies and not posted in a timely way to the general ledger,” said Murphy. “That is what led to the rumor that money is missing. It just has not been properly recorded. Those are the kind of things
that we are working on now to assure that the money received in the last fiscal year and funds that are coming in now are properly recorded.” Murphy says generally county funds are deposited into a central account and the finance department will record it on the county’s books. That is a step that has not been occurring
in all cases. “The $3 million referred to was that kind of an instance. The county has the money in it’s bank account, but it just hasn’t been recorded on the books,” Murphy said. “That happened with any number of funds and money coming into the county. They were not recorded.” Interim finance director Mike Apple is helping to straighten out the financial mess. “Between Mike and the auditors and the additional help that has been
Continued on page 2A
Search for new manager narrows
Back to school fun
Board approves more money for auditors
By Andy Pettigrew Post & Voice Publisher
By Tammy Proctor Post & Voice Staff Writer The Pender County commissioners unanimously approved to pay an additional $95,100 in audit fees. ”It pains me to do this today,” said Fred McCoy during the Aug. 18 commissioners’ meeting. The additional fees were paid to auditors Thompson, Price, Scott and Adams for services incurred while the fir m concluded the Fiscal Year 2012-2013 books. The contracted price for the audit is $35,500. The county books were in such disarray with transactions not recorded and bank reconciliations not complete, Thompson, Price, Scott and Adams had to bring in Nelson Price and Associates to assist. The bill for services rendered by Nelson Price and Associates was $33,750. The total cost of the county’s FY 2012-2013 audit is $130,600. “I don’t want to belabor the point,” said Commissioner Jimmy Tate, “but it appears to me there should be some accountability. Are there any attempts to hold the parties responsible?” Chair David Williams said the commissioners will recommend to establish an audit team. He said communications with the chairman will be improved. According to the commissioners, letters from the auditor citing problems with the county accounting were sent to the former county manager. Those letters of concern were never forwarded to the commissioners. “I think they should have let us know,” McCoy said. “It’s not over by a long stretch because this cannot happen again,” said Commissioner George Brown.
Interim County Manager Bob Murphy
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
No Sleeves Magic magician Michael Rosander entertains children at Soundside Park in Surf City at the community’s back to school event Friday evening. See more photos on Facebook.
The Pender County Board of Commissioners has scheduled interviews with manager candidates, according to interim county manager Bob Murphy. Murphy says the board began interviewing candidates late last week. “The board is starting with two candidates to interview,” Murphy said. “They have several candidates that initially stood out and merit an interview.” Murphy says it could take several months to get a new manager in the office after the candidate is chosen and ag rees to come to Pender County. “A lot de pends on how much time a candidate needs to relocate and give notice on their current job. Most people would want to give at least 30 days notice,” Murphy said. “It takes time to perform due diligence a candidate they are interested in. The board wants to move as quickly as possible to bring in a permanent manager recognizing the inherent time issues.”
Board approves zoning changes By Tammy Proctor Post & Voice Staff Writer Two zoning issues were brought before the Pender County commissioners Aug. 18. Rezoning two parcels of land on the northwest corner of the intersection of Camp Kirkwood Road and US Hwy 117 was approved 5-0 by the commissioners. The properties, according to Kyle Breuer, the county planning director, total 2.19 acres. The owners, Melanie G. Herring and Keith Tatro, requested the two tracts be rezoned from RA, Rural Agriculture, to GB, General Business District. The second zoning issue regarding property on Sloop Point Loop Road attracted more attention. Commissioners heard from several property owners who were concerned about the Special Use Permit (SUP) requested by Caro-
lina Water Service, Inc. of NC. The company owns the property next door to the Hampstead Kiwanis Park. Carolina Water Service, Inc. requested approval of a SUP for the construction and operation of infiltration basins and groundwater management systems, including a pump station to disperse treated effluent produced by the Belvedere Plantation wastewater treatment facility. Neighbors down Sloop Point Loop Road expressed concerns of polluting the waterways. Danny Lassiter, a manager with Carolina Water Services said the effluent is not wastewater but can used to spray the golf course and ball fields. Lassiter said the property will not have spray ponds. He said big sand filters will hold water that can be returned to the courses and fields.
Continued on page 2A
Staff photo by Andy Pettigrew
Tasty barbecued chicken comes off the grill at the Isabella Babson benefit at Shiloh Baptist Church Saturday. See more photos of the event on page 12A and on Facebook.
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