SHEBLYVILLE, Ill. (WAND) — The Shelby County Board is hoping to clean up its books and improve oversight of county leaders and agencies. The board's Legislative Committee is recommending audits to ensure taxpayer money is being spent properly.
WAND News previously reported, more than $759,000 was misspent in the Shelby County Sheriff's Office. These errors, under a previous administration, were found in an audit released last year. The audit reviewed the department's finances from 2015 to 2020.
"I spoke with the treasurer yesterday and the elements that could come after us for those problems are: Social Security, Medicare, IMRF, the union, the Department of Revenue, departments like that," Jeremy Williams, a member of the Shelby County Legislative Committee, said during a meeting this week.
The Shelby County Legislative Committee is now recommending the State's Attorney's Office tie up loose ends from that audit. They also want the office to ensure the county is in the clear after incorrect salaries were paid, and errors were found in union contracts.
The committee also voted to instruct an in-house auditing firm to begin routine audits of the Dive Team and State's Attorney's offices.
"The numbers won't lie and an audit will help us discern the truth there," Williams explained.
These routine audits are required if a county official, or department head, steps down.
"He said that the Dive Team Commander would have been a defacto department head. So with the vacancy, it triggers the statute," Williams told other committee members.
But board members said there are also accusations money was stolen out of the nonprofit bank account tied to the Dive Team.
"I will say there were also accusations of theft made at last Thursday's board meeting, and we want to get to the bottom of them," Williams added.
An audit of the County's Health Department was tabled. Board members said there are concerns about employees being paid when they were on vacation.
WAND News will continue following these developing investigations.
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