Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Governance Conflict topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
County attorney says clerk''s lawyer threatened suit over access to financial software; commissioners seek forensic review
Summary
County Attorney told commissioners he received an email from the clerk''s attorney threatening litigation if the county did not provide access to the financial system; commissioners asked for private legal briefings and discussed requesting a forensic audit by state oversight.
County Attorney Rich (surname not cited) told the Board of County Commissioners that the clerk''s attorney, Joel Foreman, had sent an email attaching potential litigation over access to the county financial software and requested a settlement-style meeting. Rich told commissioners he planned to consult each commissioner individually about next steps and recommended a closed "shade" session to discuss legal strategy.
The email arrived just after the board accepted the audits and prompted immediate concern among commissioners about data security and financial oversight. Several commissioners called for a forensic review: "With $15,963,000 in adjusting journal entries ... we need to know what''s happening," Commissioner Bennett said, and asked county leadership to pursue an independent review. Commissioner Mann said the county needs to ensure taxpayer data and systems are secure and to consider requesting a state Office of Inspector General forensic audit.
County Attorney Rich explained procedural options for closed meetings: for threatened litigation the board can open a public session, move into a closed, court-reported executive session, and then return publicly; the transcript of a litigation executive session becomes public once litigation concludes. Commissioners asked Rich and staff to coordinate private briefings and to schedule a shade meeting as soon as practical to plan the county''s legal response and strategy.
No formal board vote on litigation or a forensic audit was recorded at the meeting; commissioners directed the county attorney to consult with individual commissioners and to prepare options and a draft letter for consideration at the next regular meeting.
Ending: County Attorney Rich will contact commissioners individually and coordinate a closed legal session; commissioners indicated they will consider a request to state authorities for an independent forensic audit if needed.
