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Resident alleges $2 million shortfall and accuses commissioner during Franklin County public comment
Summary
During public comment April 30, resident Lawanda Hatch told commissioners she found an auditor's blog alleging a $2,000,000 shortfall and accused Commissioner Bauman of spreading false statements about her; she requested due process and said she would publicize the link.
A Franklin County resident used the meeting’s public-comment period April 30 to raise allegations about county finances and to accuse a sitting commissioner of defaming her.
Lawanda Hatch told the Board of Commissioners she had reviewed an auditor’s blog and "I know that there's a $2,000,000 shortfall. Evidently, a couple of companies double billed us," she said, adding she would post the link on her Facebook page so the public could see it. Hatch identified herself as from Precinct 100.
Hatch also said she had been sued by a commissioner "by proxy" and that she won a summary judgment. She accused Commissioner Bauman of spreading false statements about her, saying, "He's told people he's seen my car at a client's house and told them things about me that were untrue," and that those statements damaged her business.
Hatch told the commissioners she wants a fair adjudication of the matter and said she would continue to watch county affairs as a concerned citizen. No county official announced any follow-up action or verification of the claims during the meeting.
The comments were made during the public-comment portion of the meeting and represent claims by the speaker rather than verified findings by county staff.
