Washington County Council approves $37,500 for independent inspection after highway B.O.T. audit concerns

The Washington County Council voted to fund an independent on-site inspection and a full financial review of the county’s highway build-operate-transfer (B.O.T.) project, approving a $37,500 additional appropriation after members and residents raised procedural and accounting concerns.

Councilmember Karen Wischmeier read a statement recounting findings and concerns arising from a State Board of Accounts review. She said county funds were used to pay an HVAC subcontractor rather than the developer applying those costs to the original $4.8 million contract; that Exhibit F (the GMP report) was added to the contract after the fact and the county separately paid for stone without following the bid process; American Rescue Plan Act funds allocated for fuel tanks were not let properly; a $2 million loan was used to cover project costs without proper procedures; and that the original B.O.T. agreement did not meet statutory requirements, according to her statement.

Wischmeier asked the council for an emergency additional appropriation of $37,500 to pay for an immediate on-site official inspection and a full financial review. The council first amended the agenda to allow consideration of the request and then approved the appropriation at the June 1 meeting. At a June 24 joint session with the county commissioners, a separate motion to table the appropriation until further legal review failed, 1–6. The council then held a public hearing during which residents urged the council to proceed with the audit.

Mr. Ken Temple, who provided a briefing for the commissioners on June 24, said he financed part of the project to keep subcontractors working and that the county subsequently reimbursed him. Temple also said audits exist and can be produced to verify expenditures and that the facility is complete except for a fence. Commissioner Tony Cardwell and Councilmember Preston Shell pressed Temple and staff for documentation that credits and change orders were processed correctly; Shell said the records suggested the county paid $277,000 for gravel and later paid another $188,000, which appeared to be duplicate payments.

After public comment from Rhonda Greene, Lucy Brenton and Don Gilbert asking for an independent audit, Councilmember Wischmeier said she will lead a committee to identify professionals to perform the inspection and review and will rely on Highway Superintendent Rick Voyles and Attorney Alyssa Cochran to locate an inspector and outside counsel. Wischmeier is to report back to the council at its July 13 meeting. The appropriation was recorded as coming from the Riverboat Fund.

The council did not provide a roll-call tally for the initial June 1 approval; the only recorded roll-call in the joint session concerned a failed motion to table (1–6). The council directed follow-up documentation and review; several members asked that any outside legal counsel have no prior involvement with the project or the county.

Next steps: Wischmeier’s committee will identify and recommend professionals for the inspection and review and will report to the council on July 13.