Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Duet Oversight topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Duet tells Douglas County it has made substantial progress on reforms; residents demand fuller accounting
Summary
Duet Executive Director Tiffany Malone told the board the agency completed asset sales, reduced debt and restructured finance operations and that services to about 400 clients continued; public commenters and commissioners pressed for a fuller accounting and legal/administration help to draft potential follow-up resolutions.
Tiffany Malone, executive director for Duet (operating under the interlocal authority structure), briefed the board on steps the agency has taken in response to a March resolution requiring reforms. Malone said Duet completed the sale of residential properties for nearly $5,000,000, used proceeds to reduce liabilities and restructured finance operations by replacing the CFO and contracting with an outside controller. "We respectfully believe the record demonstrates substantial compliance with the objectives of resolution number 0164," Malone told the board.
Malone outlined operational details: the organization provides uninterrupted services to about 400 people, restructured finance functions, and expects most funding (about 97%) to come through Medicaid with counties covering roughly 3% of revenue. She also said some structural reforms require action by the interlocal authority (ANSA) and member counties and cannot be implemented unilaterally by Duet.
Public commenters pushed for more oversight and transparency. Laura McCormick raised concerns about an adverse external audit opinion earlier in the year that referenced Duet's going-concern issues and asked why the board had not received a comprehensive accounting of past asset liquidations, some of which she said were purchased with bonds. McCormick said: "Millions of dollars of assets has been liquidated over the past several years to satisfy debts incurred... The majority of these properties sold were purchased with tax dollars and or bonds."
County Administrator Patrick Bloomingdale noted the county has budgeted funds for Duet for the next fiscal year and County Attorney staff offered to work with administration to draft a resolution for consideration next week if the board wishes to explore rescinding the earlier termination resolution. Malone and the board agreed Duet will continue providing reports while county legal and administrators prepare potential language for board action.
