4 years ago
JONESBORO, GA (AP) -- The county has approved an audit aimed at determining whether there is any merit to Clayton County Sheriff Victor Hill's claims of mismanagement by his predecessor, County Commission Chairman Eldrin Bell said.
The audit will look into the inventory at the county jail's warehouse. Hill has said one million bedsheets, 10,000 inmate uniforms and other unnecessary items are being stored there. But county officials disagree with Hill's claims and say they are an attempt by the new sheriff to draw attention away from the uproar that came when he abruptly fired 27 employees on his first day in office.
In response to Hill's claims, Clark Stevens, the county chief of staff, provided other supply figures. He said only 5,400 sheets have been purchased since July 2002 and 3,874 uniforms purchased since May 2002.
The conflicting accounts were the reason for the audit, Bell said. "(The public) is thoroughly confused about what is actually there and why," Bell said.
Hill said he would cooperate with auditors and stepped back slightly Tuesday from the numbers he says he received from his budget staff, saying it is possible his staff miscalculated.
But the sheriff said county auditors could not have access until an ongoing federal investigation was done. Hill would not specify which federal agency was in charge of the investigation.
FBI Special Agent Steve Lazarus would not say whether the agency had opened an investigation. Bell said he had not been contacted about the sheriff's department by any federal agencies.
Associated Press