Tuesday, February 17, 2015

Auditor recovers nearly $200,000 for Itawamba County.

The press releases are a'flying today.  State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following press release:


Pickering Recovers $197,000 for Itawamba County

FULTON, Miss. - Itawamba County citizens got good news today from State Auditor Stacey Pickering when he appeared before their Board of Supervisors with $197,963.55, recovered from Chancery Clerk Jim Witt’s bonding company.  

Pickering and Auditor’s Office investigators were in Fulton Tuesday to announce recovery of the money and to file a document in the Itawamba County Chancery Court asking the court to order that the funds be deposited into a special account. 

“We want the purchasers of land at tax sales who invested their money in good faith to know that these recovered funds will be handled by the Chancery Court,” Pickering said.   “Mr. Witt is required by law to maintain records and settle funds collected for the redemption of delinquent taxes.  The Auditor’s Office will continue to pursue funds from any bonds, insurance policies, or any person who owes money to the taxpayers of Itawamba County.”

In June 2014, Witt was served with a $503,000 demand from the Auditor’s Office.   At the time, Pickering said Mr. Witt did not steal the money or personally benefit from it but he is responsible for the loss of money as the Chancery Clerk of Itawamba County. 

Pickering said the funds presented to Itawamba County cover tax sales through January 2013.   Investments made during the remainder of 2013, 2014, and thus far in 2015, should be pursued through the Chancery Clerk’s Office or the Itawamba County Chancery Court.

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Are we allowed to salute Mr. Pickering for his office's effort to recover these funds? Or is the JJ comment section reserved only for the $#!+ stirrers and fault-finders? I mean, it is still ok to be appreciative of people who dedicate themselves to serve the public interest, right?

Anonymous said...

Brad, your slip is showing, and BTW polish the resume'. Job hunting is in your future!

Anonymous said...

Take that, Queen Mary! :-)

Anonymous said...

The 15 people who rotate commenting on these posts mean very little in terms who has can win or lose a statewide race. This website and particularly the comment section have become beyond inside baseball, and therefore mean very little.

You can't even start a good rumor anymore here...

Anonymous said...

This website and particularly the comment section have become beyond inside baseball, and therefore mean very little.

And your comment means even less.

When Pickersham comes clean for his DMR actions then people will pay attention to all the dogcatchers and parking meter maids he's busting. Because, let's face, he's nothing more than another in a long line of Barbour water carriers.

Anonymous said...

YUP, you nailed it 4:12 PM. Hammered it. Big time!!! For-the-cycle.

All those advertisers on the right size of your screen are only trying to reach us 15 insiders and, of course, you.

You are deep dude, real, real deep.

Anonymous said...

Does that mean he is finally going to be doing the same thing for the Chancery in Jackson and Harrison. That should keep his 2015 booked.

Kingfish said...

Over 200,000 unique visitors last month. Average has been around 180,000 for the last year. Page views run 2-3 times that number in general.

Anonymous said...

4:12 PM I overheard Tim Johnson say the same thing about this site when he was up for re election.

He lost resoundingly because people here to read this site.

Arrogance is deadly dude.

You have been advised.

Anonymous said...

So, recovering less than 50 cents on the dollar from a bonding company is considered good ?

I'd like to know the bonding company on this one.

Anonymous said...

Being from Itawamba County, all Pickering did was ride up here and tell the Supervisors what they already knew, and handed them a check they could have received without him. All was just a media event. Did nothing to change or help the process of trying to pay people back their money. Pickering called the TV station himself.

Anonymous said...

It is the regular, thinking Republican way 8:35 AM.

Anonymous said...

Mayor Mary would have recovered 400K.

Anonymous said...

Collected from the bonding company? Wow. No one else ever gets that done. No wonder Stickering is proud. /s

50 cents on the dollar is doing real good for a Stickering Collection Effort(TM).

It's not just the JJ haters that think Stickering stinks.

SUN HERALD | Editorial: Stacey Pickering's handling of DMR scandal undermines public confidence

"After months of investigation, Pickering recently made the first move to try to recoup some of the taxpayer money that was misspent at the DMR. Pickering settled a demand for more than $1 million against former DMR Executive Director Bill Walker for a quarter of that amount.

That episode involved the sale of the Californian and Topaz, two boats that figure prominently in Walker's dual role as director of both a public agency and a foundation supposedly established to support it.

But rather than aggressively pursue Walker for the full amount the Auditor's Office claimed he owed, Pickering let Walker walk away from the debt without even having him sign the paperwork that facilitated the sale of the boats."

Anonymous said...

I say "Hail Mary" I hope she gets in office I think she would do an awesome job and show how weak Stacy Pickering really is!

Anonymous said...

Well. well. I hear Pickering has hired the Barbour Boys to take over his campaign and raise him some funds since he only had $26,000 in his campaign fund. Wonder why that job he was going to take didn't work out????? I smell
something in the back room of good ole boys politics...and it ain't in the public's best interest at all!!!! Maybe he will get a good appointment from Gov Phil next year... The good ole boys always take care of their own...that is why the tea party folks have had enough of the good ole boy
political game. This election year could be a banner year of getting rid of the good ole boys!!!!!



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