Wednesday, January 17, 2018

State Auditor investigating Auctioneer Commission & Board of Cosmetology

State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued the following statements about the Mississippi Auctioneer Commission and the Board of Cosmetology.


State Auditor Stacey Pickering Reports Fraud, Waste, and Abuse
at Mississippi Auctioneer Commission and Board of Cosmetology

On Tuesday, January 16, 2018, State Auditor Stacey Pickering released two compliance audit reports detailing fraud, waste, and abuse at the Mississippi Auctioneer Commission and Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. The scope of the audits included Fiscal Years 2015-2017 for the Mississippi Auctioneer Commission and Fiscal Year 2016 for the Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology. Executive Summaries of each report may be found online at the OSA website.

Mississippi Auctioneer Commission

This audit report, which can be found online at the OSA website, identified and detailed several egregious instances of noncompliance with state law and need for internal controls to provide accountability. Notably, Pickering and his staff found excessive amounts of in-state travel reimbursements to the Executive Director. Often, she was reimbursed for travel expenses during the same time period she advertised to be available to meet with clients of her personal business; no personal or medical leave was recorded for the Executive Director during this time or any other time within the scope of the audit. Additionally, several purchases, personal in nature, were made using the procurement card for the Mississippi Auctioneer Commission.

The Mississippi Office of the State Auditor also found that the Board of Commissioners did not meet with regularity or in accordance with State Law and did not exercise any oversight over day-to-day operations of the Commission.

Kingfish note: The executive summary states:

 Over a three year period the Executive  Director was paid over $38,000 in travel reimbursements....


the Executive  Director’s personal cell phone was paid 100% by MAC and it is the primary contact number for her private business.

On multiple  occasions she submitted  documentation that she worked 8 hours for MAC while reporting on social media that she was attending  personal events....

The Executive  Director’s travel reimbursement requests often contradict her personal social media posts.  For example, the reimbursement request might state that she was in one city but her social media reported that she was in a different city.

The audit and executive summary are posted below.

Mississippi State Board of Cosmetology

This audit report, which can be found online at the OSA website, showed alarming practices that have resulted in fraud, waste, and abuse. Checks and cash payments for cosmetology licenses – some nine months old – totaling in excess of $360,000 in value, which had neither been processed nor deposited, were left unsecured in the State Board of Cosmetology office. Several checks were returned due to non-sufficient funds after the delay between receipt and deposit by the Board, and cash received by mail was not recorded. Records of license renewals were severely backlogged and members of the Board of Directors had little oversight on daily operations of its employees. The Board’s procurement card was used for operating expenses, and a large balance was held; this resulted in interest and late fees being charged to taxpayers.

State Auditor Stacey Pickering supports the creation of an “Office of Shared Services” to remove the daily accounts receivable and payable functions from smaller Boards and Commissions in the State of Mississippi. Mississippi House Bill 1058, authored by Representative John Read, stands to serve that purpose. “I appreciate the efforts of Governor Bryant to continue to lead the charge to reduce government waste,” said Pickering.

***Note: Both cases have been referred to the OSA Investigative Division.

 Kingfish note: The audit and executive summary are posted below.





17 comments:

Gubment Watchdawg.. said...

Heavy Stuff! Pickering is kicking ass!

Meanwhile, investigative sleuthing reveals that workers at the PERS building across from the State Capitol have been seen leaving for lunch at 11:54 several morning each week over a six week period. It's unclear whether they are punching out or if they're just on their honor with their time-sheets.

Anonymous said...

Still waiting for the comprehensive audit of the Department of Education leading to the uncovering of students not attending classes, and then being allowed to complete a MINIMAL amount of "alternative" or "make-up" work to be counted in place of weeks of absences. The Trezvant story in Memphis is the tip of the iceberg regarding fraudulent attendance and therefore grade inflation, leading to fraudulent graduations....everyone in Mississippi education well knows about the unified bullying in place to make them also keep their mouths shut. Only a higher authority can get to the bottom of it. Still waiting Stacy. Start interviewing teachers about how it's "all about the numbers" no matter what, and what happens if you speak up.

Anonymous said...

Hey Watchdawg, those folks must've been taking a late lunch....the real question is when did they come back, and did they drive a state car.

The state employee's lunch usually begins at 10:00 a.m. with a discussion of where to go for lunch, followed by some light debate relating to the merits of the choices, then a decision about which state car(s) to take so everyone can come along, and then a follow on discussion of what personal errands need to taken care of while these "workers" burn your gas, waste your time and tear up a car you bought for them.

Anonymous said...

Cute, 7:48, but wrong. These employees don't have access to state cars. Those are across the street at the capitol building where important dignitaries, agency heads and indispensable others congregate to press the flesh and barter for higher pay for themselves. These PERS peons usually dash over to McDonalds or KFC even if they leave six minutes early.

Anonymous said...

So, who is being fired?

Anonymous said...

The PERS peons know they have to save money because they know the truth about the PERS ponzi scheme.

Anonymous said...

Why do we have an auctioneering commission?

Anonymous said...

My wife has dealt with this board for over 20 years. When Haley the Great got involved the whole thing went to hell and has been a "Charlie Foxtrot" ever since. She used to see a state board inspector every 6 months and it been 2 years since anyone has graced their doors.
Why do you think they're a "nail spa" on every corner?

Anonymous said...

Evil and tyranny truly exist in the world, and luckily Pickering is just the man to clean things up. Churchill, Eliot Ness, move over! There's a new sheriff in town and his name is Stacey Pickering.

Anonymous said...

I'm wondering how this is politically advantageous to Pickering, he and his attack dog (Huggins) don't lift a finger if there's nothing in it for them personally. Free haircuts maybe?

Anonymous said...

What the heck is Stacey running for? That's the only reason he announces an "investigation" right?

Anonymous said...

One of the Auctioneer Commissioners holds an auction every week in Hattiesburg and drives his Jones County Sheriff's car to and from! Very close to Haley, Phil and McDaniel! IOn fact, his brother works for Phil at MHP!

Anonymous said...

Mayor Truly of Canton is doing the exact same thing! Being paid by us Canton taxpayers for him to work full time as our Mayor. However, he is drawing a full time check from Canton and working full time for the hospital / clinic. Stacey please don’t overlook this matter! Canton can’t afford a full time paycheck going to Mayor Truly for part time work!

Anonymous said...

You should see the large number of State owned cars in the parking lot of CHAR restaurant on any given day. City of Jackson, JSU, Department of Transportation and various out of town universities to name a few. It would appear that there is a large amount of consulting going on at the taxpayers expense.

Anonymous said...

Char? I thought all those clowns still hung out at Dragos. When they opened and for two years thereafter, there were more City of Jackson logos on white cars at that place than there are drug deals at Red Roof Inn. Department of Transportation and Department of Corrections must own 70% of the entire fleet of government cars in this state. If you cut all that travel out we could fund MAEP which is being eliminated as we speak.

Anonymous said...

@ January 17, 2018 at 9:47 AM

To keep auctioneers rates in check, make sure they are on the up and up, and that they are not ripping off honest customers, with dishonest sellers.

Anonymous said...

She got fired last Friday.


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