By John Waters, Publisher
Brewster County Commissioners Court met today and issued a press release detailing unauthorized expenditures by former Brewster County Judge Kathy Killingsworth that will leave the county out of over $53,000.
According to the press release issued just a few hours ago from Brewster County:
“In December [2014] Brewster County ordered an emergency response vehicle from Odyssey/Echostream for the Terlingua Fire and EMS based on expected reimbursement from the 2013 SHSP Grant [State Homeland Security Grant] to cover the $53,106 cost of the project. In December, the county judge [Killingsworth], without approval or knowledge of the commissioners court, decided to issue checks for the project prior to receipt of the vehicle. Grant rules require receipt prior to payment and that procedure was not followed. The 2013 SHSP Grant funds for $53,106.00 have since been de-obligated, so the county will not receive reimbursement. It is the county’s understanding that Odyssey/Echostream plan to seek protection under bankruptcy.
The commissioners court acknowledges the mistake made and will be approving a Purchasing Policy Procedure at the March 9, 2015 meeting and assures the tax payers that, in the future, expenditures of county funds will not be made without commissioners court approval.”
During commissioners court, the press release was read without further discussion, leaving several questions unanswered. Why did Killingsworth not seek approval from commissioners court for the purchase of the vehicle? Why did Killingsworth have checks issued by the county treasurer without “receipt” of the vehicle, per grant requirements? Why did former County Treasurer Della Shackleford issue the checks without approval of the court? Why did Killingsworth not put the matter out for bid?
Currently, the county does not expect delivery of the vehicle, nor a return of the $53,106 from Odyssey.
County Attorney said criminal charges would not be brought as them matter was considered a mistake and not theft.
In other court matters, budget reductions of over $180,000 were approved to balance the budget as a result of a tax rollback approved by voters. Notable in the reduction is a decrease for the Terlingua Common School District allotment from the county from an original $107,511 to $53,450, a loss of $54,061.
In an interview last year with Marfa Public Radio, Killingsworth played down the tax rollback stating, “This is not significant for taxpayers….We’re talking about two pennies on an extremely low tax rate.” In that same interview, Killingsworth did not address the effect the rollback would have on the county budget or on the Terlingua school.
According to several persons in attendance at today’s meeting, Terlingua school superintendent Bobbie Jones, who was also present, appeared to be near tears while the budget reductions to the school were discussed.
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