Published: October 09, 2008 01:17 pm            

UPDATE: PROBE APPEARS LIKELY

Commissioners say they favor an investigation

The board of county commissioners voted Tuesday to delay an investigation into questionable spending at volunteer fire Station 42 until Commissioner Randy Hatch, absent on other business, could attend. Nonetheless, the four commissioners present agreed a probe was in order. Hatch, in a letter to the board, expressed similar sentiments. Station 42 is in O'Brien in District 5, which Hatch represents.

Commissioner Jesse Caruthers, who placed the request for the investigation on the agenda, was adamant for a vote.

"With all the documents I seen, there needs to be a criminal investigation," Caruthers said. "I think waiting any longer would be a serious mistake."

Commission Chairman Douglas Udell and Commissioner Billy Maxwell thought it best the issue be tabled until Hatch could be present, however.

"I think it would be finger pointing at this time and I don't believe it's intentional to look at one particular station that happens to be in Mr. Hatch's district and he is not present today," Udell said.

Maxwell agreed.

"I feel so strong that something has to be done today, but I feel really bad about doing it when Mr. Hatch is not here," he said.

Commissioner Ivie Fowler stressed the need for an investigation.

"They can cover up and sweep it under the table or do whatever they want to (but) I'm not going to be a part of it," he said. "Every time I think I got something straightened out, somebody else is pulling another string."

When asked whom he was referring to, Fowler declined to elaborate.

Fowler called the spending at Station 42 ridiculous. Invoices show Station 42 spent more than $7,000 in a three-month period at local building supply outlets. Many of the expenditures appear not to have been authorized in advance, in writing, as county rules require. Additional records indicate Station 42 may have spent as much as $44,000 in public funds since 2006.

"When the newspaper calls for an investigation, it's gotten pretty bad," said Fowler. The Democrat called for the probe in a recent editorial (see OUR VIEW - Sept. 24, at www.suwanneedemocrat.com).

"I can't see putting this off any longer," Caruthers said. "It has been put off much, much too long. I feel like everybody has been apprehensive in jumping into that deep water."

"I'd just like Mr. Hatch to have an opportunity to be heard," Maxwell reiterated.

Udell agreed, but said an investigation was called for.

"Mr. Maxwell has asked and so have I asked that we do it when Mr. Hatch is present," he said. "This needs to be investigated and I will vote for an investigation at the next meeting."

The commission next meets Oct. 21.

        

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