One of the most significant issue involved the City of Nelson Georgia and its FY 2015 audit of government funds and expenditures by the CPA audit firm of Welch, Walker & Associates of the failed fiscal policies.
During the FY 2015 annual audit, the independent auditor found numerous fiscal management deficiencies, including possible embezzlement of funds demonstrating that Nelson is either grossly mismanaged or there is a serious need for the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) to conduct a detailed administrative and criminal investigation to determine if there were any criminal misuse of public funds.
The auditor found that of the two primary funds managed by the city, 90% of expenditures of the sales tax fund and 60% of the expenditures from the general operating fund failed to comply with the city’s fiscal management policies.
The auditor also found that $122,000 in spending was in a clear violation of the city’s spending procedures. In addition, the city failed to approve a balanced budget as required by Georgia law.
Auditor Tacie Jo Bracken CPA, who has worked for the city in one capacity or another since 1998, informed the city council at their July 21st city council meeting that this was the worse audit findings she has ever seen during all of her years associated with the city. Seven pages of findings in an audit report are excessive and far beyond that found in other Georgia cities.
If the people of North Georgia are serious about cleaning up their local governments, then they must demand that the District Attorney convene the county grand jury to review the findings of a GBI investigation. If not, it will be business as usual in North Georgia.