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County auditor to resign
By Angie Anaya Borgedalen
Clay County Auditor Vic Hurlbert dropped a bombshell Tuesday, Sept. 30, when he announced that he would tender his resignation Thursday, Jan. 1.
The move didn’t exactly catch some elected officials by surprise. Eastern Commissioner Craig Porter said he figured after
commissioners met with Hurlbert earlier that something like that might happen.
“He was part of the reason Clay County government was so dysfunctional,” Porter said. “He’s one of the reasons the county had a bad reputation. This could be good for Clay County.”
At the behest of county commissioners, a special prosecutor, Tim Dollar, was appointed by Clay County Judge Rex Gabbert in August to investigate allegation of mismanagement, financial misconduct and potential money laundering in the offices of Hurlbert and former County Clerk Pam Mason. Mason was defeated for re-election two years ago by Tom Brandom.
That Hurlbert choose to depart in January, sets the stage for the next governor to appoint a replacement to fill Hurlbert’s unexpired two-year term. Had Hurlbert
tendered his resignation before the end of the year, outgoing Gov. Matt Blunt would have had an opportunity to fill the vacancy.
A press release from Dollar’s office said that since Mason was no longer in office and Hurlbert resigned, “no further action by the special prosecutor is warranted and the investigation is terminated.”
However, actions by Hurlbert and Mason did raise questions about job performances that could have attracted quo warranto action that could have led to removal from office, Dollar said.
“I’m not being forced from office,” Hurlbert said. “I’m choosing to resign to avoid big court battles coming up again in Clay County.”
Former Presiding Commissioner Peggy Shull was removed from office for nepotism under the quo warranto provision. She was replaced by the governor with the late Bill Brandom.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.
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The move didn’t exactly catch some elected officials by surprise. Eastern Commissioner Craig Porter said he figured after
commissioners met with Hurlbert earlier that something like that might happen.
“He was part of the reason Clay County government was so dysfunctional,” Porter said. “He’s one of the reasons the county had a bad reputation. This could be good for Clay County.”
At the behest of county commissioners, a special prosecutor, Tim Dollar, was appointed by Clay County Judge Rex Gabbert in August to investigate allegation of mismanagement, financial misconduct and potential money laundering in the offices of Hurlbert and former County Clerk Pam Mason. Mason was defeated for re-election two years ago by Tom Brandom.
That Hurlbert choose to depart in January, sets the stage for the next governor to appoint a replacement to fill Hurlbert’s unexpired two-year term. Had Hurlbert
tendered his resignation before the end of the year, outgoing Gov. Matt Blunt would have had an opportunity to fill the vacancy.
A press release from Dollar’s office said that since Mason was no longer in office and Hurlbert resigned, “no further action by the special prosecutor is warranted and the investigation is terminated.”
However, actions by Hurlbert and Mason did raise questions about job performances that could have attracted quo warranto action that could have led to removal from office, Dollar said.
“I’m not being forced from office,” Hurlbert said. “I’m choosing to resign to avoid big court battles coming up again in Clay County.”
Former Presiding Commissioner Peggy Shull was removed from office for nepotism under the quo warranto provision. She was replaced by the governor with the late Bill Brandom.
Liberty Editor Angie Anaya Borgedalen can be reached at 781-4941 or aborgedalen@npgco.com.
Comments on "County auditor to resign"
Comments are limited to 200 words or less.County Taxpayer wrote on Oct 2, 2008 6:51 PM:
" I have lived in and around Liberty for the past 31 years (all in Clay County) and one of the first things I noticed is how petty and dysfunctional Liberty and Clay County politics and cliques are.
I have not kept a scorecard over the years but there have been many e.g. Sandra Reeves and her personal tuition expenses and the “no receipt” travel expenses for her staff. Now we have the alleged misdeeds of Mr. Hurlbert and staff.
The escapades and misuse of School District money by the Liberty School Board and Executives is a whole other story of it’s own. "
I have not kept a scorecard over the years but there have been many e.g. Sandra Reeves and her personal tuition expenses and the “no receipt” travel expenses for her staff. Now we have the alleged misdeeds of Mr. Hurlbert and staff.
The escapades and misuse of School District money by the Liberty School Board and Executives is a whole other story of it’s own. "