ARTICLE III MO. STATE AUDITOR’S REPORT
As most of you recall, about 10 years ago, Osage Co voters were asked to pass a sales tax for law enforcement and establishing an emergency 911 dispatch center. The measure passed and revenue collection from the tax began. The half cent sales tax was at the time estimated to generate approximately $475,000 annually. Initially, it was believed that after the initial set up cost of 911, there would be surplus of funds available to go toward law enforcement. That day never really came. Funds from the law enforcement tax, and I refer to it as that because it was written under a law enforcement tax statute, eventually were transferred to general revenue to offset the sheriff’s budget, but rarely if ever provided any additional funding. The amounts varied over the years, often when money was transferred from the tax revenue to general revenue, my budget actually went down from the previous year it did not increase. The tax has a sunset clause, and very soon you will be asked to renew the tax. This article is not meant to influence your position on the renewal of the tax. I will be the first to tell you that a 911 center is a vital asset to our county. The purpose of this article is merely to give you some facts and truthful and complete information that, following the recent release of the State Auditor’s report on Osage County, you will no doubt not be given in the Unterrifed Democrat. In large part I suspect, because as many of you know, the 911 director is the daughter of U.D. owner Jerri Voss. If you have seen a copy of the report, I think you would agree that if it were anyone else, we would be front page news for weeks. But since her daughter works directly for the county commission, and in reality, Russell Scheulen, Mrs. Voss covers every minute of every commission meeting, I believe the information regarding serious concerns of a total lack of accountability in 911 spending and the overall financial condition of the county is a subject that you the voters will not get an opportunity to know the truth and an unedited version of the facts. And why, at the end of the day, there is no tax money left for law enforcement. I also believe that is how her daughter has gone on to become the highest paid county employee in county history, to include elected officials. But that’s for later, for now, I would like to go back and tell you, and show you, how this came to be, and yes, take some personal responsibility for turning a blind eye, ignoring the inevitable, and remaining silent when I should have spoke up. But to my credit, as some of you know, I have not always been silent. My mistake was giving up, and believing that my words, along with everyone elses, would fall on deaf ears, because we were after all dealing with the possibility of going against Jerri Voss’s daughter, who by the way, works for the county commission, and well, I won’t get repetitive, but I think you understand. When was the last time you saw even a hint of an adverse story about 911 or Emergency Management in the U.D. since her daughter’s appointment. I can provide you with numerous examples of incidents that would have warranted such stories under any other circumstances. But in the interest of truth, I must first tell you how I am also very much responsible for creating this situation. Without having done so, I feel I have no right to write these articles, because I too helped to create this monster. Therefore, I may not be able to stop it, but I think I have an obligation to tell you the truth about it.
In 1988, I was hired as a deputy sheriff by Sheriff Marvin Owens. Ralph Voss was the Osage Co. Associate Circuit Judge. To make a very long story short, Ralph and I struck up a friendship over the years which ended up my becoming somewhat of an extended member of the family. It would not be fair to the Voss family or me for that matter, nor appropriate to get personal here, but I spent many years with the family. I cut their firewood, worked cattle on their farm, vacationed with them, attended virtually all family functions and many social functions as a family member. I am the godfather of Andi Rice’s son. I don’t think I am telling any secrets here because I think these are things that a lot of you already know. Here, however, is where I throw myself on the sword. In exchange for my unyielding, unquestionable service and loyalty to Jerri Voss and the U.D., I was for lack of a better phrase, one of the protected class. She had unparalleled access to case information, exclusive stories, and inside tips on things that would sell newspapers. She once even received an award for a story she wrote based on information I provided exclusively to her. To be brutally honest, in exchange for my personal labor and service and the information that my position provided her, I was safe. I sincerely owe each and every one of you in this county an apology. This in no way absolves me of my allowing this to happen, but maybe in some small way, at least for some of you, I can make this right. The day obviously came, when my service and loyalty to Jerri Voss was called in to question. That day was when I dared to stand up to and disagree with her daughter. Now back to where we are today.
There is an election coming up. In my opinion, the two significant county races are presiding commissioner and the renewal of the law enforcement/911 tax. The U.D. now refers to it as just the 911 tax, but the Missouri State Auditor’s office and the Missouri Secretary of State office calls it a law enforcement tax. If you wanted to go back and research past editions of the U.D., as I have, you will see that the mysterious removal of “law enforcement” from the tax occurred about the same time as my fall from grace with Jerri Voss and Andi Rice’s appointment as the 911 director. I was once quoted in the U.D. as saying “I didn’t want law enforcement on the tax”. What I actually said was, ” I didn’t want law enforcement on the tax if there was no intention of using any of that money for law enforcement”. To do so would be dishonest to the voters. A typical Jerri Voss story. The facts are, that of the approximately 4 million dollars generated by that tax, the sheriff’s office has seen a net gain of less than $100,000.
The audit report was published and released on Thursday, 15 July 2010. I know that Jerri is aware of its publication because I watched her peruse it at that morning’s county commission meeting. Many elected officials and county employees had been awaiting this report. In speaking with members of the auditor’s staff, I, along with many others were hopeful, that maybe now something would get the county commissions attention. Things we were hearing out of the audit process were things that we had seen and heard about for a long time, and even questioned, but we were after all questioning Jerri’s daughter, which is taboo under Russell Schuelen’s command. Much like the aftermath of the road and bridge incident, it became common knowledge that the only thing worse than questioning the road and bridge foreman, was questioning the 911 director. Unfortunately, some good county employees learned that the hard way. Coincidently, those are the only two people in the county that work directly for the county commission. I’ll make the Danny Foster/ Jerri Voss connection later, but I think you know where this is headed. For example, there was a great deal of discontent at 911 at one point. So much so, that the county commission were forced to intervene. The dispatchers felt they were being mistreated and unfairly disciplined, and they had no where to go with their concerns. In the end, the commission decided to allow the dispatchers to voice concerns directly to them if they felt their grievances would be ignored going to their supervisor. They did just that, all of them. They were promptly reprimanded for going outside their “chain of command”. Point is, no wonder when the road and bridge incident arose, employees there were afraid to come forward. That is why they found a friend in Elmer Senevey, and I believe why Russell, Vince and Danny were so desperate to stop, derail, and ultimately try to remove Elmer from office. But I’m getting into another article, so I’ll get back to the audit.
Bottom line, not good for Andi Rice. Here are some findings. And just to thwart the barrage of attacks from the U.D. once this article is published, the auditor found administrative deficiencies in my department as well. All of which by the way were corrected prior to the release of the audit report. What you will not find in my department, is an employee with a $10,000.00 credit card. You will not find that I or a member of the sheriff’s department walks around with that credit card in our pocket, to use at will, and show little and sometimes no accountability for the use of that card. At this point I would strongly urge you to read the State Auditor’s report. Mainly, because you don’t have to take my word for anything, and you can pass judgment on me and my office based on the facts as well as all county offices. The audit speaks for itself. What this is really all about is why an employee, not an elected official, is not only the highest paid person in the county, has a county vehicle to use at will, a $10,000 dollar tax paid credit card in her pocket to use at will, a county paid cell phone, the county commissions authorization to give raises, perks, and benefits to her employees without prior approval or authorization, provide no accountability for her time, lets her qualifications to even be a 911 operator expire, so she is supervising employees in a job that she isn’t even qualified to do, and basically given carte blanch to, well do and spend whatever she wants, when she wants. Please tell me you don’t think her being Jerri and Ralph Voss’s daughter is just a coincidence. I can assure you, having been here for more than 20 years, having seen many county commissioners come and go, 911 directors come and go, and other elected officials as well, I have never seen anything like this. I know many of you are not happy with county government right now. I’m sure many of you are not happy with the sheriff’s department for a variety of reasons. You may be upset with other elected officials for any number of reasons. Some justified, some not. That’s the nature of government. Has been since the formation of government, and will be long after we are gone. But when those opinions are formed based on deceit , misleading information, withheld information, intimidation and in some cases out right lies, and someone is in a position to not only tell you, but show you how and why this is happening, I think it is their obligation to do so.
As a further example of this ongoing “cover up” for Andi Rice, the county commission met today and Ms. Rice was given the floor in an effort to address the issues found by the auditor’s office and her response to each of their findings. I should probably first say that as an elected official I have been through numerous audits. During each of those audits, the auditor’s office has made particular findings as to varying county offices and after each audit, we, as elected officials, make every effort to improve in the areas noted by the auditors. This audit was conducted by members of the State Auditor’s office. The team that conducted the audit has over 20 years of combined experience in conducting audits for county governments and has conducted 100’s of audits. What you will find interesting is that now that this auditor’s office has made findings against the 911 director, Andi Rice, she, Russell Scheulen and Vince Samson have decided that this audit was nothing but a “sham” to defeat the law enforcement/911 tax renewal. While that likely seems as ludicrous to you as it does to me, this is how out of control things have gotten. Now you see they will say, do or target whomever they deem necessary in order to protect and advance their agenda. This apparently includes the State auditor’s office as well. Frankly, if I were you, I would be insulted that they believe you are not intelligent enough to know that this is their tactic, the newest in their arsenal, of tactics.
What I find most interesting, is that you can see from the audit report, that the commissioners, when they were meeting with the auditor’s office without the benefit of their advisor, Jerri Voss, or the 911 director, agreed with the audit’s findings and that they would implement all of their recommendations. You don’t have to take my word for it folks, you can read it yourself in the audit report. However, after the audit report was released to both the 911 director and the U.D., now, the audit was nothing but a sham and they did a poor job of investigating the 911 department. They make no mention of any of the other findings, only those. You can listen to the meeting here on the web site or you can read the version that Jerri wants you to know in the U.D. You decide.
People frequently ask me why I am doing this. Some say everyone knows what Jerri is, so why bother. To be honest, I’m not sure. But how many of you over the years have suffered embarrassment from the public display of your mistakes, misfortunes, tragedies, pain and personal hardships at the hands of Jerri Voss, proudly displayed on the front page of the U.D. for everyone to see. All in the interest of selling newspapers. She will tell you that that’s just news, while she sits on her self righteous throne and makes money off the misery and misfortune of others. Would she be so quick to turn that self righteousness on herself. I think not. In fact, I’ve been in a unique position to know she wouldn’t. I have had an opportunity to look in those eyes upon learning of the fall or misfortune of one of you. I have seen that sparkle, that smile, especially if it were one of you that had crossed her, or she felt you unworthy of her consideration. It is after all, “the people’s right to know”. Of course selling newspapers is just a fringe benefit.
So I guess in the end, I want to leave service to this county with the knowledge that I may have not always lived up to your expectations, but I have served you honorably and I will continue to do so for the remainder of this term. I guess to be brutally honest, I think it’s time that someone do to Jerri Voss what she has been doing to you for many years. The only difference is, there’s no money in it for me, and I will give you evidence, documents statements and proof. And most importantly, I will tell you the whole story, even if it is to my own detriment. A concept that Jerri Voss had never understood, and I suspect never will.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is not my intention, or my desire, to influence your views on the law enforcement/911 tax as Ms. Rice would lead you to believe, we need an emergency response system, no question. However, I feel it is important that you know the facts so you have an opportunity to voice your opinions and concerns both at the polls and to your elected officials.
On a further note, I want to express at this point that you don’t have to believe me or anyone else for that matter. You have an unprecedented opportunity to view the audit report, to review the county commission’s responses, to hear the audio from the county commission meeting today so you can form your own opinion. None of the words I have written so far can even come close to the undeniable truth and facts as to what is occurring in your county government. You can see it and you can hear it with your own eyes and your own ears, the control that Jerri Voss has over Russell Scheulen and the Osage County Commission by simply listening to or watching the county commission meetings.
As a further example of what is going on here, Jerri Voss approached Elmer Senevey after the meeting this morning. She said to him, “Elmer, you really need to come over to our side.” Much to his credit, Elmer’s response was, “I’m not on anybody’s side. I’m on the taxpayer’s side.” I think this pretty much sums it up.
Thank you.
I will leave you with this thought. The only thing greater than buying ink by the barrel is to own the only barrel of ink in town. This website I hope has and will continue to expose and diminish that power that has for too long gone completely unchecked and unchallenged.
To see the full audit report, go to the link on this website.
www.auditor.mo.gov/press/2010-80.htm