Polk County leads state in most audit findings

No criminal findings, but auditors tired of citing county for same issues

BENTON, Tennessee (WDEF) – The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office has some suggestions for Polk County after an audit.

They didn’t find any criminal activity, but they did come up with 14 issues.

That’s the most findings in any of the 95 county audits.

State officials say six of them still have not been addressed.

The findings included spending more than what the commission approved, problems in the purchasing process and some financial statements that needed adjusting.

The auditors have a long-standing issue with how the county handles it’s highway funds.

They say over the last 11 audits, the county allows their highway department employees to handle their own funds instead of the county administration.

And that remains the case now.

“I encourage Polk County officials to work together with the county commission and the county’s audit committee to address the issues noted in this report,” said Comptroller Mumpower. “It is well past time for the county to implement the steps necessary to centralize the financial operations of the general government and the highway department. Our auditors shouldn’t have to write the same finding year after year.”