Laclede County government now under the microscope of State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick

The "Wire Road" opened up the lines of communication between St. Louis and Springfield during the Civil War, and now Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick hopes to improve communication with the people of Laclede County about how their county government is operating. Fitzpatrick announced this week that his office launched a regularly scheduled performance audit of Laclede County that began during an entrance meeting with county officials on Tuesday, March 3.

"Just as people from around the country were drawn to Lebanon in the late 1800s to experience its magnetic water, my office is drawn to the calling of ensuring accountability and transparency in county governmental operations," said Auditor Fitzpatrick. "We will take a thorough look at the various county offices as we examine how effectively and efficiently Laclede county government is operating. I urge anyone who may have information that would be beneficial to our audit to contact us through our Whistleblower Hotline."

The Missouri State Auditor's Office last conducted a performance audit of Laclede County in 2018. The audit provided the county with a "fair" rating as it recommended improvements to several county offices to ensure the effective use of taxpayer dollars. The audit recommended checks and balances be implemented to reduce the risk of errors when changes are made in the county's property tax system. The audit also found questionable use of the county's Tax Maintenance Fund. 

Individuals may provide information confidentially for consideration during the audit of Laclede County to the State Auditor's Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov, or by visiting www.auditor.mo.gov/hotline.