Crit Luallen has released the 2008 audit of Wayne County Clerk Melissa Turpin. She’s referred a $53,000 deficit and other findings to the state Attorney General and Kentucky State Police. The $53K deficit brings the total to nearly $140,000 over a two-year period. In December 2008, as part of the 2007 audit, Luallen referred an $87,056 deficit to law enforcement.

“We continue to see a lack of financial oversight and proper controls from the Wayne County Clerk. These types of concerns point out the value of having the State Auditor’s Office as an independent watchdog,” Luallen said in a statement.

Some highlights:

• $87,056 was deposited into the 2007 fee account from 2008 receipts and used to cover the 2007 deficit
• $31,730 in additional funds had not been deposited into the 2008 fee account
• $118,786 total undeposited receipts throughout the year
• Auditors found $21,200 in disallowed expenditures for office renovation and cleaning
• Of $58,733 expended on the 2008 office renovation, $23,875 is being questioned for reasonableness
• 22 checks were written to the clerk’s husband totaling $12,650

The audit recommends that Turpin pay the $139,986 deficit from personal funds into the 2008 official fee account.

Click here to read the entire audit. (Warning: PDF Link)

It’ll blow your mind what officials in Kentucky try to get away with.