Just got this tidbit from the Appalachian News-Express:

The resolution, introduced and read by District 6 Magistrate Chris Harris, cited concerns over the financial and operational stability of the water district in asking for the audit.

“I’ve been to Mountain Water board meetings, but we still seem to be getting red flags popping up with our water district,” Harris said. “I felt like it was incumbent upon me and upon this body as a fiscal court, as overseers of Pike County’s tax dollars to do whatever we can to ensure that our tax dollars are being spent properly.”

Pike County Judge-Executive Wayne T. Rutherford also introduced an amendment, passing 4 to 3, to eliminate references to “media” articles in the resolution as being a reason he was asking for the audit. Ha.

Here’s more:

“It makes it political when you’ve got those references to the news media,” Rutherford said. “It wouldn’t be political if you had them out.”

Harris said media reports were what brought his attention to the MWD problems, and that the auditor needed to look at those reports as a part of her audit.

MWD Chair Rhonda James, who was present at the fiscal court meeting, acting in her capacity as the county’s finance commissioner, told Harris the board has no problem with the audit being performed.

“As for your resolution, we welcome an audit,” she said. “Any board should welcome an audit because we rely on some of the people to make sure that we’re getting the right information and if there’s something out there that we need to know about, we ought to know about it.”

James also presented the fiscal court member paperwork showing the results of audits performed by the Kentucky Public Service Commission and the district’s independent auditor.

James also told the court that the board is traveling in a good direction.

“Our board is on a good track here and we are very conscious of what’s going on,” she said. “I just wish you would just stand back and kind of see that or at least attend a board meeting and let us come in and show you where we are.”

There was also discussion on who would have to pay for the audit, with James saying she couldn’t authorize the payment for the MWD board, and Harris saying he would suggest the court pay for the audit if it was required, and the district couldn’t.

What the heck is in the water in Pike County?

Goodness.

Hopefully Luallen audits that mess that was first brought to light by Keith Hall’s corrupt and potentially illegal legislation.

Yes, I know Cheves reported this yesterday. I’m just included extra tidbits. And if I find time later… I’ll publish some excerpts from last week’s story in the N-E about some shady insurance deals.