The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office announced on Thursday that it resolved a number of “mistakes” made by Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert just three weeks after beginning an audit.
In February, Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower announced a “deep concern and lack of confidence” in Halbert’s office after she failed to submit regular revenue reports for the county, and said auditors with his office would seek to remedy the failures allegedly caused by “incompetence and willful neglect” by Halbert (pictured above, right).
That decision followed months of warnings by Shelby County Commissioner Mick Wright, who in January filed a 20-page complaint detailing Halbert’s alleged mismanagement of the clerk’s office.
A press release from the auditors, who began working on March 4, revealed their success reconciling the county’s revenue reports, determining “the portion of the revenue collected as a result of the new $25 wheel tax increase,” and developing “an understanding of how transactions are processed in the clerk’s office” and the “internal controls” Halbert created.
Despite Halbert repeatedly claiming in communications with other state and Shelby County officials that her office is equipped with outdated or insufficient technology to complete her job, the auditors found Shelby County has access to the same software as the rest of Tennessee.
“Auditors found the clerk’s office has access to the same computer system that is found in all Tennessee clerks’ offices to record financial transactions, but the Shelby County Clerk’s Office is not utilizing the software to its full capabilities,” the comptroller’s office said.
The press release added that Halbert’s “office also lacks an understanding of its software system” and urged Shelby County Clerk’s Office staff to “reach out to its vendor, BIS, for assistance.”
In the report’s conclusion, the auditors write that Halbert’s office “has several operational and control deficiencies” and recommends Halbert “seek assistance and training to improve the service being provided to the citizens of Shelby County while ensuring the integrity and accuracy of all funds being collected and disbursed by the office.”
Though the recent audit was prompted by Halbert’s apparent failure to create regular revenue reports, her alleged financial mismanagement was also blamed for county offices closing due to lapsed or unpaid leases, the failure to issue vehicle registrations and license plates to paying customers, and the creation of a hostile work environment that struggles to retain qualified staff.
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Tom Pappert is the lead reporter for The Tennessee Star, and also reports for The Georgia Star News, The Virginia Star, and the Arizona Sun Times. Follow Tom on X/Twitter. Email tips to [email protected].
Photo “Wanda Halbert” by Shelby County Clerk Wanda Halbert.Background Photo “Shelby County Courthouse” by Thomas R Machnitzki. CC BY 3.0.
