Heady to Give Clerk’s Office More Attention

Jackson County Mayor Randy Heady says he plans to take a more active role in supervising the troubled County Clerk’s office.

Heady said that although he doesn’t have authority over another elected office, there are things he can informally do to provide oversight.

“If I’m watching, and I got my eyes on things, then they’ll know they have some oversight,” Heady said. “With an audit committee, maybe being a little better at making sure we get that message to the County Commission and to the public when things are not being done the way they ought to be done.”

Former Jackson County Clerk Amanda Stafford was sentenced to two years probation and ordered to pay $10,000 dollars in restitution to the county last week. She pleaded guilty in Criminal Court to two counts of theft over $2,500 dollars. An investigation by the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office found Stafford had stolen over $25,000 dollars in county funds for personal use.

One of the ongoing problems the Comptroller has found in Jackson County are deposits not being made in a timely manner. Heady said that is something he can help change.

“If there’s anything I’ve leaned as County Mayor, it is don’t be afraid to go over and say, ‘Hey, why aren’t deposits being made?'” Heady said. “While we want to be liked, we still have a job to do. Part of that job is making sure deposits are made on a timely manner.”

A report from the Comptroller’s Investigation Division found Stafford employed a lapping scheme in which fraud was committed by removing cash collections for personal use and concealing the misappropriated amounts by depositing collections received later in their place. The report said over the course of a six month period in 2018, Stafford failed to deposit at least $326,000 dollars within two weeks of receipt.

“Going forward we’re just trying to make sure that the money we bring in is getting down to the bank and gets deposited,” Heady said. “It’s got a whole lot to do with making daily deposits or your deposits within three business days.”

Deputy County Clerk Brandon Stafford assumed the Clerk’s duties upon Amanda Stafford’s resignation in May. Heady said he is doing everything he can to help Stafford learn his new job.

“My job is to go in and do anything I can to help the Clerk’s office going forward,” Heady said. “We’re in the process of getting the state, or BIS, the software company, to come in and help do some training and make sure we’re getting closed out properly and that we’re doing everything in a timely manner. I know the state’s Comptroller’s Office is keeping an eye on things just like I am in making sure we’re doing daily deposits.”

Heady said he understands mistakes will happen, but one thing that’s easy to fix is making deposits on time.

The Jackson County Clerk’s office is on the ballot for the August election. The county is trying to wait until after the election to make any personnel decisions before then.