Archive for Tuesday, January 13, 2009
County: Flannery check is clean
No improprieties found in MCTA investigation
January 13, 2009
Shelly Flannery
Moffat County's investigation into a former employee charged with theft of more than $20,000 in Routt County has turned up nothing suspicious to local officials.
Shelly Flannery served as Moffat County Tourism Association director for a year and a half until resigning in January 2008.
Since then, two nonprofits she has worked for have alleged she stole funds while on the job.
The 14th Judicial District Attorney's Office filed one count of theft of a series over $20,000 against Flannery in October. She is scheduled for arraignment at 8:30 a.m. Jan. 23 in Routt County District Court.
In that case, Routt County Habitat for Humanity officials allege she stole as much as $72,000 during her six months as the group's executive director.
In a separate ongoing case, the Rio Blanco County Sheriff's Office and Meeker Police Department opened an investigation last summer into Flannery's role as treasurer for the Rio Blanco County Historical Society.
Members of the nonprofit accused Flannery of stealing more than $7,000 to pay personal bills.
No charges had been filed against Flannery in Rio Blanco County as of Monday afternoon.
During these events, local officials felt it was necessary to look over MCTA financials for the time Flannery spent as the group's chief executive.
After looking at every expense paid during those roughly 18 months, County Budget Analyst Tinneal Gerber said there is nothing that leads her to think anything criminal or suspicious took place. Her inquiries included MCTA grants given out, credit card charges, phone bills and checks to other agencies.
County purchasing policies make it just about impossible to steal from a county fund, Gerber added.
The county requires a signed requisition request prior to any purchase, which must match the invoice or receipt after purchasing. The Accounting Department then independently verifies receipts.
As well, the county will not accept receipts that only give a sum total, Gerber said. They must detail what was purchased and how much each item cost.
In the case of the MCTA board, Gerber added, the board president signs off on every expense before any money is spent.
Collin Smith can be reached at 875-1794 or cesmith@craigdailypress.com
13 January 2009
at 3:38 p.m.
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freeman (Anonymous) says…
as usual,,,guilty until proven innocent,,is there not a law against the media and local goverment that always publishes and prints your name regaurding accusations that has not been proven to be true ???? yet
13 January 2009
at 8:08 p.m.
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taxslave (Anonymous) says…
This is exactly why I don't “buy” this paper or advertise in it. It has an ugly voice.
13 January 2009
at 9:36 p.m.
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jitterbug (Anonymous) says…
I'm not the paper's biggest fan. In fact I don't read it most of the time. But you two are so far off base on this one that I don't even think you thought about what you wrote.
First of all no one accused Flannery of doing anything wrong in Moffat. But she did get charged with stealing $72K from her employer in Routt County. That was only in 6 months, too by the way, and she worked for us for a year and a half. At the same rate she could have stolen more than $200K from us. I definitely want our newspaper asking whether they looked at their finances.
You do too taxslave. Or at least you did. I remember you posting on this same forum that the paper wasn't doing enough to find out whether this woman stole from us. You challenged the paper to stay vigilant. So now they did and you call them ugly. Nice.
The paper did what it was supposed to do. It never called anyone a criminal, it never said she was guilty. Maybe you two need to start reading the articles for what they are, as limited as they are sometimes, and stop pretending you are some great authority. Your holier than thou personalities are only interesting to yourselves.
14 January 2009
at 3:14 p.m.
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Globe (Anonymous) says…
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, and tastes good with a cranberry glaze, it is mostly likely a duck. Just because they didn't find anything doesn't mean she didn't scam moffat county too, we just didn't find anything because she didn't leave a paper trail. If the paper didn't tell the community about Ms. F they would not be doing their job. They reported the facts and it is up to the reader to formulate their own oppinions about guilt. Since she has robbed everyone else she has worked for it should be Guilty unitl proven innocent in this case.