CLEVELAND, Ga. — An audit of White County finances performed by Rushton and Company showed that Clerk of Court Dena Adams has, for many years, failed to turn over fees and fines to the county on a monthly basis as required.

Clay Pilgrim, who presented the audit report to commissioners at Monday’s meeting, called this a “significant deficiency” and an area of real “concern.”

Chairman Travis Turner said commissioners have complained about the deficiency for many years and he instructed County Manager Michael Melton to contact Adams again to see if the problem could be corrected.

Fetch Your News spoke to Adams Thursday. Her explanation, “We are short staffed and I have other priorities.”
But Commissioner Terry Goodger said, “This problem has been going on since I first took office in 2011.  Unfortunately, there is nothing commissioners can do about it because she is an elected official, a constitutional officer who answers only to the voters.”

Commissioners say Adams’ payments are often months behind when they are submitted to the county. In fact, commissioners were so concerned about the potential for impropriety they asked the auditor to begin this year’s audit at the clerk’s office.

“They did a heavier-than-normal audit over there this year and found no evidence of impropriety,” Goodger said.
However, commissioners say when payments from the Clerk’s office are so far behind it impacts the budgeting process and raises a red flag relative to a misappropriation of funds.