By Susan Redden
sredden@joplinglobe.com
Findings are to be disclosed tonight in a state audit of Leawood finances that was sought after the discovery of “significant discrepancies” in some village records.
A public meeting in which audit results will be outlined is set for 7 p.m. today at the Redings Mill Fire Station, according to an announcement from Denny Desmond, chairman of the village Board of Trustees.
Since the audit was requested in 2008, stealing charges have been filed against the former village treasurer. Gene Paul Boyd was charged last February, based on allegations that he had stolen at least $325,210 from village funds. Authorities say as much as about $1 million could be missing, but that $325,210 is all that Boyd can be charged with stealing.
Desmond said that figure is based on an investigation by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department, including bank records and information supplied by village officials.
“They did a good job, and some of that information was used by the state,” he said. “We knew it was going to be a fair amount of money. I knew specifically what it would be for 2007 and 2008.”
He said completion of the audit “is a big hurdle” for the village.
He said the state office made a number of recommendations as to how the village could improve financial oversight. He said some of them already had been implemented, and that was noted in the report.
“What happened, happened, and now we have to move forward,” he said.
Desmond said the village finished the calendar year with $68,000 in the bank, including $33,000 restricted for road work.
“We’re not in trouble, but we would like to have had that money for streets and other work,” he said of the funds that have been identified as stolen.
Authorities allege that the theft occurred between 2002 and 2008, during Boyd’s term as village treasurer, according to court documents. Still unaccounted for is an additional $673,534 in village money, largely from years preceding 2002.
Boyd, a longtime village treasurer, reportedly confessed to a former employer that he had been embezzling money from the village for as long as 21 years, according to court documents. Desmond said Boyd resigned his post in October 2008 after he was confronted about discrepancies in village financial reports.
Desmond, a certified public accountant, said he decided last year that it would be good business practice to have a second person verifying the village’s financial information. He said that when he checked, he found that the village had only a checking account with a minimal balance, in contrast with reports from Boyd who said the village had a savings account, a checking account and certificates of deposit totaling about $262,000.
Desmond said the audit not only addresses financial losses, but also evaluates internal controls, makes recommendations for improving financial controls and procedures, and addresses compliance issues.
In a notice mailed to residents, Desmond said plans were being made by the state auditor’s office to make the audit report available during the day today at the department’s Web site, www.auditor.mo.gov. Donna Christian, an audit manager for the state, will be at the public meeting at the fire station at 344 Redings Mill Road to review the report with residents and answer questions.
Trial planned
The trial for Gene Paul Boyd has been moved to Barton County on a change of venue granted in Newton County. A potential trial date in June is under discussion by the prosecutor and defense attorney.
