By Greg Grisolano

ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — It’s been more than a year since former Chief Executive Officer Jim Fanning retired from the Barton County Electric Cooperative, but his name was still on the lips of nearly every member who had questions for the co-op’s current leadership during a regional meeting Tuesday night in Carthage.

The meeting was one of three the cooperative is conducting for its 6,400 members in Barton, Jasper, Dade and Vernon counties.

While the co-op recently was awarded a reimbursement from Fanning at a binding-arbitration hearing in Springfield, many of the questions focused on conducting another forensic audit to determine whether more money could be recovered from the former CEO.

Arbitrators ruled in January that Fanning should reimburse the co-op more than $112,000, but some of the members at Tuesday night’s meeting asked if that was all for which he could be held accountable.

“If the forensic audit is done,” asked one member, “can we expect more recovery from Mr. Fanning?”

The co-op’s attorney, Rod Widger, said he’s not optimistic about the chances of further reimbursement.

“The auditors don’t get into judgment calls,” he said. “All they can tell you is was it booked correctly.”

The co-op was seeking the return of more than $183,000 after an audit last year stated that nearly $300,000 in member funds was used to pay for improvements to the home of Fanning and his wife, Cheryl.

Current CEO Bobbi Jeffries told members that the co-op expects to be paid in full on Thursday.

The co-op’s board of directors initially signed off on a work order for improvements to the home, including a Smart Home technology system, valued at more than $113,000. Several other purchases, including appliances, entertainment equipment, and plumbing and bathroom fixtures, were invoiced to the co-op by the Fannings.

Board president Douglas Haile said events like Tuesday night’s meeting are evidence that the co-op is moving in a new direction.

“We desire to be open to you as members,” he said. “We realize you own the co-op, and we work for you.”

Jeffries said after the meeting that the co-op has received one offer to conduct a forensic audit of numerous departments and aspects of the operation during Fanning’s tenure as chief executive. The firm proposing the offer, BKD Inc. of Springfield, conducted the audit that Jeffries requested after Fanning resigned in January 2007.