Vernon County audit reveals misuse of taxpayer funds and tax overpayments

VERNON COUNTY, Mo. — A state audit shows the Vernon County clerk misused taxpayer dollars and residents overpaid more than 100-thousand dollars in property taxes.

Vernon County received a "poor" rating in the regularly scheduled audit.

According to findings by the state auditor's office, the former county clerk made nearly 53-hundred inappropriate or unessential purchases.

That included retirement gifts, a heated vest, headphones, a cell phone signal booster, and gift cards for employee Christmas gifts.

The report also found the former clerk failed to accurately calculate the property tax reduction in 2020 and 2021, which resulted in residents being overtaxed by more than 120-thousand dollars.

State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick also found that the county collector-treasurer's office doesn't properly document everything, leading to 13.5 million dollars in uncorrected errors.

Other findings include failure to comply with the Sunshine Law.