By Betsy Finklea
Dillon County Council Chairman Archie Scott responded at the Dillon County Council meeting held on Wednesday to comments made by County Administrator Clay Young in The Dillon Herald about finances and the bank statements .
Scott said he has asked for the bank statements and other financial information and has not received it. He said that he thought when the council asked the county administrator to bring them financial documents he was obligated to do it.
Young said that when the County Treasurer Jamie Estes came to a budget meeting she said that the council could go to her office to see the bank statements. At least three councilmen have done so since this offer was made.
Scott asked if Young had asked Estes for the information. He said he had. Young said again that he was told that he or council could go to the treasurer’s office at any time to see the bank statements. He said he was not the custodian of the documents.
Scott said if Young was having trouble getting the information he wanted to ask their legal counsel about taking the treasurer to court to get this information. He said treasurers have been taken to court before. Young said that would be a council decision.
Scott said he had looked at accounts payable information that didn’t make sense.
Scott questioned why fees, such as Rotary Club fees, were being paid by the county for employees. He said no one was paying for him to be a member of the Wellness Center.
Young asked him if the Clerk of Court and the Probate Judge should have to pay their fees to their associations. Scott said he didn’t have a problem with fees associated with government business, but he did have a problem with personal club fees.
Scott said the check register “makes him sick” every time he looks at it.
Scott then questioned Young about when a finance director will be hired. He also pointed out that the payroll service is not in place. Council has voted to fund a finance director in the new budget, which began on July 1, and on the payroll service a few months ago.
He asked Young when these things were going to be done. Young said he was in the process of interviewing for the finance director and that he thought the finance director would handle the payroll service.
Scott asked how long it was going to take for him to do these things. He said Young had been advertising for a while. Young said the budget just got passed. Scott said it was passed on July 1st.
Scott said he didn’t think that Young was doing anything to help the county move forward.
Scott said he didn’t think that Young sees council as being his superiors. “Your actions lead me to believe you are our superior,” said Scott, who said when the council tells Young to do something he doesn’t see him carry it out.
Scott said that Young couldn’t sell to him what he was selling in the paper. “I just don’t buy it,” said Scott.
.
