They mark a soldier.
They represent the accomplishments, the wounds and the careers of those who serve in the U.S. armed forces.
They are awarded for bravery.
Or for service.
Or even for being a good shot.
You’ll find them — polished and shiny — on the breasts of four-star generals or admirals, even the surgeon general.
They also rest on the uniform of a still, fallen soldier.
They tell the story of a military life.
They are military ribbons and medals.
And the best of them are made in Moore.
nnn
Joe Bryant’s career in military medals and ribbons didn’t begin until his first career — that of being a 1st sergeant in the Air Force — began to end.
In fact, the whole concept for his ribbon set design was developed because he needed to solve a problem.
“Originally, a set of military ribbons were heavy, thick and they never did line up properly,” Bryant said. “The whole reason I started was because I went to a board of review.”
Stationed in Germany, Bryant was set to appear before a military board of review. To make sure he looked his best, Bryant detoured to a restroom where, “somewhere between the restroom and the board office, one of my ribbons slid off.”
It was at that point, Bryant said, that he knew there had to be a better way for the solider to wear his ribbons and medals and “look perfect” while doing it.
So Bryant went home and created a “newer and better way” to mount the nation’s military ribbons and medals.
“I did it strictly for myself, I wanted the set to be consistent, perfect. So I constructed them as a single unit.”
He succeeded.
Two years later, Bryant’s idea, along with a lightweight frame, helped him cut the ribbon’s weight by 90 percent and its thickness by 75 percent. It also kept the ribbons aligned perfectly straight.
Word spread quickly.
“As soon as I wore it, the guy in the office next to me says he has to have a set,” he said. “So I told him to go to the exchange and buy his ribbons and bring them and beer to my house and we’d make it work. And that’s what I did.”
Soon Bryant had more work than he could handle. He recruited his 11-year-old son, Jonathan, who sat next to him “and cut the strips.”
And for a while, the pair had their own, unique small business.
Fate changed things.
Reassigned to Oklahoma City’s Tinker Air Force, in mid-1986 the Bryants would discover their small business had developed a global appeal.
“When we left Germany, people started to ask how to get hold of me,” he said. “They said, ‘You’ve made my ribbons over here for a couple of years and now you’re not here anymore. We find you — how do we make an order?’”
At that point, Bryant’s custom ribbon hobby became a business.
“Obviously people could not bring their ribbons and me a beer and come to my house,” he said. “So I developed an order form and actually set a price down. That’s when we officially became a business.”
Word continued to spread.
The company’s blue-colored order forms were never returned. Instead, the form was photocopied — now white — and returned, from across the globe.
“Since it was brand new, no one else was doing such a thing. It was total word of mouth for the first 15 years. We didn’t do any advertising.”
But the military — like many other professions — recognizes and embraces precision work.
And the Bryants had set a new standard.
•
Steeped in history, military ribbons, badges and medals have been worn since the Revolutionary War. In fact, according to the U.S. Army’s Institute of Heraldry, the first badges were used to identify troops under a specific general’s command.
During the Civil War, General Philip Kearny mistook some officers for stragglers from his own command and when corrected, said he would “take steps to know how to recognize my own men hereafter.”
Using pieces of red cloth placed on his soldiers’ caps, Kearny could quickly identify his own troops.
His idea was quickly adopted and by the end of the Civil War, almost all the corps had “some type of identifying mark.”
But the medals, badges and ribbons are more than just marks.
They also represent the solider’s career and their life, Jonathan Bryant said.
“The ribbons tell the soldier’s story; their accomplishments, their wounds. They represent that soldier’s history.”
As he makes his point, the younger Bryant rubs his fingers over a tiny, brass World War II trench lighter. Engraved in script on the lighter are the initials, “TFH.”
“It’s a symbol of the war he fought and the horrors he saw,” Jonathan said. “It’s a symbol of the humans involved in the military.”
•
Jonathan Bryant didn’t do much on the Fourth of July.
On this Independence Day holiday, Bryant traveled to another city to be with his family, seeking solace and spending time with his loved ones.
“I’m looking for some peace and quiet,” he said.
Back at home his father, Joe, went to work.
His home grow business is now a global enterprize; today Ultra Thin Ribbon and Medal Company represents every branch of the armed services, the Coast Guard, the Public Health Service and even the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
No, Joe Bryant wasn’t popping fireworks either.
He spent the holiday checking computer databases for the upcoming orders of ribbons and medals.
“I’m not much into holidays,” he says. “Except Veterans Day and Memorial Day. The Fourth of July is a celebration for everyone else. But me, I plan on working.”
Because somewhere, there’s a solider who earned a ribbon.
Friday, July 20, 2007
COMMENTARY; Sandy Garrett has the right idea
State School superintendent Sandy Garrett’s proposal to expand the school day by an hour and the school year by five days is, simply put, a good idea.
Actually, it’s a really good idea.
With a national average of 180 school days and a 6.5-hour day, Oklahoma’s 175-day school year and its 6-hour school day is proof we’re far behind the curve.
But, thankfully, Garrett wants to change that.
She talks of the need for all Oklahoma students to be able to compete on a global scale. She talks about how students need to be educated to solve problems which have arisen yet, using technology which hasn’t been developed.
She’s right.
Just think back 30 years — eight track tapes were the vogue (there were no compact discs) and everyone had a record player. Cable television was in its infancy and the personal computer was still years away.
DVDs hadn’t been invented yet.
There was no such thing as digital photography.
Yet, somehow all these things were developed and, today, are part of our world.
Thanks to an educated population.
Garrett is right when she talks about the need for students to be in class longer and she’s right when she talks about the need to remove interruptions from those classrooms.
As the spouse of a public school teacher — and a former substitute teacher myself — I am well aware of daily problems faced by our state’s school teachers.
And things need to change.
But Garrett may be the voice in the wilderness.
Because it will take a great deal of legislative courage to do what she’s asking to do.
Courage that most of our state lawmakers don’t have.
Democrats and Republicans alike will give Garrett’s proposal lip service, but I predict that few will really do anything to adopt the idea.
Already one House member is saying the longer year proposal is a bad idea and Moore Republican Paul Wesselhoft is calling for a 15-day expansion instead of five.
Of course, neither proposal came out until after Garrett spoke last week.
And while I’m not going to question the motives of either lawmaker at this point, both proposals give me reason for concern.
It reminds me of 1990 — then, lawmakers struggled for months with a mammoth education reform package known as House Bill 1017.
The wrangling, political intrigue and sanctimony seemed to go on forever.
The schools, the teachers and the kids suffered.
Finally, the bill passed.
But shortly thereafter, a group of short-sighted activists circulated an initiative petition, misled the voters and rammed State Question 640 down the public’s throat.
Since then our secondary education system has struggled with inadequate funding. And we sent a message to the rest of the world that any innovative thinking was going to be greeted with public disdain.
Sure, today, you’ll hear about how state lawmakers have passed record school budgets.
But it’s not working.
Instead of working with schools, lawmakers issue endless press releases blaming teachers and teacher’s unions.
Funny thing, teachers are the closest to the problem.
They are in the class.
They know the students.
They know the issues.
And I tend to believe them over some of the “public servants” we have at 23rd and Lincoln.
So I’m pleased that Sandy Garrett raised the issue.
I applaud her for doing it.
I just hope state lawmakers will have the courage to act.
Actually, it’s a really good idea.
With a national average of 180 school days and a 6.5-hour day, Oklahoma’s 175-day school year and its 6-hour school day is proof we’re far behind the curve.
But, thankfully, Garrett wants to change that.
She talks of the need for all Oklahoma students to be able to compete on a global scale. She talks about how students need to be educated to solve problems which have arisen yet, using technology which hasn’t been developed.
She’s right.
Just think back 30 years — eight track tapes were the vogue (there were no compact discs) and everyone had a record player. Cable television was in its infancy and the personal computer was still years away.
DVDs hadn’t been invented yet.
There was no such thing as digital photography.
Yet, somehow all these things were developed and, today, are part of our world.
Thanks to an educated population.
Garrett is right when she talks about the need for students to be in class longer and she’s right when she talks about the need to remove interruptions from those classrooms.
As the spouse of a public school teacher — and a former substitute teacher myself — I am well aware of daily problems faced by our state’s school teachers.
And things need to change.
But Garrett may be the voice in the wilderness.
Because it will take a great deal of legislative courage to do what she’s asking to do.
Courage that most of our state lawmakers don’t have.
Democrats and Republicans alike will give Garrett’s proposal lip service, but I predict that few will really do anything to adopt the idea.
Already one House member is saying the longer year proposal is a bad idea and Moore Republican Paul Wesselhoft is calling for a 15-day expansion instead of five.
Of course, neither proposal came out until after Garrett spoke last week.
And while I’m not going to question the motives of either lawmaker at this point, both proposals give me reason for concern.
It reminds me of 1990 — then, lawmakers struggled for months with a mammoth education reform package known as House Bill 1017.
The wrangling, political intrigue and sanctimony seemed to go on forever.
The schools, the teachers and the kids suffered.
Finally, the bill passed.
But shortly thereafter, a group of short-sighted activists circulated an initiative petition, misled the voters and rammed State Question 640 down the public’s throat.
Since then our secondary education system has struggled with inadequate funding. And we sent a message to the rest of the world that any innovative thinking was going to be greeted with public disdain.
Sure, today, you’ll hear about how state lawmakers have passed record school budgets.
But it’s not working.
Instead of working with schools, lawmakers issue endless press releases blaming teachers and teacher’s unions.
Funny thing, teachers are the closest to the problem.
They are in the class.
They know the students.
They know the issues.
And I tend to believe them over some of the “public servants” we have at 23rd and Lincoln.
So I’m pleased that Sandy Garrett raised the issue.
I applaud her for doing it.
I just hope state lawmakers will have the courage to act.
Commission completes Franklin Road land purchase
Cleveland County Commissioners have completed the purchase of a 28.92-acre tract of land located near Franklin Road and 24th Avenue NW which could be used for a new county jail.
Then again, it might not.
The property, purchased for $1.2 million, was owned by York International, now known as Johnson Controls. It is just south of the company’s air conditioner plant.
The land is “one of several" still being considered for the jail — but commission chairman George Skinner said a final decision about the location hasn’t been made.
“We don’t know where the jail will be located yet,” Skinner said Thursday afternoon. “But if we don’t put it there (Franklin Road) then we can sell that land and get our money back, even make a profit.”
Skinner said the land wasn’t “originally on the market” but was brought to the commission’s attention by Norman real estate broker Eric Fleske.
“No it wasn’t orginally for sale,” he said. “It was brought to us. But it’s a good deal and we can make money on it.”
The Franklin Road site has been the center of a controversial plan for a second county jail for several months — the location has drawn complaints from residents in the area, business leaders and state legislators.
This spring, following the decision to purchase the site, state Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, and state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, pushed two bills — House Bill 1776 and Senate Bill 896 — to try to stop the county from building a jail on the Franklin Road location.
Both measures would have forced the commission to build a jail near the existing facility in downtown Norman.
Neither bill made it to the governor’s desk.
In April, more than 50 area residents packed a commission meeting to discuss the jail’s location. At that meeting, commissioners voted 2-1 to move forward on the purchase of the Franklin Road land for $1.3 million. District 3 commissioner Rusty Sullivan and District 1 interim commissioner Mark Meyer voted in favor of the purchase. Skinner vote “no.”
Despite the purchase, commissioners have struggled with possible jail locations.
Two other sites — one on Rock Creek Road between Flood Avenue and Norman’s new fire station, and the other, about eight miles east of Lexington, near a state prison — were considered earlier this year but dropped.
Instead, the commission focused on the Franklin Road land.
“If we can’t find a better location, then that’s where it (the jail) would probably be,” Skinner said. “But there are no spots which are definite.”
In documents dated March 1, commissioners — acting as the Cleveland County Facilities Authority — proposed purchasing the Franklin Road site for $1.2 million, a figure $100,000 less than the $1.3 million they approved in April.
However, that proposal fell through because of laws governing the way public funds are spent by public finance authorities, Skinner said. Instead, the $1.2 million purchase was made through the commission’s general fund.
“We couldn’t buy the land through the facilities authority because the county can’t give money to the trust and the trust couldn’t use county money to buy it,” Skinner said. “It’s real complicated.”
Additionally, he said county officials need more information before deciding on a location.
Skinner said commissioners wanted to see a report by jail architect Ben Graves
Graves, a principal partner in the firm Architects in Partnership, confirmed this week that a third, yet undisclosed site also was being considered for the jail.
“The commission is looking at an alternative site (to the Franklin Road) as a possibility,” Graves said. “But until that determination is made I wouldn’t have any news.”
Graves declined to say where the third site was located.
“I can’t tell you where the alternate site is,” he said. “The commissioners want to get it tied up before they discuss it.”
To make that decision Graves said he, along with all three commission members and county Sheriff DeWayne Beggs, will attend a conference sponsored by the federal Bureau of Prisons in late August.
Information from that conference, he said, along with a report from county jail consultant Don Jones, “will have an impact on what the county’s (jail) plans will be.”
“I think the commission and the sheriff will glean a lot from that conference,” Graves said. “I think the site will be selected by the end of August, following the conference.”
The long timetable, Skinner said, was necessary.
“We haven’t rushed it,” he said. “We want to make sure that all our ducks are in a row, and not get caught up in problems like other counties.”
Then again, it might not.
The property, purchased for $1.2 million, was owned by York International, now known as Johnson Controls. It is just south of the company’s air conditioner plant.
The land is “one of several" still being considered for the jail — but commission chairman George Skinner said a final decision about the location hasn’t been made.
“We don’t know where the jail will be located yet,” Skinner said Thursday afternoon. “But if we don’t put it there (Franklin Road) then we can sell that land and get our money back, even make a profit.”
Skinner said the land wasn’t “originally on the market” but was brought to the commission’s attention by Norman real estate broker Eric Fleske.
“No it wasn’t orginally for sale,” he said. “It was brought to us. But it’s a good deal and we can make money on it.”
The Franklin Road site has been the center of a controversial plan for a second county jail for several months — the location has drawn complaints from residents in the area, business leaders and state legislators.
This spring, following the decision to purchase the site, state Sen. Jonathan Nichols, R-Norman, and state Rep. Randy Terrill, R-Moore, pushed two bills — House Bill 1776 and Senate Bill 896 — to try to stop the county from building a jail on the Franklin Road location.
Both measures would have forced the commission to build a jail near the existing facility in downtown Norman.
Neither bill made it to the governor’s desk.
In April, more than 50 area residents packed a commission meeting to discuss the jail’s location. At that meeting, commissioners voted 2-1 to move forward on the purchase of the Franklin Road land for $1.3 million. District 3 commissioner Rusty Sullivan and District 1 interim commissioner Mark Meyer voted in favor of the purchase. Skinner vote “no.”
Despite the purchase, commissioners have struggled with possible jail locations.
Two other sites — one on Rock Creek Road between Flood Avenue and Norman’s new fire station, and the other, about eight miles east of Lexington, near a state prison — were considered earlier this year but dropped.
Instead, the commission focused on the Franklin Road land.
“If we can’t find a better location, then that’s where it (the jail) would probably be,” Skinner said. “But there are no spots which are definite.”
In documents dated March 1, commissioners — acting as the Cleveland County Facilities Authority — proposed purchasing the Franklin Road site for $1.2 million, a figure $100,000 less than the $1.3 million they approved in April.
However, that proposal fell through because of laws governing the way public funds are spent by public finance authorities, Skinner said. Instead, the $1.2 million purchase was made through the commission’s general fund.
“We couldn’t buy the land through the facilities authority because the county can’t give money to the trust and the trust couldn’t use county money to buy it,” Skinner said. “It’s real complicated.”
Additionally, he said county officials need more information before deciding on a location.
Skinner said commissioners wanted to see a report by jail architect Ben Graves
Graves, a principal partner in the firm Architects in Partnership, confirmed this week that a third, yet undisclosed site also was being considered for the jail.
“The commission is looking at an alternative site (to the Franklin Road) as a possibility,” Graves said. “But until that determination is made I wouldn’t have any news.”
Graves declined to say where the third site was located.
“I can’t tell you where the alternate site is,” he said. “The commissioners want to get it tied up before they discuss it.”
To make that decision Graves said he, along with all three commission members and county Sheriff DeWayne Beggs, will attend a conference sponsored by the federal Bureau of Prisons in late August.
Information from that conference, he said, along with a report from county jail consultant Don Jones, “will have an impact on what the county’s (jail) plans will be.”
“I think the commission and the sheriff will glean a lot from that conference,” Graves said. “I think the site will be selected by the end of August, following the conference.”
The long timetable, Skinner said, was necessary.
“We haven’t rushed it,” he said. “We want to make sure that all our ducks are in a row, and not get caught up in problems like other counties.”
DA's office now investigating county audit
The Cleveland County district attorney's office has launched an investigation into problems surrounding a county employee's vacation and sick leave, District Attorney Greg Mashburn confirmed Tuesday.
Those problems, detailed in a July 6 turnover audit by State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan, uncovered some "fairly large discrepancies" in a county employee's vacation and sick leave, McMahan's spokesperson Terry Watkins said. Officials have declined to name the employee.
Watkins said the problems include:
The vacation, sick and compensatory times use, as noted on leave balance sheets, do not agree with time sheets.
The June 30, 2006, ending balance for the employee's vacation leave was negative 224.42 hours.
The June 30, 2006, ending balance for the employee's sick leave was negative 15.75 hours.
Full leave accruals were received despite not having worked a complete month and having negative vacation and compensatory balances.
The audit covered the 2006 fiscal year.
On Tuesday, Mashburn confirmed his office had received the audit and started an investigation.
"We are looking into it, absolutely," he said. "I, personally, have reviewed it a couple of times, and assistant district attorney Dave Batton will be working with county officials in all aspects of the audit."
Mashburn said his office would examine the time sheet discrepancies and the other issues raised by the audit. As part of that investigation, he said, his office would request a meeting with officials from the state auditor's office.
"We're going to have to go back to the auditor and ask them for a meeting so we can be clear on some (of the audit's) recommendations and what absolutely must happen to be in compliance," Mashburn said.
That investigation, he said, could take some time.
"We're in the process of sending a letter right now, so it may take some time to go back and forth."
In the audit, McMahan's office recommended that "all county time sheets be properly calculated and completed -- and be approved and signed by the employee and the county official after each pay period. The state auditor also recommended the "employee's pay be reduced for time off when leave balances have been exhausted."
During the time covered by the audit, the District 1 office was led by former Commissioner Bill Graves. Graves died in April, following complications from surgery. Graves' first deputy, Mark Meyer has served as interim commissioner since Graves' death.
Meyer will be replaced today by Rod Cleveland, 40, who was elected in July to serve the remainder of Graves' term.
Those problems, detailed in a July 6 turnover audit by State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan, uncovered some "fairly large discrepancies" in a county employee's vacation and sick leave, McMahan's spokesperson Terry Watkins said. Officials have declined to name the employee.
Watkins said the problems include:
The vacation, sick and compensatory times use, as noted on leave balance sheets, do not agree with time sheets.
The June 30, 2006, ending balance for the employee's vacation leave was negative 224.42 hours.
The June 30, 2006, ending balance for the employee's sick leave was negative 15.75 hours.
Full leave accruals were received despite not having worked a complete month and having negative vacation and compensatory balances.
The audit covered the 2006 fiscal year.
On Tuesday, Mashburn confirmed his office had received the audit and started an investigation.
"We are looking into it, absolutely," he said. "I, personally, have reviewed it a couple of times, and assistant district attorney Dave Batton will be working with county officials in all aspects of the audit."
Mashburn said his office would examine the time sheet discrepancies and the other issues raised by the audit. As part of that investigation, he said, his office would request a meeting with officials from the state auditor's office.
"We're going to have to go back to the auditor and ask them for a meeting so we can be clear on some (of the audit's) recommendations and what absolutely must happen to be in compliance," Mashburn said.
That investigation, he said, could take some time.
"We're in the process of sending a letter right now, so it may take some time to go back and forth."
In the audit, McMahan's office recommended that "all county time sheets be properly calculated and completed -- and be approved and signed by the employee and the county official after each pay period. The state auditor also recommended the "employee's pay be reduced for time off when leave balances have been exhausted."
During the time covered by the audit, the District 1 office was led by former Commissioner Bill Graves. Graves died in April, following complications from surgery. Graves' first deputy, Mark Meyer has served as interim commissioner since Graves' death.
Meyer will be replaced today by Rod Cleveland, 40, who was elected in July to serve the remainder of Graves' term.
Monday, July 16, 2007
Roth settling into role as new corporation commissioner
Just 43 days into the job, the state’s newest member of the Corporation Commission is settling easily into his new job.
And he plans on staying a while.
Speaking last Friday at the Cleveland County Democrat’s Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon, newly appointed Democrat Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth told a crowd of more than 40 about his goals as the commission’s newest member.
He also came to listen.
“I want to serve the public,” he said.
Roth was appointed May 16 to serve the remainder of Republican Denise Bode’s term. Bode resigned to take a job in Washington, D.C.
He served as an Oklahoma County commissioner from 2003 to May of this year. And that job, he says, is like his previous county office — helping people.
“I did have a wonderful opportunity and experience at Oklahoma County,” Roth said. “My goal was to return the courthouse to the public.”
A former attorney for the Oklahoma County, Roth said he decided to run for county commissioner several years ago because county government was “inwardly” focused.
“The elected officials thought more of themselves than the public,” he said. “So in 2002 I resigned my job at attorney and ran.”
Roth served two terms and was re-elected to his second term with more than 65 percent of the vote.
As a corporation commissioner, Roth will face re-election in 2008 — this time on a statewide level.
“I’m committed to running in 2008 to fill this term,” he said after his speech. “The governor has give me a high honor and I’ve gotta earn that. But next year the public is going to hire or fire me; I feel like I’m in a job interview every day.“
Roth said he sought the Corporation Commission appointment because he felt himself grow into “statewide thinking.”
“For me, statewide thinking is you gotta make sure the rural interests are protected in relation to the utility issues, not just the urban areas,” he said.
And corporation commissioners, he said, need that type of outlook.
“It’s certainly clear to me the financial decisions that we make in regulating these companies can’t just be geared to how it impacts those companies, you gotta be mindful of that,” he said.
To illustrate his point, Roth used a portion of his speech to seek public input about OG&E’s proposed coal-fired power plant, to be built near Red Rock.
“What this new power plant means to you and I is that a public utility is asking for permission to charge all of you dollars for a new power plant that they suggest we will require in the future,” he said. “I’m trying to present some of these facts to you to hear your opinion.”
Those opinions, he said, are important to commissioners.
“I just want to talk to you and invite you into this; please think through this and formulate your opinions and make those opinions known — it’s about your future.”
And he plans on staying a while.
Speaking last Friday at the Cleveland County Democrat’s Tyner Cornbread and Beans luncheon, newly appointed Democrat Corporation Commissioner Jim Roth told a crowd of more than 40 about his goals as the commission’s newest member.
He also came to listen.
“I want to serve the public,” he said.
Roth was appointed May 16 to serve the remainder of Republican Denise Bode’s term. Bode resigned to take a job in Washington, D.C.
He served as an Oklahoma County commissioner from 2003 to May of this year. And that job, he says, is like his previous county office — helping people.
“I did have a wonderful opportunity and experience at Oklahoma County,” Roth said. “My goal was to return the courthouse to the public.”
A former attorney for the Oklahoma County, Roth said he decided to run for county commissioner several years ago because county government was “inwardly” focused.
“The elected officials thought more of themselves than the public,” he said. “So in 2002 I resigned my job at attorney and ran.”
Roth served two terms and was re-elected to his second term with more than 65 percent of the vote.
As a corporation commissioner, Roth will face re-election in 2008 — this time on a statewide level.
“I’m committed to running in 2008 to fill this term,” he said after his speech. “The governor has give me a high honor and I’ve gotta earn that. But next year the public is going to hire or fire me; I feel like I’m in a job interview every day.“
Roth said he sought the Corporation Commission appointment because he felt himself grow into “statewide thinking.”
“For me, statewide thinking is you gotta make sure the rural interests are protected in relation to the utility issues, not just the urban areas,” he said.
And corporation commissioners, he said, need that type of outlook.
“It’s certainly clear to me the financial decisions that we make in regulating these companies can’t just be geared to how it impacts those companies, you gotta be mindful of that,” he said.
To illustrate his point, Roth used a portion of his speech to seek public input about OG&E’s proposed coal-fired power plant, to be built near Red Rock.
“What this new power plant means to you and I is that a public utility is asking for permission to charge all of you dollars for a new power plant that they suggest we will require in the future,” he said. “I’m trying to present some of these facts to you to hear your opinion.”
Those opinions, he said, are important to commissioners.
“I just want to talk to you and invite you into this; please think through this and formulate your opinions and make those opinions known — it’s about your future.”
Sunday, July 15, 2007
Audit reveals problems with county's budget, inventory and financial controls
OKLAHOMA — A state audit — which revealed “fairly large discrepancies” in a Cleveland County employee’s time sheets — also shows several other problems with the county’s budget, inventory and financial controls.
Released July 6, that audit — performed by State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan’s office — lists four other findings, in addition to problems with the county employee’s time sheets.
Those problems range from improperly prepared financial documents, to shortages and excess inventory of county signs, and a shortage of almost 500 gallons of gasoline.
Terri Watkins, spokesman for state auditor Jeff McMahan, said the audit was “routine” and performed when new county officials are seated.
“There were some items that were brought to us,” she said. “And those were included in this audit.”
County commission chair George Skinner could not be reached for comment.
Among the audit’s findings were:
• The county “does not prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals” as required by state law.
McMahan’s office recommended the county “prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals as required by counties who have adopted the state’s County Budget Act.
Cleveland County adopted the act, but has not prepared its financial documents properly.
In their reply to the audit, county officials acknowledged the problem but said they were unable to comply do to financial problems. “…management is aware of this situation; however, due to financial situations we are unable to comply with this situation at this time. We are currently in the process of correcting this situation to comply with state statutes.”
• The county Sheriff’s office did not segregate duties involved with asset custody, transaction authorization, bookkeeping and reconciliation.
“Segregation of duties over asset custody, transaction authorization, bookkeeping and reconciliation is an important element of effective internal control over government assets and resources,” the auditor said.
The auditor’s office recommended county officers “be aware of this condition and realize that concentration of duties and responsibilities in a limited number of individuals is not desired from a control point of view.”
The recommendation continued saying, “…the most effective controls lie in management’s knowledge of office operations and a periodic review of operations.”
County officials agreed with the auditor’s findings, adding that “management does have knowledge of office operations and will perform a periodic review of these operations.
• The Sheriff’s Inmate Trust Account was not properly reconciled with the bank statement at June 30, 2006.
“Failure to perform tasks that are part of internal controls, such as reconciliations not prepared or not timely prepared are deficiencies in internal control,” the auditor’s staff writes. “Further, reconciliations should be performed on a monthly basis.”
County officials again agreed with the finding and said “management has implemented procedures to correct this issue.”
• State auditors could not trace six deposits for the Sheriff’s Inmate Trust Account to receipts:
1. A $50 check dated July 6, 2005.
2. $12.70 in cash from Aug. 10, 2005.
3. $77.66 in cash from Sept. 7, 2005.
4. A $1.11 check dated Sept. 7, 2005.
5. $8 in cash from Jan. 18, 2006.
6. $120.04 check dated Jan. 18, 2006.
“We recommend that all monies collected under the color of office be receipted and deposited daily,” the auditor wrote. “We further recommend to enhance effective accounting procedures, the County Sheriff’s office list a receipt number or inmate’s name on the deposit slip for all cash deposited.”
In their reply, county officials agreed with the state’s findings and said they had implemented procedures to correct the issue.
• Varancies existed between the county’s consumable sign inventory and actual counts of those signs.
The signs — 42 different ones — were listed as having either an excess number on hand, or having fewer than the listed amounts.
In addition, the audit reported more tinhorns than listed on the county’s inventory and a shortage of 473.98 gallons of gas.
The audit also showed the county with more 434.34 gallons of diesel fuel than listed.
Both the signs and the fuel were listed as part of the District 3 inventory.
An inventory of District 1 showed an excess of 8.42 gallons of gasoline and 37.59 gallons of diesel fuel as compared to the county’s inventory.
Watkins said the audit would be turned over the Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn’s office. Friday, Mashburn said once the document was received, his office “would definitely be reviewing it.”
Released July 6, that audit — performed by State Auditor and Inspector Jeff McMahan’s office — lists four other findings, in addition to problems with the county employee’s time sheets.
Those problems range from improperly prepared financial documents, to shortages and excess inventory of county signs, and a shortage of almost 500 gallons of gasoline.
Terri Watkins, spokesman for state auditor Jeff McMahan, said the audit was “routine” and performed when new county officials are seated.
“There were some items that were brought to us,” she said. “And those were included in this audit.”
County commission chair George Skinner could not be reached for comment.
Among the audit’s findings were:
• The county “does not prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals” as required by state law.
McMahan’s office recommended the county “prepare financial statements in conformity with generally accepted accounting principals as required by counties who have adopted the state’s County Budget Act.
Cleveland County adopted the act, but has not prepared its financial documents properly.
In their reply to the audit, county officials acknowledged the problem but said they were unable to comply do to financial problems. “…management is aware of this situation; however, due to financial situations we are unable to comply with this situation at this time. We are currently in the process of correcting this situation to comply with state statutes.”
• The county Sheriff’s office did not segregate duties involved with asset custody, transaction authorization, bookkeeping and reconciliation.
“Segregation of duties over asset custody, transaction authorization, bookkeeping and reconciliation is an important element of effective internal control over government assets and resources,” the auditor said.
The auditor’s office recommended county officers “be aware of this condition and realize that concentration of duties and responsibilities in a limited number of individuals is not desired from a control point of view.”
The recommendation continued saying, “…the most effective controls lie in management’s knowledge of office operations and a periodic review of operations.”
County officials agreed with the auditor’s findings, adding that “management does have knowledge of office operations and will perform a periodic review of these operations.
• The Sheriff’s Inmate Trust Account was not properly reconciled with the bank statement at June 30, 2006.
“Failure to perform tasks that are part of internal controls, such as reconciliations not prepared or not timely prepared are deficiencies in internal control,” the auditor’s staff writes. “Further, reconciliations should be performed on a monthly basis.”
County officials again agreed with the finding and said “management has implemented procedures to correct this issue.”
• State auditors could not trace six deposits for the Sheriff’s Inmate Trust Account to receipts:
1. A $50 check dated July 6, 2005.
2. $12.70 in cash from Aug. 10, 2005.
3. $77.66 in cash from Sept. 7, 2005.
4. A $1.11 check dated Sept. 7, 2005.
5. $8 in cash from Jan. 18, 2006.
6. $120.04 check dated Jan. 18, 2006.
“We recommend that all monies collected under the color of office be receipted and deposited daily,” the auditor wrote. “We further recommend to enhance effective accounting procedures, the County Sheriff’s office list a receipt number or inmate’s name on the deposit slip for all cash deposited.”
In their reply, county officials agreed with the state’s findings and said they had implemented procedures to correct the issue.
• Varancies existed between the county’s consumable sign inventory and actual counts of those signs.
The signs — 42 different ones — were listed as having either an excess number on hand, or having fewer than the listed amounts.
In addition, the audit reported more tinhorns than listed on the county’s inventory and a shortage of 473.98 gallons of gas.
The audit also showed the county with more 434.34 gallons of diesel fuel than listed.
Both the signs and the fuel were listed as part of the District 3 inventory.
An inventory of District 1 showed an excess of 8.42 gallons of gasoline and 37.59 gallons of diesel fuel as compared to the county’s inventory.
Watkins said the audit would be turned over the Cleveland County District Attorney Greg Mashburn’s office. Friday, Mashburn said once the document was received, his office “would definitely be reviewing it.”
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