03/03/2026 - JEFFERSON CITY, Mo.
The "Wire Road" opened up the lines of
communication between St. Louis and Springfield during the Civil War, and now Missouri
State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick hopes to improve communication with the people
of Laclede County about how their county government is operating. Fitzpatrick
announced this week that his office launched a regularly scheduled performance
audit of Laclede County that began during an entrance meeting with county
officials on Tuesday, March 3.
"Just as people from around the country were drawn
to Lebanon in the late 1800s to experience its magnetic water, my office is
drawn to the calling of ensuring accountability and transparency in county
governmental operations," said Auditor Fitzpatrick. "We will take a
thorough look at the various county offices as we examine how effectively and
efficiently Laclede county government is operating. I urge anyone who may have
information that would be beneficial to our audit to contact us through our
Whistleblower Hotline."
The Missouri State Auditor's Office last conducted a
performance audit of Laclede County in 2018. The audit provided the county
with a "fair" rating as it recommended improvements to several county
offices to ensure the effective use of taxpayer dollars. The audit recommended
checks and balances be implemented to reduce the risk of errors when changes
are made in the county's property tax system. The audit also found questionable
use of the county's Tax Maintenance Fund.
Individuals
may provide information confidentially for consideration during the audit of Laclede
County to the State Auditor's Whistleblower Hotline at 800-347-8597, by email
at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov, or by visiting www.auditor.mo.gov/hotline.
