Vote of No Confidence Delayed

Due to a couple of technical issues with the written proposal, the vote of no confidence on County Treasurer Jane Merten had to be delayed.

One question that has come up is what this resolution would actually solve.  First and foremost, it would put the County Treasurer on notice that we have higher expectations for her related to the County's internal controls.  It would also set the stage for additional action, if the Board decides that it may be necessary.

My comment in today's Washington County Daily News sums up my feelings.  Anyone can mistake a spoofed e-mail for a real e-mail, that's not the real issue.  Had she followed proper procedures, and refused to process the transaction until she had the correct paperwork, it would have been a non-issue.

The real issue is that she processed the transaction, with no invoice or other paperwork, based solely on an e-mail that went to her spam filter.  In doing this, she ignored the processes and controls that are put in place to prevent theft and fraud.  Since she is the person responsible for implementing those controls, this is in my eyes very concerning. 

Everything I have heard about Jane as a person is very positive.  This is not a referendum on Jane as a person, but on her handling of this incident and her operation & oversight of the Treasurer's department.