Dutchess County Comptroller Dan Aymar-Blair has issued subpoenas for the Dutchess County Board of Elections commissioners to obtain documents and conduct interviews involving an audit of the Board of Elections’ election worker payroll process.
The comptroller’s office said the subpoenas are a reflection of the “unprecedented circumstance” of county commissioners refusing to cooperate with an audit.
In a joint email statement July 28, Democratic Commissioner Lisa Jessup and Republican Commissioner Erik Haight said they haven’t been served with any documents from the Dutchess County Comptroller and are as a result not in a position to comment.
For nearly three months, the comptroller’s office said, the commissioners would not provide requested documents or agree to attend an entrance meeting.
“It is not the preference of the Comptroller’s Office to obtain audit materials under threat of subpoena,” Aymar-Blair said in a July 27 statement. “We provided the BOE with ample time to comply and offered to adapt the plan around their busy calendar. As I have always said, we audit County departments and partners to offer recommendations for making government financial operations more efficient, a high priority for County taxpayers.”
What happened? Hear from the Comptroller’s Office
According to the comptroller’s office, here’s how the last three months unfolded.
Aymar-Blair sent a first notice to the Dutchess County BOE on April 24, stating their election worker payroll process would be the subject of an audit. On April 29, the BOE argued the comptroller did not have the authority to conduct the audit.
On June 16, after further attempts by the comptroller’s office and rebuttals by the BOE, the comptroller advised the BOE of a legal obligation to produce the requested documentation necessary for the comptroller’s office to perform the audit.
A deadline of June 30 was given, after which Aymar-Blair said there would be a formal demand by way of subpoena, as per Dutchess County Administrative Code Article 32, Section 32.05, which gives the power to administer oaths and issue subpoenas to the County Executive, the Comptroller, the Chair of the County Legislature, the Chair of any standing committee of the County Legislature, and other county officers authorized by law, compelling attendance of witnesses, as well as the production of records, for official investigations.
On July 2, outside legal counsel extended the deadline to July 10. The attorney also offered to confer with the commissioners and their counsel. Attorneys for the comptroller and commissioners corresponded and, the comptroller’s office said, the commissioners would not comply with the comptroller’s audit plan.
According to the comptroller’s office, the BOE has not given an applicable legal argument to justify the refusal.
Nickie Hayes is Breaking & Trending News Reporter for the Poughkeepsie Journal. See her most recent articles here. Contact reporter Nickie Hayes: NHayes@poughkee.gannett.com, 845-863-3518 and @nickieehayess on Instagram.
This article originally appeared on Poughkeepsie Journal: Audit dispute escalates at Dutchess County Board of Elections
Reporting by Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal / Poughkeepsie Journal
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By Nickie Hayes, Poughkeepsie Journal | USA TODAY Network
