Nearly $800,000 in public funds missing in Tennessee

photo Justin P. Wilson, Tennessee Comptroller

While Tennessee's counties were able to recover nearly $238,000 of more than $563,000 in public cash shortages over the past year, almost $450,000 in new shortages were detected by the state Comptroller's Office.

According to a new report released by the Tennessee Comptroller of the Treasury Justin Wilson, the total amount of missing public funds from Tennessee's 95 counties as of June 30, 2013, was $775,221.12.

The Report of Cash Shortages is an annual report that details the status of public funds missing from the state's county governments. The report is compiled using information from the financial reports of Tennessee's counties, as well as from comptroller investigations.

The counties surrounding Chattanooga were responsible for $152,019.10 of the missing money. Cumberland County's Veterans Service Office accounts for $112,437.79 of that shortage. Bledsoe, Franklin, Monroe, Polk and Sequatchie counties represent the other missing $39,581.31.

While some surrounding counties were able to recover some of their missing funds -- including Bradley, $3,314 from the County Mayor's Office; Marion, $87,023.91 from the Haletown Volunteer Fire Department; Polk, $1,900 from the Circuit and General Sessions Courts Clerk's Office; and Cumberland, $21,806.79 from the Veterans Service Office -- several were unable to collect what was owed, and some even found more missing.

Bledsoe is missing $2,568 from its Ambulance Service Department; Franklin is missing $3,046.25 from its Circuit, General Sessions and Juvenile Courts Clerk's Office; Monroe is missing $20,651.30 from its Sheriff's Office; Polk is missing $5,212.46 from its Circuit and General Sessions Courts Clerk's Office; and Sequatchie is missing $7,793.26 from its sheriff's office and $310 from its County Clerk's Office.

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