Tennessee State Museum's artifacts and alcohol not safe, new report finds

The front entrance of the Tennessee State Museum. Gov. Bill Haslam's budget for the new fiscal year includes $120 million for construction of a new museum on the Bicentennial Mall and is expected to be bolstered by a $40 million private fundraising campaign.
The front entrance of the Tennessee State Museum. Gov. Bill Haslam's budget for the new fiscal year includes $120 million for construction of a new museum on the Bicentennial Mall and is expected to be bolstered by a $40 million private fundraising campaign.

NASHVILLE -- A just-released state Comptroller's performance audit takes issues with some Tennessee State Museum management operations, noting some museum higher-ups' hiring practices and background checks including one employee later fired for stealing.

In all, auditors from Comptroller Justin Wilson's State Audit Division listed seven separate findings at the museum. Two were repeat findings fron the last audit. They are:

photo Justin P. Wilson, Tennessee Comptroller

* Hiring an employee who didn't meet all of the position's job requirements.

* Employee background check procedures didn't sufficiently mitigate risks.

* The museum has yet to develop and implement adequate internal controls over employee time and attendance.

* Deficiencies still exist in the Museum's purchasing reconciliation process.

* The Museum did not properly document approvals and authentication information before acquiring items for its collection.

* Water problems within the James K. Polk Cultural Center pose a threat to the Museum's artifacts.

* The Museum failed to safeguard alcoholic beverages that are used for receptions and stored on-site.

While not rising to the level of findings, the audit also points out the Douglas Henry State Museum Commission did not ensure that it appropriately developed conflict-of-interest forms and procedures. Members did not follow established internal policy by completing annual conflict-of-interest forms. The Museum Commission did not follow quorum standards and the Tennessee State Museum lacked adequate controls for using the Tennessee State Museum Foundation credit card and did not always comply with statewide travel regulations.

Auditors wrote that "based on our examination of certain employees' personnel records, we found one instance where museum management hired an employee who did not meet all of the position's job requirements.

"In addition," auditors said, "despite taking steps toward requiring background checks for positions involved in collections and fiscal functions, museum management had not attached a background check to an Administrative Services Assistant 2 position formerly held by an employee who was terminated after a Comptroller investigation revealed that she stole from the museum."

Museum Commission members are holding a scheduled meeting today in Memphis.

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