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Mecklenburg County Manager Harry Jones said Wednesday he will meet with commissioners to address complaints about his role in the disappearance of thousands of dollars from the Department of Social Services.
Jones called the meeting after learning some commissioners questioned how much responsibility he bears for the missing money.
A probe into misspending at a DSS Christmas charity has widened to include the entire agency. Audits revealed the county cannot account for $162,000 meant to buy holiday gifts for needy children. That includes a $10,000 check made out to an employee.
Wednesday, Jones wrote an e-mail to commissioners saying he would discuss his oversight of DSS during a meeting Tuesday.
“I was surprised to learn from a reporter (about) concerns expressed by some of you, to him, about my leadership with respect to the DSS issues we are currently addressing,” Jones wrote. “I do not want those concerns to fester between now and my performance evaluation.”
He did not return calls seeking comment.
The e-mail came in response to Republicans who said Jones should be held responsible for accounting failures in the county's second-largest agency.
“The buck stops with Harry,” Karen Bentley said.
Bill James complained that officials cannot say how much money has disappeared in recent years because DSS has not been fully audited since 1996.
“Where was Harry in all of this?” James asked.
DSS employs about 1,200 people and spends about $176million a year to provide services to the poor, disabled and others.
Problems surfaced this year when Director Mary Wilson said she and an employee discovered questionable spending and bookkeeping practices in spending programs for poor families and foster children.
Officials have suspended two DSS employees who were suspected of taking $110,000 from a holiday charity. One of the workers has been exonerated and reinstated, while the other is on medical leave.
Charlotte-Mecklenburg police are helping the county investigate. No criminal charges have been filed.
Earlier this week, Jones said his role as county manager requires he “expect and accept responsibility.” He has held the job since 2000.
Under Mecklenburg's county government system, Jones oversees the day-to-day operations. He reports to the Mecklenburg Board of County Commissioners.
Three general managers help Jones supervise the county's agencies and their directors.
Janice Allen Jackson oversaw DSS for four years as a general manager before stepping down this year. Allen Jackson also served as interim director of DSS for six months until Wilson was hired in July 2008.
She said she was unaware of any accounting problems during her tenure.
Commissioner George Dunlap, a Democrat, said Jones doesn't deserve the lion's share of blame. Officials, Dunlap said, should try to identify which managers below Jones failed to provide proper oversight.
“In business, the head honcho always takes responsibility,” Dunlap said. “In government, you have so many employees you have to put that on the department heads.”
Fred Kelly: 704 358-5027
