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AUGUSTA, Ga. ( ) – City officials in Augusta are prepared to escalate the issue of missing funds to the federal level.
“This should have been decided months ago. It’s overdue, and it’s vital for our federal agencies to examine this to determine if there’s any criminal activity involved. We simply don’t know,” stated Mayor Garnett Johnson.
Following an audit revealing nearly $7 million missing from the city’s Housing and Development department, commissioners agreed to involve the Inspector General’s Office of HUD for a thorough investigation.
“Checks were issued without the necessary supporting invoices or documentation. The auditors can’t locate them, so we need explanations,” explained Mayor Pro-Tem Wayne Guilfoyle.
On Tuesday, the commissioners voted to take this significant step, although there were some concerns about whether it’s an excessive measure.
“I hate to have an agency come back and tell us what they found was our own sloppy work that we did not correct ourselves,” said Commissioner Lonnie Wimberly.
But city leaders say the step shows the willingness to get to the bottom of this multi-million dollar question what happen to the money.
“At least now we are moving some direction that hopefully that either vindicates someone from any potential criminal wrongdoing, or if someone has abused some of that money, they need to go to jail,” said Mayor Johnson.
The city wants HUD to investigate, but that agency isn’t out any money.
After being declared out of compliance last year, the city paid more than $8 million dollars in reimbursement, penalties and interest to HUD.