Update on Fire 12

Mason County Sheriff Ryan Spurling filled in new Matlock Fire 12 commissioners on the FBI’s investigation into alleged fraud committed by the former administration, saying the inquiry is proceeding.

“I can tell you that I’m satisfied that they’re still moving forward,” Spurling said at Fire 12’s Oct. 14 meeting.

“Last week I called the supervisor of the FBI agent who’s involved in the investigation,” Spurling said.

“They asked me not to divulge anything right now because it may compromise some of the investigation,” he said.

While much of what the supervisor told him is confidential, Spurling reassured commissioners the FBI is still on the case.

The sheriff also promised to give monthly in-person updates at the commission meetings.

An accountability audit and fraud investigation released by the state Auditor’s Office in September 2022 said the district misappropriated almost $70,000 in public money and paid $95,000 in unsupported expenses.

The FBI contacted then-Sheriff Casey Salisbury, offering to have its government corruption unit take over the investigation, Spurling said.

MCSO agreed, noting the FBI had more resources available, according to Spurling.

In April, Spurling asked MCSO Detective Sgt. Jeff Rhoades to get involved.

Chief Mike Brown has been compiling a list of all of Fire 12 inventory that is missing, stolen or unaccounted for to give to investigators.

Commissioner Trina Young asked Spurling why his office couldn’t proceed separately from the FBI on local issues associated with alleged fraud.

Spurling said when concurrent investigations happen, you have to work together so different law enforcement agencies are not asking for the same things, such as a search warrant.

Spurling asked the community to be patient.

“If we rush now, we’ll miss some things. This is a pretty complicated spiderweb,” he said.

Second fraud report

Commissioners also approved an $8,516.50 invoice for attorney fees related to Public Records Act violations by the former administration and $5,052.83 for EMS supplies.

“We had to throw away everything that was in there because there was mice feces all over everything,” Fire Chief Mike Brown said.

Young and Brown met with the state auditor

Oct. 4 about ongoing audits.

The Auditor’s Office plans to file another fraud report, according to Young.

It will take a forensic accountant to determine the previous board’s full liability, Young said.

“The remaining cost on the accountability audit is $21,000. The total costs of that audit is more than $37,000,” she said.

“The next audit will be another $37,000, too. The fraud report is going to cost around $45,000,” Brown said.

“In the first audit, one of the recommendations was that we would seek restitution for the price of the audits,” Brown said.