CPA firm weighs in on “Certain employee pay raises”

Certified public accountants, hired by Oconee County, have delivered their report that addresses pay raises awarded to 130 county employees. The firm Cherry Bekaert sent to David Root, the Oconee County attorney, the results of an “internal review and assessment of the Oconee County Human Resources and Payroll functions regarding certain employee pay raises.” Edda Cammick, a former county council member who has seen the report, says, “Rick Martin did nothing wrong as evidenced by the internal audit executive summary.” Martin is the former interim administrator whose awarding of the raises was drawn into question. About him, the report states: “…based on our procedures and contrary to the allegations, the questionable unapproved raises 1) do not appear to be limited to Martin’s tenure as interim County Administrator. 2) were discretionary, but were not limited to friends of Martin or certain departments (and) 3) did not exceed the County’s budget and hence do not appear to violate the Ordinance.” The pay raises were revealed last summer after The Journal learned of them from an anonymous source.