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Auditor Galloway releases audit of Missouri State Fair

 

JEFFERSON CITY, MO (Dec. 3, 2015) State Auditor Nicole Galloway today released an audit of the Missouri State Fair. The audit, which received an overall performance rating of “good,” identified several areas where improvements could be made.

“The Missouri State Fair promotes the benefits of the agriculture industry and its many offerings in Missouri,” Auditor Galloway said. “The annual event is a tradition for many families, and ensuring it is run efficiently is in the best interest of both the agricultural community and the hundreds of thousands of fairgoers who attend and participate in the fair each year.”

 

The audit found issues with the tracking of hours worked by a fair employee, specifically for a retired employee who was collecting retirement benefits while continuing state work. In this case, the actual hours the employee worked were not tracked to ensure compliance with state laws related to retirement benefits. Instead, the employee received a set daily amount regardless of the number of hours worked, totaling payments of $66,432 over a two-year period, while continuing to receive retirement benefits.

The audit also raised concerns with compliance of agreement terms between the State Fair Commission and the State Fair Foundation. The commission and the foundation entered into an agreement in 2006 at the recommendation of a previous audit, but agreement terms have not been enforced. The foundation has not received an independent audit to provide full transparency to the public. 

The audit also showed minutes are not prepared for closed session meetings of the Missouri State Fair Commission.

The complete audit is online here.