PINE BLUFF -- Unauthorized bonuses paid to employees of the Jefferson County clerk's office are the subject of an Arkansas State Police investigation, County Judge Dutch King said Wednesday.
An Arkansas Legislative Audit report released by county officials Wednesday notes that Jefferson County Clerk Patricia Royal Johnson issued more than $60,000 in bonuses to employees since 2009 without seeking approval from the Quorum Court.
In addition, the audit report noted that Jefferson County Sheriff Gerald Robinson issued $10,000 in bonuses to his employees in 2013 without Quorum Court approval.
It was unclear Wednesday whether the sheriff's office is also part of the state police inquiry.
News of an investigation into Johnson's office first surfaced in October, when Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney Kyle Hunter asked a judge to appoint a special prosecutor to oversee the probe. At that time, neither the prosecutor nor state police would confirm why they were investigating Johnson's office.
King said Wednesday that he could not speak further on the matter, citing the ongoing investigation.
A message left for special prosecutor Jack McQuary of Little Rock, who is leading the investigation, was not immediately returned Wednesday evening.
State police spokesman Bill Sadler deferred questions to McQuary.
Attempts to contact Robinson and Johnson were also unsuccessful late Wednesday.
In a letter sent to Circuit Judge Berlin Jones in October, Hunter wrote that the state police's findings showed "allegations involving Patricia Royal Johnson that are criminal in nature" and "because of the working relationship between Ms. Johnson, her office and my office, it's in the best interest of justice and this community that a special prosecutor be appointed to review the investigation and make the decisions involving this matter."
The Legislative Audit report notes that Johnson "paid bonuses to her employees totaling $22,101 for the year ended December 31, 2013, which were not approved by the [Jefferson County] Quorum Court.
"To justify these payments, Johnson prepared payroll documents which indicated the employees were being compensated for overtime worked. The number of overtime hours reflected on this document (970) far exceeded the number of overtime hours actually worked (55), according to time clock reports."
The audit further states that Johnson "paid bonuses to her employees totaling $11,290, $14,220, and $6,443 for the years ... 2012, 2011, and 2010, respectively.
"These bonuses were not approved by the Quorum Court. Payroll documents indicate the employees were being compensated for overtime worked. However, the county's personnel policy requires that salaried employees receive compensatory time rather than payment for overtime worked."
The audit also says Robinson's office doled out more than $87,000 in unused holiday pay to jail and sheriff's office employees who resigned or were terminated between Jan. 1, 2009, and Dec. 31, 2013, without seeking approval from the Quorum Court.
Further, the audit notes, more than $34,000 in accrued compensatory time was given to employees who resigned or were terminated during that same period, along with more than $16,000 in unused sick leave.
All of the payments go against the county's personnel policy, the audit said.
The audit's last finding involving the sheriff's office notes more than $5,000 in overpayments were also made for employees, which "appeared to be the result of clerical errors made by the county clerk's office."
State Desk on 02/19/2015