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  1. #1
    Member jlperkins's Avatar
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    KDFWR audit not so good




    Auditor Harmon Announces 11 Findings from Special Examination of Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources


    AUDITOR MIKE HARMON·TUESDAY, DECEMBER 18, 2018




    Report details failure of agency to create an atmosphere of transparency, accountability of public funds
    FRANKFORT, Ky. (December 18, 2018) – Today, Auditor Mike Harmon released the results of a special examination by his office of the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources (KDFWR) for the past several fiscal years. Auditor Harmon’s office began the examination of KDFWR after receiving a letter from Don Parkinson, Secretary of the Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet asking for a special examination of the agency, which is part of the cabinet. The report details 11 findings and recommendations for the cabinet and KDFWR leadership.
    “The Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources promotes the agency receives no General Fund tax dollars. But given that a large portion of their funding comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, along with federal grants, which are funded by taxpayers, our exam details the greater need for KDFWR to act in a responsible and transparent fashion in following state laws and regulations when it comes to the use of these dollars,” said Auditor Harmon. “Our exam finds many past and current problems at KDFWR, and that a change in culture is needed.”
    In Fiscal Year 2017, KDFWR received more than $70 million in funding. In fiscal year 2016, 57 percent of their revenue came from license sales for fishing and hunting and boating registrations, and 35 percent came from federal tax dollars through grants.
    Among the 11 findings detailed in the exam released by Auditor Harmon’s office are:

    • Co-mingling of restricted funds between the Kentucky Wetland and Stream Mitigation Fund, and the Fish and Game Fund. Since Fiscal Year 2013, KDFWR has transferred approximately $1 million on an annual basis from the Mitigation Fund to the Fish and Game Fund, which is not in compliance with state law and an agreement with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
    • Use of the Kentucky Fish and Wildlife Foundation, which is a charitable organization for promotion of wildlife education and wetlands preservation, to circumvent state procurement laws. Among the purchases identified by auditors included the purchase of $750 of alcohol by a KDFWR employee, who was reimbursed by the Foundation, for an event. State law prohibits the purchase of alcohol with public dollars, and is one of several examples auditors found that appeared to be attempts to circumvent procurement laws, including KDFWR funding the salary of the Foundation’s executive director.
    • More than $20,000 was spent on pre-paid debit cards for volunteers in KDFWR’s hunting education program. Some of the money used to purchase the cards came from federal tax dollars, which could be a violation of federal law.
    • Thousands of dollars spent on meals for KDFWR staff, land owners, and volunteers for several award banquets, including the Commissioner Awards Banquet held each December.
    • Special commission elk permits were awarded with poorly maintained documentation, and some applications were not disqualified even though they did not meet the requirements of administrative regulations.
    • Failure to properly monitor contracts to determine whether the public dollars being spent were efficient and effective, including paying a total of $550,000 from Fiscal Year 2008 to 2017 to a conservation group toward a breeding ground for ducks in Canada. Data from that conservation group showed that only 10 percent of the ducks that migrate to Kentucky come from that Canadian location.
    • Prepayments of more than $70,000 between Fiscal Year 2015 and 2017 to an outside marketing and advertising firm without determining services were received.

    “In many of the issues we identified, the agency justified expenditures by stating that no taxpayer dollars were used,” Auditor Harmon said. “This type of reasoning is illogical, especially when it comes to the use of public funds. All public funds must be spent in compliance with state and federal law. I thank Secretary Parkinson for requesting we do a special examination, and my office is hopeful the leadership at KDFWR will exercise greater transparency and accountability in the future.”
    In response to Auditor Harmon’s examination, Tourism, Arts and Heritage Cabinet Secretary Don Parkinson said, “Thank you very much for the work of your team. The Tourism, Arts, and Heritage Cabinet supports and embraces the general findings and recommendations of this audit, which reinforce our determination that KDFWR’s culture must change, and its transparency, accountability, and responsiveness must dramatically improve.”
    The full report, along with the separate Fiscal Year 2017 audit of KDFWR, can be found on the auditor’s website.







  2. Banned
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    #2
    Good ol boys and their duck blinds. Wonder if artcarney is still singing praises?

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    #3
    Didn't really look all that bad. Audit ANY dept of gov't and suspect you will find something. I see it nothing more that a ploy for the state to get their grubby little fingers into the KDWR.

  4. Member barkleyhawggitter's Avatar
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    #4
    there they go again, the elk tags are rigged. giving them to people who are not supposed to have them. that explains some folks drawing 3 or 4 bull tags in ten years.
    Ranger Forever

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    #5
    $70 million seems like a low budget to me. Our total state budget is over $33 billion. Especially since a significant portion come from hunting and fishing licenses.

  6. RIP Evinrude 1907-2020 JR19's Avatar
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    #6
    KDFW buying alcohol and meals with $ from my licence fee...sounds about par for what I expect from them. If you like a good conspiracy then think about this...the audit was only for $ that was on the books. I have made this statement more than once about KDFW...they will piss on your boots and try to convince you it's raining outside

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    #7
    The state gave KDFW $5.6 million last year. Our population is 4.5 million. So, that's just over $1 per person. That is totally pathetic, no wonder we cant fix the sand traps at Dale Hollow Golf Course, or put the carp barriers in at KY Lake. What a joke.

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    #8
    $750.00 in alcohol oh the shame. I have been to company Christmas parties that you could add a zero to that number and get closer to the amount of money spent on alcohol that night.

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    #9
    Quote Originally Posted by cbp84 View Post
    $750.00 in alcohol oh the shame. I have been to company Christmas parties that you could add a zero to that number and get closer to the amount of money spent on alcohol that night.
    There's a huge difference in private companies and the government spending money on alcohol. No government agency Fed or State should ever spend money on alcohol or parties.

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    #10
    In 2001 ky decided to restock elk and spend untold amounts of $$ on the project at the expense of other resources. Then the great minds decided to make ky a trophy buck state at the expense of other resources. I understand that the high rollers got bored with duck hunting but to ignore the other resources to appease those high rollers has had devastating results!

    Anyone want to guess what else was going on in 2001 and was completely ignored until last few years? Of course Ky and Barkley was already devastated by then.

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    #11
    Quote Originally Posted by TR21Bassin View Post
    There's a huge difference in private companies and the government spending money on alcohol. No government agency Fed or State should ever spend money on alcohol or parties.
    What's the HUGE difference.
    Do you really have that big of a problem with them buying 750.00 in alcohol? If it was a exorbitant ammount I would agree it was a problem.

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    #12
    Quote Originally Posted by cbp84 View Post
    What's the HUGE difference.
    Do you really have that big of a problem with them buying 750.00 in alcohol? If it was a exorbitant ammount I would agree it was a problem.
    Is that the only thing you got out of the audit? That is the smallest issue

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    #13
    It didnt look that bad to me. When you got 70 million floating around a government agency it’s not going to be too hard to find some wasteful spending.

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    #14
    Quote Originally Posted by catch5 View Post
    It didnt look that bad to me. When you got 70 million floating around a government agency it’s not going to be too hard to find some wasteful spending.
    No kidding!!! I wish the rest of the government was that efficient. Don't get me wrong I want them to shore up things. But I'm not gonna complain about buying some dinners and booze for their banquets or gift cards for volunteers of educational programs.

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    #15
    I have little respect for KDFW. I think they spend most of their time trying to do as little as they can, picking low hanging fruit. However, this financial/compliance audit was pretty weak, trying to sensationalize procedure over substance. I wish the State Auditor would expend it’s energy in a full blown performance audit. See what we get for $70 million.

  16. Member slim's Avatar
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    #16
    Quote Originally Posted by TR21Bassin View Post
    There's a huge difference in private companies and the government spending money on alcohol. No government agency Fed or State should ever spend money on alcohol or parties.
    What they spose to drink with all that food and horderves? Water? This is KY, the bourbon better be flowing at ALL parties.

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    #17
    This report states that the money spent came from every "taxpayer" then mentions the fact that the KDFWR is funded by user/excise taxes on fishing, hunting equipment sales and license fees. How much did all those bird watchers, etc. pay for our wildlife management areas,water patrol and enforcement etc. Be careful what you wish for, they have tried to take our money to help bail out their problems with the general fund, teacher pensions etc.

  18. Ranger Boats Moderator 22RangerZ520R's Avatar
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    #18
    Nooooooo!

    Our state pension system is jacked up enough already! Hopefully it'll still be there in 8 years when I can retire, but I'm not holding my breath.

    Quote Originally Posted by ProVle View Post
    Be careful what you wish for, they have tried to take our money to help bail out their problems with the general fund, teacher pensions etc.


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