Missouri State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick releases an Audit Report on the Stone County Developmental Disabilities Board the organizations response to it.

The reported, released on the State Auditor's website on Monday, rated the SCDD Board procedures as Fair after a petition audit was requested to evaluate the board in several areas including internal controls over significant management and financial functions, with certain legal provisions, and the economy and efficiency of certain management practices and procedures, including certain financial transactions.

Included in the findings were improper posting and recording of certain committee meetings, discussion of topics in closed session not covered in those provisions of the Sunshine Law, and the improper awarding of a contract for a construction project. 

The release also included the response by the SCDD Board, sent to the auditor by Executive Director LaDella Thomas. While the board said the improper posting of meetings was an oversite on the Sunshine Law, the board does dispute several of the findings, including using the construction manager-at-risk method to hire a manager for their new facility project. Fitzpatrick states that Missouri Law only allows political subdivisions to use that method if a project is over $3 million, which the board feels does not apply to them because of their belief that they are not a political subdivision be definition of Missouri Law. 

The Stone County Developmental Disabilities Board was formed after voters passed a tax levy in 2016. The board is responsible for helping to provide direct services and funding for local nonprofits to provide services for county residents who have developmental disabilities. 

The report and SCDD response can be found on the Missouri State Auditor's Website.

Since that time, the board has provided direct services, as well as funding for local nonprofit organizations providing services on its behalf, to Stone County residents who have developmental disabilities.