WEBSTER COUNTY, Iowa — Webster County is missing nearly $24,000 following years of mishandled financial transactions by its previous public health director.
An audit released on Friday alleges that former director Kari Prescott told workers to deposit Webster County's immunization and tuberculosis test payments into a bank bag in her desk rather than to the county treasurer, which goes against department policy.
Prescott, who was terminated in May 2022 after an internal investigation, had held the director position since 2008. After her dismissal, a county auditor flagged the situation for state auditor Rob Sand, and an official audit began.
Auditors analyzed department reports from July 2016 to May 2022, comparing the number of shots and tests administered to the amount of money the county should have received, resulting in a disparity of $24,436.
Uninsured patients receiving immunizations and tuberculosis tests must pay the county by cash or check, in turn allowing officials to bill insurance companies on behalf of the county.
Immunization clinic forms, cash and checks received by the county are then paperclipped together and left in a bank bag with a bookkeeper, who is supposed to bring receipts and cash to the county treasurer's office.
But that's not what happened, according to the report.
"The former bookkeeper also stated they would remove the cash that was collected and gave it directly to Ms. Prescott per instructions given by Ms. Prescott," the audit reads. "The former bookkeeper also stated, that in some instances, Ms. Prescott would get the cash collected out of the bank bag herself."
Prescott refused to talk with auditors during their investigation.
Along with the $24,000 in undeposited cash, other irregularities during Preston's tenure were discovered.
Auditors found Prescott was also reimbursed just over $1,600 for miles she drove, despite no documentation confirming whether Prescott needed to drive for work.
Another employee, who was not named in the audit, was paid tens of thousands of dollars for providing services they did not have qualifications for. That employee's payroll was billed at $102 an hour to the Family Planning Grant over five months, resulting in $29,000 of improper pay.
Read the full audit at this link.