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Lauderdale Solid Waste Office Manager Trina Holden Reynolds
It seems waste in local government has a new meaning. Trina Holden Reynolds, office manager for the Lauderdale County Solid Waste Department, has been accused of embezzling at least 2.5K dollars. This is a preliminary figure used simply for bringing initial charges. Authorities expect this figure to rise after a forensic audit.
While men usually embezzle in larger amounts than women, the fairer sex is by far more often to steal from employers. FBI statistics state men account for only 36% of embezzlement type crimes, while women make up 63% of these creative accountants. Apparently 1% of embezzlement crimes go unsolved.
At least locally, we've had many more reported cases of theft by government employees than by those in the private sector. Is this because government employees receive less oversight or perhaps because these women consider government funds to be at least partially theirs to start with? Possibly theft in the private sector is covered up and paid for by insurance companies or reimbursed from employee retirement accounts. When these types of crimes are reported, those in authority always promise tighter controls in future. It would certainly be expedient if government department heads took more initiative before the crime--not afterward.
Related post: Who Embezzles & Why?
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There have been several recent online discussions concerning tattoos and what they say about those who proudly wear them. Obviously tattoos are more mainstream than in the past, but the ink art still carries certain legal restrictions. In Alabama, it's illegal for anyone to tattoo a person under the age 18 without express written consent from a parent or other legal guardian. Body piercings and scarification carry the same restrictions.
Tomorrow we'll look at what physicians and psychologists say about the relationship between tattoos and violence. In the mean time, feel free to send us your take on the subject--as our friend the Brown Recluse says, we know you want to.
Shoalanda
I work for the government as a school bookkeeper and budgetkeeper. There are safeguards in place in the county I work for, to prevent money being stolen. I had to be finger printed to get my job, so at least that would weed out someone with a sordid past. I have to balance every month and I get audited every year. If I was a sleeze-bag and real stupid I could steal field trip money or fundraiser money. I don't think that people are seeing enough jail time for these crimes; so people are not afraid to steal. If you're saved you're not gonna steal. But the un-saved need a deterrent not to steal. These babes who have been stealing, need to start going away for a long time; and maybe we should take their houses and cars away to get the money back. they need to suffer big time.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being an honest government employee! Our take on it that some go through desperate times when temptation is high. Safeguards in place deter those who might consider stealing from their employer, be it public or private.
DeleteAs for jail time? Prisons are overcrowded. Those convicted are usually punished enough by having their names dragged through the mud. Let's just make sure any public funds are repaid as soon as possible.
@ivy - "if you're saved you're not going to steal"??? LMAO! Think about that statement, please. You probably shouldn't speak for your "saved" brothers and sisters! Lots of "saved" people do some very bad things! And a LOT of those bad things are done in their god's name! I know, I know...you're going to say, "well, if they do bad things then they're not saved!". That's great logic and very convenient.
ReplyDelete@SS - I know several Trina Holden Reynolds. Would you mind printing the names of her parents, children and husband so I can make sure I don't shame the wrong person?
Do any of the other Trina Holden Reynoldses hold a professional license in Alabama? If so, we can publish the names of her two sons--she doesn't seem to be married.
DeleteSince Shoalanda usually reports after the fact and the mule is long gone out of the barn, why not appoint one of your staff to, on a random basis, pull up a chair in offices of our local government, monitor the goings-on, take notes and report the findings on your blog.
ReplyDeleteI’m just guessing but I would think inconsistencies in the waste department might come from dumping fees at the landfill. Some of your staff could take a chair in the scale house and monitor fees paid and receipts written and report the sample to audit.
The purchasing department would be another hot spot of activity worth monitoring.
What the taxpaying citizens in fact get in the final outcome of contracts bid or negotiated in good faith when compared to drawings and/or specifications. A work, product or service should not result in in any difference due to incomplete, not equal to or shoddy execution of the same work, product or service.
As department head this person should have overseen dual control over even small amounts of money in petty cash. Money counted and recorded by two people at the source of intake, at the office upon delivery by two persons, and deposit slips/ledger entries likewise. If there weren't enough people in the department for dual control at each step the funds should have gone straight to the county commission office to be counted.
ReplyDeleteCounty employees used to be bonded.
Stealing is wrong. No exceptions. Regardless of source. Those who take what is not theirs should pay the price. No exceptions.