Last updated on November 19, 2019
CommunityConcerns™: Sheriff – Treasurer In Gilmer County
In recent weeks we have heard former Sheriff and Treasurer Mickey Metz talk about the “accomplishments” that came to fruition during his two previous terms in office.
The people of Gilmer County would like to see more transparency in the people they put in public office.
We at the Free Press have verified the concerns brought up by the citizens and below you can see their concerns and proofs.
Concealed Weapons Fund:
During Mr. Metz term as Sheriff, he waived the concealed weapons permit fee for family members and clearly the guidelines of the concealed weapons code do not leave this to the sheriff’s discretion.
The concealed weapons fund has specific codes that are to be followed by the sheriff and they indicate that the funds remaining AFTER concealed weapons expenses have been allocated can be used at the sheriff’s discretion for the good of his office. The code further specifies items that the money CAN NOT be used for. These concerned citizens ask, Mr. Metz, have you ever reviewed that code?
Please See the Statements from WV Ethics Commission Regarding Use of This Fund
Here are some examples how the fund was misused:
Deputy Phil Program:
Over $300,000.00 was brought before the Commission few months ago which was distributed from the tax lien fund for surplus from land sales that should have been distributed for years 2006-2010. This amount should have been distributed during Mr. Mickey Metz’s term, but was not. Mr. Metz is now making a claim that he was well aware of the money being in the fund, and the citizen question is, IF he was aware of the funds being in the account, WHY didn’t he ensure that it was distributed to the entities as it is supposed to be on an annual basis? Citizens feel it is because he had NO IDEA what was going on in that tax office during either of his terms as was evident by the lack of organization or detail in records during his term. The County Commission had to pay a lot taxpayers’ money to outside help to make a sense of the books and make them balanced.
This was 5 years worth of surplus from land sales totaling nearly $400k. If the former sheriff was so concerned about the citizens and bringing money to the county and saving money, etc. one might think that he would have given some attention to ensuring that they received this $400k in a timely fashion. The 2011 distribution was distributed on time under the supervision of current sheriff.
Sheriff’s Matters – UCR Compliance:
Based on our observation and research it is important to mention that every account within the sheriff’s department currently reconciles on time and with no differences. This process required diligent efforts from the Sheriff, his tax office employees and employees from the State Auditor’s office. We feel this type of work takes time to correct. Our analysis shows little concern was given to the state of the accounts during the Mr. Metz sheriff’s terms and the records and auditor’s notes specifically reflect that.
In our opinion the Sheriff and Treasurer of Gilmer County should not only protect and serve the community through diligent law enforcement but should also strive to maintain accurate collections within the county. They cannot act alone. They must have reliable deputies to aid them in the office, courtroom and field every day.
The position of Sheriff and Treasurer requires many responsibilities. It is important that the county have a Sheriff that can fill the many roles and responsibilities the job requires. Protecting the county’s tax dollars, working to remove drugs and violence from our streets, implementing programs in schools against drugs, working towards grant funding for the county, continuing to build relationships with state and federally funded organizations, all while being in the office, in the courtroom, in the streets and available to the community.
This information IS NOT to campaign for any individual. It is to inform the county about the facts. We feel in our Great America you should vote how you want, support who you want, but you should make sure to trust the right person.
The documents provided here are all public information. We researched because of the concerns of many of our readers who had a desire to be informed, as well as making sure their concerns were valid.
Please follow local media to keep current on local issues. Gilmer Free Press link below.