December 14th, 2015
(Port Angeles) – An investigation has cleared accusations of criminal financial issues brought by the county treasurer.
County treasurer Selinda Barkhuis two weeks ago filed the complaint that the prosecuting attorney had evidence of unauthorized and excessive payments from the county Veterans’ Benefit Fund.
She alleged the prosecutor refused to file criminal charges in the matter and further claimed a local newspaper reporter was a party to the case.
County HR director Rich Sill launched an investigation.
As KONP told you last Friday, Sill issued his final report showing the prosecutor and staff never had evidence of unauthorized or excessive payments as Barkhuis alleged.
Sill said based on all the evidence, “it is clear no unauthorized or excessive payments were made from the veterans’ fund this year.”
The report does say earlier this year, two veterans who were husband and wife separately qualified for fund payments. As a married couple, they received their payments, but they were less than the total amount they were eligible to receive. The payments were recorded as a single account for convenience reasons.