Pubdate: Wed, 08 Dec 2004
Source: Kansas City Star (MO)
Copyright: 2004 The Kansas City Star
Contact:  http://www.kcstar.com/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/221
Author: Benita Y. Williams

PROSECUTOR, DRUG TAX AUDITOR WILL SPEAK

The Jackson County Legislature will allow the auditor examining the 
county's anti-drug tax to be interviewed by county Prosecutor Mike Sanders.

Auditor David Cochran of Cochran, Head and Co. said Sanders had asked to 
talk to him about allegations that records were destroyed. Cochran said he 
did not know what information Sanders was seeking. But he said he needed 
the Legislature, which hired him, to waive a confidentiality agreement with 
him before an interview with Sanders.

"I have no problem speaking with the prosecutor, but I can't reveal my 
clients' information to anyone without their permission," Cochran said.

Cochran said he expected to be subpoenaed by a county grand jury if 
legislators withheld permission.

Last week the grand jury issued several subpoenas to county officials for 
documents and testimony about records destruction.

The flap began in late October when county staff members told the auditing 
firm that some 1996 anti-drug tax records - which the staff earlier said 
existed - had been purged. County Executive Katheryn Shields said a 
mislabeled box had mistakenly led a staff member to think the records existed.

Also in October, an anonymous allegation surfaced that additional records 
were being moved or destroyed to keep them from the auditors.

Last week, Shields released polygraph reports that she said cleared two 
staffers of allegations that they destroyed records. She said the 
allegations were made by Sanders.

However, Sanders said he had not identified anyone as suspects of an 
inquiry into records destruction.

In other business, legislators on Monday defined the term "residency" for 
county employees. Jackson County requires its employees to be residents of 
the county. Under the ordinance approved Monday, a residence is "the true 
fixed and permanent address of an individual, where when such individual is 
absent the individual has the intention of returning to that address and 
remaining there as their permanent abode."

The residency issue arose in May when the county's chief administrative 
officer, Art Chaudry, was accused of living in Johnson County. KCTV, 
Channel 5, said in a news report that Chaudry returned nightly to another 
home he owns in Overland Park.

County officials defended Chaudry's residency status, saying he owns a home 
in Jackson County, pays property taxes there and is registered to vote 
there. On Monday, county spokesman Ken Evans said Chaudry's status was also 
valid under the new residency definition.
- ---
MAP posted-by: Beth