DES MOINES - January 17, 2014 - Today, AFSCME Iowa Council 61 President Danny Homan released the following statement regarding a recent audit showing mismanagement and inappropriate spending by the former director of the 6th Judicial District Department of Correctional Services and some members of his management team:
"I want to make clear that these inappropriate expenditures and mismanagement were made by the former district director and some of his management employees. This inappropriate spending was not made by, nor did it benefit, the district's front line staff (bargaining unit members). In spite of mismanagement and understaffing, the community-based corrections non-management staff work tirelessly and with dedication to help prepare offenders to fully rejoin society.
"Director Baldwin needs to own up to his failures in oversight. The only thing rogue about this agency was the actions of the former district director and some of his management. Director Baldwin knew about mismanagement by the district director long before he asked for the State Auditor to step in and investigate. He even publicly admitted that this latest issue was not the first time problems had arisen. Director Baldwin and Governor Branstad must make clear that it was the managers who failed to uphold the public trust, not the front-line employees (bargaining unit staff) who are actually doing the work to make this state a safer place to live."
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