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TERRELL COUNTY, GA --
After an auditor pointed out the improper payment history of the Terrell County Tax Commissioner, the Terrell County Board of Commissioners decided to sent the findings to Georgia Governor Nathan Deal.

Commission Chair Wilbur Gamble says in the years since Peggy Pritchard has been serving as tax commissioner, she has not turned over the property tax and public utility tax collections every two weeks, as the law states.

In the letter from Garland, Williams & Associates, the audit says despite having turned over $250,000 on October 30, 2012, Pritchard still owed the county's general fund $212,450.07 for the tax collection period of October 1, 2011 through September 30, 2012.

Gamble says through the years the board has turned a blind eye to the practice, but now that the auditors have written a report on it, they must address the inconsistencies.

Instead of turning the money in on the basis the law requires, Gamble says Pritchard lets it accumulate before turning it to the general fund.

Commissioners say once turned over, the amount of money is correct and there are no accusations of fraud, but Gamble says they are allowing the governor to decide on how to handle the issue.

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