Ryan Alessi, who broke the Herald-Leader’s story on the Kentucky Association of Counties’ scandalous spending, reports on what looks like a reasonable response in selecting a new leader: Ed Hatchett, a former Kentucky state auditor whose office terms were workmanlike and free from scandal, who also has earned Crit Luallen’s endorsement.
Former state Auditor Edward B. Hatchett is the pick to take the helm of the Kentucky Association of Counties, an organization that was blistered in a state audit this year for unchecked and rampant spending.
An 11-member search committee of local officials chose Hatchett from among four finalists they interviewed Monday at Lexington’s Embassy Suites Hotel. The committee will formally recommend Hatchett to the full KACo board at a special meeting Dec. 28.
“Ed was selected because we felt he is best qualified from a number of outstanding candidates to provide the leadership necessary to earn back the trust of Kentucky taxpayers and build on our strong record of service to our members,” said KACo President Rick Smith, a Clark County magistrate.
Hatchett was the state auditor from 1995 through 2003. If approved, he would replace Bob Arnold, who resigned in September after KACo’s spending became the subject of public scrutiny.
The Herald-Leader reported that the organization spent more than $600,000 in two years on travel, meals and entertainment.
Auditor Crit Luallen’s review of KACo found more than $3 million in excessive, undocumented or improper spending at the organization, which provides services and lobbying for counties and sells local governments insurance and finances their projects.
Luallen described KACo as fostering a “self-serving culture” in which board members and top staff indulged in expensive dinners and trips.
In a statement Monday, Luallen said, “Ed Hatchett brings the background and experience to lead KACo into the future with an emphasis on increased accountability.”
I went to college at Centre with Ed Hatchett, and do you know, he looks exactly today like he did back then, in 1971-2-3. That’s assuming that the pic accompanying this piece is recent.
Anyway, Ed always lacked social graces, and I’m told by those who know him today that he still does, but the one thing that no one will say about Ol’ Ed is that he’s dishonest. He’s a worthy predecessor AND successor of Our Lady of the Adding Machine, St. Crit. If I were Ed, I’d tell them I don’t want the job, it has a built-in indictment. But hey, if he wants a challenge, here it is for him. Hope he does well. He’d be hard pressed to do much worse than those he’s replacing.
Hatchett won’t be indicted. He’ll get Crit’s grits from her report shoved into KACo’s SOP’s and take off for a well earned vacation, unlike predescessors who would rake off a vacation, not at all earned.
He has already gotten off to a surefooted start. No specific changes – they are assured to follow – a well written manual that is assured to change the environment.