Watson approved the work on Meredith's house...
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PRESS RELEASE
CONTACT: Lisa H. Shoemaker (601) 576-2645 or (601) 613-8518
DATE: October 16, 2008
State Auditor Stacey Pickering Issues Demand to Watson for $12,333
(Jackson, Miss.) State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued a demand to Mississippi State Interim President Vance Watson for $12,333 for landscaping work performed on property belonging to Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Tom Meredith on March 22, 2007, following an investigation by the State Auditor's Office launched in September.
"Our investigation revealed that landscaping work was done by Mississippi State University after a request from Dr. Meredith to Dr. Watson for recommendation of landscaping and soil testing on Meredith's residence in Rankin County. The project developed past normal activities performed by the Extension Service and involved Mississippi State equipment, personnel and materials," said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. "Dr. Watson, then Vice President and director of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, was the official responsible for this project and must reimburse Mississippi State University for the cost of the project."
The $12,333 represents the principal, interest and investigative costs involved in this investigation. Watson paid $12,333 to the State Auditor's Clearing Account on Wednesday, October 15, and those funds will be returned to Mississippi State University.
Since taking office January 10, State Auditor Stacey Pickering has recovered $1,688,218.23 in taxpayer funds that were misappropriated, misused or embezzled.
CONTACT: Lisa H. Shoemaker (601) 576-2645 or (601) 613-8518
DATE: October 16, 2008
State Auditor Stacey Pickering Issues Demand to Watson for $12,333
(Jackson, Miss.) State Auditor Stacey Pickering issued a demand to Mississippi State Interim President Vance Watson for $12,333 for landscaping work performed on property belonging to Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Tom Meredith on March 22, 2007, following an investigation by the State Auditor's Office launched in September.
"Our investigation revealed that landscaping work was done by Mississippi State University after a request from Dr. Meredith to Dr. Watson for recommendation of landscaping and soil testing on Meredith's residence in Rankin County. The project developed past normal activities performed by the Extension Service and involved Mississippi State equipment, personnel and materials," said State Auditor Stacey Pickering. "Dr. Watson, then Vice President and director of the Mississippi Agriculture and Forestry Experiment Station, was the official responsible for this project and must reimburse Mississippi State University for the cost of the project."
The $12,333 represents the principal, interest and investigative costs involved in this investigation. Watson paid $12,333 to the State Auditor's Clearing Account on Wednesday, October 15, and those funds will be returned to Mississippi State University.
Since taking office January 10, State Auditor Stacey Pickering has recovered $1,688,218.23 in taxpayer funds that were misappropriated, misused or embezzled.
the Ole Miss cocksuker makes $366K per year and got free landscaping out of the deal. What else has he done or will he do????
Call your state Senator and Representative and tell him/her to support Doug Davis's plan of getting rid of IHL and giving each school their own board. This is the only way MSU will be able to move forward.
If anyone wants to see what the process should look like check out UT's Chancellor search. Here are their finalists with bio's:
http://chancellor.utk.edu/search/finalists/
http://chancellor.utk.edu/search/finalists/
This is really, really messed up. Meredith should not be allowed to skate away from the incident and leave Watson holding the bag. He at the very least is ethically implicted in this. He knew whether or not he had paid for the work done. He is the IHL commissioner and should have known the rules. The IHL should hold him just are responsible as Watson if not more so.
