Audit Reveals Tennessee Wildlife Resource Agency Didn’t Monitor Grant Spending
Image Credit: Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency / Facebook
The Center Square [By Jon Styf] –
The Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency provided both federal and state grants but didn’t monitor how those funds were ultimately used, a new audit report shows.
The Tennessee Comptroller’s Office had four finding in the agency’s audit, which covered July 1, 2019 through Aug. 31, 2022.
That audit showed the agency didn’t following the state’s grant monitoring guidelines, it didn’t appropriately deposit E-Store advertising revenues, it hasn’t established clear rules or a partnership agreement separating the agency and foundation and it did not comply with state policies on information systems security policies.
“The executive director and other members of TWRA’s executive management should take prompt action to initiate grantee monitoring to ensure grantees comply with grant contract terms, follow applicable state and federal laws and regulations and achieve the intended purpose of these programs,” the audit recommended.
The audit found E-Store advertising revenue that was supposed to be deposited in the Wildlife Resources Fund was sent to the agency’s primary bank account and then staff from the agency and foundation could use it for goods outside of the state procurement law.
The audit also found the partnership agreement between the agency and foundation wasn’t clear and lacked transparency on how the two worked together.
The Comptroller’s Office also had one legislative recommendation.
“The General Assembly may wish to consider amending statutory language to clarify its intent for Wetland Acquisition Fund expenditures and to provide citizens and the agency with a clear understanding of the purpose of the recordation tax funds that are allocated to the agency,” the audit said.
About the Author: Jon Styf, The Center Square Staff Reporter – Jon Styf is an award-winning editor and reporter who has worked in Illinois, Texas, Wisconsin, Florida and Michigan in local newsrooms over the past 20 years, working for Shaw Media, Hearst and several other companies. Follow Jon on Twitter @JonStyf.
I just bought my second house and paid nearly $2,500 just in an involuntary land transfer tax that goes to the wetlands conservation fund. Meanwhile the commission has misrepresented the will of waterfowl hunters on the duck blind ordeal. I’m fairly certain our founding fathers started a war over taxation without representation. Want to find misuse of funds look no further than the contract the agency gave to Dock IT to build 42 “duck blinds” for $30-$40K a pop.
I am of the belief it’s time we invoke Article 1 Section 1 of our state constitution and sunset the agency and its puppet commission as it stands so to restructure actual representation in our Wildlife Resources rather than agency of authoritarianism and bureaucratically appointed yes men that don’t represent the will of the hunters.
Sadly the lobbying machine TWRA & Federation have built is a juggernaut and has enough political pull they will likely just get a slap on the wrist. Nothing like taxpayer/license holders fund’s lobbying against taxpayers and license holders.
Sadly,the TWRA has devolved into another Bureaucratic Joke. Their new rules are preventing use of blinds ,to solve another problem they were unable to solve by normal means. I am almost at the end of my string,but I will not miss the nonsense of the evolved rules of the WMA. IMO.