Audit finds money, guns missing in Glasgow

State Auditor Nicole Galloway says an investigation by her office showed thousands of dollars are missing in Glasgow and pins much of the blame on a former city administrator.

Galloway said the “suspicious activity” occurred under the supervision of Kevin Atwood, the former city administrator.

“City funds were used to pay personal credit card and firearms are unaccounted for,” Galloway’s office said in a news release.

A city program to reimburse police for firearms purchases was dogged by poor record keeping and at least three firearms are considered missing, according to the release.

The audit found more than $4,000 missing in cash, with about $3,200 missing in bulk water sale revenue.

“The former city administrator was the only employee with access to the fund at the time,” the release said.

A check was also written to Atwood, who was also the police chief, for $1,050 for a “drug buy,” but according to the report, there is no evidence drug were bought.

The audit also discovered city funds were used to pay personal credit cards, including online purchases from Amazon and video game subscriptions.

“The city recouped some of the fund, but $2,700 has yet to be repaid,” the release said.

The audit also questioned how cost effective phone usage was, allowance programs and purchasing of firearms.

Atwood became police chief in 2004 and was appointed city administrator in 2013. Galloway’s office received a tip from its whisteblower hotline about credit card purchases and firearm inventory issues last fall. The information was referred to the state Department of Public Safety and the Howard County prosecutor and the prosecutor requested a highway patrol investigation, according to the release.

Galloway has sent the report to local, state and federal law enforcement.

Look for more on this developing story.