More Claims Against Commissioner Harrison's Office by Phyllis Jones, Speakin' Out News staff writer

SON photo credit: Phyllis Jones, Speakin’ Out News staff writer
[ABOVE LEFT] (l-r): Paul Procter, HMmap meeting facilitator, and Kevin Matthews at the Huntsville Madison Metro Action Plan (HMmap) meeting that was held, Thursday, October 23rd at the Richard Showers Center. [ABOVE FAR RIGHT] Prince Preyer (former Madison County Commissioner for District 6) took a couple of minutes to re-verify the information that Kevin Matthews had presented. Matthews has been accused of unauthorized distribution of Commissioner Bob Harrison's (District 6) financial documents. However, Matthews says that the documents are of public knowledge.

(HUNTSVILLE, AL) - - A community town hall meeting was held at the Showers Center on Thursday, October 23rd. According to the advertisement flyer, this meeting was brought forth on behalf of HMmap (Huntsville Madison Metro Action Plan). The purpose of this meeting was to "meet, discuss, and debate the information with parties involved to determine what actions will need to be taken in the best interest of the community elected officials and or parties involved." Peter and Paul Procter both acted as the meeting's facilitators. Peter Procter went on to express that HMmap is made up of a group of individuals and is not an organization.

The first and only person to present issues during this town hall meeting was Kevin Matthews. Matthews has been accused of unauthorized distribution of Commissioner Bob Harrison's (District 6) financial documents. However, Matthews says that the documents are of public knowledge.

Matthews' primary issues pertained to the Commissioner's non-profit organization (Northwest Huntsville Community Service Organization) and some of its agents. A School Craft invoice for $168.00 was presented by Matthews.

According to the invoice, supplies were purchased by Cindy Cotton who is employed by Commissioner Harrison. Jo Miley, who is Commissioner Harrison's administrative assistant, authorized Cotton's reimbursement since she used her personal funds to make the $168.00 purchase on August 13, 2008. According to Matthews, Miley was not officially in a position to authorize a reimbursement for Cotton and plus, the documents seemed to have been altered. One copy of the invoice was addressed to Madison County Commission and another copy had been "whited out" and was addressed to Huntsville City School System.

Both Miley and Cotton are performing duties for Northwest but they are on the Commissioner's payroll and this is a concern of Matthews. He even went as far to claim that the conversion of the money was "stealing". For clarification purposes, meeting attendee Eddgra Fallin asked Matthews who was actually stealing. "Jo Miley and Cindy Cotton did a conversion for personal gain for $168.00 by falsifying documentation", Matthews said. He went on to say that there was not a receipt attached to the letter addressed to Dr. Ann Roy Moore (Huntsville City Schools Superintendent) requesting reimbursement for Cotton. However, when another meeting attendee asked Matthews to read the actual letter that was submitted by Miley to Dr. Moore, the letter did state that the purchase receipt was attached. It was actually a copy of the invoice from School Craft that contained Cotton's signature. Matthews seemingly did not think that this invoice was sufficient and a tape register receipt proving the purchase were made by credit card, check, etc. should have been attached.

Meeting attendee Lloyd Philpot asked if anyone had actually been charged of a crime. Matthews said "no, just an audit and an investigation going on." Philpot informed Matthews that with his accusations, he could be faced with some charges.

Carl Fallin (accountant for the Commissioner's non-profit organization) chimed in and asked Matthews, "If these were crimes committed, why haven't you turned this information over to the prosecutor's office or the DA's office? Then there would be no need for this meeting."

Matthews said that he filed a report with Mike Gillespie (Madison County Commission Chair), one day last week, asking for Miley and Cotton's arrest. When asked if an investigation would be performed by Gillespie, Matthews stated that Gillespie had already turned over some issues to Tim Morgan's (District Attorney) office pertaining to some personal gain issues.

Also during the meeting, Prince Preyer (former Madison County Commissioner for District 6) took a couple of minutes to re-verify the information that Matthews had presented. He wanted Matthews to clarify if he thought that the $168.00 school supply bill had indeed been paid twice. When Matthews was asked if the Madison County Commission had indeed paid School Craft Matthews replied, "I think, I don't know."

After time had become of essence, one of the meeting facilitators Peter Procter advised Matthews that he believed that it was the general consensus of the people present to submit this information to the local authorities. Not to say that everyone in attendance agreed with Matthews' accusations, but if it was that important to him, he was encouraged to forward the documents to local authorities and let them handle it.