Judge finds no crimes in treasurer's office

HAMILTON  — An investigation into the Ravalli County treasurer’s office found personal dissatisfaction and conflict among employees, but no criminal conduct as alleged by Treasurer Valerie Stamey after she was placed on administrative leave in January.

Retired District Judge Nels Swandal released an eight-page report Thursday saying he hoped the level of dysfunction he found in the treasurer’s office does not exist in other county offices and recommended hiring a consultant to identify and resolve any issues that still exist. 

Shortly after Stamey was placed on leave for failing to file reports, deposit nearly $1 million in tax payments and disburse that money to schools and other recipients, she alleged files were missing from the treasurer’s office, the county was illegally selling tax liens and that employees were funneling tax deeds to certain purchasers. She also complained county commissioner J.R. Iman prevented her from accessing the treasurer’s bank accounts and safe for three weeks after she was appointed in September 2013.

Swandal was asked to investigate her claims and found that mistakes were made, and employees didn’t get along, but nothing was done illegally and some of the claims had no merit.

“It is my opinion that if the personnel in the Treasurer’s Office had acted as a team with the goal of serving the tax-paying public and getting the job done, Ravalli County would not have faced the problems it did after Mrs. Stamey’s selection,” Swandal wrote.

He said the employees had enough knowledge and experience to do the job, but that some “decided that they would not ‘train her’ or actively assist in fulfilling the obligations of the office,” leaving Stamey to figure it out on her own. He added that Stamey should have made more of an effort to learn her duties and responsibilities.

The report said based on the information available to county commissioners in September 2013, he would have hired Stamey over the other candidate, saying she gave a better interview and her resume was impressive and showed years of experience in government procurement and accounting. He did not verify the veracity of her resume.

However, he said the commission should have run a check on Stamey’s financial background, which would have revealed a 2009 default judgment for $22,000 in South Carolina. Swandal said the commission also should have asked the applicants for any other names or aliases they have used and whether they have been involved in any civil litigation.

Swandal said he found a general lack of discipline and focus among employees of the treasurer’s office before Stamey was appointed, but said her appointment “may have escalated these problems.”

Swandal said Stamey declined his request to interview her.