As the county’s internal auditor, Jill Johnson conducted the investigation that led the Doña Ana County Board of Commissioners to formally censure Treasurer Jim Schoonover earlier this year.
Johnson left the position this summer. That’s because she wants Schoonover’s job, which is up for grabs in November 2008.
“Because of the things that went on, I did learn a lot about the treasurer’s office,” Johnson said in a recent interview. “… I think I can do a better job.”
Schoonover and his deputy, Jerry Wheeler, were censured on Feb. 5 for a laundry list of complaints that included misusing county staffers and equipment to benefit the Elks Lodge. The commission also demanded that Schoonover reimburse the county $1,500 for work that was done for the Elks Lodge at taxpayer expense.
The censure also resulted from complaints that Schoonover failed to cooperate and provide information to Johnson for her investigation in violation of state law, that he failed to comply with state law governing the investment of public money and the county’s investment policy, and that he failed to provide documents and other materials for inspection that he is required by the commission to keep ready at all times.
You can read Johnson’s report that led to the censure by clicking here.
Though it wasn’t one of the reasons for the censure, Schoonover also came under fire last year after county Attorney John Caldwell accused him of a felony crime for purchasing 2,300 pencils that resembled his campaign materials with $700 in public money. Schoonover later reimbursed the county for the cost.
Johnson, a Democrat, is already organizing a campaign to try to take the place of the Republican incumbent. She has the benefit of being retired and having a great deal of time to devote to the campaign.
Schoonover declined to say whether he plans to seek re-election, saying he is “just trying to concentrate on initiatives.” In response to Johnson’s candidacy, he said, “I guess that anybody who’s a registered voter can run.”
The history
Johnson moved to
Months later, the county posted the internal auditor job. Johnson said she thought it would be “exciting” to learn about how government works, so she applied and became the county’s first in-house auditor. After being almost immediately thrust into the Schoonover pencil situation, Johnson spent much of her tenure focusing her eyes on the business of the treasurer’s office.
There is certainly no love lost between Schoonover and Johnson. Schoonover has had to reimburse the county a total of $2,200 for the pencils and Elks Lodge work as a result of the investigations by Johnson and Caldwell.
Both have been openly frustrated with the situation and each other. Johnson appeared visibly angry when she first presented the case against Schoonover to the commission in January. For his part, Schoonover refused to answer any questions and sat silent during the February meeting, at times hunched over, while his attorney argued with the commission and Caldwell.
When it became clear she was going to run for the treasurer’s office, Johnson said she knew she had to resign from the auditor job to avoid the appearance that she was using it for personal reasons.
Making changes
Johnson, a retired accountant and auditor who worked for an industrial company in
She said she would better educate commissioners, who also act as the county’s Board of Finance. She said they share some of the blame for a controversy that erupted last year when Schoonover convinced them to change the county’s investment policy to allow him to invest all money in large, national banks instead of putting some in local banks.
She said commissioners didn’t take the time to understand the proposal before they approved it.
Johnson also said she would be “proactive,” would try to anticipate problems and would “take responsibility for mistakes.” She said she would cooperate and be open with other county departments, something Schoonover has been accused of not doing. Johnson said Schoonover’s unwillingness to share information with other county departments has led to “a waste of taxpayer money” because the other departments had to duplicate work Schoonover’s office had already done.
Johnson also said she would invest money in local banks to help the area’s economy. She would review internal controls in the treasurer’s office to increase effectiveness and efficiency and establish new procedures so future treasurers “don’t have the struggles that I know I’m going to have.”
“If I’m elected I will make changes, and I will be in the office to make those changes,” Johnson said.