State auditor launches audit of Christian County

Missouri State Auditor Susan Montee's office has launched an audit of Christian County after receiving the required number of voter signatures.

Montee received petitions containing 3,836 signatures of registered resident voters who requested the audit, according to a news release. State statutes required a minimum of 3,783 signatures. The state auditor is required to conduct an audit of any political subdivision if enough registered voters request it.

State law also requires that the entity being audited pay for the audit. The Christian County audit has been quoted between $50,000 and $60,000, according to Allison Bruns, director of communications for the auditor's office.

Anyone with information or concerns about Christian County may contact the auditor's office by phone at (800) 347-8597, by e-mail at moaudit@auditor.mo.gov, or by mail at PO Box 869, Jefferson City, MO 65102. All submissions will be kept confidential, according to the release.

Montee recently completed an audit of the city of Ozark, which is in Christian County. The audit found no serious problems or criminal activity, but it did identify several risk areas that have resulted from the city's growth spurt.