CONWAY, SC (WBTW) – Horry County’s government accused the county treasurer, Angie Jones, of mismanaging her office and hiring employees as political favors.
The county made the allegations Thursday in a legal response to the treasurer’s lawsuit against the county. Jones, who can’t be fired by county officials because she’s elected by voters, claimed the county doesn’t give her office enough resources.
In a response filed by Horry County, attorneys claimed any of the issues described by Jones are a result of her failure to “properly manage the office of the treasurer and properly understand South Carolina law.” The county’s attorneys noted the treasurer’s office had previously operated within budget. Jones took office this year.
The county also claimed Jones hired inexperienced friends and political supporters while forcing out or firing several long-term and experienced employees.
The county also had a direct response to one of Jones’s claims that she had no input on the budget for the Treasurer’s Office because it was approved before she took office in July of 2017. The county claims that Jones had an opportunity to present any concern or complaint during the budgeting process.
In addition, the county claims Jones accepted an offer prior to taking office to be a temporary employee to work in several Horry County offices and to visit and consult with other treasurer’s offices throughout the state. According the the county’s response, the temporary employment was suppose to help educate Jones about “the budget and myriad duties and responsibilities of the county treasurer.” The response said Jones accepted the job, which began in early September 2016 – a time when News13 confirmed Jones left her job as an administrative assistant in the Horry County Clerk of Court’s Office. (Jones had worked in the Clerk’s Office since June of 2016 after resigning as Deputy Treasurer in the county.) The job was supposed to last until June 30, 2017 – the day before Jones took office as Treasurer. However, the county claimed “after several weeks, she started being absent from work without notice, left work early or took extended lunches, and refused to engage in the multiple opportunities offered by the county. As a result, the county had no choice but to seek an end to her temporary employment.”
Horry County also counter-sued Jones and asked Jones to personally pay for budget deficits in the treasurer’s office since she took office, It also asked for her to pay the county for its legal costs.
