News

Kentucky Emergency Management Chief Resigns

By:
Posted on:

< < Back to

Kentucky's emergency management chief has resigned after a team of auditors found misuse of taxpayer money, intimidation of employees and an overtly hostile workplace within his agency.

Gov. Steve Beshear said he accepted John Heltzel's resignation Thursday morning, two days after state Auditor Adam Edelen released findings from a review that found some $5.6 million in questionable spending in recent years, some of it on alcohol, entertainment and door prizes at conferences.

Edelen said current and former employees of the agency described a hostile work environment that discouraged them from reporting waste, fraud and abuse.

Beshear said in a statement that the audit make it clear that new leadership was needed in the agency.