State Auditor Done With All Bentley Exit Audits

State Auditor Jim Zeigler has finished the required exit audits of four State gubernatorial properties following the resignation of former Gov. Robert Bentley.

Zeigler and staff accounted for all items of state property in the historic Governor’s Mansion on Perry Street in Montgomery, the Governor’s Office in the capitol, the Governor’s beach house at the Gulf and the Blount Mansion, Wynfield, in east Montgomery.

Zeigler said: “The four property managers handling the Governor’s properties are well-organized and did a good job getting ready for the audits under expedited circumstances.”

Bentley resigned as governor April 10, which triggered the requirement of the four audits by the State Auditor.  Zeigler says his small staff, cut from 12 to 7 by budget cuts since he took office, postponed scheduled audits to complete the required exit audits following the change of gubernatorial administration.

“We saw no problems in the four locations.  Gov. Bentley left the state properties in good shape.  His property managers worked well with us,” Zeigler said Friday.

In a report to Gov. Kay Ivey, Zeigler certified that all 257 state assets in the Perry Street Governor’s Mansion were accounted for.  They had a total cost of $891,682.54.

In the report on the Governor’s Office in the state capitol, Zeigler certified to Ivey that all 249 state assets in the Governor’s Office were accounted for.  They had a total cost to the State of $245,848.32.

In his audit of the controversial Governor’s beach house, Zeigler and staff were searching for 98 state assets worth $101,259.80.   Instead, they located 100 state assets worth $105,191.12.

Zeigler says the difference was items that had not been included in the state database for the beach house.  He says the beach house had not been audited in over 18 years, as it stood unused and deteriorating.

Zeigler says that responsibility for the four locations now switches from Bentley to Ivey.  She has already begun work in the Governor’s offices and is expected to move into the Perry Street mansion soon.

The State Auditor’s Office is required to inventory all State items of “non-consumable personal property” worth $500 or more.