Leflore County Treasurer Joe Wiles resigned from his elected position on Sunday (Jan. 31).
His resignation letter was turned over to the LeFlore county clerks office, and county commissioners will meet on Wednesday (Feb. 3) at 8:30 a.m. to officially accept the letter.
Commissioners will also discuss appointing April Caughern to fill the vacancy until a special election is underway.
LeFlore County Commissioners said state auditors took several months going through county records. Their findings consisted of travel claim discrepancies.
According to Wiles' resignation , the state auditor discovered "less than $1,400 worth of travel claims that are asserted as being improper," the letter said.
Wiles wrote, "I elected to repay these travel claims as opposed to contesting and disputing the claims at great expense to myself and the County/State."
He said that the restitution and resignation should end the matter without criminal prosecution.
The state auditors report has been turned over to the Muskogee County prosecutor.
In the Oklahoma state auditors report, Wiles is accused of reimbursement worth nearly $3,000. The reimbursement is for trips the state office claims Wiles never took. In the report, the auditor claims to have checked for Wiles' signature at the alleged training events, which did not turn up.
Chairman and Leflore County commissioner Lance Smith will be at the commissioners meeting Wednesday to accept Wiles' resignation letter.
" I feel like Joe looked at the circumstances and decided this was the best thing he could do for him and his family," he said. "I want to thank Joe for the time he spent in office and I think Joe did do a good job. I am saddened by the circumstances and hope we can move on from here with the job we need to do for the people in this county."
Wiles' position was an elected one. Smith said a new election for county treasurer will be held in June during a special election. If there is an opponent from both the Democratic and Republican party, those candidates will move on to the November general election.
