The Behinder we get...
The Audit Saga
Bottom line: The reason for high water and sewer bills appears to be due to outright theft and fraud mingled with gross negligence, poor judgement and old fashioned greed. Funds that should have been available are not. But the bills for operation keep coming and need to be paid. Currently the citizens of Oakland are having to now pay more than is normally reasonable.
Dear Oakland Town Leaders, We met after the Oakland Working Session which reviewed the 2024 Town of Oakland Fiscal Audit report submitted to the state. We were very disappointed that after that report was reviewed, there was not one thing recommended as changes going forward. This is not normal after this kind of audit report. With that in mind, we have put together some things that we would very much like to see implemented in the town of Oakland going forward. Please review these requests and put some time on the next agenda to discuss each item and how the Oakland leadership team feels about them. We are doing this to help Oakland and to help all of you navigate this issue in the best light possible. Some things have to change until the trust of the public is regained in Oakland. Please let us help with that! A Better Oakland executive team.
Cutting directly to the current issues, we must regain control of finances.
Citizens of Oakland. Here is a link to the Tennessee Comptroller report "Town of Oakland, Tennessee Annual Financial Report 2024"
A MESSAGE TO THE MAYOR, ALDERMEN AND TOWN MANAGER;
Based on the finding in this report, A Better Oakland requests the following actions from our Town Manager, Mayor and Board of Alderman:
1. Add an item to every Board of Aldermen meeting agenda to review the town financial statement including revenues into each fund, expenses out of each fund, and a review or the forecast vs. budget. Additionally, every record on the General Ledger and/or the Bank Statement that is irreconcilable must be addressed by the department head that incurred that expense.
2. Hire a forensic accountant to go through all fiscal year 23-24 records and fix those records properly. We need to know where we are financially, and how we got in the position we are in.
3. Establish written policies that follow the principles for public accounting IAW the Sarbanes-Oxley Act. At a minimum, it needs to include how Purchase Requisitions (PR) and Purchase Orders (PO) are handled. Who can submit a PR, who can approve a PR by dollar amount (Signature Authorization), Who can create a PO from an approved PR (Segregation of Duties), who can receive goods in (Segregation of Duties). Once this is complete, run an announcement in the Fayette Falcon that the city will no longer honor any invoices that do not reverence a valid PO going forward.
4. Quarterly audits of the town's books by an outside auditor until there is a clear pattern that Oakland complies and is maintaining that compliance.
5. A moratorium on all non-budgeted, discretionary expenditures until the town is back in compliance.
6. Publish quarterly financial reports on the town website for the public to review.
We feel that these steps, at a minimum, will greatly help to improve the trust between the citizens of Oakland, and their town's leadership team. Will you, Town Manager, Mayor and Aldermen, step up and accept these recommendations?
While this could be a laughable 3rd world dark comedy, this is serious - “rest of your life in prison" crime!In relation to item 2 above, we not only need to know how this mess came about so that we can avoid a repeat, we need to know who.
Why? It is our collective opinion that those who perpetrated multiple frauds need to be held accountable with criminal indictments. It is too obvious that several past “Leaders” were unjustly enriching themselves while others with their own guilt of different stripes allowed them to do so. Any person of knowledge that then did not intervene is also complicit. We must insist upon: Identify, validate, indite and prosecute.
A Message from the Chairman
June 16, 2026
Enough already!
My name is J.R. Hildebrand. I have breathed air on this beautiful planet for nearly 80 years. We moved to this area to enjoy the rest of our retirement with a little peace and rest. Instead, I find myself immersed in trying to help keep the train wreck named Oakland, Tennessee from rounding the downhill curve and ending up as a crap pile at the bottom of a dark canyon.
Innocently trying to help a group of concerned citizens who are unhappy with the town leadership and lack of transparency, I find myself as the chairman of the Board for A Better Oakland. This entity was formed as a venue to help keep the town leadership accountable, regardless of any political affiliation. We are not a political organization of any kind nor do we support any political party. My personal involvement goal is coming to life in an effort to help this pretty and comfortable little town thrive with good leadership and high ethical integrity.
What we do support is a strong business ethic and accountability in town leadership. As a charitable nonprofit organization, we are also dedicated to helping citizens in need, and we have demonstrated that by paying the water bills of many folks who are on hard times and had unreasonably high water/sewer bills. Additionally we have been active in many other fronts around the community.
A Better Oakland has become a finely tuned team of skilled and extremely ethical and dedicated citizens who I believe have collectively contributed more to the betterment of Oakland in the last year than anyone observed in town government. I’m proud to be associated with them.
The fact that we are actually doing something about the dumb situation that created these artificially high fees on water/sewer and taxes in the town of Oakland has obviously stirred the ire of many people sitting at the table of local governance. Also, the fact that so many people who have been happy with the status quo are finding fault with us and wrongfully accusing us of misdeeds, are doing so simply to draw attention away from themselves. The fact that so many people in town government and management are uncomfortable with ABO is proof that we are meeting our objective. To those who would find fault with us, I would only ask, “What are you afraid of?” “What do you have to hide?”Your words and actions only prove that perhaps you indeed have something to hide. Would that be incompetence or could it be malfeasance?
Usually, those most guilty cry the loudest. They are also usually the first to spin their own shortcomings into something to blame others for. These people have such low introspection that they cannot see the truth when it’s on their doorstep. Most of these type people are, in my opinion, beyond redemption. And when they are in public office, they need to be replaced as quickly as possible.
The fact that many of our members are individually running for office to replace those who have failed to prove themselves as adequate leaders, is a natural evolution in the quest for accountability. In no way does that evolution equate to ABO being a PAC.
Rather, A Better Oakland is the catalyst for nurturing righteous leadership, regardless of political affiliation and raising funds to help people in need.
And perhaps some of those who have become so hateful of our efforts have gone so far as to make serious false claims against us. Please consider this, what if those claims were made under oath? What if those claims were false and what if there are serious legal consequences for filing such false claims?
Please consider, what if the state election board actually referred the claims made by Julie and Adrian Wiggins to the county attorney for review regarding possible false and egregious claims by them in violation of the law? What if the Wiggins’ flag-waving of the state election board review is an unrighteous mis-direct and an additional smear of honest and innocent citizens? Sometimes desperate people do desperate things. Gosh, that seems to fit a familiar local pattern!
Then, to Alderman Mo Austin, I really am at a loss of words to describe my feelings about what I perceive as your rapt ineptitude. Can you please enlighten us as to anything positive you have done for the town in the past year, either as an Alderman or as a citizen? Just occupying a seat at the bench of town mismanagement does not count.
You have not earned the right nor do you have proof of your misguided accusations of wrongdoing against our organization. If you have irrefutable proof of your vitriolic claims, please present them post haste. I doubt that will happen. May you soon dine on a plate of raw and fetid crow.
Before social media, we had newspapers full of letters to the editor. Those days are gone. The only change is the medium of expression.
When the town of Oakland won’t allow any citizen questions at the public meeting? Or even answer the very limited citizen comments allowed? How can you instead be angry that folks will then turn to social media to voice their otherwise unheard questions, concerns and frustration? It defies common sense. Lastly, at least for this report, I’m going to put a challenge out there to anyone reading this who is a member of the local community … If you care about where you live, you need to get involved. You cannot sit back on your haunches and do nothing, particularly if you have the means and the wherewithal to help. How can you in good conscience waste your God-given talents and ignore the needs around you? You do not have to live within the exact city limits of Oakland. For some crazy reason, the town annexed property all over western Fayette County. So even if you think you live in the county, you might be right next to the town line and whatever this crazy town does IS going to affect you directly one day. No sugarcoating, if you’re not an active part of helping straighten things out, you’re actually part of the problem.
Thank you for your time in reading this. I welcome any personal dialogue.J.R. Hildebrand.Chairman/ Oak Partners, IncContact me via abetteroakland.org.(Replies or questions will ONLY be addressed through the link provided.)
My name is J.R. Hildebrand. I have breathed air on this beautiful planet for nearly 80 years. We moved to this area to enjoy the rest of our retirement with a little peace and rest. Instead, I find myself immersed in trying to help keep the train wreck named Oakland, Tennessee from rounding the downhill curve and ending up as a crap pile at the bottom of a dark canyon.
Innocently trying to help a group of concerned citizens who are unhappy with the town leadership and lack of transparency, I find myself as the chairman of the Board for A Better Oakland. This entity was formed as a venue to help keep the town leadership accountable, regardless of any political affiliation. We are not a political organization of any kind nor do we support any political party. My personal involvement goal is coming to life in an effort to help this pretty and comfortable little town thrive with good leadership and high ethical integrity.
What we do support is a strong business ethic and accountability in town leadership. As a charitable nonprofit organization, we are also dedicated to helping citizens in need, and we have demonstrated that by paying the water bills of many folks who are on hard times and had unreasonably high water/sewer bills. Additionally we have been active in many other fronts around the community.
A Better Oakland has become a finely tuned team of skilled and extremely ethical and dedicated citizens who I believe have collectively contributed more to the betterment of Oakland in the last year than anyone observed in town government. I’m proud to be associated with them.
The fact that we are actually doing something about the dumb situation that created these artificially high fees on water/sewer and taxes in the town of Oakland has obviously stirred the ire of many people sitting at the table of local governance. Also, the fact that so many people who have been happy with the status quo are finding fault with us and wrongfully accusing us of misdeeds, are doing so simply to draw attention away from themselves. The fact that so many people in town government and management are uncomfortable with ABO is proof that we are meeting our objective. To those who would find fault with us, I would only ask, “What are you afraid of?” “What do you have to hide?”Your words and actions only prove that perhaps you indeed have something to hide. Would that be incompetence or could it be malfeasance?
Usually, those most guilty cry the loudest. They are also usually the first to spin their own shortcomings into something to blame others for. These people have such low introspection that they cannot see the truth when it’s on their doorstep. Most of these type people are, in my opinion, beyond redemption. And when they are in public office, they need to be replaced as quickly as possible.
The fact that many of our members are individually running for office to replace those who have failed to prove themselves as adequate leaders, is a natural evolution in the quest for accountability. In no way does that evolution equate to ABO being a PAC.
Rather, A Better Oakland is the catalyst for nurturing righteous leadership, regardless of political affiliation and raising funds to help people in need.
And perhaps some of those who have become so hateful of our efforts have gone so far as to make serious false claims against us. Please consider this, what if those claims were made under oath? What if those claims were false and what if there are serious legal consequences for filing such false claims?
Please consider, what if the state election board actually referred the claims made by Julie and Adrian Wiggins to the county attorney for review regarding possible false and egregious claims by them in violation of the law? What if the Wiggins’ flag-waving of the state election board review is an unrighteous mis-direct and an additional smear of honest and innocent citizens? Sometimes desperate people do desperate things. Gosh, that seems to fit a familiar local pattern!
Then, to Alderman Mo Austin, I really am at a loss of words to describe my feelings about what I perceive as your rapt ineptitude. Can you please enlighten us as to anything positive you have done for the town in the past year, either as an Alderman or as a citizen? Just occupying a seat at the bench of town mismanagement does not count.
You have not earned the right nor do you have proof of your misguided accusations of wrongdoing against our organization. If you have irrefutable proof of your vitriolic claims, please present them post haste. I doubt that will happen. May you soon dine on a plate of raw and fetid crow.
Before social media, we had newspapers full of letters to the editor. Those days are gone. The only change is the medium of expression.
When the town of Oakland won’t allow any citizen questions at the public meeting? Or even answer the very limited citizen comments allowed? How can you instead be angry that folks will then turn to social media to voice their otherwise unheard questions, concerns and frustration? It defies common sense. Lastly, at least for this report, I’m going to put a challenge out there to anyone reading this who is a member of the local community … If you care about where you live, you need to get involved. You cannot sit back on your haunches and do nothing, particularly if you have the means and the wherewithal to help. How can you in good conscience waste your God-given talents and ignore the needs around you? You do not have to live within the exact city limits of Oakland. For some crazy reason, the town annexed property all over western Fayette County. So even if you think you live in the county, you might be right next to the town line and whatever this crazy town does IS going to affect you directly one day. No sugarcoating, if you’re not an active part of helping straighten things out, you’re actually part of the problem.
Thank you for your time in reading this. I welcome any personal dialogue.J.R. Hildebrand.Chairman/ Oak Partners, IncContact me via abetteroakland.org.(Replies or questions will ONLY be addressed through the link provided.)