Millersville city manager: potential fraud, waste and abuse found in city
Millersville city attorney cites reasons for termination of former city manager and police chief
MILLERSVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - The new city manager of Millersville has uncovered instances of potential fraud, waste and abuse, according to a news release issued by the town’s attorney Friday.
According to the news release, new city manager Tina Tobin passed along instances of alleged fraud to the state comptroller’s office.
Because the investigation is ongoing, city attorney Bryant Kroll wrote no more information could be released.
The accusations of fraud under prior leadership by former city manager Scott Avery is the latest turmoil in the town’s government.
Avery was fired last month along with police chief Robert Richman, who had only been on the job for a month.
At the last city commission meeting, two commissioners openly argued with Mayor Tommy Long, demanding answers as to why Avery was terminated, but no reason was given at that meeting.
According to the news release, upon taking office, Tobin launched a forensic audit and found a mass deletion of texts and files from Avery’s laptop and phone.
Tobin also claimed in the news release that “attempts had been made to access and surreptitiously monitor Ms. Tobin’s computer.”
WSMV4 Investigates reached out to Avery at his last known phone number and are waiting to hear back.
As for the termination of Richman, the news release states that there were “several controversies” involving the former police chief that were not mentioned when he was hired.
The news release states that text messages from Avery indicate he was aware of these issues but did not disclose them.
According to reports from Austin, Texas, there was a botched investigation into alleged sex trafficking while Richman was commissioner for the state’s Child Protective Investigation.
Richman told the Tennessean, “I’ve never seen such a mess,” when asked about his termination from Millersville.
According to the news release, there are “concerns” that police commissions (cards used to identify someone as a state-certified police officer) were being issued to reserve (part-time) officers who were working for private security companies in other counties.
Tobin also cited that that Richman reported that the city had 15 police officers, when, in actuality, there was were only eight officers.
According to the news release, Richman placed Avery on the schedule as a reserve officer, even though he had just been terminated by the city from his position as city manager.
Former Millersville police officer Bryan Morris has been hired as the new police chief.
The controversies follow a series of WSMV4 Investigations that showed how, before Richman, the prior Millersville police chief and assistant chief were linked to our “Thin Blurred Line investigations” that showed how “imposter police officers” are able to identify as police in Tennessee.
The prior police chief and assistant chief then resigned, and the mayor said the town’s police department needed to be “cleaned up.”
In another controversy, a dumpster with the lettering “FU TOMMY LONG” was placed right next to the home of Long.
If you have something you’d like WSMV4 Investigates to look into, you can reach us here.
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