Audit: Hawaii County water should tighten controls

HILO, Hawaii>> An audit says the Hawaii County Department of Water Supply needs to tighten its internal controls because an employee was able to steal more than $78,000.

The 70-page audit report by Legislative Auditor Colleen Schrandt pointed to the case of Myra Ross who was convicted as part of a plea agreement.

Ross was recently was sentenced to 150 days in jail, 600 hours of community service and five years probation. She also paid the department back the money she stole as part of the plea agreement.

The former customer service worker took the money in varying amounts over a 12-year period starting in 1997.

Water department manager Milton Pavao says he won’t have any comment until the department reads the final audit report.