Wednesday, February 29, 2012 9:54 am

Cannon County Executive Mike Gannon issued the following statement this morning concerning the findings released in a Special Report issued by the Tennessee Comptroller’s office on the Cannon County REACH After-School Program:

”I accept full and complete responsibility for the shortcomings the auditors found with my office's oversight of REACH," Gannon said. "To borrow the line from President Truman, the buck stops at my desk."

Gannon noted that several of the recommendations outlined by the auditors to correct the problems at REACH have already been put into place.

"This report simply highlights what became clear to us over a year ago, which is that we put too much trust in the director of a county agency, and that person abused that trust. We regret that, because her actions brought harm to a program that has helped hundreds of Cannon County's children and their parents over the years."

The money alleged to have been misappropriated in the report came from state and federal grants and fundraising from local events such as the annual Good Ole Days.

“As soon as the auditors told us there appeared to be a problem, I removed her (former REACH executive director Angela King) from the position,” Gannon said.

Gannon added that his office will assist in any way it can to help recover any of the grant money lost due to the alleged inappropriate actions of the former REACH director.

"When I first became aware of the seriousness of the problems with the way money was being handled at REACH in November of 2010, I immediately took steps," Gannon said. "I replaced the director and made changes to the way money was being accounted for. I brought in an outside auditor to assist in the process and I am positive the program is on the right track."