It’s been a busy week in Burleigh County.
Today, while I was interviewing State Auditor Josh Gallion on while hosting the KFYR Kafe on AM 550 KFYR, we got word live on the air that Burleigh County Deputy Auditor/Treasurer Brandi Kaya resigned her position effective at the end of the year.
The key take away from this audio is that the State Auditor’s office, based on previous audits of Burleigh County, is not quite sure about some of the claims made by Burleigh County Finance Director Leigh Jacobs.
You can listen to the audio of above.
The Bismarck Tribune reported this resignation as follows:
Caya on Monday submitted her letter of resignation to the county, bidding farewell after over eight years working for Burleigh. According to her resignation letter, which the Tribune acquired on Wednesday, her last day will be Friday, Dec. 27.
"This decision has not been an easy one as I have great crew I work with daily and as well as supportive staff members in the Auditor/Treasurer's, Tax Equalization's, and Recorder's Offices and have enjoyed working with them all and have gained friendships along the way," Caya wrote in her letter. "However, I need to do what is best for myself and my family and close this chapter in order to begin a new one."
Caya and County Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski did not immediately respond to Tribune requests for comment sent after normal county office hours.
The shake-up comes as the Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer's Office continues to face controversy because of alleged misaction by Splonskowski -- Caya's boss. Splonskowski was elected in 2022 and took office in April 2023. He has defended his actions and work.
KXNews also covered the breaking news this evening, as did KFYR-TV.
This comes two months after Burleigh County Election Coordinator Lisa Hart resigned, just two weeks before the election:
And just two days after the fireworks at the most recent Burleigh County Commission happened:
One of the things State Auditor Josh Gallion and I discussed was the potential that all the turnover in the last 5-years at Burleigh County may have caused.
These most recent departures are only going to make that problem worse.
The short-term demand on the Burleigh County Commission will be to simple ensure the basics of county government are getting done, without over-working the remaining staff who were already reportedly over-work due to the conflict and “passing of the buck” happening in the office.
This situation is getting to be out-of-control.
As I wrote yesterday:
One thing is certain: Burleigh County Auditor/Treasurer inherited a mess when he took office in April 2023, so these issue are not at all solely his fault. He was not equipped to do the job, and certainly not equipped to learn the job, fix the problems, and go off on his political/legal extracurricular adventures all at the same time.
The Burleigh County Commission needs to approve the resources to fix these issues - not because Auditor/Treasurer Mark Splonskowski wants to pass the buck - but because they are too big for any one person to handle.
This only reinforces the need to restructure the county’s structure and management.
Long-term, this will require systemic change, such as what I wrote about on Monday:
The county commission should explore the following steps:
Separate the Role of Treasurer from the Auditor’s Role:
Merge the Treasurer’s responsibilities with those of the Finance Director.
Convert this new position into an appointed role that reports directly to the commission.
Require the appointee to hold an advanced degree in finance or accounting.
Create a County Administrator Position:
Establish a long-debated county administrator position that reports directly to the commission.
Seek out candidates for the role who have experience that can translate, including that of budget director
Transfer day-to-day administrative responsibilities from the Auditor’s office to this position.
Ensure that the position does not become a “king-maker” by limiting contract durations and preventing “golden parachute” contracts.
Retain the Auditor’s Office as an Elected Oversight Role:
Maintain the legal obligations required by state law within the Auditor’s office.
Adjust the Auditor’s salary to reflect the reduced scope of responsibilities transferred to the Treasurer and Administrator positions.
Offer flexibility for an elected Auditor to opt for a reduced salary if they lack the qualifications to perform all the job’s functions independently.
Encourage candidates for the elected Auditor’s at a reduced-scope to have management training and experience; and mandate that new auditors seek formal training in the 6-months between being elected and taking office, including paying for such training. (Auditors are elected in November but do not take office until April, so there is plenty of time to get up to speed.)
By restructuring these roles, the county commission can create a system where elected auditors are not overburdened by unrealistic expectations. This approach ensures accountability while mitigating risks posed by officeholders who may lack the necessary technical proficiency.
The Burleigh County Commission now has the challenge of proving to county staff that the commissions “have their back”.
There will also need to be an effort made to help staff disclose what is really going on behind the scenes. Perhaps a special meeting just with staff, but televised would help disclose what is really happening.
Otherwise, the commission will lose more and more of its people and the problems will get harder and harder to fix.
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