by Jon Styf
The Tarpley Shop Utility District general manager was charged with theft and official misconduct after an investigation from the Tennessee Comptroller’s Office found he made nearly $8,000 of personal purchases with district funds, nearly $10,000 in questionable purchases and more than $25,000 in questionable fuel purchases were made with the funds.
Freddie Byrd was indicted on the charges July 10 in Giles County.
The utility district, located in Pulaski, provided water to 1,200 customers prior to its merger with South Giles Utility District earlier this year.
“Our investigators found a number of weaknesses and deficiencies within the financial operations of the TSUD,” Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower (pictured above) said. “Although, this utility has merged with another, it’s important for all utilities to have strong policies, internal controls, and board oversight to ensure operations are conducted properly and responsibly.”
Comptroller’s Office investigators found Byrd purchased battery-operated tools, small equipment and repairs and vehicle parts that did not fit district-owned vehicles between 2017 and 2023.
The questionable purchases included repairs to an older lawn mower and a March 2021 invoice for a new lawn mower for $4,600. The purchase was not approved by the board and the invoice was not in the district’s documentation. Investigators could not determine if it was used solely for district purposes but Byrd returned the lawn mower after he left the district and was questioned about it.
The fuel purchases came from May Oil and the Co-op for more than $25,000.
“Investigators noted that in some instances, Byrd allowed relatives to purchase fuel purportedly for work performed for the district,” the report said. “Due to a lack of documentation, investigators are unable to determine if all the fuel purchases were used exclusively for district purposes.”
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Jon Styf is a reporter at The Center Square.
Photo “Tennessee Comptroller Jason Mumpower” by Jason Mumpower.
