POCATELLO — Bannock County Clerk Robert Poleki informed commissioners that he will seek an independent forensic auditor to review a $623,000 shortfall in the Bannock County Landfill budget. The audit would also look at overall financial policy and procedures in the county Public Works department.

The request comes just a week after Idaho State Police confirmed that former Bannock County Public Works Director Dan Copeland is the subject of an ongoing investigation.

Copeland unexpectedly retired last month after 11 years with Bannock County.

Before his retirement, Copeland earned an annual salary of $91,000. He headed the county’s road and bridge operations, the county landfill and the mosquito and weed abatement programs. He supervised about 55 county employees.

Poleki said the audit will look at all Public Works funds and billing information. It’s unclear how long the review will take.

He told the commission that funds are budgeted for the audit.

The deficit is from 2016. Each county department is audited annually, but Poleki said that the forensic audit is a more in-depth examination of records.

Poleki declined to say whether the audit was in connection to Copeland’s exit from the county office or the ongoing investigation against him. But he did say that the review would assist the county in determining the future of the county office.

“We’ve known for several months now that there were financial issues in the department and we are taking a proactive approach to continue to protect taxpayer dollars,” Poleki said. “The commissioners are looking at options to restructure the department.”

Commissioner Ken Bullock said the forensic review would also look at policy and procedures in the department and help the county restructure that office.

Currently, Brett Grayson is acting as the interim director for Bannock County Public Works.

“We have a perfect opportunity to make changes,” Bullock said.

Last week, Idaho State Police Capt. Eric Dayley said his department’s investigation started toward the end of last year. He also said state police investigators are looking to see if Copeland violated any laws.

Dayley said Tuesday that the results of that investigation will be turned over to the prosecutor when complete.

The Journal and the Bannock County Prosecutor’s Office received anonymous tips last year claiming that Copeland had used county equipment and county employees who were on the clock to perform maintenance at his personal residence.

Copeland denied those claims during an interview in August. He said he did contract with a county employee to do work for him, but the worker did the job on his own time and Copeland said he paid him out of his own pocket.

He said that at no time did he ever pressure a county employee to do personal work for him or use county employees to work on his house on the county’s time. Copeland could not be reached for comment Tuesday.