They came to hear about the money problems plaguing Precinct 1 in Wise County.

There was an uncomfortable, if unspoken, mood as a crowd of approximately 40 taxpayers packed into the third-floor courtroom for the meeting of Wise County commissioners Monday morning.

They were obviously there for just one reason – the 16th agenda item simply listed "Discuss current finances of Precinct 1.

They heard an apology from Wise County Commissioner Jerry Flusche for overspending taxpayers’ money. But most of the audience apparently wasn’t in a forgiving mood – they interrupted with applause several times as Flusche was criticized by his fellow commissioners.

They clapped the loudest when Precinct 3 Commissioner Farley Bridges said the county had no choice but to "shut down Precinct 1" in an effort to untangle the sticky financial mess.

As it turned out, that wouldn’t happen. Commissioners eventually decided to give $25,000 to Flusche so he could pay his bills through the end of the current fiscal year –Sept. 30 – and they ordered Wise County Auditor Ann McCuiston to set up a budget for Flusche the final three months of 2000.

McCuiston and other county officials revealed late last week that Precinct 1 was out of money and would not able to make payroll, meet its debt obligations or pay bills without immediate financial help.

Financial records show Flusche has overspent his current budget for road building materials by more than $100,000 and by more than $75,000 on contract hauling. In addition, he has more lease debt and more employees - 14 - than any of the other three precincts in the county.

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