Wilson files for auditor, denies charges in upheaval

Esther Wilson, 48, Endicott, filed her candidacy for county auditor Friday. Wilson challenges two-term incumbent Eunice Coker, who filed for re-election Monday. Both filed as Republicans.

Wilson believes her work with auditor’s staff through her position in the county finance department has shown her areas that could be streamlined and made more efficient.

Wilson’s announcement came as she is involved in the current controversy that hit county government after the effective dissolution of the finance department. However, she told the Gazette last week she doesn’t believe she has done anything out of line.

She does believe she can improve the auditor’s office.

“I feel we can perform better overall in the department to serve the public,” Wilson told the Gazette Friday. “After the tenure Eunice has had, if this is as good as it gets, I can see where things can be improved.”

Putting a new face in the office, she said, could well help implement those improvements.

“Often times an infusion of new blood with new ideas is all you need to bring in some changes that can improve our service to the citizens,” Wilson told the Gazette Friday. “Things need to improve and without some impetus they wouldn’t.”

Wilson has worked for Whitman County since 2007.

A native of Jacksonville, Fla., she has extensive experience in accounting and finance.

“I can bring a strong accounting background and strong finance background from working in a corporate environment,” she said.

Her experience in the corporate world, she said, will help her raise the day-to-day performance standards of the auditor’s office.

The current question mark around the future of the finance department falls squarely on Wilson. Coker told the Gazette last week she feels this is “an opportune time” to put oversight of finance under the auditor.

Wilson said the department needs restructuring and better internal controls, but was uncommitted about whether commissioners or the auditor should make those moves.

“I applaud the commissioners for reaching out to outside sources to assess the situation and research different alternatives,” she said.

Wilson was the alleged victim of death threats made against her by Mike McPherson of Colfax. The police report attached to the case says McPherson threatened Wilson after his wife, Bev Divine, was dismissed as county finance director June 1. Wilson worked under Divine.

McPherson told the Gazette be believes Wilson disparaged Divine to county commissioners, prompting her dismissal.

“I wasn’t out to get them and I did nothing to undercut them,” she said. “It’s just ridiculous.”

After McPherson’s arrest, Prosecutor Denis Tracy decided not to file any charges in superior court and referred the case to Colfax City Prosecutor Mark Monson.

Wilson was also in the news after allegations surfaced that she hacked into an e-mail account belonging to County Commissioner Michael Largent.

Largent May 7 sent an anonymous poll to county employees which asked them to rate each of the county commissioners.

After advising Commissioner Greg Partch that she could determine the origin of the poll, Wilson allegedly received a green light and traced the source to Largent’s computer. No charges were filed against Wilson after a sheriff’s investigation.

“I feel strongly I have done nothing wrong and I have done nothing illegal,” she said. “But I have been accused.”

A divorced mother of two daughters, aged 30 and 28, Wilson has six grandchildren. She also breeds, raises and shows Bernese Mountain Dogs.