A recently released forensic audit of Kinney County’s finances has raised new concerns about County Auditor Cheryll Jones. The audit highlighted her lack of cooperation and concluded that her position should be dissolved.
Kinney County commissioners and local residents have long been calling for Jones’ removal, citing a laundry list of allegations.
Background
As previously reported, Jones was appointed to the position in October 2024 by 63rd District Judge Roland Andrade. Applications were submitted through Val Verde County Auditor Matthew Weingardt—whom Jones was dating and has since married.
It was later discovered that Jones had left her previous position as Wichita County auditor in disgrace, and was facing multiple allegations of abuse and financial mismanagement.
Controversy intensified in January 2025, when Judge Andrade held a public hearing to discuss increasing Jones’ salary from $56,304.22 to $75,000. The proposal was met with opposition from several county employees, though it was ultimately approved by Andrade.
Five months after Jones’ appointment, the Kinney County Commissioners Court released a letter unanimously declaring that “Ms. Jones has abused the discretion of her office and no longer has the confidence of this Court to perform those duties of county auditor.”
The letter not only called for Jones’ removal from office due to incompetence, but for disbanding the office of county auditor altogether. The letter suggested that a procurement officer and an administrative assistant be hired by the county to serve under the treasurer’s office.
The Audit
An external forensic audit of Kinney County was released in November 2024, just as Jones took office. To provide a “progress report” and examine the new county auditor’s performance, a new audit was released in March 2026.
Don B. Southerland, Jr., a retired FBI agent and experienced forensic auditor, was hired to conduct the audit.
On March 23, 2026, Southerland released his report.
Several individuals interviewed advised that Jones had not paid the county’s bills on time, resulting in electricity being cut-off on security cameras, contractors not being paid, credit cards being declined, and more.
Jones reportedly does not attend commissioners court meetings to advise or report on county business. She also does not participate in budget planning, despite unilaterally changing the budget after it is submitted by the budget officer.
Southerland interviewed Jones as a part of his investigation.
Jones stated that as an “appointed” county official, she “maintains the same autonomy of an Elected County Official, and as such, she does not report to any one and no one provides her any evaluations of her performance.”
She claimed her office has conducted numerous audits of county funds, despite only providing Southerland with one undated written report regarding an Operation Lone Star grant.
According to Southerland, “Mrs. Jones advised that she has conducted audits of the County/District Clerk’s Office funds including the Cash Bond, Escrow, Court Fees, Bond Commission (County Attorney) and Forfeiture (District Attorney) accounts. She stated that she did not provide a written report on these audits.”
After the interview, Southerland requested that Jones provide him with a copy of all of her audit workpapers since November 1, 2024. She instead directed him to file a Public Information Act request, even though she advised that her workpapers were not subject to being disclosed under such a request.
Southerland advised her that he was contracted by the county to look at such matters under Texas local government code. Jones was unresponsive, though she advised the court that Southerland’s original contract was entered into with “serious legal concerns.”
Jones reportedly represented that she has legal opinions to support her position on several issues, but failed to provide those written opinions upon Southerland’s request.
County commissioners had specifically asked Southerland to assess Jones’ public accusation that the commissioners court had authorized the misappropriation of county funds by the sheriff’s office and for the Peterson building in Brackettville.
Southerland did not find a misappropriation of funds in either scenario.
Recommendations
Southerland suggests as corrective action that Jones immediately correct and implement all findings, such as immediately developing a schedule of county audits and developing a monthly standard financial report to be prepared and submitted by each county department.
The commissioners court is encouraged to remove Jones as a signatory on the county’s accounts and to “immediately limit the duties of the Auditor to the Audit function.”
Most notably, Southerland recommends that the county auditor position “should be dissolved” and that the commissioners court should “rightfully move the Financial Management duties assumed by the County Auditor to the Treasurer’s Office to a newly established position of Financial Manager.”
Under Texas law, a county with a population of under 10,200 is not required to have an appointed auditor. While the population of Kinney County is under 3,200, it has had a county auditor since 1981.
The county auditor is appointed for a two year term, at which time the district judge decides whether to reappoint her.
As previously reported, locals have unsuccessfully called on Judge Andrade to remove Jones. Andrade advised Southerland that he does not perform annual evaluations of the county auditor.
As of April 14, Jones is still listed as Kinney County’s auditor.
