JEFFERSON CITY, MO. — Missouri’s public employee retirement plans generally are in better financial shape than those nationwide, though there is cause for concern about some, according to a state audit released Tuesday.

Auditor Tom Schweich’s report examined 89 public pension systems that are set up to pay defined benefits to 546,000 people who worked for state or local governmental entities. It found a wide discrepancy in the systems’ financial health, with some in “very good financial condition” and others in a “very poor financial condition.”

“Our pensions, by and large, are better managed than those nationwide,” Schweich said. “They have fewer problems, but there are still definitely some land mines out there, as far as future pension benefits go.”

Schweich placed 15 pension plans on an auditor’s “watch list” because of their finances, including those for the state transportation department and Highway Patrol employees and retirement plans for some public employees in Columbia, Joplin, Kansas City, Springfield and St. Louis County. They could be subject to additional, in-depth audits, he said.

Statewide, Missouri’s pension plans had combined actuarial assets of $57 billion and accrued liabilities of $73 billion at the end of 2012, resulting in an unfunded liability of $16 billion, the audit said. The plans were funded at 78 percent of the present value of their future retirement payments — down from 83 percent in 2003 but several percentage points better than nationwide figures.

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — A Lawrence woman faces up to 10 years in prison after pleading guilty to embezzling between $750,000 and $1 million from her employer.

U.S. Attorney Barry Grissom announced in a news release Tuesday that 58-year-old Sharon Ann Holladay pleaded guilty to one count of embezzlement from Westheffer Company, which manufactures and sells agricultural chemical spray equipment.

Holladay was office manager and transferred money from the operations account to a petty cash fund she controlled. She also gave herself unauthorized bonuses and commissions and made unauthorized purchases with the company’s credit card.

Sentencing has not been scheduled.

HUTCHINSON, Kan. (AP) — The Hutchinson School District is suing a Missouri-based group in a dispute over proceeds from a student fundraising effort.

The Hutchinson News reports  that the Kansas district has filed a lawsuit against Education Funding Group in Reno County District Court. The district claims it didn’t receive it share of proceeds from a fundraiser held during the last academic year. It’s estimating the loss between $11,000 and $15,000.

The Hutchinson district signed a contract with the business in October 2013 for a fundraiser in which students sold $10 discount cards with discounts to various local businesses and restaurants. Under the agreement, the district and company were to evenly split proceeds from the discount cards.

Education Funding Group disagrees that it failed to carry out its obligations under the contract.

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — Officials have selected the low bidder to undertake a renovation project involving the Missouri Senate chamber.
The state Office of Administration says work should begin in mid-to-late October on the project. It chose a $429,000 bid from Five Oaks Associates, of Centralia.

The project will remove staff offices that had been built in an open space overlooking the dais at the front of the chamber. The intent is to restore the chamber to its original appearance while also making the space available for Senate committee meetings.

The overall budget for the project is about $650,000 when design fees, hazardous materials testing and other costs are included.
It’s one of several projects going forward at the Capitol, although Gov. Jay Nixon has frozen hundreds of millions of dollars of other spending.

ATHOL, Kan. (AP) — After three years of mostly fundraising and labor, the cabin in northern Kansas where the lyrics for “Home on the Range” were written will be officially rededicated this weekend.

The cabin in Smith County was the home of Brewster Higley in the 1870s. While living there, he wrote a poem called “My Western Home,” which became the lyrics for “Home on the Range.” That later became the official song of Kansas.

The Wichita Eagle reports the cabin was crumbling three years ago, when Kansas was celebrating its 150th anniversary. A grassroots effort raised $133,000 in donations and the cabin was restored, along with construction of nature walks, footbridges and handicapped accessible efforts.

A weekend of activities is planned, with the rededication ceremony on Sunday.

TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — Two Kansas colleges will receive federal grants to develop programs to help train students in job skills needed for new technology.

Federal officials announced Monday that Washburn University in Topeka will receive $12 million and Johnson County Community College will get nearly $2.5 million as part of a federal program.

The Topeka Capital-Journal reports Washburn president Jerry Farley says the funds will be used mostly for training through the School of Nursing and the School of Applied Studies. He says the school plans to reach out to more veterans with the funding.

The awards were part of $450 million in job-driven training grants awarded to nearly 270 colleges.