Retired WRCOG staffer Princess Hester tells committee payroll discrepancy was a clerical error and praises Dr. Kurt Wilson
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Summary
Princess Hester, a retiree who worked closely with Dr. Kurt Wilson, told the Executive Committee that an administrative payroll discrepancy in 2023 was an unintentional clerical error she made, that there was no dishonesty, and that Dr. Wilson acted with integrity when the issue surfaced in 2025.
Princess Hester, a WRCOG retiree after 25 years of public service, addressed the Executive Committee during the public comment period to offer context on matters related to a personnel evaluation of Dr. Kurt Wilson. Hester said an administrative payroll discrepancy dating to 2023 was an unintentional clerical mistake she made and that there was “no act of dishonesty or wrongdoing.”
Hester said staff did not discover the error until June 2025. “From the moment the payroll issue surfaced in 2025, Doctor. Wilson acted with integrity, transparency and professionalism,” she said. Hester added that she worked with the CFO and Dr. Wilson to notify affected parties and that procedural changes made during the COVID period had not all been formally updated in policy but were intended to be addressed later.
Hester also praised Wilson’s leadership, saying he stabilized WRCOG finances, rebuilt staff morale and pursued a long‑term strategy that included moving the agency toward ownership of its facility to replace a costly lease.
Her remarks came immediately prior to the meeting’s closed‑session agenda item regarding an evaluation; the committee later reported there was no reportable action taken during closed session.
Why it matters: The public comment directly addressed matters under review by the committee and provided the speaker’s account of timeline and actions related to a payroll discrepancy and Dr. Wilson’s conduct.