The Arkansas Lottery has been doing some house cleaning.  The last of three top officials that were brought in to launch the games two years ago have been fired.  The  lottery commission’s chairwoman has announced that this decision is an opportunity to call for a change.

Ernestine Middleton, the lottery vice president for administration, was fired Wednesday, only two days after the resignations of director Ernie Passailaigue and another vice president, David Barden.

Passailaigue, the former director of South Carolina’s lottery, brought Middleton and Barden with him to start the Arkansas games. 

In 2008, Arkansas voters approved a constitutional amendment  that allowed the state to sell lottery tickets to raise money for college scholarships. Passailaigue, the former director of South Carolina’s lottery, brought Middleton and Barden with him to start the Arkansas.  He actually did a good job very quickly.  In only two years the lottery has  funded more than 60 thousand scholarships.  However his work has often been  surrounded by much criticism and scrutiny. 

An audit last year revealed the lottery was unable to provide year-end financial statements. The agency also could not provide documentation for lodging costs and other travel. Lottery winning numbers

Also, it was made public last month that the lottery owed almost $100,000 to the Internal Revenue Service in penalties and interest for late deposits.

Passailaigue  has been criticized also for his salary of over $324,000. Barden and Middleton both made around $225,000 each.

Democratic Rep. Barry Hyde of North Little Rock, a member of the Arkansas Lottery Commission Legislative Oversight Committee,  has expressed his concern about the loss. Lottery checker

“This is a half-a-billion a year retail operation that was specifically designed and set up as much like a private enterprise as state law allows,” he said in an interview. “About the last thing in the world I would want to do is to lose all three of my top managers in such a short time.”

However the Lottery Commission Chairwoman Dianne Lamberth has stated that it is normal that people are concerned with the loss of leadership, but she reminds that with change comes opportunity.  She has stated that she is in no rush to hire someone and will take as much time as she needs to choose the correct person for the job. Lottery numbers

“At this time, we’re moving forward,” said lottery chief legal counsel Bishop Woosley. “We feel like we’re prepared to do whatever it is to continue to operate the lottery.”