The city’s first tarnished state audit in five years could lead to stronger financial oversight from the City Council.
In a presentation to the city officials on Monday morning, auditors noted the city’s 2007 budget operations revealed a “major weakness” in the methods city staff used to transfer and document funds.
“Your internal controls need to be fixed,” said regional audit manager George Amburn.
The City Council plans to crash a city finance meeting they weren’t invited to. And they’re bringing the public with them.
“People are really upset about how money is being spent, and there’s a general feeling that the city is mismanaging taxpayer dollars,” said Council Chairman Bill Knobloch, who invited his colleagues to a meeting on Monday intended as a closed-door discussion between the city administration and representatives from the state auditor’s office, who will present a draft of the city’s 2007 audit.
Knobloch and at least three other council members, who were not invited by the administration, plan to attend.
Having four of the city’s seven council members present constitutes a quorum, making the proceedings a public record and open to public attendance.
“Why wouldn’t we want this to be a public meeting?” said Councilwoman Kim Brackett, who plans to attend. “It’s about taxpayer money, after all.”
