The Audit Report is in for years 2008 and 2009 for the City of Helena-West Helena, Arkansas. (See 2009 Below). You will recall that the Auditors appeared at a city council meeting on October 20, 2009 to explain their findings. That audit centered around travel expenses, reimbursements and certain documentation. The prosecutor issued a letter stating that no money was missing (in the sense of theft) however, many things needed to be documented or money paid back to the city. The prosecutor also saw fit to file a lawsuit against several persons including Mayor James F. Valley. He filed a civil suit against City Treasurer Michael Boone. The prosecutor filed a malfeasance action against Mike Boone as well.
This audit plows much of the same ground as the last audit did with travel expenses and reimbursements highlighted. This same ground is being plowed because most of the activity audited here had already occurred when the auditors left here between July 2009 and October 2009. A new and significant change is the misappropriation of funds by a now former city employee. She is said to have admitted taking the money for her own personal use. This is not right and must be dealt with according to law. The prosecutor has already be notified.
The time line is important as well for understanding this Audit. The Division of Legislative Audit sent its group to a meeting on October 20, 2009 to discuss the last audit with us. At that time that had performed the 2007 Audit and parts of 2008 and 2009. Had the auditors performed a complete audit up to and including the time that they left in 2009, this misappropriation would have been brought to light sooner. That is not so say that it is the auditors fault that money was misappropriated. It is to say that the timing of the discovery would have been sooner had the audit been performed differently. The person accused in this case has not handled money for the city since October 2009 when she was transferred to the records division of our police department. When the audit revealed these facts, including her admission, in September 2010, she was relieved of her duties by Colonel Fred Fielder, Chief of Police.
I am concerned about the contents of this audit. I intent to fix all of the problems outlined in this audit. It will not and cannot be singularly repaired by one person. It will take the help and cooperation of all elected officials in city government.
The shortcomings that belong to me are mine and mine alone. I will fix those individually. The matters that are broader than one person, I will partner with the correct person or person(s) to constructively fix the things that concern the auditors.
Finally, I have attached the audit reports for Helena, West Helena and Helena-West Helena such that you can, if you so desire, see the condition of our city for the past 10 years.
Whatever is right is good. Whatever is wrong, we will improve upon and correct.
LOM111106-2006-CityofHelenaWestHelena
LOM111107-2007-CityofHelena-WestHelena
LOM111109-2009-CityofHelena-WestHelena
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