We need to get a Grip

For the last ten years, we have been paying our outside auditing firms more than the contract price. We engaged Ernest & Young from 1999 through 2003 when we hired Marcum/Rachlin. Each and every year it is the same old excuse for the cost over-runs—Staff. They have all said that they can’t get the requested records in a timely fashion and when they do, the numbers are inaccurate and therefore, they have to redo what they have already done.

I don’t doubt for a second that what they say is true. NO ONE can figure out anything on these financial statements. Money is transferred here from there and the only one knowing what is going on is the Finance Director who is now long gone along with all the finance directors we have ever had. There is money being transferred out of the Utility and various departments. There are attorney fees that were paid out of our beach fund that had NOTHING to do with our beach. You can not even get a spreadsheet of attorney fees by account. The Finance Department has always hidden transactions from the public. There are millions of dollars that are MISSING. These problems continue and it must be a living nightmare for any auditing firm and NO ONE SAYS ANYTHING. Who is in charge of the store, Mayor? (You say you don't read blogs--maybe someone will pass on the question)

They always start the audit too late. We should have a final audit by February no later than March. Timely reports need to be given to the Commission on a monthly basis line by line. The City Manager and the Commission must be on top of this BEFORE we get into trouble.

I believe that we should have an audit of the auditor.