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 Lee Roy Cunningham (File photo) [Click to enlarge] |
Councilman Lee Roy Cunningham had put the item on the agenda, but council member Jo Ann Holland wanted to discuss the motion in more detail at next month's study session,
She added that the city just had an audit completed from Winnett and Associates at a cost of $18,000, and the state receives a copy of it.
Council member Kay Rose said she didn't see any reason for a state audit and that it would "just be an added expense we don't need," but Cunningham replied that the council had already approved other expenditures.
However, according to both mayor Wallace Cartwright and city manager Ed Craig, the only way a state audit would be conducted is if there were serious evidence of fraud.
"The only thing they would audit is specific allegations of wrongdoing," Craig said of the state auditing process. "Without some sort of smoking gun ... even if you requested it, they'd say they can't do it."
All council members voted to defer the motion except for Cunningham.
In other business, the council approved a resolution to execute a new Interlocal Cooperation Agreement relative to participation in the Tennessee Municipal League Risk Management Insurance Pool.
A motion was approved to apply for the Department of Justice's Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Hiring Recovery Program and the Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant.
The grant would enable the Shelbyville police department to hire four additional officers with federal stimulus money.
There is no local match requirement for the grant except that Shelbyville would be required to retain the officers for at least one year after the initial three-year period in which the salaries are fully federally funded.
A motion was also approved to authorize membership in the National League of Cities as well as participation in its drug card program.
Other items passed by the council were:
- A rezoning request by Stephen Feldhaus was approved on third and final reading to change 500 Highland Court from R-3 (medium density residential) to C-2 (highway service district, commercial).
- Joseph, Linda and Shane Roberts had their rezoning request approved on third and final reading for a parcel located off Morton Street to be rezoned R-3 from R-2 (low density residential).
- An ordinance was passed on third and final reading to amend Ordinance #863 to insert language requested by the state of Tennessee.
- Passed on second reading was a rezoning request from Anna Clanton to change 1813 Madison St. from R-1 (low density residential) to C-2.
- Another rezoning request approved on second reading was for property owned by Ginger Mashe at 810 Belmont Ave. to be changed from R-1 to C-2.
- An ordinance to adopt a budget for the 2009-10 fiscal year and to set a tax rate was passed on first reading. No budget numbers have been presented to the council yet.
- Also passed on first reading was an ordinance to approve final amendments to the 2008-09 budget.
- Another ordinance passed on first reading amends a section of the city code to comply with state law regarding removal or demolition of property.
- A bid of $24,800 was accepted from Hawkins Equipment of Wartrace for a skid loader for the parks department. Council members Cunningham and Al Stephenson voted no on the bid.
- Advanced Cutting Systems of Live Oak, Fla., won the bid for sign making equipment for the city's public works department at a cost of $7,854.
- Renewal of a contract with Clarke Mosquito Control of Roselle, Ill., was approved, with the cost of insecticide at $141.75 per gallon.
- Towing services for the city were renewed with Haskins Auto Salvage of Bell Buckle. The company renewed for a year without an increase in the original bid pricing.
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I would think if you have done your job correctly then any and all audits would be welcomed. I think Winnett's has done a great job but sometimes a new set of eyes are always good. I think the city council should ask for a state audit what is it going to hurt? It might cost a few dollars but it is better to be safe than sorry especially when you consider the city's budget amount.
If Lee Roy knew as much as he thought he knew he would be one smart cookie! Does he do any research before spouting off his mouth? The city manager is correct. The State Auditor's office will come in and do an audit, but only if there are some allegations of fraud. Even at that, if they do not find fraud, the city will be charged for their time. In addition, the audit report prepared by Winnett is reviewed by the Municipal Audit division of the State Auditor's office. That division monitors the firms that perform municipal audits. They review the engagement letters between the firm and the municipality, they check to make sure any Single Audit requirements are met, they ensure that firms performing municipal audits undergo peer reviews as required by professional standards, and they perform peer reviews and review audit workpapers as needed. It seems to me an audit by the State would be an unnecessary expense.
In response to what???
If a new set of eyes is needed, then the City should consider changing audit firms, not asking the State to come in and do work that has already been done. And, your "few dollars" is well short of what an audit will cost. Of course, there will be the bill from the State that will include auditor time, travel expenses and report prep costs. But, there will also be a cost associated with the time city employees spend discussing operations with the auditors, pulling records again, copying records again, etc. It is not just as simple as a simple mind would think it is.
What we need is to think about all the lawsuits the city has had to pay, Why? Maybe we need a NEW city manager, it seems he is the one who has caused the lawsuits. and as far as Mrs. Holland, I think she needs to go too, She seems to support too many of his decisions, why not do an audit, all these lawsuits add up. Mr. Cunningham is looking out for us, so don't judge till you look into the matter and see where all the money is going. How much drinking does Mrs. Holland do before the meetings?
All these funds being bantered about and not one nickel for 287G.
Have we become a sanctuary city ??
Hey Ginger...what in the world does a lawsuit have to do with a second audit of the City's books? How many lawsuits have there been? Do you even know? Or, are you listening to the used car salesman when he talks about the City's "bidness". Further, have ANY of the lawsuits been for any misappropriation of funds or for fraud in the handling of the City's finances? And, if you actually think an auditor is going to come in and recommend the firing of staff unless there is a clear case of fraud, then you are sadly mistaken. And, if you think Lee Roy Cunningham has anyone in mind other than himself, you are again sadly mistaken.
"Renewal of a contract with Clarke Mosquito Control of Roselle, Ill., was approved, with the cost of insecticide at $141.75 per gallon."
A google search for 'cost of Mosquito insecticide' came up with over 200,000 hits.
AT RANDOM, choosing only 2 of the sites found, far, far better pricing was immediately found without even calling them with our annual use volume.
http://www.epestsolutions.com/Mosquito_I... had 2 products, one at $125.99 per gallon, one at $135.99 per gallon.
http://www.mosquitobarrier.com/ was at only about 60% of the renewed contract at a whole whopping $84.95 per gallon. This price includes shipping too. A number of towns are currently using the product with excellent results.
Its Good Friday and our city offices are all closed so no one was available to give me any particulars including Ed Craigs office.
This is the google search used :http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=off&client=firefox-a&rls=org.mozilla%3Aen-US%3Aofficial&hs=Elx&num=30&newwindow=1&q=cost+of+Mosquito+insecticide&btnG=Search
do you know how much MONEY the city of shelbyville has had to pay ,
What we need is to think about all the lawsuits the city has had to pay, Why? Maybe we need a NEW city manager, it seems he is the one who has caused the lawsuits. and as far as Mrs. Holland, I think she needs to go too, She seems to support too many of his decisions, why not do an audit, all these lawsuits add up. Mr. Cunningham is looking out for us, so don't judge till you look into the matter and see where all the money is going. How much drinking does Mrs. Holland do before the meetings?
-- Posted by gingerjonny on Fri, Apr 10, 2009, at 9:56 AM
Gingerjonny, that is a good basis for slander and libel if Mrs. Holland wishes to bust your arse on it. Mrs. Holland is an excellent council member and has the best interest of our community at heart. It is asinine of you to make a comment that she is drinking during the council meetings.
My recommendation to you Gingerjonny is to shut your trap or run for office within this community; and then if and when you are elected you can make the changes you feel so strongly about.
BobM,
Nice google search, but your not taking into consideration transportation costs and/or having a local distributor of the product.
Brett,
Had you taken the time to look at the second site I listed you might have noticed the $84.95 per gallon, unnegotiated for volume, includes shipping.
I didnt realize that Clarke Mosquito Control of Roselle, Ill was a local firm. Even if they are which would negate shipping charges, $141.25 per gallon is much, much higher than $84.95 per gallon.
BobM,
You are correct, I did not follow your links.
In response to gingerjonny: I certainly wouldn't take any legal advice from you as your knowledge of legal liability seems to be pretty much on par with Ed Craig's. Do you know the definition of libel or slander? Your question alleges that Ms. Holland does indeed drink prior to council meetings; it is only a question of quantity. Do you know this to be fact? Can you prove it? Making statements like this while hiding behind an assumed name is, in my opinion, low class and cowardly.
RebaJean,
Yup.
I did not say Mrs. Holland drinks, I was using a statement because she always agrees with the city manager, and I was wondering why, what is wrong with a audit by someone that can not be told what to put in it?
How much drinking does Mrs. Holland do before the meetings?
That's what you said gingerjonny.
Do we need to talk about what the definition of is is????
That was a complete sentence, and it stands alone, it starts with a capitalized word, it has a subject and also and adjective.
hmmmmm.
PS on another note, all other bloggers need to go to this Utube site.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yREOUxo6Q...
Yes lets talk about the budget for the city. Where to start. We pay an accountant that is way out there got a guy who could not hack it in the real world so came back to Shelbyville. A bunch of people who are on go to a meeting once a month and and are the city mangers hand puppets. I am sure there that they do not want an audit. Some thing smells fishy and do not think is the smell floating up from the river bridge. If we got a person who asks a question and it seems like it might rock the boat then he or she is a problem. I live in the city and there are things that need to be done. Can some one tell me why a firetruck from by the police station has to come all the way out to the new hospital? That is in the city limits right? So I guess it is ok if it burns down we do not have the money to put anything closer just a thought