Legislative Joint Auditing-Counties and Municipalities

The. Culture would you like to offer a very brief ford of prior today with a place. But we thank you for all the people there here today we ask you to help us with everything as far as god that we do the right things place name payment thank you coach you are right. At a seal our folks have not been to our committee before uh a new probably bend the committees our hour make its announcement up front and he'll save everybody a lot of time in trouble the purpose of this is for the legislature members of this committee to hear interview the results of our it gone on on uh counties a minutes per things across the state some of these are done by our own staff some of these are done by outside cpa firms and we review these and these are in some cases they're items that under the law not just your discretion this committee but under the law we required to refer to prosecuting attorneys for review that doesn't mean they're people have committed crimes it just means that certain criteria have been met in the law where we send the to be reviewed by uh prosecuting attorneys very tiny percentage of those are actually lead to prosecutions but uh this this committee and our staff their fact finders in the people that are enforced in the law they they do their job do that so that okay mister charles but welcome to all of the first thing on the general would be the adoption of the minutes of the february eighth motion by senator flip second by senator crowl a discussion on favor say I proposed thank you minutes for approach will move to items see a discussion of repayment of turnback funds for two cities uh mister chairman would you describe this thank you mister chair we have a request from two cities the city madison serious turn to repay less than ten percent of their general revenues to the street fund for monies that have been experienced on things that were not street fund related. Uh in your packet there's going to be an excel spreadsheet told the comparison of legislative joint audit committee approval cities to repay less than ten percent of the general revenues and we have at the top there be a list of cities that have been approved previously by this committee in below there's going to be the two cities that are requesting uhm today. Uh you can see madison is requesting to repay one hundred dollars promote which is less than one percent of their general revenues and it would take a pay back of about twenty and a half years turned is requesting to repay five percent of the general revenues which would be approximately one thousand two hundred seventy four dollars a month in it would take it it would have a pay back of about sixteen in a third years tourism in line with a lot of the previous uhm approvals by this committee and guess in the also in the pack you there are there's the latest to report for the cities in there that their questionnaire that they complete uhm to asking the committee for this uhm. This privilege to pay back less than ten percent of the general revenues is required by law and so that's that's what the staff has to preserve the if you would like we also have we have officials from the city of terrible here the mayor is here we also have the madison county recorded the mars- the city of medicine recorded treasure was supposed to be here she didn't sign in but if there are one for medicine here. Okay i'm sorry what will say it's talking about I thought we were telling material well they're they're both on this list those of the two okay and on this list that were requesting the pay less than the ten percent so I was just expertising who is here and we are talking about both of them but I think we should with with that objection i'm on a for anything about medicine and we'll just talk about terrible ratio shame by committee members have a problem with since we don't think we have anyone for medicine here right now okay we'll start objection that's what we'll mayor charles webster is here from madison a fee with going to be i'm sorry from from terrible if he would go to the end of the table. There were if you do that welcome so it while he's there i'd also like to read the fines because he he's here to answer some questions about that so on page nineteen of your snopsis we have the city of tural in if it's okay with the committee chairs we can either report at the same time okay with you coach very which number is on page nineteen so i'll read their findings from the report from the two thousand two engagement although this report shows general foreign balance of one hundred sixty six thousand dollars he has brought to our attention that the interest two thousand twenty two part of the balance was restricted for acting thirty three for department expenditures in addition the general plan out a significant amount to the street pun when these outstanding amounts were considered the general fan had a deficit and restricted balance of ninety eight thousand dollars the city paid seven twenty four dollars for sports broadcasting package for the volunteer for department in conflict with the purpose of public purpose talk to in the arkansas constitution. Stay for how we phones and previous years at two hundred fifty thousand dollars out of the street was not transferred doing the engagement period not compliance code city made payments of thirty two hundred dollars which was one percent of general revenues without a resolution or ordinance to repay the street fund. The city is not or trained authorization from the committee that's what they're here to do today if they can to repay less than ten percent of jean a similar funding a similar finding in previous reports dates back to two thousand three okay thank you mayor welcome please state your name for the recurrent the living this with you also do so my name is charles website of seat of terror nation cracky city clerk welcome may would you like to respond to the two items that mister jones just describe yes the first to first item we request the fabricing uh payment we have been paying back to screen bond uh for several years since i've been in been in in office and we will would like to pay the fabricing it which we know we can and for for the opportunity to do so the other action is the. I guess you will say the cable we activated our father department. Uh what we turn on the cable in order to use the computer system that we have in place they will give you this promotion deal in the staff or the fight she failed to respond back to the environment. Thursday period we didn't have up to two investigated in our police officer information that there were no called for it is pointed prosecuting anyone. Okay so this is all those things with the cable company who you're using for your internet service added this payment this package that was like us short term freebie but you had to cancel it by a certain day or they're going to start billing you have having been experienced something like that in the past back and relied there which i'll have corrected there yes we have corrected okay thank you we'll move on to the street found issue my your request has been there you would pay a five percent and that would be twelve hundred and seventy four dollars a month until the uh the street finders it's paid back is that correct that is correct okay committee membership i'll have any comment or questions for the mayor about their senator laugh thank you miss share so let me ask you this so were you did you all begin paying back the street fund before you are who are the meas mister john mister jones this was a fine in the street finals of finding prior to what did you take office mir twenty eighteen twenty so did we have a filing on the street fine before twenty eighteen we we didn't have this particular finding before eighteen so so mayor what have you done to correct the issue that's before us right now when I took off if we start to pay discrete point back to three hundred dollars we increase it all at the ear so to five hundred dollars so we have been paying this money back but we did not have a real delusion or request to pay a lesser percentage. That so you'll have not a actually adopted a resolution here placing that specific amount in your resolution yes we have adopted so you have we have adopted one the one on the five percent yes okay well that's good thank you so then. Because the temperature is a law who would pay in the ten percent or twice as much as you pay in now is there going to create a financial hardship on you that shouldn't we know they know the favorite pay in the fabric thing it would now create a highest october paying ten percent with their career of financial there would be because we just are just prejudice new truck and we prejude them up thing this way okay all right thank you miss school okay thank you search other questions representative thank you mister chair mayor how many how many years have you been taking money out of the street fine actually this happened I think I won't say. When thinks toyota fourteen years ago this the distinct happened within under my administration so this happened several years ago how long have you been making this five percent payment uh we have started to five percent payment yet and sort of we have been paying back for the last three or four years to discrete far if i'm not mistaken I think since two thousand three you all have been taking maybe not too but the city itself has been taking money out of the street by a news further purposes and every time and all it happens itself we're going to correct that in a in it never happens. Well it did not happen because of the fact that we wouldn't aware of that we had to do a resolution but we have been paying the money back. Fine thank you mister chair thank you any other questions to comments from the mayor you give me that looks like this to because the manson because he said it daily back to two thousand three which was which was not on the ear administration but yes now I was I was incorrect I was looking there two different findings one of the findings is that the general other findings quite a bit of money and so that finding goes back to eighteen but the one that they all back the street bond goes back to two thousand three the first one says that they've owed money that put some in financial distress basically since two thousand eighteen that one about owing the street fine goes all the way back to two thousand three and that's that's common what happened previously is the the money used to go straight to the general fund and they had to move it to the street found as far as the that's what the straight state treasured the senate all the money to the general they moved it in in a few years ago that began sending it directly to the street law in the street france portion so okay so they do have that correct the money is going to the street yes everywhere it is now okay okay so that answer questions there it it does in in against our asked mister jones is because the mere see you say and they are some outside debts. The bottom line is part of the money in their general foreign bank account is restricted for act eight thirty three fire department purpose which is training and equipment and then they owe the street plan quite a bit of money and so if when you take that into consideration they don't have much money in the general form that's where yes when the disconnect so occur our well I just want to understand that thank you character and for the benefit of our people that don't take this regularly I will let you know what's going on here series can you get turned back funds from state government uh how we find money's collected by department transportation part of that goes back to cities and counties they are obligated to put that into their street find it spend it on streets and curb and gutter and bridges and things like that uh we had numerous instances to swear cities mistakenly put it in their general find in spin that's what happens in this now it's still their money but the kids spend it on things aren't related to streets and roads bridges so we request the law requires that they repay that up to ten percent of their uh general revenues and list we grant them some way or in and frankly folks often terms there's just it's the turn up theory there's no blood in the turnover so in this case the city is asking to pay back five percent and we've had several cases recently where we we work out and range which were we expect him to to file there but at this point terrible is asked to pay back five percent which is twelve hundred and seventy four dollars so I hope they exp- hear my understands why we're doing this and what we're doing this is happens more often than it should but I think we've got some procedures. And the way the money is paid cities that will help us avoid this problem in the future mayor is there anything you want to add on this I understand your situation I understand the request and i'll open the paper to you speak out open it up for members of the committee asking questions I don't not have any comment thank you for that committee any in questions or comments on this issue. The chair would ask for is there a motion to approve their request to pay the five percent passenger to hammer second bass and flip out a discussion on favor say I posed thank you mayor we've approved the prepayment of five percent so let's let's stay on that schedule okay you said thank you thank you so much for coming up with the community like to file that report is yes and and need a motion to file the report by sergeant flipper second singer crowled favorite say I pose force file. Okay so we cannot skip to here didn't work for now go back to uh adam DC. We will with that objection we will defer the request from madison until next month and if if they want us to do a favorite thing and need to show up so mister charles you'll make sure that the fox and medicine know that any to come up yes to our little meeting and occur in the update on google's status complies if the committee will remember we go has been declared in substantial non compliance of and it's what carrying all that happened originally in january and so they had sixty days to get that corrected and so those sixty days beyond the february meetings so they had until today. And our staff has been in contact with them on a regular basis and there have been a sign there has been significant progress at goal and we have we know the bike reconciliations are for reconciled at the moment for two thousand twenty four their journals for two thousand twenty four current and so we would like to inform the committee that the city is not longer and substantial non compliance that that process will end at the moment there still is room for improvement uh gold and so we plan to. Perform their two thousand twenty four report early in two thousand twenty five to keep. To keep a close watch on that any questions mister jones on the gold report so we can file. So with our objections will file that report uh grady speed trip consideration by prosecuting turn here she has thank you mister chair this committee has assessed to keep them up on the speed trap investigation for the city of grading form two thousand twenty one in two thousand and twenty two we had to notify the prosecution attorney that they they failed the test in the law for being a speech rep in so we haven't heard anything from the prosecutor uhm since the last meeting in what we do know is when we perform the two thousand twenty three engagement we will they won't be a speech rap in the reason we know that is because. But for the lawn share of their tickets that they're issued or on how we sixty five in that law was amended in two thousand twenty three in so you have to be the how we has to have a decrease in speed limit in how we sixty five does not have a decrease in speed limit in greaty and so there is another how way that how we eleven but almost no tickets are written how we for but no tickets almost no tickets are written on their highway so but that's where it is we hear anything else in the proski turning will let the committee know but that was one of things in the last meeting that the committee asked is to do and that's the update on the greatest speech do we need to defer this to july meeting we can continue to leave it on here for us to give you an update and we can sure do that what's the committee's thoughts on there anyone however idea I think it's there a flip well thanks we should leave it on here for a little while keep keep all okay without objection that's what we'll do we'll keep it on our our place and then get the latest i'm glad they're working some progress okay city box side will report. Oh i'm sorry I misreport enough major banks is on the top of our report listener told representative war law we would fall here and go strike to that one so. We'll take up banks correct thank you mister chair will begin the review the reports on place one of the snaps we have one previously deferred report and it's the town of bikes for the years two thousand twenty one two thousand twenty two thirty two thousand twenty one in two thousand twenty the town paid six hundred dollars five hundred forty dollars in a hundred dollars to the mayor and two thousand twenty two twenty one and twenty respectively for mowing without an authorizing orders in our complaints with code a similar finding was in the previous report the town paid eight hundred dollars in two thousand twenty two for dinner for council members and their families without a document business purpose in a parent conflict with the public purpose doctrine in the arkansas constitution geofferen expenditures appropriations about thirty three thousand dollars in sixty nine hundred dollars and twenty two thousand twenty two two thousand twenty one respectively in our complaints with code also street foreign expenditures exceeded preparations by seventy nine hundred dollars and fifteen thousand eight hundred dollars and seven thousand dollars in two twenty two twenty one and twenty respectively in our complaints with code the similar finding was in the previous report continue on page two pre number seats were not issued for all moneys received in our commands code in a similar finding was in the previous report mayor keen hudson and a recorded treasure leaving or here to answer questions okay mayor hudson which identify yourself for the record there's a button on that machine if you get the line key and have some cities okay in ma'am you decide layer bar city a bank's treasure yes okay thank you may would you like to respond to the the report uh yes are on the mower and waiver of in my own since I was sixteen up on the last author when this theresa outlawed down she told me i'd have a waiver as a miss for her cleaning. We have the cancel to approve a waiver when we get our three year old it doesn't they said no it should have been a resolution and ordinary so we corrected that and have both courtnesses a resolution's parents now on the budget we've heard a lot of great matching we had a head of italian legal services her city attorney arm so we did go over budget we have currently hard mister michael garner CPA from hampton calendar county to help us rain in our budget stay on terrorist was that all the findings that are answered you know this morning okay the one about the uh the cat the dinner for the calculator yes sir we have uhm a first of all every november and so at the end of the year we had a christmas party for the uh council members of our department the service department in any volunteers uhm we have carried her guess what it happened was we do not provide meeting agenda and minutes with dinner it was a dinner word ceremony uhm and so we have all the documentaries and where we paid for who cared or to and we found it in our january twenty seventeen of twenty three minutes where we had approved it where it should have been in december so I guess that that's longer than I can say rather we had approval I just didn't didn't have the minutes to reflect it in the right order what mayor you know probably what's in the minutes is what officially happened so it's a very important that challenge and have the vote that this is done that way and in non the mowing he said you've been mowing that you were sixteen hours a moment younger than that how was it a mayor is different when you work the mayor now that you've heard. He has to be done by the book and concerned you understand that is okay any other questions from the mirror center hammer I think this chair is I read the report it seems like you agree with everything which he had pretty strong opposition with regards to the c. I guess it's regarding the. On our report says I strongly disagree with this finding. And I was curious if you'd mind speaking why you feel that you strongly disagree or what was the reaction when you express your disagreement what far name was that so we are on banks right yes on page two it's the. The second paragraph about review and the prior year report any company document comments at the first regular schedule they were to receive this report yes yes we had I guess they they failed to go into the minutes but we did when we had our audit review with a state the local side of the next council member we did have that review when it did not make the minute so that's why disagreed with their. Okay so that was a properly recorded in the minutes it's having taken places correct I think that's what happened there that we just didn't list that we had the audit review we talked about it do you agree with my statement on there okay we're verbal here you have some not not in that always work thank you okay. Any questions representative ward law thank you mister chair music allowed to start off greater to you so mister mayor you posted on facebook which you had to go to the kangaroo court today can you give me the definition of a kangaroo court please uh you representative spent my entire ten year firing you that's what I mean nobody else I have staying respect for our definition of the record is informal term for court that ignores and recognize the standards of law and justice this community his task was making sure that the foreigns of this state taxpayers are expenditure correctly. And when you look at the lawn more and just for an example the price changes every year can you tell me did the number of acres of the numbers were foot mode change in those years I don't know what I get period tomorrow to yards and i'm three for furry and I get paid thirty dollars for yards and sixty dollars a month and ask you that's the number of yards that you got paid for change to yards okay so in your response you reference your pay your pay doesn't matter what matters is how you got the ordinance to continue to move as the mayor of that city. So the marriage for me reference your pay is two hundred and forty dollars a year in your response that's my twenty dollars a month salary that's for being in the mayor that's not tomorrow I know you reference it as in you wouldn't pay enough so you charge nine hundred dollars and twenty twenty two is that too compensate your pay I don't think so okay so why did you read office at my salary and it's been the same sense before me so why did you reference it in your response no idea prior to say that I do a lot for free announcement probably two hundred thousand dollars more money doing this job to be reprimanded by you thank you mister chair thank you say there have been demand elaborating on what is the institute spare money for our your own pocket that's a precise full amount i'd be curious know what you're expenditures or what your expenditures have been for place bought seventy percent of the town cleaned uh paid for dozers down it's easy to allow and contribute it money to to all the volunteer programs to uh dinners pay for the dinner that I got in trouble for the year before I my own partner have paid extra mowing for the we have another energy that moves the right aways they all encourage two hundred forty dollars a year so any time we do extra period of my own pocket I think I pay for the easter events uh halloween available a favorite everything there's a city of a hundred people does not have the money to then i've also paid for an attorney to fight mister word laws pushed for us to consolidate water system and that caused me ten thousand dollars at the time. Okay thank you mayor II would like to say that we're not a kangaroo court and what we really do is are professionals where they're sure CPA the church town hard or whether it's our staff does or they come up with reports and we have to deal with them and and ask you to come in here so you can explain what you're doing the correct problems that are faces total respect for your eyes just one person I don't care for in particular and he doesn't care for me we don't have political differences in here where we're by partisan and by camera and well we have different political visa we all speak is one voice to protect the citizens of our consultant money in this committee so I appreciate you saying that in adult meetings accepted we'll move along but but please note that there are a lot of people have opinions we have delivered it to the subject at hand we'd be here forever in multiple days during the month thank you general chair where thank you mister chairman and appreciate the chairman's comments in to the mayor but you call this body a kang record regardless of your relationship with representative ward law but when you refer to this is a kangaroo court is disrespectful not only to this committee but also to our legislative audit step that has is tremendously busy if you don't have any findings you don't have to come to the kangaroo court but your comments the referring to all of us is a kangaroo court it's just totally unacceptable thank you mister thank you and uh pure a lot of the the mayor's apologized in i've accepted his apology on behalf of the entire committee so far as I am concerned will move on any questions related to the actual order items for the mayor or the. Not that we'll entertain motion to to file the report senator crowls or second site said hammer seconds on favor say I opposed to the note there was a no but the file the report is far thank you. Let's see start with bank where we head in there beginning with the court certified to the bomboard we have an investigative port for the interest and water insured apartment. Sorry about that we're beginning the report certified the bond board and we have a investigative report for the emergency department in michelle actually is going to present that report. Town of immersion officials discovered that water and serious department fans were misappropriated in the thirteenth judicial description district prosecution attorney requested legislative audit performer review of department funds this review is conducted primarily for the period january one of twenty twenty two through the end of the year located in columbia county the town have been more similar in sewer department serves approximately four hundred and fifty four customers audit staff review revealed that revenue totalling thirty five thousand fifty nine dollars was not deposited in the department's bank accounts during our review period and account of four funds consisted primarily of cash receipts that were not deposited the towns clark treasure was responsible for depositing the department funds the employment of this individual was terminated and shortly after her termination is when town officials discovered that apartment funds have been misappropriated. Audit determined that the town was in complaints with arkansas code that requires the department to obtain a new audits or agreed upon procedures within one year of the department's fiscal year urient however we noted that during the twenty twenty audit report it disclosed that the department did not segregate funny in short counting duties relating to initiating proceeding dispersing and recording cash transactions to sufficiently reduce the risk of fraud or air are our review agreed that duties were not properly segregated and also receipts were not reconciled a bank deposits in management did not provide adequate physical oversight indicating and efficiency in internal controls within the department we recommended that receiving a depositing duties be segregated to the extent possible and daily receipt reports be reconciled the bank deposit camp composition and that management monitor controls to ensure inherence the court treasure who was who's employment was terminated in the december of twenty two twenty two was castodian of the funds and responsible for bank deposits several internal controlled efficiencies contributed to funds being misappropriated in the misappropriation not being detected timely the results of our review were provided to the prosecution attorney and the clerk treasure was charged with theft of property and abuse of office okay assume those charges are pending yes sir they are credit any questions for about the year immersion. With our objection it'll be filed uh moving on to london county uh mister jones kara balone kelly for the year two thousand twenty two beginning on page five of the snaps. In june two thousand and nineteen the county source debits for counting road or out of emoening services and accepted a bit of one hundred and ninety five dollars per month the contract terms dated june seventy two thousand nineteen or for the reminder of the county year with the county having the option to renew the contract for up to three years. In two thousand twenty three the county continued to use this spender without soliciting bids as required back home our review the selected of selected road foreign dispersements were doing payments totally four point four million dollars were paid to one vendor for carry road rataway mowing services for the five year period ending december thirty first two thousand twenty three. We discovered we'll get in force payments telling one hundred thirty two thousand dollars as the report date these overpayments telling one hundred thirty two thousand dollars remained outstanding in the carrier not pursued reimbursement from the vendor continuing over on page seven. The arkansas department and inspector general office in the internal audit disclosed in a report dated april nineteenth two thousand twenty three that an employee of the long canny shears office whose time was funded but the comprehensive opinion abused program grant duplicated uh hours on time sheets for total of a hundred and forty six and a half hours the one hundred and forty six and a half hours of compensation behind the reservices resulted in overpayment of two thousand five hundred eighty six dollars. The department of fun its administration agreed to recover the overpayment by reducing the remaining reimbursements continue on page eight the review the payroll records in the county clorks office for the period january first two thousand twenty two through july twenty second two thousand twenty three reveal the following questionable payments totalling four thousand two hundred thirty one dollars to three employees due to the incorrect payments for vacational compensatory town hours reporting in incorrect pay periods personal leave and sickly we recommend the county consultant legal council regarding the legal season iraq consolible nature the clerks executive office policy compared to the general lona county personnel policy this this report. Has been referred has been certified at the bond board and also has been referred to the proskin cuting attorney and the attorney general uhm do what's going on staff will I ask you a specific questions about these findings to they want to refer those questions to the prosecuting attorney. Okay. So barry understand what that makes means that we're not anything related to the the prosecution in the hearing. Judge is that do we need to allow them to there were no repeat funding so per policy no one is environment no one has been embodied to answer questions about a repeat finding that these funnies are going to the PA. Attorney general so we read those findings and review those in the meeting it's up to the community decided but our our will make one change to their mister charles how are judges here and also now the judge who's the former carry attorney is judge dods and a forecarry uh is there any it's not necessary if you make statement again I would suggest that we keep it on the subject in until we hear from their authorities sort of speak so but I did want to let the committee know that we are in the middle of the snare at the end of the beginning of this so it's probably appropriate that this be held over not necessarily just july but hello is there any objection to the whole head again if if their questions here you're looking at me i'll be happy to recognize you but but please does keep it so we you're just we're going out hold it over to have the questions that I have probably so and i'm not saying that you don't have questions it might be okay to deal with today but I probably uh I probably get some that aren't okay because i've got our own abundance of the then respectfully aless that you may be hold on to the next maybe uh anything else to say to hammer I want director to the chair okay and then chair can determine whether it's appropriate in it says it appears to vendor selective which right away to rather than the county determine the areas for money contrary to the terms of the contract. My question would be is that permissible under. The judges authority to make that determination and if you want to hold that if you feel that you could speculate center hand where it's a good question but I think the deals with findings of fact and we should probably hold that one as well as I would not open on on where the laugh in what that contract actually said so so let's with your permission these will be things it will make sure that that staff has has determined for us when we come back in july and maybe but then that we can probably depend on it but that's a good question thank you for asking general where just one quick question for the for the chair so the the finding on the the share of has that been referred also as I know the sheriff identified the problem took measures to ensure that it doesn't happen again but is the finding against the shirt being referred also to prosecutor mister challenge all three the findings we read are going to the prosecuting attorney we have to refer those when we. Have in this case it was duplicate payment and so that's that's our policy and actually it's required by law for us to do so okay thank you thank you mister thank you general sarah thank you mister chair so there are good on this I am concerned about the duplicate payments but i'm also concerned about what I guess what system they have set up and I think I think the country should speak to their like how do how do we guarantee that this is not currently happening now or won't happen in the future that about the duplicate payments I mean we ask every city we ask every county that has some sort of fine in like this like what systems were safeguards have he put employees I don't think that that's going to be that's going to be uhm the croatian own anything that they have won only make sure that this type of issue doesn't happen in the future so I interested in asking him like what they have in place thank not only how did this happen but what do they have in place insurer that is not going to happen in the future that's something that we ask everybody in the company here if so I think that I think to take in elites answered there because of right now their planned vendors today how do we know that they don't have a minor come in here with the six months and have duplicate payments what system do they have in place it's going to safeguard I mean that's that I mean that's decision one of our concerns i'm not going to get into other other questions would I get some concert with the system they have a place it can allow this value and question sir love and with the indulgence of the committee i'm going to to ask a judge or when tourney now judge doesn't come to the table. If they want to respond to that this time if they want to defer until coming back later but I think that's what limited to that because obviously we want procedures in place right away in some general money I would just quickly just sit down those chairs and turn your michael in for their fire yourself for the record. Judge and your place identify yourself the right dugger when long upcounting judge church doesn't. Calendar former county attorney for longer counting he's now the foreigner carry judge if you understand why i'm saying judge and yes yes that's correct the other twenty ones on the current non of canny attorney okay all right when you're recognized to respond specifically to senator love's question about procedures in first of all thank this committee and and I appreciate all the hard work from a legislative standpoint in for central up to entry question uh this matter that we're discussing was a contract it's it's not that we're hard and other manners and everything it was a contract that uh took place in june have uh seven of two thousand nineteen now at that time prior to uh judge dots and become in county judge for county he was our county attorney for four years and he drafted this contract I think there is some dispute of you know how the burbages in the contract of the it was written for three years we could renew it and you leave in flaxing judge dots and prepared that contract uh in twenty three uh that contract would have technically expired uh but. You know AAC fourteen twenty two one o six on page the second page paragraph eighteen speaks to it's about exemptions and we have to give carpets as many ahead of brought some that's not necessary okay and but what it says is if I may presuming or extending the terms of an existing contract is an exemption so. Yes the gentleman that under investigation about these double payments or duplicate payments. Uhm it's still currently doing the contract for the same rate that he got the contract for in june of two now and nineteen um haven't said that uhm. I understand totally totally the perception that duplicates um invoices what took place was after our investigation was this guy would move the same set of roads and it was a the exact same set of roads and so he would submit store of putting another invoice number on the top it had the same invoices any in even some of uh warning would submit that uhm. It was the same invoice. But it was for two different two in some cases three and four and five times a year for instance in involvement counting for instance and I think uh judge doesn't care a test of this uhm here they mower round they have eight mowers we move the county with with one person that got the contract ah they move year round they have eight tractors running here round we move from when the grass it's beginning to start more in the road ditches in the spring till the frost in the fall we know mo year round and that in the contract didn't say that it appears but I believe whole hardly the the gentleman done the work uh that they did the work that they were paid for the reason being for the judge let me interrupt you just I wanted to narrow this down to procedures in place and not get anything we're not trying to also hear we're not definite prosecution or prosecuting here the carrier yes I just forest I wanted it specifically on serious question about that procedure do you feel at this point that you have procedures in place to avoid any such confusion in the future yes sir okay we'll just leave it at that I was just going to add that yes the itemized notations are from mostly from nineteen and twenty eight of the nine or from two thousand nineteen two thousand twenty two thousand twenty one being the latest of those to judge I think what the senator is asking years what if you don't since then that has kept this from happening since twenty twenty one at the latest that's good definition yes sir thank you okay to enter their we have the gentleman has to uh suppliers with an invoice uh thirty within thirty days of do. Whatever area he mugs in the event that he doesn't supplies that with thirty days we have to have something in writing for him to tell us why not. So he can't leave the invoices land on his desk if that happened to be the case for two or three months and then so well our mobile street terms so i'm two times and that's in two invoices a week or two so judge you're saying that the documentation requirement has been tightened yes sir okay that's what we wanted to hear senator love you agree that's what we want here. I'm not sure what uh things today is that I think I think I think on the backs are we're going to tackle this confident will be gone in more depth on this in the future but we're not going to stick our nose into the procedures and the other one force of people's business thank you unless there's another question that would fall within the limited pervie that I have stepped for this uh does anyone have a another type question that that would allow them not you know judge counselor to dot thank you for coming in we will be back when we hear from how these these things are judiciary thank you thank you for your meeting and and committee I have to to go to another meeting uh mister jane warned me that we may be here so long i'll be back but I do have to leave briefly and I will be turning the chair over to my culture representative. They say mister jones were we at ca- we are beginning the reports referred to the prosecuting attorney in the attorney general we have an investigative report for the new derosh volunteer foreign apartment in michelle actually the legislative staff will present their report this report was issued in response to request from the seven judicial district prosecution attorney for audit to review selected transactions and the new roach volunteer fire department the department is located in rural area of hot springs county and has approx my twelve volunteer firefoggers in funding consisted primarily of state aid in membership does the department treasure was responsible for depositing and dispersing disbursement bands as well as maintaining financial records for their apartment the individual who served as treasure during the period reviewed resound in march of twenty twenty three shortly after her resignation the board discovered in proper dispersements audit staff review avail of available department revenue records revealed an accountant for funds totalling six hundred and seventy five dollars however revenue records were not available for twenty twenty two and twenty twenty three therefore we were unable to determine if all funds for those years were accounted for review of department dispersements revealed in proper disbursements towing twenty eight thousand one hundred and seventy seven dollars which were made by the treasure these improper disparsements and consistent of. Seventeen thousand seven hundred dollars in improper transfers to her personal bank account eight thousand dollars in personal expenses twenty two hundred in and archime cash withdrawals in thirty dollars in the cashback purchase in addition documentation could not be located for payments totalling seventeen thousand six hundred dollars to various vendors therefore audit staff could not verify the validity of those dispersements however we did not that on six occasions the the treasure transferred funds from her personal bank account back to the department's bank account those transfers which total seventeen thousand nine hundred and sixty two dollars were apparently made to reimburse the department for funds that had previously been misused our review also revealed several internal controlled efficiencies staff from recommended that the department maintain adequate financial records and segregate financial duties to the extent possible in addition the board to provide adequate physical oversought at the department in bank statement should be reviewed monthly by someone not involved in the book he can process the results of our review were provided to the seven judicial district prosecution attorney and the treasurer was charged with theft of property. That concludes the report okay mister jones this hadn't been turned out which are prosperity yes sir in the these reports or per- referred to the prosecutoring attorney in the attorney general there's no one been involved because that's just not the policy on these we just present the report staff would recommend following this report okay i'll entertain emotion to power for the second okay. All the best they are also will continue on page twelve the snaps and these continue to be reports referred to the prosecution attorney in the attorney general. But the finding for the sea ball now for the year two thousand twenty two the city dispersed five thousand dollars to local foot hill's lane of lights and nonprofit organization without a contract in the parent conflict with our kids all constitution article twelve section file. Uh again this there is not a repeat funding there's no one present from bolna they haven't been embodied staff would recommend and following the report energy motion power for the have a question so mischi- mister jones on the next several reports were where we've already turned them over to the prosecution attorney is dear for going to step on and recommend that we tell the reports on most of the yes there's there's a few uhm beginning about number eleven there will be some that we will have some visitors but you're you're correct the next several no one will be here it's going to pa that's what we're going to recommend who I would just recommend if we could just bets these reports I mean if the step is going to say four and if we could just betch those reports I mean we don't necessarily have to rethrow it to our part of our business but nets that's up to the desert she has paragraphed if so no uh say this for you I think it's good that move because it's we're going to have to go to a large and we can't make a mobile reading why so let's see it's okay if it's over with you i'll just let you know the reports are going to be that way and we can batch those you can. Following tell me if that's what you would like to do so ball nob uh to see a magnolia for two thousand twenty two. The city of stuff for two thousand twenty two. Drew county for two thousand twenty two. Union county for two thousand twenty two. The city of all tower for two thousand twenty two. In two thousand twenty one. The city of euro for two thousand twenty two and the city of hickory ridge. For two thousand twenty two kind that you've you all have heard ever one of those situations I tell emotion there were. There with megapower senator for all general would make motion who seconds serious makes secretarial code all those bible you know okay okay serious seconds motion all those they are although for say no okay all right let's go to page sixteen we have the city bradley and the mayor and the recorded trader were invited to respond to repeat finding but I received a phone call for the mayor see as a doctor's appointment and he requested the deferral to the july meetings of staff would recommend uhm deferring the bradley county report rarely i'm sorry city broadly rarely need a motion for pal in the report of ten motion to defer the far to the further report although very russia. All the next on page seventeen we have the town of gilmore for the year two thousand and twenty two uhm mayor burst delaney called in he can't be here now he we did have some conversations. The uh there's two findings one is going to the the pa because uh some parallel re- reimbursements the other is a finding where they have not repaid the street fund and they have some deficit funding in the general phone they passed an ordinance and he sent me a copy that orders to repay ten percent. They have repaid six point eight percent and the the previous year and so they still over seventy three hundred dollars so in most cases this would be deferred uhm now one thing I do know as they also of the foreign equipment training fund and they they paid in full and now they're working on the street fund but it still is a situation where they have repeat finding on. Uhm the street funds they didn't pay the the ten percent they required to so that would be the will the committee whether you'd like to defer or file that report okay committee you you all hardly as they only page explore a percent and actually by allow or so she playing in ten percent or less we make an adjustment is not right they have an **** for an adjustment like the other the other cities have they just didn't quite make the ten percent that their ordinary said well let let me expect this mister john i'll take out actually in the future you use times that they will play the ten percent or do we have anything in concrete that says they were they have an ordinance and we're supposed to report on that and so that's what we're learning the committee know that in quite paid ten percent and so he he just he couldn't make it today he had some help reasons and so we. On culture for needs to bring up a subject I just think we deferred make him come up and talk to us because they need to understand that ten percent is ten percent so I think we defer and haven't come up most of our own where the uk micromost how does that mean I do agree with senator crowl um are you saying that they have their they have a deficit. Because i'm looking at i'm looking at the general finance and the decision in my marverine correctly journal finance and the deaths the other than the deficit. What what they have there is that yeah they have a low balance in the general phone and they owe money to the street fund and if you take it and consideration there they have a negative ballot in so that we're just letting the reader know there's financial difficulties in general thank you thank you miss share you know. Now term we're going to defer this to next morning to general rights okay that's my understanding of miscrowded to my common way for this to the next month okay motion it would need to second outgoing mister own water representing sure those favorite police say no. Okay okay are we moving to the reports with repeat fundings. We have jefferson county for the year two thousand twenty two. We have one repeat finding on the county judge the core court entered into executive session during the meeting held on december twelfth two thousand twenty two to review the two thousand twenty one audit in not complots with organs are code also the applicable media meeting minutes did not document the review of the art in the coupling findings in our complaints account that similar finding was issued in the prior report county judge gerald robinson is here to answer questions. It's good to hear me with a sudden sir thank you good afternoon senator could you explain a little bit about this also judge who is a man which you this is a brick bullet he's my road superintendent so thank you both for bringing here right in judge could you give us an explanation of what happened it may be the situation that we may need to look at. Okay and that that again thank you for happening here it was a uh deal where we all the meetings were recorded uh and by video audio and we failed to have the minutes done and so from that we could we will correct that and make sure that the uh kirk is there to take the main it's a according to the statute and so that it's what i'm happening here sir in port college took her on my wine into executive session. Could you find this yeah there was there was a a incident uh talking about some but some personnel issue uh that we. Session and you know with the county attorney uh being there um I understand understood that app was that we should not have gone into an executive session referring to that uh matter that we were that we were discussing in so again uh realizing the mistake we will correct that bad uh the game making sure that we follow the statute thank you yes good for sure germany are the questions when you get that's up to the committee but that's that's the one that's the repeat finding that's the one that we're required by committee policy review so the there are no more questions staff would recommend following the report energetic motion and power for. Oh great there's a man in the back light that that. Yeah. Surgery set up competitive. Yeah. In a dentify yourself please lloyd franklin and just the peace district everything country so what is the matter that you'd like to bring for the community feels though the canada as well as forthcoming in all the details of the actual meeting for the past two years account is deliberately try to keep the legislative article report of the core courts agenda uh he's hill the corn course agenda hostage we are to the point where we're now having duplicate concourt meetings because he will not allow anything on his agenda that he does not consent to and that includes the legislative article report and if you were more detailed in exact what you're questioning to him with no open-ended answers he would have to identify any knowledge that he has not had a report talked about on the legislative are findings in the past several years despite several comport members are going with him repeatedly and corn court meetings to address these eyes is a matter of fact we've received the audit from last year and he has failed to put that on the agenda so it's kind of like he's making a mockery of the system because what we've come to believe is all of these findings in these legislative other reports is just a mark on a credit on a cha- a report card with no teeth so not only is he not acknowledging or refusing to discuss legislative ideas or keeping them from the public and disregarding an overruling motions by the corn court members to put the legislative artist on the next corn court meeting when we're in a concourt meeting even the findings themselves which you find him in he still attempted those manners because finding that is improper auction say as a county's equipment he still utilizing those same tactics to this day. Okay so there's a multi two things that are going on in jersey county we can go on and on about it but the point is not things being done in jersey since county there was a million of the taxpayers dollars being spend that has not been beated out there he is no bearing process and when it comes to things in jerusalem county we have a problem being employees paid which i'm pretty sure you've also been on the news we've had meetings with several elected officials seralo for agencies in the problem is is that we can't get anything done on this legislative artist steps in it does a referral we've had legislative audit findings where they've done referrals to the arkansas state police where the arkansas state police have completed investigations and referred it to the prosecution attorney and he's failed to prosecute we have a prosecutor who was compromised so I don't know what we can refer some of these managed to the attorney general who can step in and take a review over this or we can do a forensic audit of any and all budgets under the current county to geravison but something needs to be done millions in millions of taxpayers and hours are being spent without being beated on their being spent on buildings under the aspects of a program called tills in terms which jefferson county has never opted into there is just times in terms of things going on in all the seems like all of these legislative either reports is it just a job because nothing happens and we can't get any outside agency to come in and do anything unless they get a referral from legislative and we can't get anything from the state police or let's the council legislate about it we can't talk to the attorney general political council legislative article so the worse of blowers have no will sort of blow and you have a county full of people who were willing to blow the worse but we can't get anything done well serve we do appreciate you being here and these things that that you are saying then sound too very good. But at the same time sir are we will be honest with you I do feel like our orders are doing a great very job in its time goes on if something is not run i'm sure it will show up so if we don't have sample and we're actually requesting a forensic added a full for rensign artists what is the process to that because that's something that's not available to an elected official in jersey county so we're telling you and i'm telling you here right now that there's wrong doing going on in its almost like we're getting. Can of like a record pre-recorded answer on the same thing what we're requesting here and me on behalf of the corn court what we telling you we need i'm not getting any information saying hey we're going to help you this is what we're going to do about it or i'm getting our legislative artists are doing a great job which I agree with that on a sample at it but there's not totally conclusive of the whole picture of jefferson county and if you're catching things where there's millions and unbeated out projects going on and service in county and that was just on a sample island which is a major what happens when you do a full flesh for random guided on the whole thing i'm telling you there's wrong doing going on and it is I don't make a microwave at his court I don't think is a co- kangaroo court I respect everyone here and i'm telling you there's wrong doing going on right now and i'm getting a legislative ad is doing a great job that's not really help in jerusalem county well I thank you mister jones can give you an answer on this particular situation since i've had a question of service go area sir thank you mister so. Against our assistance mister jones I know that we do a separate article but is is you know the beating the beating procedure of the procurement procedures is that reviewed when when we do our article. Yes we take a look at the beating now we we may not look at every last expenditure that requires a bit yes because we be there a long time in we have limited resources but you do yourself yes now the other thing II would say in is that we also if you have specific things specific transactions or maybe even vendors are that cathing you can give us information we we actually interview. It's part of the audit procedures part of standards we do some interviews asking do you know fraud injection county in also some non people walk off the street citizens do that give us phone calls some down to receive emails sometimes we receive facts that sometimes we receive handwritten letters and we we take those and we always take a look at those and we usually work those into our engagements and we have we have uhm you know we're reporting instead we report what we find and we have referred those we refer our findings and not only the proski attorney but the the attorney general so. Mister franklin be if he has some things specifically he he's more than welcome to to let me know and he can call the office and I think we spoke on the following actually before so uhm you can call my extension call the legislative audit uh number and and ask for many time jones and I will visit with you in what specific information you have we can get that to our staff and that's something that's done routinely we we get a complaint on a regular basis about different cease and so that's nothing outside the norm but if you have some specific concerns let us know and will will will look into those can and so we'll put that together and that as far as duplicate building for the same paying as far as vendors being paid under different company names to get around debating process to have to be something out in in more and poorly now since we're back to the first of the how do we address this issue with night discussing the legislative article report during core and court member meetings because there's another jesus here who can confirm we try and according to the candidate any meeting we hold outside of a meeting that he calls is illegal again so he held holds the agenda hostage and we have not discussed a legislative report in years so we could get a direct dance of him on how he's gonna correct it okay now as far as the legislative audit staff we what you see in this finding is what we can do when we note that that uh there are report wasn't reviewed we always look for that that we look for that in every single engagement and that's what we can do you will probably want to get with your with uh some legal and that is turning. To find out about the the f o u situation and so that that's beyond what our step out of here and so they kind of goes back to what you say at some legal representation we have a prosecution attorney who refuses to assist the corn court but secondly the candidates himself in may today he who was in a room with the carrier attorney acknowledged and agreed to allow the corn court to go into an executive session to discuss a legislative either report that's what we're dealing with in jersey. From our staff where the arteries you know we can do what we we can do we're we're not members of the corn court itself for them so we can't solve all the problems we we just trying to do our job which is trying to share the little light to the level of corruption is going on in jersey and car so I just you know I just want everyone to take it serious there is a month to the things that could be discussed will get a list and get it to you to your office but you know like I said it felt like prior to I was about the kitchen pre-recorded message and you know we take it very seriously we're trying to do our jobs and when we have an elected official who's impeding the process and stopping us to do what the correct court needs to do by law that's a problem and it's continuously going on for the past four or five years I think I think mister jones is gap the idea so gather that information please we're going that I don't want to catch up but we do have a lot to do we agree with you get the information to him and the staff will do a warning for up with it thank you I appreciate it for hearing me up yes the issue in thank you senator have I think you have something but yes I just want to make sure i'm correct and where we are we had a motion a second on the floor of the way of voted on yet right we have it we have in jefferson projects yes if we haven't voted on that yet right now for what we're into the variance of him well when radio make substitute motion go ahead like make substitute motion that we hold this report over till next month and that uh allows the commute to leaders to submit mister jones whatever it is and want to meet in that we hold this report over till next month okay you've been part of the motion center I mean center hammer just sure we're we're working on the twenty twenty three engagement right now and so this is the twenty twenty two report so. You know been less you want to revisit the twenty twenty two report will have the twenty twenty three and a few months and they will see this issue again are whatever is in the report if it's been corrected we'll see that because this report they just received a copy of the reports of the they will be required to review the report and a core and court meeting in the next ten days and so we'll we'll take a look at that and won't know that the next time so the twenty twenty two report I don't know if you want to revise the the twenty twenty three we'll be coming and we'll we'll have looked at this issue a little dialog with chair law directly to him that you've got right ahead and say what you need so thank sir my my thought process in holding it over is that in low of what's been said here today which the judge has not heard an up to respond to chairs discretion on that but I think i'd like a little more time just to look at deeper into twenty twenty two four we just review and send it out here that we might have a chance to look at or I might have a chance to look at it and maybe have more questions for you know for for the next time around and then i'd like you to clarify this team which made and that is you said the core court will have a chance to review it but based on tests money today and lunch somebody is not shooting straight uhm they haven't had a chance to review it because it had been put on the on the agenda kij educate me about this process and sure I don't remember on the tony tony report the the twenty twenty one report uhm these correct they they went into executive into executive session to review this report and then there was nothing in their minutes that they actually did review so there were two issues one it was reviewed in an executive dis- in executive recession instead of the full session. In two there was no document reviewed at all what i'm saying is in the next few days the core on court should be reviewing this the two thousand twenty two engagement and will we'll take a look at that while we're net with their now and so we'll know if they they've corrected that issue going forward to can they review it if we hold it over in here that's holding it over and here is going to stop them from being able to review it right right there they can do whatever they want and they can go back and reveat the twenty two forty now it would would not have been done in the time brain little law says they could still review that report in an open meeting of the socials okay too what machine is staying about my motion to hold it over and I don't have heartburn if nobody wants second it will move on and i'm good thank you to have a dual hole this report over to the next month yes okay most has been my base senator hammer and hold the motion over until next month he said my representative although I was saying I don't. Well II have a question for staff if you don't mind would you like to buy the judge back for the july meeting what you said for staff put a fish can me maybe one day I will be but yeah I think it would be good for one thing that judges and had chance to respond and I think it would be good to have them back up here i'm not really interested in middle food fight but I would like to see us had the opportunity or may at least have the chance to review of the forgettalest questions come back next time so I think the appropriate if the judge was here and whoever he wants to bring with him thank you. Okay you're going to get to come back next month anyway okay so it put on my sir worders whole owner everything until we get back next month our consumer yes sir in thank you thank you all for coming thank you for your time i'm sure if there's something wrong with our figures yes there i'm i'm i'm sure that transparency is is what we want yesterday thank you. Okay we'll continue uhm who will begin the reports with the repeat findings continue those have the town of big alone for the years two thousand twenty three two thousand twenty two the the minutes of the governing body did not document the review the prior report has required by code similar finding was noted in the previous report may breadly accrued is here to answer questions mayor thank you for coming today of why don't we do sky let us reward the times they have come up here and what you have for answer it was a clear care that hundred percent my fault for not kitchen it we did talk about it it just didn't it wasn't in a minute the uh we've addressed it that this report actually at our last meeting we discussed in it in the minute so it will be something that we all make sure it doesn't happen again. There's anyone on the committee have a question that they would like to ask most of it with our form of second mobile okay where mister represent your motorwards although they are okay. Okay next week the city of hampton for the years two thousand twenty two two thousand twenty one two thousand twenty the governing body didn't review the report a similar issue is in the prior report mayor sharon was supposed to be here but he said it's a copy of the minutes or this had been corrected not only for the past report for this current report they've already reviewed this this report ahead of time actually in so that's the only reason he was involved in has been corrected for this report actually. Uh staff would recommend following the report. The back motion okay go here for you have a question so. Uh they require to review our report but state long yes they are the the required to review in the required review when they receive a copy of the report so what happens is before a meeting day or just before we release something for release reports early that we mail a copy to the officials including the city council core court whoever may you know which everybody is and they're required to review it at their next meeting or if it's with the intended of that next meeting they can go to the next report okay so the end is so because I just ask this because previously the other there are ge- and what the discharge he were here he said that the county charge was keeping in off of the gender in so is is he involvation of state laugh he's keeping enough to agenda if he's if they are not reviewing i'm just ending session right the valid in state laws that they didn't review the audit in a public meeting catch okay in the is there a is there a penalty associated with the balance I guess for the penalty is that if you have a repeat finding it come explain to this committee how they're going to correct it this for as far as I know. Okay all right thank you. Okay motion file okay motions secret representative of those favorite continue on page twenty two we have the ten elective years two thousand twenty two two thousand twenty one the mayor was embarrassed to be here to explain why they didn't review the report either he's not here staff would recommend the firing this report I don't believe he hears entertainment most of our report different representative or the wood and represent every second emotion okay along february. Okay the next on page twenty three the city of madison the recorder treasure any harder was involved to be here she's not here staff would recommend deferring this report okay motion to motion second same two folks although in favor. The. Yes it may have been my hearing a minute ago on the previous report lecture to the cheers say motion to foul or motion to hold over to differ was it to differ on the one four yesterday thank you. Okay the town of montrose twenty four street fund is personally succeeded appropriations ball eleven thousand eight fifty two dollars non complaints the code the similar finding was in the previous report mayor joseph carlton is here to answer questions. We are priorities could say. Yes you know what's going on. What what happened was we had some money that was donated to us to help get the backhaul to pay for the backup and I wanted to keep a record in case I think come up because I don't want to be covered taken wine penny so I put this money in this account and I think we forgot to put it in the and they amended budget and that was because so much was going on my city clerk respect gas that had point somebody you look at it one may again i'm the mayor i'll seek pipe some moment on bands of an I was dealing with a tardenado and so it can alive I forget about it and then when they brought it to my attention we had a meeting and now discussed it you know and they said. Mister jones i'm sure you're gonna as already say it was and the recurring I don't remember hearing anything about less it was to me some of the rates remit in twenty twenty two and brought up in twenty twenty three when it doesn't happen it's one time I could understand why the word would recurrent keep coming we did have a fining in the two thousand twenty one report similar to this you exceeded the budget more than the i'm not sure vision street further the general form but there was a finding in the previous reports okay so that happened what happened with that we were in the process of getting the sewer ah worked out we had live station step going out. And we had to relieve the they are so passed montreals didn't have the money to relieve the through upon but with arkansas real water they brought us this big part but we didn't have the fines to. Pay for the discipline staff. So we I went on my facebook page and actually here but I kept reckon all the donations that came in to help me. To pay for this to get these pounds relieve in according to the help department and I forget to put it again you know I have never done a budget really. I'm like to say this was like new and transit get into things then change in sale clerks cannot. Had me before therefore a minute but we've talked about it and figured out what we need to do since you have a question thank you mister. You are the mayor so mayor so what you're doing is you raise and money here spin in the money but you are unit are they not a men in the budget. Yes okay so from from this point forward I guess you know the process to amend the budget for the constitution now I know that I did not until we to the article I can't set me with said and we talked about in a light okay. I forget this is what I will be doing because nobody gave me the trainer on doing the budget just cannot light contact some people to help me and so honestly it has just really did no and yet we talked about it so that now i'm doing that okay but let me ask is anybody here from the municipal league because the mistake this minutes for leaving hope this training dinner training they do have training syral up today today tomorrow and well yesterday today in tomorrow they are having their summer convention and so that that's why we don't have anyone here today okay so I mean the federatory raising money. For your community in the end given to the city that actually to do but we do have to make sure that we're doing that sure incompliance with the budget so thank you mister chia I have no further question thank you sir I have a question to ask it might be mister jones can help us with this this eleven thousand eight hundred and fifty two dollars is this the negative balance after money actually was given to them or how was that known I think the mayor was talking about the money given to him in in a prior year in this case what happened was he. He probably got some money again and forgot to mean these budget to increase the expenditures for the for the street fun and that's why he was over budget for what I understood what he said yeah the money the minor came in from two people too far more and so I forget to go back and do the what I mean the show and this in the budget causes saying something happened i've been eighteen years ago something in happening every ten years. It is something popped up after the tornadoes and it just cannot you know okay okay okay need a motion to entertain emotion to power for mister representative underwardened second this later had a question for representatives period thank you mister chair I just had a quick question I just wanted to clarify did you say that you do have a now have a county clerk in place yet a point yet yes there is somebody in place who can help me with this right that's it thank you okay a motion has been married in secret all those in favor of say those. Okay okay I wanna issue a question from senator hammer of place your city clerk have you put her hammer her in contact with the minister believe because that she have is a sheer p c that she have any experience in dealing with city finances yes she she was the arm like the assistant there was helping ours see the collective recorder but that's the same one that all this activity happened under right she just you need to get her in touch with the minutes police to make sure you don't have to come back now the first time was under. The first time it happened was on the on the vicki okay but see what happened will a victory was in and out she had so much going on family reason and then she is what the enough is one day she said I just want this can take it because she loves the sign a a brother have grandson kyoto say a brother and a nephew coverage. Her husband had a stroke and fell out the house door to kyotosia and so it was as too much for her and I was trying to keep up going and then so she laughed and then the second got kerrin with the eleven thousand dollars came with sandy. Okay and we don't need your to the day yeah all and in our heart goes up to them and goes out to you i'm just encouraging you to reach out to the reach out to the municipal league and they can help you through some of these things okay yeah we did all right thank you and thank you about this voice thank you for being here. Thank you for being here I okay it's just me. Okay are we moving to the calendar year two thousand twenty two years it's at the bottom page twenty four. Our view of payroll counts revealed wages were understand about two fifty thousand two and fifty eight thousand dollars in two two thousand twenty two on forty county employees whose between forms were tested the county may be liable for so security medicare matching on the under report amounts we recommend the county determined the full amount of under reported the full amount under reported in seat gotten scenarious that similar funding was not in the previous two reports county clerk genie smith is here to answer questions mister it's good to see her right near can you can't give us an explanation of everything that scores here maybe with all of more about it yes sir my name is genie smith and the county county circuit and county clark I was here in december on the same manner though for the twenty one findings we just now got the twenty two back in since since they happened back to back and inhabitant with no way to correct the twenty two and after talking to the self so security administration we brief out the twenty one in the twenty two we too the twenty thirtieth were correctly uh filed this year so hopefully we've got the debit cards corrected and as far as any uh outsiding whether we'll owe anything on to the race working with the CPA to try to figure that out whether we're going to have to reform our nine forty ones or not okay more about this that we're listening to political okay irritating most of our. Mister wooden what about this we get a question if we finish okay our second month sends all those they are those follows okay all right we're moving along to the reports with findings we are for reports they're all water system association burglary water system for twenty two and twenty one in competent water association for twenty two in the cushboard water department for twenty two when we finished our list we had not received spot responses from those we have in the last few days there would recommend filing these reports for different reports and sir there there there are bargaining water for twenty two and twenty one in competent water for twenty two in kuchman water for twenty two okay so much representative on the words saga seriously killed to power report although in favor say okay all right on pages twenty sixth forty six we have sixty three reports with findings with the adequate responses if you have questions there would be happy attempt to answer those if not staff would recommend filing these reports entertainment most of the questions go ahead for you. So I understand about foul the reports for once we found I mean we can't go and be seen these reports into next year right so if if we had a question then how can we address it you get you could ask the question now we'll see if I can this once we found I mean it's it's not the can we bring these reports back if we found if we if we had a uh some sort of critical issue I mean or or like give me the example of of common the worst thing in here there were there were looking at mister jones okay some uh the worst thing in here in a lot of these are more private attorneys than all all done by our staff all the waters ensuers those these are of all skin here. I mean I guess the these are all going to be keeping type errors occur for they're going to be or their instances like you could have we could have a situation here like the findings we've seen the day where they didn't review the report but it only happened one time so this is the first time it's the first time we're going to correct it and maybe that even show us why that that's why we market as correct so none of these findings or going to the seating attorney and in none of them are repeat or they wouldn't be in this section classes thank you. We won't be actually again. Can hear keen to go down there coding for. Yeah. Sixty four. Okay it would include number. Sixty four. It's on page forty one of the report harxey for the. The year two thousand twenty two sir it's good to see here right could you give us yes sir i'm cody powers for large counting i'm a member of the well ballot question committee hoxing citizens for good government and there's a delegation from hawks here today and I just had questions about the about the legislative foundings. If it will go if we could ask some of those questions. I have also with me there are picked me from the hoxicity council. The owners have said there sir thank you. We hold us you go right here right thank you we noticed uh in the letter that was sent out. The financial compliance report it looked like there was two or three foundings that said there was a one hundred and ten thousand dollar loan to accompany own and part by the city turning number one number two there was a subsequently the company purchased land partially on by the mayor that's number two number three there was some non complaints with. With the reuse committee not requiring a loan application now I know that's when I come in today these foundings have been resolved and obvious is trying to understand exactly what that meant. The. Okay this is what this this means. That we received a response from the city that basic most of time that they didn't do it in these cases we don't pretend the the responses but we have the responses in our in our records i'll i'll say this on this this particular finding here because we've had a lot of questions obviously from citioxi. And this. Here here's the situation this was uhm the reuse committee uhm the sad alone this money and if they have followed the policy if they have followed their policy we would have a finding that would regard to the prosecution attorney because it would have been an ethics issue but that what happened was the they had a practice that was not their policy and they followed the practice in the in everyone was treated the same way. So that is technically not something we would say into the proscuity attorney so yeah i. I mean you have city official involvement giving loans uh these these reused funds. Uhm but there was. They were treated in the same ways everybody else and you had the reuse committee vote to approve it and the city council voted to private as well and I know that i've heard that you know there were some misunderstanding about it but what happens is that city council votes to approve it it takes it out of the hands of legislative that body did their job in so when we follow in followed the standards fall you know they. That's that's where we landed in that so that's why this finding is in there as resolved now if if you the committee would have followed their policy this finding would have gone to the proskin attorney but the treat is they didn't follow their policy in so they everyone was treated the the same way the because the committee did not follow the written policy they were all care with us it made a location we didn't say it's okay we wrote a finding and put it in the report we just just didn't go the prosecuting attorney and in part of the policy of this committee it's not a it's not a finding that we would read now when somebody like you you know citizen or an official shows that masquerade question will answer the questions like like we are now sir I think again deriving these city council uh. The same council has been totally blind on anything that has been done so I would like to know first of all who who communicate communication from the city t l for to fix these things. Well we had various obviously there uh this this finding was under the mayor so the mayor would have responded to the fight the current mayor i'm not sure if it's so one that was in office at the time or not saying more but the the current mayor response to the finding it's like we wrote finding we're not saying this is okay we said it was okay but the reason we we didn't read it and in the the committee meeting was because that that wasn't the policy has their founding men communicate back to city package yes it has will we we we had a council meeting as like as two days ago on tuesday we have heard nothing from anybody who didn't even know when we thought was going hearing they hear the facts though i'll get when they would never think of being resolved so what will happen it is. See the official shoulder received a copy of this report this week in the finding would have been in it. And so we mailed it on friday so sometimes it's received as early as money depends on the mail in in so but so what the law says is that. So you have to review in the next council meeting unless the next council meeting is with the in ten days the date you receive it so either the next council meeting or the next it has this report has to be on the gender ballot and you have to the the city council in the officials have to review and it has to be established in the minutes what's going to happen to correct this issue well uh personally i'd receive as the council my head had receive a correspondence from this committee probably two months ago say and that you have got to answer theirs in their challenge reserve and that now in the council meeting both the attorney is the city attorney and the mayor sir what we have we have at uh gotten that no show may be were next month they didn't ever rediction his the next month I think the shorts never been talked in instead of council so if if the mayor has given you information something there for and I need to know how do we get copies of that can I just be requesting it before you have it okay there is couple of so you didn't receive a copy i'm i'm looking here this this report was early released in march so you have received a copy of this report in march you should have got got there okay so in your correct you should have reviewed it in a council men meeting since then okay and that hasn't happened and so I would get with the see the officials and try to get that on the the agenda because it it should have been reviewed by now because it was released earlier. Uhm thank you sir thank you in the in the finding it says city officials indicate that board proved what city officials indicated that that's ploral so what city officials indicate do you know. I would have to do some checking on that senator hammer I know that we looked at minutes from both the us committee we we looked at minutes from the the the government body when the uhm the council approved it uhm in mister pigna visit with him on the phone if you remember that mister britain and we we listen to them about this I mean like it is a problem we're not saying it's not a problem it's a finding in the report which is it's not something the committee rule that we review okay so they show what you just said. You said you were told that it had been reviewed did I understand that and when you say that you mean by the city counselor by who there there is documentation that the the re- that this this loan who was reviewed by the reuse committee and the city council. And if so that would that was in the dog I don't think anybody disputes that the the I think the issue is from one of our conversation for mister pitney you can tell me if i'm right around here or you can say it still like they were noticed issues really number one the fact that. The decision makers were were left in the dark about the owners who own this LLC and so they felt like they were kind of. Uh not given a full picture they did not realize their decision would lead to the enrichment of decision other the social makers and. And so that's what the the the issue is just with that speaking for people on harxy there's not a lot of transparency okay so you say in the north the city council and down their sir are are you saying that you made a decision. Without what now appears to be all the information you needed in order to make decision no decision you give me what to say your dollar make decision they've been made and I i'm just trying to get my mind around staying the city counter would have had to make the decision or would be my right missions that city council would have make the decision to go ahead with authorizing the loan. Uhm am I right on the site it was recommendation from the reach committee on may thirty first two thousand twenty two the reuse committee approved and then it had to go on to the city council for further pri- center hammer to enter you to your question yes sir a german by the name of bobby hall came and het field bobby hatfield had requested to the region committee to make this long and he is an employee of the city attorney and the city attorney and mister helpful I have some apartments that their partners own reynold. And our secretary reused committee there I got that the minutes and so you know you should have the current means. Ah nancy hall the city attorney said I want to make it clear this loan is not for me because i'm a city attorney I can't be involved for its for body had feel so the whole minutes the reuse committee says were recommended to the city council the loan to. Bobby. Head field the city council agreed to make a loan to bother in the minutes of the council says that much a much later one or two came in they saw the loan was from hatfield and hall say which is the city attorney and nothing has changed that for that we have been communicated for me anybody so whatever information that city officials has given this committee to make this decision to resolve this handy that information sort of tell me how I can get it christians would determine how you get uh I guess the easiest way to send us a request this would be this you can say that therefore our request you could send me an email then we could give you give me that but for you it's part of a work paper so we can we can provide that to you thank you take care of the sir yesterday thank you for your idea of questions or so if I can understand they're all picking mister pigney back and understand the correctly if you knew that the loan was going to the sea the attorney would would the city council approved no more certainly not so that's that is that the crux of the issue right there is that there was not transparency in the go further than they had accused of november last year when the authoritar found this problem so that december mading the city turning head adopted a proposed resolution and asked to see the council and they told us if if we don't approve the as you guys are going to famous and they were degree and tab back dated a year and a half and making it illegal that we're saying yes names he can have this. Okay and we said no we have never done never voted on saturday I think the issue was not just lack of transparency but december we should not run the section of exactly the crux of the issue here well and chairman I would I would like if it's possible I would like to to ask that this decision be held on to we get the information and you get the true fact and let you make your decision because this is not resolved well they are limited to the whole picture has not been complete or no exactly we we have we have a process to yet but we finish the twenty twenty three engagement if hoxy now this is a again we we found this to be a problem and we reported it now didn't go to the prosecution attorney but it's I understand the project continue attorney as a aware of this situation. And so there's nothing as far as holding this obviously this is it's always the decision this committee where the deferred the report but uh we've done the twenty three engagement there's really nothing further for for staff to do on this particular industry this particular situation uhm you know we're reporting agency we we found the issue and we did report it as we found the facts if so if they we found out that. The fact that was given the eu we're not facts so what what will be the uh to this committee and is the change anything else and now we just got dobed in october well yeah what we would you go back to the pa and if we knew the facts were different we can we can take a look at again we do that from time to time sometimes we find shortages to three years down the line and we go back in do research so that could happen that that could be something that does happen yes now you know it's not our we don't do investigative work as far as whether some troop was told when. You know a committee to connection with just so for their benefit if they request all the documentation they get all the documentation they determine that they were misled information left off whatever the case turns out to be they could approach a representative of senator and ask for a audit to be done based on new information that would be determined in a correct on that we can look this specific trains that's what we'd rather do yes look at this specific situation for you guys at the gentleman at the table which might news as for the past for the paperwork you're asking for get it and then you can poor through if you see something you talk to represent senator and it may be make a former request for audit based on what you find and that would be a pathway for down the line if you determine anything what's actually done wrong thank you very much that satisfactor standard for you open and so what would we not just hold this report to the next morning in the end they can indian they could do that they could get all the information see if they were request thank you sir if we just hold the report against. We'll get this hold of report a technical great interview it sounds like we need to I mean I don't think we have everything here that we need at this point and I would entertain a motion that we depart a report to the cohesion representative of standard waters here members I would i'm gonna make a motion that we do defer this report is to kick this can down the road for a month and you see what we find out sir to wallace is my emotion that we deferred is reported next month well we have to have thanks for maybe elevating me but then again you never know uh wallace my question would be to you and can I ask him a question regardless of most of the reputation you go right here thank you that motion for to defer this report to next month with the. What the stipulation that that they go ahead and get this epodone during this thirty day period in so that we don't show up in july and nothing's been done so that come july we will can move this report forward with that understanding I mean I don't know that that needs to be in your motion but at least more needed out and open the that would be my preference that we're giving them a thirty day deferral so that they can they get their request done and we can have the rest of the information before the committee okay mother should be my version of the wallets in amended by i'm just asking for clarification that missions here mister wars are you warranties to just add those around it or spoke from from care will amend my motion to reflect the request for a for the credit card but we'll be very okay well it to the committee our hotel them the we will only give a verbal follow out today and a written one tomorrow to to get started on our deserts second emotion of those in favor of post I know thank you gentlemen thank you for your first thank you committee representative of clearance thank you. Staff has a question for clarification so we're gonna defer this report. Are we inviting anyone to be here these these teacher uhm so what what is our direct it's going to be deferred. And were we're waiting to see if they come up with some proof that there was. Representative carol I think that it is if anything additional comes up you'll know there and then if if something additional comes up I would leave it to the staff then who invite those people back to to respond to the information that if it's a different than what you have so just involved the whole group back so that if they need if everybody needs to respond then we have everybody here to respond I think that would be the cleaner way what do you think senator wallace. Ma'am II just at this point I believe that the put responsibility in this therefore let's take responsibility now let's just invite or ask the one city attorney and ask the mayor to come up and that way we're hearing the the full story from everybody out crazy so turn to david you actually make in your regional motion and amend it to close these folks as we don't know I don't think so because I think we've already voted on that out so we don't have it so I would make a new motion that we. Request the city mayor in the city attorney. And I don't know if there's anybody else that we should invite but it seems devil that we should v. My motion i'd be welcome to discuss it well. Which are our tablet discussion all there. We just need to say okay i'll be made to second all those fires they are all those possible thank you. Okay just so i'm clear was there vote to follow all these reports except for hoxi okay all right so we'll continue their view the reports the last arm on that particular thing is that. Beginning on page. I think it's forty three years we have. No actually. Forty seven we have two hundred think it's two hundred non reports with no finding staff would recommend. Ah following all these reports there motion by representative they are second that we we batch these reports that were just mentioned all those in favor of they are those possible. Okay are the next item is the the city box the mayor was invited to give up the on the progress of private our reports it's my understanding he is not here today. Uhm the city attorney richard madison and reneged chesting is the town treasure I think are here today her nice not so I received an email from the auditor for the engages and i'll let you know the legislative audit has received. Uhm the two thousand one city a up copulation and we received through the two thousand eighteen on the water and see in the auditor similar email and told me that they have completed the town two thousand. Uh twenty two and twenty three engagements and the nineteen twenty twenty one twenty two water and he expects the twenty three to be complete within thirty days now keep in mind we don't we don't have those I was told that maybe representative from the city would be bringing those today so I think uh the attorney mister martison was here to answer questions mister it's good to have you here there with us could you could you say on the situation today on yes sir my name is chris made us and i'm the retain city attorney for the city of box I the mayor had a death in his family I believe is on tuesday and was able unable to attend today as I understand I have not had a chance to speak with him as you may recall at the last meeting we were at we had discussed common pushing our audience to this meeting for review because we were behind on a number of these mister jones can indicate the the mayor in the city head stop using legislative audit salt private auditing services that kind of fell through and the auditor that we hired and want to have a heart attack he service for a while he finally got in and I have been cracking the whip on in so to speak to help get the audits done and I have with me the written reports for the city on it for that we had produced and provided to the committee the twenty eighteen nineteen nineteen twenty and twenty one audits we were lacking the twenty two at twenty three for city I have those with me here we were also lacking the water sewer on it for the same five years I have with me the nineteen twenty twenty one and twenty two with me and as mister jones indicated in his statement there are twenty three is continuing to be processed and so I have those here I think we're getting caught up on the artists and I know there were some questions that represent fight had raised regarding our water department stuff. And I also have with me some photographs of because we had talked about water usage it was an issue that uh represented fight had raised and I investigated into that and well we had the issue was we were purchasing comments double the water that we were billing out based on our water rates I have here thirty different large water lakes or water lakes that we have repaired since october of this year one of which is I understand was like a six foot split in an eighty eight pipe and it was going straight into a cover and down into a creek we've been spending a lot of time and money fixing water leagues as I understand our last report we were much more closer to where we want to be which is a ten to fifteen percent or not more than ten percent water loss worked in you to work on there so I apologize that the mayor is not here i've not had an opportunity to speak with him about the death and his family that prevented for being here and with that I am prepared to answer questions that I can answer there are some that I will not be able to hand i'm happy to try and get more information for any of the representatives of senators that may have those questions decisions are there any questions that may be there go ahead and represent I think we have thank you mister chair I think we all have a lot of questions when it comes to the city a box site and in light of the fact that the mayor can't be here because of the death in his family and we certainly all understand that and understand the pressures that are death and the family will bring uh it would be my my motion there we set this off to next month to july enter subpeanut the mayor to be here because I believe he's missed their times and not not punish him from not being here today because we certainly understand certainly understand that and send our condolences but the fact that the this is gone on now for through four months or a longer than they are let's i'm going to make a motion that the committee asked full of it tomorrow for a for subpoena the mayor for the july meeting and because this gentleman as their attorney may or may not. Have the answers to some of the questions and that's just going to slow it day and I think if we can just cannot wait and put all of the soft one time mr jones said a proper wider word that motion represented all the years what what would need to happen in the most efficient way to make this happen is that for this committee. To ask the full committee to request the legislative to issue subpoena for the mayor's appearance at the gila meeting that's exactly what I was in art fully saying okay but that that's what we've done this a few times and so that's that's how it goes and so this committee would need to make the and we would make that part of the chairport and you make that you need that in the form of emotion then I the my motion is II mean that this committee request legislative audit to have the director issue the subpoena to the mayor of boxing for the july the eleventh meeting is in defer yes just how and furthest and how this issue often totally the eleventh is that july the level their next meeting was yes ma'am we will be actually so we we would go he would go to the friday meeting because this can be full committee so they wouldn't july twelfth years man okay in with that change for the july twelfth meeting so the minutes are properly you of the motion representative david our those in favor say are those posts saying thank you representative carol thank you and mister jones I do have printed copies of these for you that i'll bring it thank you sir. Okay we have a a quick step day as you know we're having some transition that legislative. Mister norman and miss williams are retiring has of june thirty and kevin will be taking the legislative kevin white will be the legislative on july one kevin has asked me to serve as the assistant legislative and joe archer has made enough sits over here will be serving as the deputy so this will be the last day service deputy for this committee joe is he's a far man thirty three years of experience with so I bought it he will be a treat to to work with uhm full confidence again kenneth gas away will be the other manager for cities and counties which is what joe does now that's a big job and more excited about both of them so thank you for that great congratulations so I thought you looked a little too happy to be a car to not be with me with this married little band that meets on thursday since the single relations thank you committee is never boring that is absolutely if we're going to anything else to cover next meeting at a german which may let me okay just chairman yes we have a water audits that have not been received who put this together our staff put it together that's pretty alarming is not yet we have several and we need that would be the case and so the number of city audits have reduced our tell you this the that piece of legislation that you passed that list may be being better been a whole bigger if you hadn't passed it I think because we received a lot of originally noticed in this meeting list there are a lot of orders in sewers and so they're working on that it's next time I notice it just goes back to two thousand and eighteen did you go back five years and this is what we did this is what we decided. And you cannot give us different direction but if they receive the report currently we gave them credit what I mean by that is two thousand twenty two or so because there's some those water systems that have never had an audit in so they didn't go back to the beginning of time they went back to two thousand twenty two and they since the report and so we we get your list of those that haven't had a that haven't had a recent report in some of them but may have never had a report you'd have to look at that list but anyway it's so next meeting that the plan is to present that. That list again and we will take whatever action you would like to just for your information we do send them letters you know letting them know that we we need those reports we've in so anyway that's that law becomes a fisher. June thirty so we we have to have their two thousand twenty two report by june thirty or they're not think about the law thank you miss schulz and thank you representing energy amongst the clothes. Most favorite say that girlfriend is