IRBust - Part 7

GARNERING APPROVAL

Those who attend commission meetings with some regularity were surprised when CPA Robert Garner’s analysis of IRB’s enterprise funds surfaced. No one seems to remember the commission ever mentioning publicly that such a review was even in process. In fact, most residents just thought their comments at the podium, pointing out discrepancies, were being ignored. Even if Garner’s hiring didn’t require commission approval (or did it?), you’d think that somewhere along the line, it might have at least been mentioned. This begs the answer to the same question that seems to come up time and time again: WHY ALL THE SECRECY?

Why was the expense for Garner’s fees ($2,000) handled differently than the $1,500 expense for the “Protect the Sea Oat Signs” that Mayor Johnson spearheaded in April? The sea oat sign expense was properly handled with a budget amendment that received unanimous commission approval (as the town was allegedly going broke!) in full view of the public at a commission meeting. Was Garner hired without commission approval/input and, if so, who gave him the go-ahead?

The real mystery is WHEN Garner was put into motion. A timeline constructed after reviewing about 100 pages of e-mail correspondence on the subject, didn’t pinpoint the exact date. The internal purchase order wasn’t any help either; it was dated the same day that Mr. Garner made his public presentation to the commission and the public on June 24th—about a week AFTER the results were posted on the City Web site. (Interestingly, this P.O. was handwritten as opposed to another one issued to Garner for other services, which was typewritten.) Doesn’t issuing a purchase order AFTER the work is already complete defeat the entire purpose of a P.O. system anyway?

It’s apparent from the e-mail correspondence, however, that Garner was well into his sewer/solid waste “noodling” on June 9th. What we don’t have the answer to is: Was the “Garner Report” underway on May 27th when the commission’s attempt to pass the rate increase didn’t fly? If the rate increase hadn’t been stopped, would the name Robert Garner and the existence of the unauthorized loans still be unknown to the general public?

And, while we’re on the subject, just how many consultants does this town have anyway?