City Beat: Auditor pledges transparency, consistency

Springfield's new internal auditor is trying to assure the public that her job will be as transparent as possible.

At the March 23 Springfield City Council meeting, City Auditor April Lathrom presented council with her General Audit Program and Independence Statement, both of which were responses to citizen requests to see in writing the processes her office will use when examining city departments and operations.

The audit program lays out the steps Lathrom will follow when auditing an internal department, from preliminary research to staff interviews to follow-up reporting and the chain of command. Her statement ensures that Lathrom or anyone else in the city auditor's office is not biased or swayed in any way when performing audit functions.

"These items clarify to everyone that I am independent. We tell everyone that they need to document that, so I'm holding myself to that same standard," Lathrom told council.

Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver was impressed by the thorough nature of the document.

"The finance committee has been working with the internal auditor to develop processes that allow her to maintain her integrity and independence," Deaver said. "This is a form she uses on every audit she does, to remind herself and those being audited of her commitment we have to an independent audit."

Council is expected to vote on the proposal at its April 6 meeting.

Lathrom also told council that the city has addressed 51 of the 53 items laid out in State Auditor Susan Montee's 2007 audit of the city. The remaining items are the Police and Fire Pension Fund liability and the creation of an overall economic development policy for the city.

Task force selection

During its March 24 luncheon, council decided to select the members of the Citizen's Police and Fire Pension Fund Task Force before new council members take their seats in April.

The panel - comprising 12 to 14 members of the public - will be created to recommend the best solution for solving the nearly $200 million shortfall in the city's Police and Fire Pension Plan.

The lunch discussion centered on whether the current council should make the choice or if that task should fall to the new council that will take office following the April 7 election.

Opinions among council members were mixed. Councilwoman Mary Collette, who is not running for re-election, said the proposition of waiting for the next council to select the panel was too expensive for the city.

"I'm just looking at $40,000 a day (multiplied by) that delay at a minimum," she said, referring to the estimated amount the shortfall grows each day. "I personally feel like we can't afford to wait."

Councilman Dan Chiles had a different take on the issue.

"The new council will have to live with the results, which is why they should make the selection," he said.

The decision to act quickly sat well with Councilwoman Cindy Rushefsky.

"I don't think putting it off is the answer; in some ways it almost feels like a cop-out," Rushefsky said. "At this point, we are the City Council, and we need to get this done as soon as possible."

Burris said he now will send the 53 applications to council for their consideration.