City defends management practices in response to audit

City Manager Bob Cumley said that, while the audit pointed out many policies that needed to be changed or updated, some of the criticisms in the report were unjustified.

Notably, he pointed to the Heer’s and College Station development projects; the auditor chastised the city for pledging city funds as collateral for private development. Cumley said those projects were a result of the Vision 20/20 plan, which included numerous public meetings and input from multiple citizen-led committees.

“I think, at the end of the day, those projects will reflect positively on the city of Springfield from an economic standpoint,” Cumley told council and members of the public. “I think one only needs to look at the redevelopment downtown to see that this is something we have to do. I don’t see that we should get any criticism for that.”

Cumley said several of Montee’s recommendations have already been implemented or are in process, such as the hiring of an internal auditor. Mayor Pro Tem Gary Deaver said the city’s legal and human resources departments are finalizing a job description for the position, which will be posted after the holidays.

Overall, city employees should not be disheartened by the auditor’s findings, Cumley said.

“Our city employees are operating under the policies that we set for them,” Cumley said. “If there is going to be criticism, it should come to me, not to city employees. They’re just doing their job; they have nothing to be embarrassed about.”