by Mike Sharkey
Staff Writer
Similar to last week when he proposed an across-the-board cut of 3 percent to all of the City’ general fund budgets, City Council President Richard Clark made his mark on yesterday’s budget hearings.
Clark, who is not a member of the Council Finance Committee but can make budget recommendations and comments, proposed to do away with the Inspector General position that’s currently in the Finance Department’s budget, but the office reports directly to Mayor John Peyton. Clark’s proposal, which was approved 7-2 after over an hour of debate, would eliminate the position held by Inspector General Pam Markham and the nine people on her staff. It would also realize a savings of about $1.1 million.
“The Inspector General is not identified anywhere (in the budget) and is (comprised) of a group of AMIOs (assistant management improvement officers),” said Clark. “It was created not long ago and its budget has grown to $1.1 million). I make a motion to remove that function.”
Markham was appointed Inspector General in 2007 by Peyton through an executive order. That, in and of itself, was debated. A few Finance members thought the job was created through a citywide reorganization in 2007, an act that required Council approval. However, after some research, it was proven the department was created through executive order 2007-09.
In her defense, Markham — who was with the Council Auditor’s Office for several years — explained she and her staff do a number of things that include investigating fraud, streamlining the City’s procurement system and working with department heads on how to run more efficient departments. Markham said a pilot procurement system could save the City $1 million while she expects a settlement check for $1 million to arrive any day.
Markham said prior to Peyton creating the Inspector General position, many of her office’s duties were spread across several City departments.
“In two years as Inspector General more of my focus has been on audits and performance reviews,” she said. “We have produced 16-17 reports and have five pending.
“You can’t always cut money, but you can use your resources better. We have spent a great deal of time in Procurement looking at contracts and how they are monitored.”
Those who favored Clark’s proposal leaned on the duplication of Markham’s department as reason enough to eliminate it. They pointed out the City has an auditor, an ethics officer and the Office of General Counsel, each of which performs — to some extent — many of the same functions of Markham’s office.
Finance member John Crescimbeni doesn’t understand the reporting logic of the office. Markham falls under the Finance budget but reports only to Peyton.
“I report directly to the mayor,” said Markham. “No other employee has authority over me. I am an internal auditor of the executive branch.”
Finance member Clay Yarborough said he remembers the office being the result of issues in the mayor’s office.
“It was created as an outgrowth of several concerns over the practices of the administration, some contracts and financial matters and other unpleasantness coming to light,” he said. “My concern is the office that created you is the very office you report to on matters of that office.
“We have an ethics officer, we have a Council Auditor and we have a Finance Department. It sound like there’s a lot of duplication.”
Peyton’s Chief Administrative Officer Alan Mosley said as of right this minute the funding for Markham’s office doesn’t exist for fiscal year 2009-10. However, he said because the budget hearings will last for a few more weeks, there is time to bring the issue back to the Finance Committee for reconsideration.
The chart shows the proposed budgets of those in the City’s general service district before City Council President Richard Clark’s recommendation, the amount the 3 percent represents and the remaining new budgets of 20 City departments. Some departments are also funded by the State.
356-2466