Saugus names new audit committee

SAUGUS – A new bylaw passed by Town Meeting will give some of its members the authority to look at how town officials spend taxpayer money.This new Audit Committee, which passed by a 34-5 vote during last week?s Town Meeting, will be comprised of five Town Meeting members elected by a majority vote.Peter Manoogian wrote the article and said it will help restore public confidence and bring more transparency to town spending.Manoogian gave the example of the town?s snow and ice budget as one area where the committee can look at spending.?The question has come up, ?Why is the snow and ice budget expended??” said Manoogian. “We had ice, but we didn?t have any snow. It?s been a question I?ve heard on a number of occasions. It?s been suggested that it?s because we stock up on salt and sand, but no one has gone back to look at that specifically. It?s another check.”Manoogian also said a similar committee could have prevented some of the issues found in the forensic audit.?Absolutely,” said Manoogian. “No question about it.”The audit states that payroll expenditures were charged to overtime; contractual and collective bargained payroll employees were paid above their contractual step rate; stipends were given to employees without an appropriation; and cell phone and auto allowances were given to employees “inconsistently and in an arbitrary manner, and not in compliance with the town?s travel policy.”According to the article passed last week, committee members will review financial statements or transactions of the town financial offices, review the efficacy of internal fiscal controls and encourage corrective action, identify opportunities for cost and efficiency improvements and evaluate selected appropriations made by town meeting as determined by the committee or upon recommendation of the town meeting.Joyce Rodenheiser, a Town Meeting member, voted in favor of the article.?I think that we can?t scrutinize things too much right now,” said Rodenheiser. “I think we really, really need to take a good look at what?s going on and take care of things. We need to look at things very carefully.”Just five Town Meeting members voted against the article: Peter Rossetti, Patricia Ann Johnson, Maureen Dever, Ellen Faiella and Kimberly Politano.Politano said she didn?t vote against the committee, but voted against “micromanaging.”?I think the selectmen should appoint a committee,” said Politano on Friday. “Ultimately it would be great if FinCom could take that charge, but they?re not willing. The selectmen oversee the manager so I don?t think it?s our place to pretty much be micromanaging the manager?s duties. I would rather take the time and do things right.”Rossetti cited micromanaging as well, and said the guidelines on the committee are too restrictive.?If someone is on any other town committee, they can?t be involved,” said Rossetti. “Most people in Town Meeting are already on other committees ? What exactly is this Audit Committee going to do that?s different from the town audit we already have, the FinCom that we already have or the new Audit Committee the Department of Revenue wants set up? Now you have a fourth audit committee that you may or may not be able to fully staff.”Patricia Johnson declined to comment while calls to Dever and Faiella were not returned.Matt Tempesta can be reached at [email protected].