I wish to draw attention to an unsettling lapse in city governance: The internal auditor position in Asheville has been vacant for nearly three years. Audit Committee Secretary Andrew Emory and member Debbie Evenchik recently highlighted this concern during the Aug. 24 Audit Committee meeting, emphasizing the pressing need for resolution.
While City Manager Debra Campbell has assured the committee that a search for an auditor is underway, it is essential to note that this is a critical role for ensuring accountability. Campbell, who happens to be the highest-paid city employee with a $242,694 salary, downplayed the issue.
The absence of an internal auditor becomes particularly concerning when considering the city’s growing issues: rising police attrition rates, increasing crime, homelessness and last Christmas’ weeklong water outage. These problems beg the question: What other issues might lurk beneath the surface under Campbell’s watch?
The city must fill this position promptly for transparency and financial stewardship. Given the array of challenges facing Asheville, it is incumbent upon city officials to act swiftly to restore faith in local governance.
— Jim Fulton
President, First Tuesday Conservatives – Asheville
Arden
Most of the money the city spends is wasted, so I’m not concerned about not having an auditor. Any misdirected $ might be an improvement.
The “city” should stop hiring auditors who support auditors. Quality elected officials in the city government who have the GUTS to make immediate quality decisions are the answer. Have auditors helped Asheville in the past?? The situation is critical, not something that city officials can waste time “discussing “ behind smoke and mirrors. All froth and no (good) beer.
Do you REALLY think and auditor hired by Wanda and Brownie would have stopped her shenanigans? Audits have an inherent conflict of interest when the auditee hires the auditor (even if the auditor is allegedly “independent” .. See Enron and the death of Arthur Andersen — though much of the malfeasance blamed on AA employees was invented by Andrew Weissmann and friends and later reversed on appeal.