Fort Smith board presses to hire internal auditor, questions Baker Tilly contract and approves carryover agenda placement

The Fort Smith Board of Directors on Feb. 25 took up three interrelated administrative matters: filling the vacant director of internal audit post, the status of interim coverage by contracted firm Baker Tilly, and a request to place 2024 budget carryover items on a future voting meeting agenda.

City staff said the internal auditor recruitment closed with seven or eight applicants; five were placed in a “Tier A” pool as meeting advertised qualifications. City administration and some board members proposed a two‑step screening: have the recruitment firm (referred to in the meeting as SGR) run video interviews of the Tier A candidates, then bring finalists to Fort Smith for in‑person interviews. Director Rigo asked the board to schedule interviews as quickly as possible; multiple directors agreed that the board — not outside parties — should make the hiring decision.

Several directors criticized the current arrangement with Baker Tilly, the outside auditing firm the city retained for interim audit work. Director Savage said, “internal…