Residents press for forensic audit as city reports immediate anti‑fraud steps
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Summary
Public commenters urged a forensic audit and accountability amid alleged inventory losses and misuse; the city manager reported new anti‑fraud measures, p‑card limits and an asset manager hire, and provided estimated costs for forensic reviews.
Multiple residents used public comment at the April 14 meeting to call for a full forensic audit and immediate accountability after the city’s internal audit and media reporting raised questions about missing inventory and financial irregularities.
Several speakers urged the council to commission an external forensic review. One resident said the city should not wait, arguing records can be altered if investigations are delayed. "The only acceptable answer at this point is for full forensic audit in every single department," a public commenter said.
City Manager Tom Habbadi described immediate steps the city has taken in response to internal audit findings: the city has launched a fraud hotline and an email reporting channel; reduced P‑card single‑transaction limits to $2,500 (with case‑by‑case exceptions); hired an asset management lead; removed personal property improperly stored on city sites; and coordinated with the state attorney on criminal prosecution (a hearing is scheduled April 28). He also said staff is evaluating scopes and costs for possible forensic work, estimating that narrower audits of specific programs could cost about $50,000 while a full city‑wide retrospective might run into seven figures.
Council members asked the manager to provide cost estimates and scopes so the group can consider the request during the upcoming council retreat and budget discussions. The city said it will return more detailed information to council about options, costs and timelines.
