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Pine Bluff officials disclose unauthorized accounts in Parks & Recreation, expand forensic review
Summary
Council members discussed findings from internal and state audits that uncovered five unauthorized vendor-style accounts linked to Parks & Recreation; staff said the former employee was suspended, the matter was referred to authorities, and the city has started an expanded forensic audit and policy changes.
During the council's committee reports, Council Member Brown (S6) and Mayor (S3) said an audit of Parks & Recreation uncovered irregularities that led to discovery of five unauthorized accounts used to make purchases. The council heard that the former staff person who created the accounts was suspended after initial irregularities were found and that the administration turned the matter over to law enforcement.
Mayor (S3) told the council the city has worked with legal counsel and that the administration has begun an internal forensic audit that will be expanded for the department involved. "We discovered more. We turned over everything to the proper authorities and then made the appropriate changes to ensure that those things do not happen again," the mayor said.
Council members asked for the audit report and video presentation referenced by staff so they could review findings and department responses before convening follow-up meetings. Staff said policy and operating-procedure updates and new software controls are being implemented to limit the ability of staff to open accounts without council approval.
No criminal findings or charges were announced at the meeting; staff said the forensic audit and coordination with prosecutors and law enforcement are ongoing and that the council would be briefed further once reports are complete.
