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Selectmen waive bidding, authorize finance director to negotiate one-year audit with CLA
Summary
The board voted to waive competitive bidding for audit services and authorized Finance Director Valerie Bellas to negotiate a one-year engagement with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA) at roughly a 6% fee increase to maintain continuity while audits are late and staffing transitions are resolved.
The East Haddam Board of Selectmen voted Wednesday to waive the competitive-bid process for audit services for one year and authorized the finance director to negotiate with CliftonLarsonAllen (CLA).
Valerie Bellas, the town’s finance director, told the board that transitions in municipal and Board of Education finance staffing have left the town without a filed audit and that continuity with CLA would be the most practical option for the coming year. "We are in no position to start from scratch with a new audit firm," Bellas said, citing staff turnover and the need for timely filings.
Bellas said CLA quoted a one-year fee reflecting about a 6% increase over last year’s audit and proposed a one-year engagement of approximately $76,800 versus the current $72,500. She asked the board to authorize a one-year bid waiver so the town could secure an auditor to begin field work without the delays that would accompany a full competitive procurement.
A motion to waive the bid process and authorize the finance director to negotiate with CLA was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote; members answered “aye,” and the chair declared the motion passed.
The board and finance staff acknowledged the late-audit state is not the fault of the auditor but is driven by staffing transitions in the finance offices. Staff will proceed to negotiate terms with CLA under the authorized one-year waiver and will return to the board with the negotiated agreement as required.
