Town board debates one- vs. two-year auditors contract as forensic review continues

The Greenburgh Town Board spent much of its Dec. 16 work session debating whether to authorize a two-year contract with auditors PKF O'Connor Davies or to approve only a single year while a forensic audit is completed.

Paul, who led the meeting, said he opposed a two-year contract and favored authorizing only a single year so the board can see the forensic audit results before extending the engagement. "I still think it's a mistake to do a 2 year contract with the auditors," he said, citing both timing and the pending forensic review. He noted the board was previously quoted costs of about $103,000 for the 2025 audit and $107,000 for 2026.

Supporters of a longer engagement pointed to the controller's recommendation. One board member said the controller recommended a two-year contract and that the auditors had agreed to use a separate team for any forensic work if the board required it. The controller's sampling approach to regular audits was described as standard practice and a reason some members argued a forensic audit is necessary to probe deeper.

The board asked staff to amend the draft resolution to include procurement language: require an RFP for the following year and specify that a different audit team handle any forensic work. Staff said they would try to have the amendment ready by tomorrow's meeting so the board can vote with the updated language in place.

Why it matters: The board is voting on the town's annual audit contract while a forensic review of prior practices is underway. How the board structures the engagement and whether it insists on a separate forensic team will shape both the scope of forthcoming reviews and the town's short-term procurement commitments.

What’s next: Staff said it would try to amend the resolution to include RFP language and cancellation/contract terms by the Dec. 17 meeting at 8 p.m.; the forensic-audit interviews are ongoing with a preliminary report expected in January.