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Speakers demand audits, transparency and review of legal fees and contracts
Summary
Two public commenters accused town lawyers of improper contracting and urged forensic audits and full disclosure of legal opinions, contracts and invoices; they also alleged secretive council meeting practices and asked the council to change procurement and oversight procedures.
Public comment at the end of the May 14 workshop focused on transparency, legal fees and procurement practices. Two residents used their allotted minutes to press the council for immediate disclosure and independent review.
Main allegations: Skip Hoagland accused town legal staff and outside counsel of approving illegal uses of public funds, violating procurement laws, and enabling contracts that benefit private entities. He demanded written legal opinions, full financial disclosures, independent CPA and forensic audits, and suggested replacement of the town attorney if wrongdoing is confirmed. He called for the release of invoices, contract-related documents and a full account of relationships between town officials and outside organizations.
Additional public concerns: Richard Busy raised questions about the budget process and alleged that small-group meetings among council members and staff create ‘rolling quorums’ that avoid public scrutiny. He asked whether the town uses zero-based budgeting or merely increments prior budgets and urged the council to explore spending reductions.
Council response and next steps: The meeting record shows staff acknowledged public comment and the mayor closed the public comment portion. Council and staff did not debate the specific allegations during the workshop; councilors said the topics could be raised again and that any formal requests for audits or disclosures would need to be made through appropriate channels.
What remains unresolved: The public’s requests for forensic audits, legal-opinion release and procurement-review were not acted on at the meeting; any formal investigation or audit would require a council vote or an independent body’s review.
