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Residents press Laurel council on audits, minutes and court revenue as public comment draws debate
Summary
Multiple residents questioned the town9s audit timeliness, minutes accuracy and Alderman9s Court revenue accounting at the June 15 council meeting, prompting requests for attachments to minutes and a failed motion to fully evaluate the court9s future operation.
Several Laurel residents used the council9s public-comment period on June 15 to press officials for more financial transparency and to correct what they described as errors in meeting records.
Resident Sharon Ardisana told the council audits were "three years behind" and said audits "are supposed to be completed within 90 days of the end of the fiscal year." She asked that email exchanges and a 15-page file be attached to the May meeting minutes where she said she was misquoted or omitted, and requested that Mayor Carlos Oliveras produce an April 2 email she said he referenced. "You cannot run a town when you don't have current audited data," Ardisana said, urging better monthly reporting and access to bank statements and check registries.
Laina Betts, who lives outside town limits, reviewed Alderman's Court revenue figures from the prior meeting and said published numbers did not match her calculations. Betts suggested operational adjustments such as consolidating session days to reduce overhead, noting other municipalities operate differently depending on local revenue streams.
Councilman George Lodato earlier raised related concerns during deliberations on the FY2027 budget, asking for prior-year budget-versus-actual reports, questioning public notice for Budget Committee meetings and flagging how delinquent vacant-property and code-violation fees are recorded in town revenue. Lodato moved for council to investigate vacant-house ordinance enforcement and the financial implications of the Alderman's Court, but the motion on the court failed for lack of a second and was not considered.
President of Council Chris Calio and other members acknowledged the comments; Council approved the FY2027 budget and related items despite the objections. Local reporter Tony Windsor asked only that the record reflect when "no action was taken" in prior coverage; council members and residents exchanged clarifying remarks about the May 18 minutes and related audio recordings.
The council accepted written amendments to the May minutes earlier in the meeting and directed recording staff to incorporate approved changes. Several residents also praised police block parties and confirmed upcoming community events. The meeting adjourned at 9:03 p.m.
