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Residents and council spar over whether to hire investigator or forensic accountant
Summary
Public commenter pressed for firm action and possible forensic review of alleged forged signatures; the city attorney warned of high forensic-accountant costs and recommended lower-cost investigator outreach and stronger policies instead.
A member of the public pressed the council to pursue a forensic accounting review and to treat alleged signature forgery as a prosecutable offense. Priscilla Cooper, who identified herself during public comment, argued that "forging a signature is illegal for 1" and asked whether the city had considered a forensic interview or forensic accountant.
The city attorney responded that a forensic accountant would likely cost far more than the total disputed amounts and that an investigator who can go to businesses and recover receipts would be a lower-cost option. "Normally, investigator we use would charge $60 an hour," the city attorney said, describing the trade-offs between fieldwork and a document-heavy forensic review.
Councilors debated feasibility and costs; some said staff could attempt vendor outreach and use account statements, while others said citizens had a right to a fuller review. Ultimately the council declined to authorize an immediate forensic audit and directed staff to pursue administrative controls and vendor follow-up where cost-effective.
