HARTFORD – At a special meeting Tuesday night, selectmen and residents complained about the performance of the town’s auditor, and discussed putting the job out to bid.
Two specific complaints were made against independent auditor Larry Campbell of Auburn: that his audit report was late and that he was difficult to reach.
Cindy Dunn, a Buckfield resident who helped Hartford with its bookkeeping after Monica Mailly resigned as clerk in November, complained that Campbell was late in filing the annual audit report this year. Dunn, who is Buckfield’s town clerk, said that despite Campbell’s receiving the town’s financial records toward the end of 2004, his report, delivered to the town nearly three weeks ago, was submitted several months later than it should have been.
Reached Wednesday afternoon by phone, Campbell offered no comment. He asked what Tuesday’s specific complaints against him were, and said he would call back later in the day. By press time, Campbell had not returned the phone call.
During the meeting, newly elected Selectman Hope McCabe asked if the auditor’s work should be put out to bid again.
Selectman Lee Holman said, “It probably ought to be done.”
But resident and Road Commissioner Bim McNeil asked why the town would want to change auditors now.
“We’ve had some concerns about his work,” Holman responded.
“Is it that he’s doing a bad job?” McNeil asked. “Or is it that there’s some turmoil here in the town’s (finances) he’s having trouble with himself?” McNeil added that maybe it was a good idea for the town to stick with an auditor who’s familiar with the town’s finances, instead of switching to a new one.
Holman said that not only was Campbell’s report unusually late, “it’s hard to get ahold of him.” Holman said that Campbell was paid approximately $3,000 for the town’s most recent audit.
Resident Daniel Maddox agreed with Holman. If Campbell’s performance “is a long established practice,” Maddox said, then perhaps Hartford would be well-served “to get some different eyes and hands and ears” to audit the town’s books.
Campbell was first hired by the town as auditor in 1998. During a selectmen’s meeting in December of that year, he listed 13 problems with financial reporting at the town office and gave recommendations to remedy them. Campbell’s audit report for the fiscal year 1997-1998 highlighted, among other things, inadequate recordkeeping for payroll, unpaid taxes and excise tax receipts, and, in general, “a need for better and more timely recording of all financial transactions.”
In related business Tuesday night, hiring a part-time deputy clerk to assist Lianne Bedard, elected last Friday, was discussed briefly.
McNeil said that the town should consider doing it in order to straighten out its records as quickly as possible.
“We have to think about how much work it’s going to take to get the town back on track after all the previous year’s problems,” he said.
Maddox agreed, but added that the deputy clerk’s hours “should be watched like a hawk” because that person would receive benefits after 32 hours per week. The town’s budget, Maddox said, has an appropriation for a 20-hour deputy clerk position.
“I don’t want to pay benefits,” he said.
Holman said that the budget does have a $10,000 appropriation for a deputy town clerk.
Tuesday’s meeting marked the first time in a month the Board of Selectmen met officially and had a quorum.
State law mandates that boards of selectmen need quorums to operate legally. Holman has been unable to conduct official town business as the sole selectmen on Hartford’s three-member board since shortly after town elections on May 17. Laura Marston resigned on May 27, and Selectman-elect Rick Downing resigned on June 2.
McCabe was voted in at a elections last Friday and sworn in Saturday at the annual town meeting.
Holman said Wednesday afternoon she felt relieved to be sitting on a legitimate board once again.
“Oh my gosh,” she said. “Just imagine what it’s like.” Holman added that “we’re probably not out of the woods yet, and we need to get the clerk in place,” referring to Bedard, but “I really had a good sense about last night.”
Holman said that Bedard would be sworn in and a date for a special election for the third selectman would be established “as soon as possible.”
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