By Terry Witt – Spotlight Senior Reporter
After the unexpected resignation of former Town Clerk Pamela Whitehead a month ago, the Bronson Town Council took steps Monday night to ensure the financial books are in order as the town prepares to hire a new clerk.
Council members voted unanimously to hire the Chiefland Certified Public Accounting firm of Beauchamp and Edwards to review all financial transactions and bank deposits for the year ending on Sept. 30.
One of the company’s specialties is government accounting.
Jeffrey Beauchamp, a partner in the firm with his brother Robert, said the company would also assist in reviewing all payroll transactions, payroll reporting and would establish procedures to ensure compliance with all state and federal regulations.
TRAINING CLERKS
The CPA firm will train the new clerk and deputy clerk, Melisa Thompson, in governmental accounting procedures and will assist the city in eliminating all or nearly all audit comments in a recent audit report for the year ending in September of 2017.
One of the comments from that audit report was that the city had overspent the 2017 budget by $222,000. Mayor Bruce Greenlee said the comment related primarily to the failure by Whitehead to record budget amendments properly.
The engagement letter said the company cannot be relied upon to identify or disclose financial statement misstatements, including those caused by fraud or error or to identify wrongdoing in the town or failure to comply with laws and regulations.
“However, we will inform the appropriate level of management of any material errors and any evidence or information that comes to our attention during the performance of our accounting procedures that fraud may have occurred,” the letter said.
QUESTIONING CONTRACT
Spotlight Founder Linda Cooper questioned Greenlee on why the accounting contract wasn’t bid out competitively. Greenlee responded Beauchamp and Edwards was recommended by Purvis and Gray, the town’s auditor, and the firm specializes in government accounting. He said the town was also under time constraints because the town clerk resigned just as the budget process was beginning and the town needed to get clarity regarding its financial books with a new clerk coming on board soon.
Cooper was also concerned that there could be fees charged for services that haven’t been discussed with the council. The CPA firm is charging a base fee of $1,400 per month until the city is back on track.
“We’ll do what we need to do. We really don’t have our hands around what the needs are,” Beauchamp said.
APPLICANTS FOR CLERK
The town has 14 applicants for the clerk’s position including current Councilwoman Katie Parks. Greenlee said town council members need a couple weeks to review the applications. In the meantime, he said Public Works Director Erik Wise, who is functioning as the interim clerk, can proceed with setting up the appropriate budget workshops and hearings connected with the budget process.
The council also voted to notify Express Employment that its services won’t be needed for securing clerk job applicants. The town has received 14 applications and will choose a clerk from those candidates.
COUNCIL CRITICIZED
The town was criticized by residents Elijah Williams and Shirley Thompson for failing to bring the new deputy clerk to the council meeting to be introduced. Melisa Thompson is replacing Susie Robinson, a deputy clerk who attended all council meetings and was paid overtime to be there, according to a council member. Overtime has become an issue in the town’s budget.
Williams was also critical of the town for not having its act together with regard to town administrators. Robinson left a month before Whitehead to take care of her elderly mother. She notified the town of her intentions well in advance. But when Whitehead left the town unexpectedly, it had no administrators.
“I’ll be honest with you it’s not good for Bronson,” Williams said.
Councilwoman Beatrice Roberts said Robinson left to take care of her mother and they couldn’t read the mind of Whitehead.
“If you saw it coming, why didn’t you do anything?” Roberts said.
ISSUES BEING ADDRESSED
Greenlee said the town had problems, but those issues are being addressed.
Parks said Melisa Thompson has been working for the town for two weeks, and working in Town Hall, but Williams and Thompson said they have never met her. Thompson asked if she had to go into Town Hall to meet the new deputy clerk. Parks said she made a good point.
“It’s going to get better, it’s going to get fixed,” Parks said.
Council members approved the purchase of a $499 computer from Office Depot to replace the 7-year-old computer Robinson had been using. The old computer is outdated, according to Wise. The replacement computer is compatible with other computers in Town Hall.
FIREWORKS WEDNESDAY NIGHT
The town is planning for a big fireworks display at James H. Cobb Park Wednesday night at dark. The park is wet from rainfall and Fire Chief Dennis Russell there is an 80 percent chance of rain Wednesday night.
The town council also put on hold an agreement to proceed with a program that would utilize solar energy. Wise said he will call the company president to talk to the council about how solar energy can be used by the town.
Councilman Jason Hunt suggested the postponement due to the lack of a town clerk.
RESURFACING PICNIC STREET
Wise is going forward with advertising for bids to resurface Picnic Street. The process had been temporarily held up by the resignation of the clerk, but Wise said he got the go-ahead Monday to advertise for bids.
Picnic Street extends from the Levy County Courthouse to James H. Cobb Park.
Town of Bronson Regular Meeting July 2, 2018
Posted July 2, 2018
