6/1/2014 Emails show cooperation lacking - TribToday.

com - News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Tribune Chronicle - Warren, OH

http://tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/607344/Emails-show-cooperation-lacking.html?nav=5021 1/3
Mobile:mobile.tribtoday.com
News, Blogs & Events SEARCH

Warren,OH
72F
ExtendedForecast
FindAnotherLocation
DataprovidedbyTheWeatherChannel

News Opinion Sports Society Classified SpecialSections Features Extras Jobs CU Blogs ContactUs
LocalNews
LocalNews
LatestNews
Business
ShaleandGasDrilling
CivilWarhistory
CommunityNews
Obituaries
Opinion
Columns
OhioNews
NationalNews
InternationalNews
FitnessChallenge
StocksandLottery
SUBMITNews
CommunitySTARS
PoliceBlotters
OhioChautauqua
/News/LocalNews/
Amidatheftscandal,emails... Auditsexpectedtoshowutil...

Emailsshowcooperation
lacking
Nilesincrisis
June1, 2014
ByCOLINHARRIS,TribuneChronicle
Save|
NILESSomecityofficialsdidnotcooperatewithstateauditorstrying
toconductfinancialandperformanceaudits,accordingtorecords
obtainedbytheTribuneChronicle.
ThelackofcooperationfromTreasurerRobertSwaugerandAuditor
ChuckNadersetoffaseriesofterseemailsfromMayorRalphInfante
andCityCouncilPresidentRobertMarino,whowererespondingto
stateauditorsexpressingtheirfrustration.
Infantesentthefollowingemail,reprintedverbatimhere,to''council
membersandofficials''onNov.15:
''ToAllListed,OnOctober24,2013IForwardedThiseMailToAllOf
YouListed.ErikHoleskoFromTheStateAuditorsOfficeStillHas3
IssuesThatNeedToBeAddressed,TheOnlyOneThatHasResponded
IsTerryDull.PleaseGetTheseIssuesAddressedAsSoonAsPossible
OrIWillTakeFurtherAction.''
Adayearlier,Marinosentthefollowingemail,alsoreprintedverbatim
here,toauditorsofstate,whomhereferstoasAOS:
''RecognizingthatyouarestillawaitinginformationandbecauseIam
notawareofanylegalmechanismavailabletocitycouncilrelativeto
compellingothercitywideelectedofficialstocomplywithyour
request,Iencourageyoutoutilize:
''ANYANDALLLEGALAUTHORITYAVAILABLETOTHEAOSTO
COLLECTTHISINFORMATION...
''Iamcertain,theylikemeareanddispleasedthattheAOShas
repeatedlyhadtorequesttheserecordstonoavail.''
Frustrationonthepartofstateauditorshascontinuedinto2014,as
evidencedbycommentsmadelastweekbyNilesCouncilmanatlarge
andFinanceCommitteeChairmanStevePapalastotheTribune
Chronicle.
''Therewereacoupleofinstancesthatreallygotundermycraw,''
Papalassaid.''Thestateauditorshadsetupameetingbetweenthe
auditors,Mr.NaderandMr.Swauger.Thepreparationswereallmade,
andMr.SwaugerandMr.Nadernevershowedup.''
ThemeetingPapalasreferredtotookplaceonFeb.4,whenaudit
managerAprilStricklandfromthestateauditor'sofficecametothe
citytoreviewfinancialrecordsforApril,MayandJuneof2012.
InanemailtocityofficialsonFeb.5,seniorauditmanagerErik
Holeskofromthestateauditor'sofficenotedthat''yesterday'sreview
ofrecordsdidnotclarifythesituation,sinceBobSwaugerandChuck
werenottheretoanswerquestions.''
PapalassternlyaddressedSwaugerandNaderinfrontofCityCouncil
laterinFebruary.

Iamlookingfor:
SEARCH
Subscribe|SubmitNews|PlaceAnAd|AllAccessEEdition|Home

6/1/2014 Emails show cooperation lacking - TribToday.com - News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Tribune Chronicle - Warren, OH
http://tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/607344/Emails-show-cooperation-lacking.html?nav=5021 2/3
''Oneofthedepartmentheads(Swauger)statedhehadareasonfor
notbeing(atthemeeting),''Papalassaid.''Ithinkmaybeoutof
courtesy,thatpersoncouldhavecontactedtheauditorsaheadof
time.Theotherperson(Nader)didnotrespondatall,andIthinkthat
isembarrassing.
''Ithinkitisgoingtobeextensiveifwekeephavingmeetingswith
theauditorsandtheappropriatepeoplefromthecitydon'tshowup,
andIthinkit'sunprofessional.Thishastostop,andwhenCityCouncil
needsworkprovidedbydepartmentheadssothatwecanshowour
resultsandwedon'tgetthat,that'sembarrassingandunprofessional,
andIreallydon'tappreciateit.''
Papalas'commentsdidnotseemtosparkchangeinthecity'sauditor
andtreasurerdepartments,asevidencedbyanemailconversation
betweenStricklandandNaderonMarch14aboutbeginningthecity's
2013financialaudit.Intheconversation,Nadersaid''onceagain,I
wantyoutoholdoffcomingonsiteuntilthemiddleofApril.Iam
sorryaboutthis,butthatiswhatIwant.''
Hourslater,MarinosentafollowupemailtoStrickland,inquiringabout
theunusualnatureofNader'srequesttodelayafinancialaudit.
StricklandrepliedtoMarinoquicklyinanemailthat''(thestate)
typicallyliketogetstartedonourDecember31,auditsinlateJanuary
sostartinginMarchislaterthanwelikealready.''
AccordingtoAssistantPublicAffairsDirectorandPressSecretaryCarrie
Bartunekofthestateauditor'soffice,the2013financialauditofficially
beganMarch21,2014.The2012financialauditofficiallybeganMarch
26,2013.
InaninterviewonThursday,Nadersaidthathisreluctancetoinvite
thestateauditorstohisofficestemmedfromalackofinformationhe
felthecouldprovide.
''Wealwayshaveathirdpartycompanypreparetheinformationfor
(thestateauditors)andtheyhandleallourconversionsfromcash
recordstoanaccrualbasis,''Nadersaid,notingthatthedeadlinetofile
theirinformationwasMay30.''Theirworkwasnotdoneyetatthat
point,andIwastellingthemthatiftheyheldoffcomingtomyoffice,
thentheywouldhavealotmoreinformationtouse.''
MarinonotedonWednesdaythatheneverreceivedanexplanation
fromNader.
AnApril1emailcorrespondencebetweenStricklandandMarino
demonstratesmoreunfulfilledrequestsforfinancialinformation:
''WearehavingsometroublegettingtheDecember31,2013bank
reconciliations,''Stricklandwrote.''ItisnowApril,thereshouldbeno
reasonwecannotgettheDecember2013bankrecordstoview.We
weretoldearlylastweekthat(Swauger)wouldbeintoseeusand
thatdidnothappen.''
Whenaskedwhyhehadnotdeliveredtherequestedinformationto
Strickland,Swaugersaidthattheongoinginvestigationintohisoffice
preventedhimfromdeliveringaccurateinformation.
''I'mnotgoingtoflubareconciliationandtellthestateauditorsthat
ourbooksareinbalance,''Swaugersaid.
InaninterviewwiththeTribuneChronicle,Marinoexpressed
frustrationwithhislackofpowerasitpertainstoassistingthestate
auditors.
''Wetold(thestateauditors)multipletimesthattheyneedtogoget
therecordstheyneed(fromcityofficials)anduseallthepowerthey
have,''Marinosaid.''Wecan'tforce(NaderandSwauger)to
cooperatewecan'ttellthemwhattodo.They'reelectedofficials,and
theyaresupposedtoberesponsibleforwhatgoesonintheir
departments.''
Atthedirectionofstateauditors,thecitybegandigitizingitsfinancial
operations.Currently,thecitytracksitsfinancesusingapaper
system,whichSwauger,MarinoandPapalasallagreedis''antiquated.''
Nadersaidthathisofficehasnotmodernizeditsoperationpartly
becauseofthecity'sdecisiontoupgradeitsutilitysystemsinthemid
2000s.
6/1/2014 Emails show cooperation lacking - TribToday.com - News, Sports, Jobs, Community Information - Tribune Chronicle - Warren, OH
http://tribtoday.com/page/content.detail/id/607344/Emails-show-cooperation-lacking.html?nav=5021 3/3
''Maybeweshouldhavedonethissooner,butwewantedtomake
surethat(theutilitydepartment)wasstraightbeforeworryingabout
thenextdepartment,''Nadersaid.
InaninterviewonThursday,Infantesaid,''Chuckneedstoworry
about(theauditor'soffice),andBobneedstoworryabout(the
treasurer'soffice),becauselookwhathashappenednow.''
PapalasnotedinaninterviewonWednesdaythatthetreasurerhas
notmadehimselfavailabletothecity'sinformationtechnology
department.
InanApril23emailconversation,Marinotoldcityofficialsthathe
expected''thespecs(fromthetreasurer'sofficeforitsneeds)willbe
verifiedbytheTreasurernolater(thanApril25).Theprojectwill
moveforwardwithanagreeduponcompletiondate(nolaterthan)
July15.''
Swaugerstillhasnotdeliveredthosespecs,accordingtoPapalas.
WhenreachedforcommentFriday,Swaugersaidthathewishedthe
digitizingprocesscouldbefurtheralong,butnotedthathewantsthe
bestpossiblefitforthecity.
"Ibelievethat(thecity)hadasysteminplace,butthenuponfurther
review,wedecidedtogobackandmakesurethatwe'rebuildinga
systemthatwillbeviableintothefuture,"Swaugersaid."We're
spendingtaxpayers'moneyhere,sowewanttodoitwiselyandmake
surethatwe'redoingourduedilligencehere."
charris@tribtoday.com
Copyright2014TribuneChronicle.Allrightsreserved.Thismaterialmaynotbe
published,broadcast,rewrittenorredistributed.
Save|
0
SubscribetoTribuneChronicle
TribuneChronicle
240FranklinStreetSE,Warren,OH44483|
2014.Allrightsreserved.|TermsofServiceandPrivacyPolicy
One person recommends this. Be the first of your friends. Recommend