INVESTIGATIVEREPORTMEMORANDUM
TO:
CityCouncilCityofNorwich
FROM:
InvestigationSubcommitteeoftheCityCouncilCityofNorwich
DATE:
September6,2011
RE:
InvestigationofIssuesintheCityClerk'sOfficeThissubcommitteewasaskedtoconductaninvestigationconcerningcashhandlingissuesandrecordingissueswithintheCityClerk'sOffice.TheinvestigationalsofocusedonwhethertheftofmonieswasoccurringintheCityClerk'soffice.Inaddition,thissubcommitteehaspursuanttoitspowersundertheCityofNorwich("City")Charterinvestigatedanyotherrelatedissuesthatwereuncoveredduringitsinterviews.Thismemorandumsummarizestheinvestigationby
(1)
providingasummaryofthefactualconclusionsreached,(2)outliningrelevantprovisionsoftheCityCharter,and(3)describingtheprocessoftheinvestigation.
Summary
CashmoneytransactionsintheCityClerk'sofficeforitemssuchasbirthanddeathcertificatesarenotconsistentlyproperlyprocessedandrecorded.Insomeinstancescashmoniesarereceivedandthennotrecordedinanyaccountingsystemorbooks.Awitnessstatedthatsomeofthesemonieswereusedasatypeofpettycashsystemforpurchasesofofficecandy.Becausethemonieswerenotloggedorrecordedthereisnowaytoascertainwhetherallthecashmonieswereusedforofficerelatedorbusinesspurchases.IneachinstanceofcashnotbeingrecordedtheCityClerkactuallyprocessedthecashintheabove-describedfashionordirectedasubordinatetodoso.Thispracticeofnotloggingand/orrecordingallcashentriesexistedintheofficeoftheCityClerkbeforethecurrentCityClerktookoffice.ThecurrentCityClerk'spredecessorsometimestookcashandplaceditinwhatshe1
calleda"stampsbox"tobeusedforthepurposeofpurchasingstamps,particularlyduringelectiontimes.Themoney(placedinastampmoneybox)wasnotloggedinorloggedoutandwasnotrecordedinanyway.AnotherissuewhicharoseduringtheinvestigationconcernsfeeswhicharetobepaidtotheCityClerk'sofliceforfilingsontheCitylandrecords.Thissubcommitteediscoveredthatonsix(6)occasionsoverthelasttwo(2)yearstheCityClerkfileddocumentsonthelandrecordsforpersonalbusinessandfailedtopaythefilingfeeatornearthetimethedocumentswerefiledonthelandrecords.Onthree(3)occasionsduringthesametimeperiodtheCityClerkfileddocumentsonthelandrecordsforthebenefitofbothherselfandherdaughterandfailedtocollectorpaytherequisitefilingfee.Finally,onone(1)occasionduringthesametimeperiodtheCityClerkfileddocumentsonthelandrecordsforthebenefitofherdaughterandfailedtocollectorpaytherequisitetilingfee.
City
Charter
ChapterV.oftheCity'sChmiel'providesforthedutiesoftheCityCouncilandthefollowingsubsectionshavebeenreviewedinconnectionwiththisinvestigation:Sec.3.-CityClerk.ThecouncilonthefirstTuesdayinDecemberfollowingeachgeneralmunicipalelectionshallappointatownandcityclerktoserveforatermoftwoyears....Thetownandcityclerk,hereafterreferredtointhischarterasthecityclerk,shallhavethepowersanddutiesconferredorimposedbylawontownclerks,andshallhavesuchpowersanddutiesasareprescribedinthischarterorbythecouncil...allfeescollectedbyhimshallbepaidintothecitytreasury....Sec.13.-Powerovertheorganizationandoperationofthecitygovernment.Thecouncilshallhavethepowertoprovide...fortheorganization,conductandoperationofthedepartments,agenciesandofficesestablishedbythischarter;....andforthenumber,titles,qualifications,powers,duties,andcompensationofallofficersandemployeesofthecity....Sec.14.-Appointmentandremovals....Exceptasotherwiseprovidedinthischarter,thecouncilmayremoveforimproperperformanceofhisduties,formalfeasanceormisfeasanceinofficeorforotherpropercauseanyofficeroremployeeappointedbyitprovidedtheofficeroremployeeshallhavebeenservedwithawrittennoticeoftheintentionofthecounciltoremove2
him,containingaclearstatementofthegroundsforsuchremovalandofthetimeandplace...atwhichheshallbegivenanopportunitytobeheardthereon....Fromtheserviceofnoticeuntilfinalactionbythecouncil,theofficeroremployeeshallbeineligibletoperformthedutiesofhisofficeoremploymentbutheshallcontinuetoreceivehissalaryorwagespendingsuchfinalaction.Sec.15.-PowerofInvestigation.Thecouncil,oranycommitteethereofwhensoauthorizedbythecouncil,shallhavepowertoinvestigatetheofficialconductofanydepartmentoragencyofthecitygovemmentorofanyofficeroremployeehereof....
SummaryofInvestigationProcess
Theinvestigationincludedinterviewswiththefollowingpersons:RoseanneMuscarella,AssistantCityClerk;ChristineAvernaandAlanBush,bothofwhomareRecordsClerksintheCityClerk'soffice;KatieSandberg,formerRecordsClerk;Dee
Ann
Brennan,formerCityClerkandJoshuaPothier,DeputyComptroller.Theinvestigationincludedareviewofthefollowingdocuments:1)NorwichCityCharter;2)CloseoutrecordsfromtheCityClerk'soffice;3)Correspondenceit-omPatriciaStricklertotheCityClerk'sofficedatedApril13,2011andcloseoutrecordsfromtheCityClerk'sofficeforApril18,2011;4)ReleaseofMortgagedatedJuly24,1992releasingamortgagefromSandraGreenhalghtoTheNorwichConnecticutFederalCreditUnionrecordedonMay17,2011at3:43:39PMintheNorwichlandrecordswithattachedreceiptfortherecordingofthisreleaseat3:43:39p.m.by"Sandi"indicatingtheamountpaidwas$0.00;5)ReleaseofMortgagedatedJuly18,2006releasingamortgagefromSandraGreenhalghtoCoreplusFederalCreditUnionrecordedonMay17,2011at2:54:28ontheNorwichlandrecordsandreceiptfortherecordingofthisreleaseat02:54:38p.m.by"Sandi"indicatingtheamountpaidwas$0.00;6)HandwrittennotesofChristineAvema;7)BirthcertificaterequestdatedAprilS,2011forAubrieandAmeliaBoskerandcloseoutrecordfromtheCityClerk'sofficeforAprilS,2011;8)DocumentsprovidedbyAlanBushincluding:
3
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