CITY OF HARTFORD
OFFICE OF THE CORPORATION COUNSEL
550 Main Street Hartford, Connecticut 06103 Telephone: (860) 757-9700 Fax: (860) 722-8114 www.hartford.gov
SAUNDRA KEE BORGES Corporation Counsel L. JOHN VAN NORDEN Deputy Corporation Counsel
MEMORANDUM
To: Saundra Kee Borges, Esq. Acting Chief Operating Officer From: L. John Van Norden, Esq. Deputy Corporation Counsel Date: September 20, 2013 Re: Internal Audit Draft Report
–
Golf Course Tree Conversion Claim At the request of the COO and Mayor I have reviewed the DRAFT analysis of the Internal Audit
Commission entitled “Kenny and Goodwin Golf Courses Special Review”, bearing the date September
17, 2013. Golf course operations are under the management of a firm known as MDM pursuant to a lease agreement which was the subject of an earlier investigation and report by Internal Audit. The latest report focuses on a long-standing, likely time barred, claim that MDM removed trees from the Kenny course either without
permission or in violation of its lease agreement with the City. Both of the City’s
golf courses spread into adjoining communities. Goodwin spans the City and Wethersfield border, Kenny spans the border with Windsor. My observations and concerns are as follows: 1. The Internal Audit Commission has jurisdiction under the authority of the City Charter to
“
examine into all matters relating to the integrity, efficiency and efficacy of the government of the city, including the board of education
”.
Charter Ch. VII, Sec. 2(a)(emphasis added)
. “
The commission may authorize the employees or consultants of the unit to cause such examinations as permitted by this provision of the Charter and the pertinent implementing ordinances
.”
Id. at Sec. 2(a)(3)
. The City Code
provides a parallel description of the Commission’s jurisdiction: “
The commission shall conduct independent examinations and evaluations of city financial activities to assure the integrity, efficiency, and efficacy of the government of the city
.”
City Code Sec. 2-41(b)(emphasis added).
The Code then
enumerates certain activities further defining the Commission’s jurisdiction: