My answer is a resounding "yes!" You can tell when an organization is scared is when they disseminate misinformation. The anti-forensic audit group says that the audit could cost Muskogee hundreds of thousands of dollars. Do you know where they got that information? From three Florida newspaper articles. I know, I saw them. The Wagoner city council recently voted to conduct a forensic audit and said it would cost them $80,000.
Why such a rabid response to a forensic audit unless you have something to hide.
Leon Davis, Muskogee's former economic manager, was fired because he was exposing extremely questionable financial transactions. According to his lawsuit, several times he tried to bring questionable financial transactions to the attention of Mayor Coleman and the city's legal department. He was rebuffed. He also offered to provide, free of charge, an independent audit, and he asked for a total separation of Muskogee Redevelopment Authority funds, and a separate accounting system as required by the MRA service agreement with the City of Muskogee. Davis tried to bring to light reporting violations, unauthorized expenditure, misappropriation of funds, and fraud. All of these "common sense" requests were ignored. And that's just one of many!! Why? Because "they" have something to hide.
When it comes to financial reporting city officials are else ignorant of the law or trying to hide something. One of the requirements of Muskogee Code of Ordinances, Section 2-553 is "At least quarterly the city treasurer shall have posted on the website a budget report for the current calendar quarter as well as fiscal year to date by department or fund as appropriate." I suppose the concerning verbiage is ". . . as well as fiscal year to date by department or fund as appropriate."
What's interesting is that the city complies with this part of that ordinance — "The city "website" shall include among other information as required by the city council and state statute the approved current fiscal year's budget of the city. The website shall also have available to the public the previous five years approved fiscal year budgets." So that shows someone knows that ordinance exists so why not comply with all of it?
Do you every wonder why the city manager, city council, and the head of the legal department doesn't hold townhall meetings? Are they afraid of our questions? Why should they be afraid? I returned from the Marine Corps in 1996 and city officials haven't held a town hall meeting since then.
City officials constantly talk about how to get a better response from us, the taxpayers. Yet they won't talk to us. Has your city councilor ever held a ward meeting? When you came to a city council meeting and addressed an issue that you were concerned with, how many city councilors and/or city officials approached you offering to help. You know whay they don't? BECAUSE THEY DON'T CARE!
And they don't care about the law or the Bill of Rights. And that will be
my next topic.