Sioux Falls

Sorry Rick, public input is our time, not yours. Figure it out.

l3wis April 22, 2019 4Comments

Week after Week we have to listen to Mr. Kiley bloviate, blubber and evaluate. So when we get a chance he has to try to cut us off because of some ‘rule’ he pulled from his ass. It’s an audit meeting, Bruce is talking about audit standards (that was covered by Oksol). Rick, STFU.

From Bruce;

Here is what I was ready to say when Mr. Kiley decided to interrupt me at the April 22, 2019 Sioux Falls City Council Audit Committee meeting.

No Disrespect for the persons here or the person this board is hiring, but…

How does transferring an entrenched city employee into the internal audit department accomplish the board’s original purpose?

I have 40+ years of internal and external audit experience. In one job, I was part of an effort to save 1,000 jobs while uncovering $500 million in schemes running in 22 different scenarios. I understand auditing.

Why is this body willing to put each individual on this board in a potential legal liability by ignoring several legitimate fiduciary questions?

Why would the chosen new hire be willing to be put in a position of having to recuse from audits involving her prior work?

Why would a person accepting an audit job accept a potential conflict of interest involving a family member?

With multiple city projects being questioned and this board should be reviewing, why is this choice being considered?

A person who trained city staff on the use of a computer program is now setup to audit her own work product?

A person who gave approvals for projects in the city’s largest department now is to audit her own work product?

By ignoring the warnings, the members of the committee and others could be opened to investigations, who wants that?

The persons in charge and accomplishing proper audits should have one trait, curiosity, insatiable curiosity.

Curiosity to ask questions no one wants asked.

You can have all kinds of data but if you are part or were part of the process you are tasked with, you lose your ability to ask the simple questions. You do not ask the simple questions possibly out of embarrassment, maybe out of your need to give all the answers. You don’t have curiosity because you may know everything before the audit begins. Hard to ask the questions when you already know the answers. Since you already have all the answers and know how to find your own data, you know which file cabinet drawers should not be opened?

Only an outsider will ASK others WHY, instead of TELLING others why. There is a difference between ASKING versus TELLING answers.

As members of this Audit Committee, ask the question, “Does this process meet any standards required in any Fortune 500 company?”

As members of this Audit Committee, ask also this question, “Does this process meet any standards required in any not for profit organization?”

The two answers will be a resounding “NO”.

Citizens know of problems in city processes. How does this choice meet any recognized standard necessary to meet legal, financial and moral codes of conduct or ethics to keep citizens in believing in this government?

You are forewarned, the questions we ask are the basis for possible RICO investigations. Is this rush to transfer a potential employee to be involved in auditing her own previous work worth the wrath of future investigations?

There are too many problems and no logical answers.

Sioux Falls City Council Agenda, April 22-23, 2019

l3wis April 19, 2019 5Comments

Audit Committee Meeting, 4 PM (4/22)

External Audit Reports; This is where an external auditing firm (the same one we have been using for years and years) looks at our financial statements from the previous year. This is NOT a thorough independent, forensic audit.

Public Assurance Alliance does a presentation on Trends and Risks. New director, David Fiddle-Faddle returns to the Chambers to enlighten us with his immense wisdom. Make sure the security cameras are turned off or scrubbed later.

Audit report of the Zoo. Still one of the tightest ships ran in the city. I still think the Director of the Zoo should run for Mayor.

Fill-In, and Previous Internal Auditor, Oksol is going to tell us how to measure performance out of an internal audit staff. First step; make sure you have a staff to measure.

They finish with giving Oksol a gold star for helping to fill in while looking for a new internal auditor manager. He must have been volunteering his time? Who knew?

City Council Informational, 4 PM (4/23)

March Financial Update

Overview of Spring Flood Recovery

Use of unobligated capital funds

City Council SPECIAL Meeting, 5:30 PM (4/23)

I noticed that the special council meeting is missing Public Input at the beginning. I’m not sure they can skirt public input at the beginning just because it is a special meeting. I think the new changes in state law say they must provide public input at all public meetings.

Item#3, Approval of Contracts,

Seems we are buying two new Harley’s for the SFPD. I find this interesting since the last couple of bikes we bought were NOT Harley’s (I think they were Triumphs).

Items #4-5, supplemental appropriations for the Rose/Lotta neighborhood homes. I think this will pass with full support of the council, besides some bickering about where the money is coming from.

Item #6, Motion, Appointing Shana Nelson as the new Internal Auditor Manager. As I suspected they are plucking Shana from the Finance Department where she works as a business analyst creating a conflict of interest between the administration and city council. Shana’s husband, Matt Nelson is the Director of the Parking Department. So how does she audit that department fairly? Further more, with some pending issues with the DT parking ramp, will we ever get a fair audit of the department?

Events Center Campus Book Club Meeting, 8:30 AM, Wed 4/24, Convention Center (we will see if it is filmed this time and if they have any chairs for the public)

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