By: Ken, December 28, 2013 | Original Article at Patch.com
Lets take a look at 2013 in review….
Your choice whether to call them highlights or lowlights
Lets start with Councilman Castaldo and his “spontaneous commentary” regarding the City Audit received and accepted 12-2012.
Castaldo: “….I been hearing alot of people being critical of our Audit report and misinterpreting what they read, but unfortunately alot of people left at our last Council meeting when we actually had the people that did the audit, they were available for questions and they answered all….” (ad nauseum)
Audio available 3–05-13 Council Podcast approx 18 min mark. Mr Castaldo once again grandstands upon his own behalf and reiterates his own line of questioning regarding how the Staff and Council handle City funds and finances…
Castaldo: “This is the Big question…….Do I need to be concerned about City Staff and how they are handling City money (blah blah blah) ……Answer…No”
First of all there was no public notice that the Auditors would be present or available in the 2012 meeting ( that dealt with 18 month overdue Audit from previous yr with numerous accounting gimmicks now admitted). As a credit to the Council the 2013 session of the same nature was advertised and well attended, with a robust exchange.
Documents released AFTER this session, as a result of repeated Public requests for documents, revealed that the Auditor and his responses were less than candid even to the softball questions Council asked. These documents were in play and available to the Council members. Did Castaldo read them before his “Speech from on High” about City critics? I dont know which is the more disgraceful answer…YES or NO
If his concerns are non-existent about a City that spends more than it has, uses money from restricted accounts, retroactive budget transfers, a reliance on CFD funds, a $20 MILLION dollar oversight in City funds, an RDA due diligence report to the State so fraught with errors that another near $4 million penalty was assessed, then perhaps Mr Castaaldo should rethink (or think for himself) his position as the pointman for Staff propoganda.
The Internal Control Reports make very clear what has happened and continues. You have read these reports right Mr Castaldo?
Perhaps a public retraction and apology would be in order.
As always…more to follow