Ferrelview’s state audit report has yet to be released, but the members of the board of trustees were already discussing its scope at the board’s December meeting.
City clerk April Baxter presented the 2019 draft budget, which raised several questions. The village is over budget, due to the excess court revenues collected in 2016 and the state audit beginning in 2017, she said in draft minutes of the meeting.
Board chair Phil Gilliam questioned the scope of the audit, because state auditors are also auditing years not requested in the petition audit. Trustee Theresa Wilson — who launched the petition audit campaign prior to her election to the board — asserted that the state could audit whatever it wished.
Gilliam said as the village would be responsible for the final bill, with the last estimate of up to $40,000, he didn’t think a last-minute expansion of the audit scope was fair.
Wilson also clashed with chief of police Daniel Clayton, primarily over the fate of $1,900 apparently missing from the police training fund. Wilson told Clayton she believed the money was moved to a fund dedicated to excess court revenues, but Clayton said the court revenue payment had not been made.
What followed were several exchanges between Clayton and Wilson, with Wilson pointing a finger at former treasurer Mickey Vulgamott, who Wilson said was responsible for transferring funds.
Clayton said the funds are not accounted for and the transfer left the officer training fund depleted. According to state law, the village should maintain funding for officer training in the account, he said.
The topic of holiday pay for village employees started another exchange between Clayton and Wilson. Disagreements erupted over official village policy, the validity of the employee handbook and whether or not St. Patrick’s Day is a paid holiday.
Trustee Beth Whorton said it appeared the previous city clerk had received holiday pay for working St. Patrick’s Day last year, although Wilson — who was chair of the board of trustees at the time — said the pay was for another holiday.