Beardsell questions retiring finance manager

By Scott NeufeldWednesday, July 26, 2006 http://www.dailycourier.ca/article_399.php
The annual public hearing on the city financial report gave council and the public one last chance to question retiring city finance manager Bernie Fehrmann about the state of the city's coffers.In his final council meeting Monday, Fehrmann was again questioned by Coun. Barry Beardsell. The councillor said that staff have not explained why expenditures on furniture last year were far higher than first reported and what was purchased.“I haven’t seen any satisfactory answer to the $86,000 expenditure of furniture,” he said. “I was told a lot of furniture was purchased for the yards but there’s no indication of when or how.”When he was the chair of the finance committee last year, Beardsell said he questioned why $20,000 was spent on furniture, never knowing that the actual total was four times higher.“If this can go on with furniture it can go on with anything else in the budget,” he said.Mayor Wayne Lippert suggested that Beardsell look more closely at the financial reports, to which the councillor replied, “I have looked at it closely but I haven’t got an acceptable answer if this is the way to do business in Vernon.”Gilroy came to staff’s defence suggesting that former chief administrative officer Ron Campbell was to blame for the expenditures.“Barry, I worked for the city for 32 years . . . and staff couldn’t do anything without the permission of the (chief administrative officer),” he said. “The guy at the top said to spend the money so I don’t think you should pick on Bernie anymore.”Beardsell responded that if the accusation is true staff should let council know. He said council should be told the whole truth about how the money was spent.“That’s a wonderful defence and if that is the case then that should be said by staff,” he said.Beardsell added he was frustrated with the responses he has received from the city finance department about the expenditures on the city’s Mastercard which totalled $721,848.20. He said the department needs to give better answers so that council can find ways to improve the purchase program.“Can we generate something better out of this program than the waste we currently have?” he said. “If something can be improved upon let’s do it.”Fehrmann said that the finance department is still working on a response about the Mastercard issue and that council will have the information soon.