Goodrich- Plans to weigh the costs against the benefits of conducting a village audit stalled last week, as council members told council person Patty Wartella to present a proposal less broad in nature.
The estimated cost of such an audit is up to $7,500, said representatives from Plante & Moran, a company that would possibly conduct the audit should one be persued.
‘I think at this time…it would be in our best interest to re-evalute things,? Wartella said at the March 12 council meeting. ‘I don’t believe this is anything to frown upon, I think (such an audit) is a neccessity. We ower this to the residents. I think it would be worth our while to look at this and consider it.?
Wartella first mentioned the idea in February, saying she had been in contact with representatives from Plante and Moran in Southfield, and was interested in their proposal to do a seven step examination of workers within the village whose paychecks come from tax dollars.
Other council members voiced concern over spending so much money for something they uncertain about. Council president Ed York said the council was also left with the possibilty an audit would reveal the village needed to hire additional personnel, thus spending money only to find the village would have to spend more money still.
However, York did not outright reject the idea, only asked Wartella come back with a clarified proposal from the personnel comittee, comprised of her and council member Dave Lucik..
‘We want to become better,? said York ‘We’re looking at a couple of different things here…narrow this down. Who and what are the situations we really need to look at.?
Lucik agreed saying they should start with the broad proposal provided by Plante and Moran and whittle it down to the necessary items to save on costs.