A.G. Gancarski
The Inspector General budget got a look from the Finance Committee of the Jacksonville City Council on Friday. Less interesting than the budget was the performance of the IG on the stand.
Councilman John Crescimbeni and the new Inspector General had several exchanges that left the longtime councilman less than impressed.
There were times when the Inspector General, Thomas Cline, had to be coached through the answers to questions, which left Crescimbeni with a “warm and fuzzy” feeling, he said sarcastically.
Anna Brosche, meanwhile, had questions about “partial salary and benefit” amounts, and it wasn’t immediately clear whether the costs were annualized or not.
Crescimbeni then asked about a position’s annual costs, pressing for specifics.
The IG asked the councilman to “bear with me for a moment” as “I’m not entirely certain.”
After the IG agreed that the amount was pro-rated, Crescimbeni asked if the IG had an accounting background.
Apparently, he does. You couldn’t tell listening to him during budget.
Crescimbeni then proceeded to drill the IG with repeated questions.
In response to one question, the IG said that he would forward certain complaints to 630-CITY, which Crescimbeni said was symptomatic of a “bad practice.”
Then the IG reversed himself, saying that he did not forward complaints, but instead referred them.
“I gotta tell you, I’m just not sensing a really high level of comfort with the direction we’re going in,” said Crescimbeni, who described himself as initially a “really big proponent” of the IG office.
“It’s a little late in the process to be talking about the things we’re talking about today.”
The barrage continued, with Crescimbeni asking if various documents were in public record, and why he didn’t receive them.
Salary discussion for new positions left the IG asking for help also.
Crescimbeni, referring to a memo, asked the IG: “Where did you get these numbers from?”
After some discussion, that was figured out.
“When you set up an office like the IG, you get a sudden surge” of whistleblower complaints, said Aaron Bowman. But that surge abates, he added, and his concern was “idle workers” and “overestimating how busy you’re going to be in the next year.”
Many open cases, Cline contended, require “more time and attention” than the easy, readily closeable cases.
“Answering… complaints” is only one part of the job. Contract oversight and procurement, other important functions, are effectively neglected due to lack of staff. Audits, likewise, are in a backlog.
“I’ve got my own personal list of audit projects that’s more work than two auditors could get done in four years,” Cline said.
More discussion ensued, before more Crescimbeni.
“I am fully supportive of what we’re trying to do here. However, I’m somewhat troubled by the fact that [people] come before us today so unprepared,” said Crescimbeni.
“There’s something wrong here people. This office is supposed to be precise and exact.”
Clearly there is work to be done.
“We are nowhere close” to knowing exact costs, Crescimbeni said, by way of proposing a below the line allocation of $350,000.
“You need to get all your costs in order, and we can deal with this down the road.”
