Columbus Deputy City Manager on internal audit: ‘Every dollar of the $45.1 million can be documented’

by: Chuck Williams

COLUMBUS, Ga. (WRBL) — It’s been a week since the city of Columbus’ internal auditor told the council that there was $45.1 million unaccounted for in the Finance Department.

During Tuesday’s council meeting, the mayor and a deputy city manager disputed the accuracy of that information.

At first, some councilors did not want to hear from Deputy City Manager Pam Hodge. An effort to move her presentation to a January meeting failed.

Mayor Skip Henderson – facing questions from citizens for a week about millions in missing money – insisted that Hodge be heard.

“Every dollar of the $45.1 million can be documented with a deposit, a bank statement, with a cash receipt, and with a canceled check,” Hodge told the council in no uncertain terms.

Hodge refuted last Tuesday’s finding from Internal Auditor Donna McGinnis that millions of dollars in unprocessed transactional activity for fees was missing.

“I don’t think I even have to call the question because this is a meeting that is controlled and run by the mayor,” Henderson said. “This is something I am putting on the mayor’s agenda because I think it’s significantly important that the people of this community hear and don’t go another month wondering if there’s $45 million missing.”

Councilor Glenn Davis came to the defense of the audit findings.

“I don’t want this to be a perception that the Internal Auditor’s Office and the Compliance Office are being discredited or challenged,” Davis said.

Hodge – a former finance director – says the internal auditor got it wrong – and the record must be corrected.

“There are a lot of people who have a complete distrust in Government,” Hodge said. “And no matter how much we document that every check making up that $45.1 million was deposited in the bank, there will still be some who question that accuracy.”

Last week, Peeler spent almost two hours in closed session with the council and mayor. No one is saying what he told them – only that the report is incomplete and will be ready next month. Councilor Toyia Tucker said the investigation is an important piece of this story.

“I will say this, when you go through an audit, if the auditor does not have the necessary access or have the information needed to do an actual audit, they are going to give you exactly what they have,” Tucker said. “However Troutman Pepper worked hand in hand with the finance director and the finance department. That information will be crystal clear on Jan. 9."