Alderman and Finance Committee Chair Jim Martuscello said Friday that he is sponsoring a resolution to be voted on at the next regular common council meeting which would award a $10,000 contract to the Wladis Law Firm. According to Martuscello, the idea was discussed at Thursday’s Finance Committee meeting. He said the purpose of hiring the law firm is for them to serve as a consultant and assist in evaluating accounting firms for the job of helping the city get completely caught up with the required state financial filings and audits.
Controller Matt Agresta said on Monday that he has still yet to file the 2013-2014 and 2014-2015 Annual Update Documents. Audits on both of those fiscal years have also yet to be completed.
Agresta said, “The council wants this done as quickly as possible.” He added that especially with the recent resignation of the deputy controller, hiring an outside accounting firm would help expedite his work.
Agresta said he was not opposed to the idea of hiring a law firm to help with evaluating accounting firms. He said the law firm would also make sure that the city had a “solid agreement” with any accounting firm hired, making sure the time line and scope of the project was clearly defined.
Martuscello also said that once the yet-to-be-hired accounting firm has helped bring the city’s finances up-to-date, that he is in favor of hiring another deputy controller.
