MOUNT VERNON — Mount Vernon Councilman Mike Miller said he “is disturbed and not happy” that McDaniel CPA pulled out of its payroll contract with the city.
“I find that very disappointing,” Miller said at Monday evening’s council meeting.
The city contracted with McDaniel CPA to process payroll from July through December.
Law Director Rob Broeren said in June that a lack of staffing and overwork in the auditor’s office contributed to payroll issues and employees filing grievances against the city.
The grievances involve benefits and compensation not being deducted, misapplied, and/or paid incorrectly.
Safety-service Director Tanner Salyers previously told Knox Pages the goal was for McDaniel CPA to help implement the new payroll software NEOGOV, process payroll, and “hand a streamlined product back to the city” by late December.
“We appreciate that [Auditor Terry Scott] was overworked and understaffed, so we said we would take this responsibility off his hands for a while,” he said.
However, CPA Rene McDaniel alleges in her resignation letter that Scott and his staff have not provided the information necessary to process payroll.
Additionally, she said her firm has “encountered roadblocks every step of the way.”
Payroll issues records request
Miller said it saddens him to discuss the payroll issues, adding that council has discussed them for six months.
“The mayor’s office and city council have tried to work with the auditor’s office to fix some problems that we have in city government. Not one time has the city auditor brought a solution to the table,” he said.
“The mayor’s office and city council have.”
Miller submitted a records request to the auditor’s office for the years 2022-24.
Records include late payments, penalties, and incorrectly calculated salaries. Miller also asked for incorrect and corrected payroll withholdings.
Additionally, he wants to know the ramifications of partially paid bills and the auditor’s failure to follow a council-passed resolution.
“People are responsible for the offices they hold, but I want the public to know there are multiple elected officials in the city. Some of these issues we’ve tried to fix aren’t with the council and aren’t with the mayor’s office or the law director. This is an auditor issue,” he said.
If the auditor fails to provide the records by Sept. 9, Miller will seek resolutions to hold a no-confidence vote in the auditor’s office and compel the auditor to provide the information or be held in contempt of council.
Scott said on Tuesday he would provide the requested info but declined to comment further.
Councilmen James Mahan and Mel Severns agreed with Miller.
Mahan said he was “astounded and disappointed” to receive McDaniel’s letter. He invited Scott to share his insights.
“For a city department to obstruct, it’s disappointing,” Mahan said. “Our employees deserve better.”
“This bothers me a lot that we have to go here,” Severns said. “Trust is a big thing. People trust us to do our work. When that trust is tainted, it’s not a good thing.”
