Cost, time of EDC audit spurs resistance

At least two City Council members are resisting an audit of public funds provided to the Colorado Springs Regional Economic Development Corp.

Councilman Bernie Herpin and Councilwoman Jan Martin have expressed reservations about following through with the proposed audit after interim City Auditor Denny Nester estimated it would take up to 160 hours and cost up to $14,000.

“During our discussion for the need of an EDC audit, each member supporting a city audit of EDC remarked that they did not expect to find any ‘irregularities’, or words to that effect,” Herpin said in an e-mail to Mayor Lionel Rivera and council members.

“Given the estimated time and cost of such an audit, I cannot justify spending city resources on an audit when there are no grounds to believe that any impropriety has occurred,” he said.

Martin, who was reluctant to order the audit in the first place, is calling for a vote.

“At this point, and with the additional size and scope being requested for the audit, I think it would be appropriate for us to either ask council for another consensus vote or add it to our next agenda for a formal vote before moving forward with the audit,” she wrote.

Councilman Sean Paige, who called for the audit, told Martin he welcomed a formal vote.

“I think the public should know who is interested in exercising oversight and who is not,” Paige said in an e-mail to Martin and other city officials.

To read excerpts of council members’ e-mails, check out the City Desk blog by clicking here.