The current charter dictates that the Chattanooga City Council should appoint and oversee an auditor, but that direction has never fully been followed, since 1990. Mayor Ron Littlefield instituted an audit division that is supervised by his office. A debate is in progress over whether the charter should be adhered to, or changed via an amendment that voters would approve or reject. But changed in what way?
Should the auditor of city government be accountable to the mayor; or to the city council; or to both; or to neither?
CQ is a series where Chattarati readers talk back. Share your thoughts in the comments.
Peter Murphy on Sept. 4, 2008
While this is now a dead issue, I think the pressure needs to be put on the council to live up to their fiduciary duty under the city charter and fill their auditor position. I am very thankful at the members that came together on second reading and made it clear it would not pass thus producing the 7-0 tabling, however, it still has not solved the problem that 85% of the day in day out spending is done by the executive branch (mayor and departments) and that thre is NO check on this spending.
Can we require that the council people actually have to read the Charter so they will know what the job is and the power they have before they are allowed to be sworn in? Suffice it to say, you have to know you have the responsibility (or power) to keep or use it.