State audit says Langley staff member cast-off city credence card for personal use

Lax care in Langley City Hall allowed a urban area employee to misapplication credit cards, according to a state audit on the see released this week. The audit, which covered a scrutiny of the city's books for the year 2006, said municipality officials did not appropriately care for public assets. The reveal said Rick Hill, Langley's earlier public works director, second-hand a city credit membership card for his personal use and racked up $2,408 in charges in December 2006 through July 2007. The audit said the bishopric was later reimbursed when Langley discovered the charges, and Hill also employed the metropolis esteem birthday card in November 2007. He was asked to resign that month.

At the time, burg officials did not give a reasoning for Hill's departure. The burgh hired Challis Stringer as its revitalized public works captain in April. The report also states that Hill occupied city vehicles and kit for his own personal use.

Neil Colburn, who was mayor at the time, said he could not tripe at dimension about the audit due to constitutional concerns. "I did secure inappropriate conduct and I did place action," Colburn said. Mayor Paul Samuelson could not be reached for expansion Friday.

In the audit, the confirm said the city's credit-card policies were outdated. The most up to date protocol allowed six employees access to two depend on cards, but three of those who were authorized to have cards no longer slog for the city. The governmental auditor also criticized the borough for allowing employees to deem vehicles home, and said Langley had not set up a tactic that would deduct it, and also did not guard the proper use of city vehicles. Langley was also faulted for lacking a set-up to way its assets.

"The town does not have an inventory system and cannot determine if all assets are accounted for," the boom states. "This allowed the prominent workshop director to take equipment, such as vehicles and tools, home ground for personnel use. The conurbation did not discover apparatus was missing until other public works employees looked for it." In its comeback to the brilliance audit, city officials admitted that genteel safeguards were lacking. Langley eminent it had adopted unknown policies for the use of credit cards and megalopolis vehicles.

"The city is cool that our new policies will protect our renowned resources and we are diligently monitoring compliance with those policies," the diocese said in its rejoinder to the audit. The report, dated Feb. 15, was released on Nov. 24. South Whidbey Record Editor Brian Kelly can be reached at.

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