Purchase Credit-Card
Norwich tightens buying practices:
Review of invoices led to Occum fire chief's resignation
By Claire Bessette The Day, New London, Conn.Publication: The Day (New London, Connecticut)Date: Thursday, December 31 2009
By Claire Bessette The Day, New London, Conn.Publication: The Day (New London, Connecticut)Date: Thursday, December 31 2009
Dec. 31--NORWICH -- The city finance office will clamp down on about 50 so-called purchase cards used by city officials in the wake of a controversy that saw the Occum Volunteer Fire Department spend nearly $27,000 of city money on promotional items during the past year.
The purchases were discovered by finance officials in a review of invoices from Occum for the past month. That led to a deeper review of purchases dating back one year. The purchases for items such as coloring books, educational materials, hats and logo items totaled $26,591, city Comptroller Joseph Ruffo said. There may be additional pending purchases not yet billed, he said.
The controversy led Occum Chief Robert Riley to resign shortly before Christmas and one week prior to the department's annual election. Last weekend, current Deputy Chief Robert Patton, a 12-year Occum veteran, was elected the new chief after spending one year as deputy.
Police Chief Louis Fusaro said Wednesday there is no indication of criminal activity in the purchases. City officials have identified and located the purchased items.
"It looks like mismanagement," Fusaro said. "There doesn't appear to be anything criminal to this point ... We would not investigate his managerial abilities. That would be done internally by the city."
Occum's use of the purchase card has been suspended.
The purchases were discovered by finance officials in a review of invoices from Occum for the past month. That led to a deeper review of purchases dating back one year. The purchases for items such as coloring books, educational materials, hats and logo items totaled $26,591, city Comptroller Joseph Ruffo said. There may be additional pending purchases not yet billed, he said.
The controversy led Occum Chief Robert Riley to resign shortly before Christmas and one week prior to the department's annual election. Last weekend, current Deputy Chief Robert Patton, a 12-year Occum veteran, was elected the new chief after spending one year as deputy.
Police Chief Louis Fusaro said Wednesday there is no indication of criminal activity in the purchases. City officials have identified and located the purchased items.
"It looks like mismanagement," Fusaro said. "There doesn't appear to be anything criminal to this point ... We would not investigate his managerial abilities. That would be done internally by the city."
Occum's use of the purchase card has been suspended.
Reached Wednesday at the Occum station, Patton said he could not comment directly on the controversy, referring questions to City Manager Alan Bergren. But Patton said he was unaware of most of the purchases. He said he isn't aware of the city's plan to change purchasing policies, and doesn't yet know what new policies he might propose internally when he becomes chief Jan. 1.
During the Occum department's transition, Mayor Peter Nystrom said he asked Taftville Fire Chief Timothy Jencks and Yantic Fire Chief Frank Blanchard to help ensure the Occum department runs smoothly. Former Yantic Fire Chief William Eyberse will administer the Occum department.
Department spending
Ruffo is compiling a detailed list of the purchases for a report he will present to Bergren. All of the items were bought from Mid-American Specialties Inc. of Memphis, Tenn., through a company sales representative.
Ruffo said other city fire departments -- Norwich has one paid department and five volunteer stations -- spend "zero to $1,000 on similar promotional and educational materials in a year's time."
He said the issue came to light after Occum did not provide invoices for the past month for the purchase card, or "p-card."
When they were turned in, city finance officials found several purchases from the Memphis company. A subsequent review of invoices from the past year found the total to be $26,591 from the same vendor.
While there is no criminal investigation, Ruffo sent the information to city Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll to see if the city could seek reimbursement from the independent Occum department. Driscoll said he is "looking into it," and declined to comment further.
Ruffo already enacted changes that will affect all city departments that use the p-cards, reversing some changes made just two years ago.
Two years ago, the city switched from a line of credit system of purchases to the p-card to streamline operations and cut staffing in the finance office, Ruffo said.
Previously, departments made purchases through the line of credit and supplied invoices to the finance department for approval before the bills were paid. Under the streamlined system, city officials used the p-cards and were required to submit summaries of invoices within 30 days.
Invoices in 10 days Ruffo said now, the p-cards still will be used, but departments must provide full invoices within 10 days to the finance office for review before the bills will be paid.
Although the issue mostly will be handled through city administration, the City Council Public Safety Committee plans to discuss the controversy in January, newly appointed committee Chairman William Nash said.
Nash said he is concerned about overall management of the Occum department, even after the election. Nash said the election seemed to be "a reshuffling" rather than a change.
New chief Patton served as deputy under Riley. The former chief was elected as department captain, but then resigned from that position.
During the Occum department's transition, Mayor Peter Nystrom said he asked Taftville Fire Chief Timothy Jencks and Yantic Fire Chief Frank Blanchard to help ensure the Occum department runs smoothly. Former Yantic Fire Chief William Eyberse will administer the Occum department.
Department spending
Ruffo is compiling a detailed list of the purchases for a report he will present to Bergren. All of the items were bought from Mid-American Specialties Inc. of Memphis, Tenn., through a company sales representative.
Ruffo said other city fire departments -- Norwich has one paid department and five volunteer stations -- spend "zero to $1,000 on similar promotional and educational materials in a year's time."
He said the issue came to light after Occum did not provide invoices for the past month for the purchase card, or "p-card."
When they were turned in, city finance officials found several purchases from the Memphis company. A subsequent review of invoices from the past year found the total to be $26,591 from the same vendor.
While there is no criminal investigation, Ruffo sent the information to city Corporation Counsel Michael Driscoll to see if the city could seek reimbursement from the independent Occum department. Driscoll said he is "looking into it," and declined to comment further.
Ruffo already enacted changes that will affect all city departments that use the p-cards, reversing some changes made just two years ago.
Two years ago, the city switched from a line of credit system of purchases to the p-card to streamline operations and cut staffing in the finance office, Ruffo said.
Previously, departments made purchases through the line of credit and supplied invoices to the finance department for approval before the bills were paid. Under the streamlined system, city officials used the p-cards and were required to submit summaries of invoices within 30 days.
Invoices in 10 days Ruffo said now, the p-cards still will be used, but departments must provide full invoices within 10 days to the finance office for review before the bills will be paid.
Although the issue mostly will be handled through city administration, the City Council Public Safety Committee plans to discuss the controversy in January, newly appointed committee Chairman William Nash said.
Nash said he is concerned about overall management of the Occum department, even after the election. Nash said the election seemed to be "a reshuffling" rather than a change.
New chief Patton served as deputy under Riley. The former chief was elected as department captain, but then resigned from that position.
Previously, departments made purchases through the line of credit and supplied invoices to the finance department for approval before the bills were paid. Under the streamlined system, city officials used the p-cards and were required to submit summaries of invoices within 30 days.
Invoices in 10 days Ruffo said now, the p-cards still will be used, but departments must provide full invoices within 10 days to the finance office for review before the bills will be paid.
Although the issue mostly will be handled through city administration, the City Council Public Safety Committee plans to discuss the controversy in January, newly appointed committee Chairman William Nash said.
Nash said he is concerned about overall management of the Occum department, even after the election. Nash said the election seemed to be "a reshuffling" rather than a change.
New chief Patton served as deputy under Riley. The former chief was elected as department captain, but then resigned from that position.
New Deputy Frank Mankowski was the department's chief engineer. Member Jeff Derosier was elected lieutenant.
c.bessette@theday.com
To see more of The Day, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theday.com . Copyright (c) 2009, The Day, New London, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com , call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
Invoices in 10 days Ruffo said now, the p-cards still will be used, but departments must provide full invoices within 10 days to the finance office for review before the bills will be paid.
Although the issue mostly will be handled through city administration, the City Council Public Safety Committee plans to discuss the controversy in January, newly appointed committee Chairman William Nash said.
Nash said he is concerned about overall management of the Occum department, even after the election. Nash said the election seemed to be "a reshuffling" rather than a change.
New chief Patton served as deputy under Riley. The former chief was elected as department captain, but then resigned from that position.
New Deputy Frank Mankowski was the department's chief engineer. Member Jeff Derosier was elected lieutenant.
c.bessette@theday.com
To see more of The Day, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.theday.com . Copyright (c) 2009, The Day, New London, Conn. Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services. For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com , call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.
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