Here's what happened. I went to the WPA Board Meeting on the 17th. Barrier referred to my correspondence (left my name off as he should) and Al DeMarchi announced in one of his reports that the written request would be honored and that the resident could review the files at 9:00 AM on the 18th, as requested.
When I arrived at the office everything was ready for my review. Al DeMarchi provided me with a list of checks from 7/1/10 through December 31, 2010 and had all the associated folders laid out. As he sat with me I selected checks from the list and he went to the folder and provided them to me. I felt that he was providing access to exactly what I had asked for. He was cooperative, didn't rush me, and answered any questions I presented to the best of his ability and knowledge. On a scale of 1-10, ten being served well, I would give DeMarchi a 10 for his role as a Board Member in accommodating a resident. Thank you Board Member DeMarchi.
WHAT DID I DISCOVER?
If you haven't seen the 2010 Audit Management Letter, see "THE WPA 2010 AUDIT", at this site. Here is the quote that caused me to write the Board with the request to view files:
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"A control deficiency exists when the design or operation of a control does not allow management or employees, in the normal course of performing their assigned functions, to prevent or detect misstatements on a timely basis. A significant deficiency is a control deficiency, or a combination of control deficiencies that adversely affects the Organization's ability to initiate, authorize, record, process or report financial data reliably in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles such that there is more than a remote likelihood that a misstatement of the Organization's financial statements that is more than inconsequential will not be prevented or detected by the Organization's internal control. We consider the following deficiencies to be significant deficiency in internal control:
During our audit we discovered that several invoices were paid without proper back up and authorization. The auditor will review these during our audit conference."
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The quoted, underlined phrase above, initially led me to believe that I would find copies of checks that lacked receipts, invoices, etc. That was not the case. DeMarchi sat while I selected checks for vendors and then we would pull the file. There were proper invoices and receipts.
I did see in the case of one vendor that two invoices, from the same vendor were issued on the same date. It appeared to me to be an attempt to circumvent a Board vote. There wasn't a contract, no request for proposal (The vendor was paid over $1,000 for drainage work in a short period of time. The policy manual encourages a bidding process, and contract award for expenditures over $1,000.).
My next thought was that perhaps the auditor was thorough and back tracked to determine whether expenses were approved starting with a Board vote, adherence to policy, a proper bidding process, contract award, etc. If you read the entire management letter you'll note that it states these items will be addressed when the auditor meets with the Board. It seems to me that the meeting with the Board might have given us more insight than the files do.
I asked DeMarchi (who wasn't on the Board at the time) if he knew who did attend the meeting. He wasn't certain (honest answer). We may never know what the auditor was talking about. I was on the Board when the very same auditor performed the audit for 2008. His discussions with the officers of the Board were complete and detailed. He had followed the payments back to Board votes for approval, etc. I wish someone from the current Board who attended the meeting for the 2010 audit would enlighten us, so we could understand the issues related to the underlined statement.
DID THE REVIEW OF RECORDS ACCOMPLISH ANYTHING?
Yes, it did. I don't have all the answers, but I was able to confirm for myself that there were proper invoices and receipts for the checks I reviewed with my random sampling. What was more important was the fact that I was allowed to review the materials (as I believe I should have been), and the Board had taken my request seriously.
Al DeMarchi is well known to most of us in the community as a neighbor. I had the opportunity to view him in his Board Member role, interacting with a resident, and in this instance, I was pleased as to how he fulfilled that role. Notice, the qualifier - in this instance? Just as in life, we take one step at a time, as we evaluate how our new Board Members are serving in their new capacity, we take it one instance at a time. P.S. It wasn't because they said yes.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT? You can email The Wedgefield Examiner at the following address: wedgefieldexaminer@yahoo.com. Be sure and note whether you would like your names posted with your comment.
UPDATE: Please read the article below. I respectfully wrote the Board a week and a half ago, and asked to view records on the 18th. I asked for a date, after this months Board Meeting because I know the office gets busy, the week prior to the meeting. I respectfully asked for a response. Well it is 4:00 PM on the 17th and I haven't received an answer. Why? It must depend on whether you are a person of favor with the Board. I pay my assessments, on time, every time. In the least, I deserve an answer. I deserve an answer in a timely fashion. I've held that date for over a week. Do they think I have nothing else to do? Last November, didn't many of those Board members running for election, or re-election, pledge to answer residents? It appears that not a lot has changed.
HERE IS MY WRITTEN REQUEST TO THE BOARD:
Please distribute to the Board and place a copy in the correspondence file.
Board,
I was concerned when I read the 2010 audit report. It stated that during the
last six months of 2010 there were checks issued for payment, without
appropriate back up. As a resident I'm interested in reviewing the
disbursements and back up documentation from July through December 2010. I
would like to come to the office on January 18th to review those files. Please
respond and confirm my appointment.
Additionally, there have been times I have been allowed to make copies at no
charge, have been allowed to make copies for a charge, and at times haven't been
allowed to make copies at all. Please send me a statement regarding the current
policy.
I'll appreciate a response. In regard to responses to residents, please extend
an apology from one resident to two others for Board Member Barrier's December
Community Report.
Best Regards,
Board,
I was concerned when I read the 2010 audit report. It stated that during the
last six months of 2010 there were checks issued for payment, without
appropriate back up. As a resident I'm interested in reviewing the
disbursements and back up documentation from July through December 2010. I
would like to come to the office on January 18th to review those files. Please
respond and confirm my appointment.
Additionally, there have been times I have been allowed to make copies at no
charge, have been allowed to make copies for a charge, and at times haven't been
allowed to make copies at all. Please send me a statement regarding the current
policy.
I'll appreciate a response. In regard to responses to residents, please extend
an apology from one resident to two others for Board Member Barrier's December
Community Report.
Best Regards,
---------------COMMENTS---------------
Why do I want to see these documents? I believe it is important to follow the actions of our leadership, past and present, so the same mistakes are not made again. I personally do not believe in a hidden agenda, rights removed rather than added to residents in a community, and the abuse of power. We should all have to abide by the same rules.
As a resident I would like to know what we paid in unsupported checks. Was it $5.00 or $500.00? Who submitted the the request for payment and who approved it? As recent as this week we have a former Board Member, Fred Thomas telling us our finances are a wreck. He was Legal Chair during the period, from July 2010 through December 2010. Is he credible at all in telling us anything about our finances? He has launched a campaign encouraging residents to put their assessment payments in an escrow account, or withhold them completely.
George Wilson, former Board President (during same period of time) wants the Board to use our funds and settle issues that were settled in the judge's order regarding the Zieske, Thomas, Wilson lawsuit. Didn't he, Zieske, and Thomas settle the suit?
The judge signed the order - he spoke, and you spoke when you didn't re-elect Wilson and Thomas.
Will you follow George and Fred? Do you want it to all go away? I don't believe we know what ALL is. If a judge's order to their suit, doesn't let it rest, what will? I'd like it to go away, but they don't. In the never ending, end - they won't let it go away.
I want to review, see for myself, and work toward good governance, open sound governance. Since July of 2011 the Board has greatly restricted what residents can review. How can we help fix, when we don't know how deep the problems go? Granted, we've had changes on the Board, but we still have some seated who were on the Board during the period from July - December 2010. We have some on the Board - Garrison and Barrier, who verbally attacked, threatened to put in jail, two female Board Members, for their involvement in a check to a lawyer.
We need to get facts, keep ourselves informed so we know who to follow, who to vote for in the future.
The Board doesn't answer residents. Barrier gave what he called a "Community Report", during the December Board meeting. He attacked two nameless residents, but he never wrote and answered them, and he didn't answer them that evening. I won't hold my breath for a response from Board Member Barrier. Question for Barrier: Where was the "community" in that report?
We had an executive meeting in December that was announced, and then Garrison said he was surprised to see us there. I don't know what the Board is up to now but they are trying a new January "flavor" of the month, and calling a meeting tonight that all Board Members are invited to attend, "a committee meeting", and residents are not allowed to attend. When all board members meet, at a scheduled time, with a stated purpose, and proper notice, it is an executive session. Who are they trying to fool? Why don't they want us there to observe?
It is ridiculous actions like this and an AUDITOR stating that we have unsupported checks, that cause me to stay tuned to what is happening.
In fairness, I did receive a call from one of the new Board Members, asking for clarification. Thanks, to that Board Member. I'm told the Board will vote to decide what I can see. Why don't they just look at the By-Laws and Policies?
Watch this site and I'll share my answer, if and when I get one.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT: Email: wedgefieldexaminer@yahoo.com. It is your option, as to whether we use your name or not. State your wishes.
DO YOU HAVE A COMMENT: Email: wedgefieldexaminer@yahoo.com. It is your option, as to whether we use your name or not. State your wishes.
