• Sat. Nov 2nd, 2024

Shreveport councilman asks condition to look into city’s finance department | News

Shreveport councilman asks condition to look into city’s finance department | News

SHREVEPORT, La. – A Shreveport city council member, who requested the condition auditor to perform an investigative audit of the city’s Finance Office, has been eliminated from his part as chairman of the council’s Audit and Finance Committee.

John Nickelson made the request Thursday early morning to Legislative Auditor Michael J. Waguespack. 

About 30 minutes later, Nickelson was stripped of his committee chairmanship by new council Chairman James Inexperienced. Nickelson held the title for 3 several years. 

In a social media article, Nickelson reported, “I enjoy Shreveport. I’ve supplied my constituents and our metropolis 110 percent due to the fact I was elected in 2018. But loving Shreveport just isn’t more than enough. We all have to combat for Shreveport – and we have to do every thing in our electricity to make absolutely sure 8 clever, proficient, genuine persons are elected to guide the city in the fall 2022 elections. Our long term relies upon on it.”

The request to Waguespack arrives a few days right after the city’s previous controller alleged feasible illegalities in the city’s funds and accounting. Ben Hebert, 85, mentioned he was fired in December immediately after he brought all those problems to the attention of his supervisors, such as Kasey Brown, who is the interim chief fiscal officer. 

Associated REPORT: Former Shreveport controller alleges ‘financial improprieties’ by city officers

Hebert alleges age and racial discrimination in his dismissal and reported he strategies to file fit by week’s close. 

In his letter, Nickelson cited Hebert’s termination. 

“Very last month, the city’s interim chief fiscal officer unceremoniously fired the city’s controller, Ben Hebert, with out discover to all council members. Mr. Hebert, a certified general public accountant and a accredited fraud examiner, has created a huge selection of allegations regarding incompetence and malfeasance in the Finance Department. These allegations from a previous member of the city’s management group are critical and phone into problem the department’s capacity to administer community money. They demand a whole, honest and transparent investigation that only your business office can deliver.”

Nickelson included with his letter the assertion Hebert made Monday during a information meeting. 

Some of the allegations from Hebert and his lawyer, Allison Jones, contains: 

  • The town fails to adhere to founded accounting practices.
  • The city failed to meet IRS and state income time constraints.
  • The metropolis typically didn’t spend its credit playing cards on time.

He also raised queries about Mayor Adrian Perkins’ travels. Hebert reported some of the expenditure stories do not incorporate itemized receipts for expenditures, minor or no description of the goal or rewards derived for the town from the excursion and other irregularities. 

Hebert claims he refused to take part in what he felt had been violations of condition legislation. He thinks he was also handed around for a marketing simply because of his age and his race.

Jones states she will be submitting grievances with the EEOC and the Louisiana Fee on Human Rights.

In reaction to Nickelson’s simply call for a condition auditor probe, Adrian Perkins stated in a published statement, “The City of Shreveport undergoes an interior and exterior audit annually. If the Condition has the methods to perform an supplemental audit, we welcome it. I’m always on the lookout at means for our Finance Division to be more robust.”

The town mentioned since of pending litigation it could not comment on Hebert’s allegations.