Wednesday, October 27, 2010
KLC And KACo Make Changes
KENTUCKY....
Officials at the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties say they're remaking their groups to meet legislative mandates and erase the shadows of recent scandals. Representatives of both groups' executive boards appeared before the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government on Wednesday to explain how they were fulfilling the requirements of Senate Bill 88, which was passed in the 2010 session in the wake of spending and conflict of interest problems involving hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars. The law aimed to make both KLC and KACo more transparent and accountable. The League has eliminated all spousal travel and the purchase of any tickets to sporting events, which had been done frequently in the past. The League will no longer allow loans as retention bonuses, and all surplus property put up for sale has to be assessed at fair market value. KACo has developed a three-year strategic plan and hired former legislator and judge executive Carolyn Belcher as CFO to keep a sharper eye on finances.
Among the changes:
Both groups have created new open records and open meetings policies that are advertised on their Web sites. Starting Jan. 1, 2011, both groups will have listings of all major expenditures.
Both groups have created conflict of interest and financial disclosure policies that bind both employees and board members.
All expenses at both organizations are reviewed monthly by executive board committees.
All contracts above a certain amount must be competitively bid (above $5,000 for the League, above $20,000 for KACo). At KLC, the executive board must approve any purchases above $50,000.
Credit card use has been strictly limited.
Officials at the Kentucky League of Cities and the Kentucky Association of Counties say they're remaking their groups to meet legislative mandates and erase the shadows of recent scandals. Representatives of both groups' executive boards appeared before the Interim Joint Committee on Local Government on Wednesday to explain how they were fulfilling the requirements of Senate Bill 88, which was passed in the 2010 session in the wake of spending and conflict of interest problems involving hundreds of thousands of taxpayers' dollars. The law aimed to make both KLC and KACo more transparent and accountable. The League has eliminated all spousal travel and the purchase of any tickets to sporting events, which had been done frequently in the past. The League will no longer allow loans as retention bonuses, and all surplus property put up for sale has to be assessed at fair market value. KACo has developed a three-year strategic plan and hired former legislator and judge executive Carolyn Belcher as CFO to keep a sharper eye on finances.
Among the changes:
Both groups have created new open records and open meetings policies that are advertised on their Web sites. Starting Jan. 1, 2011, both groups will have listings of all major expenditures.
Both groups have created conflict of interest and financial disclosure policies that bind both employees and board members.
All expenses at both organizations are reviewed monthly by executive board committees.
All contracts above a certain amount must be competitively bid (above $5,000 for the League, above $20,000 for KACo). At KLC, the executive board must approve any purchases above $50,000.
Credit card use has been strictly limited.
# posted by Homer Owens @ 8:09 PM 
