Commentary: financial management in Maplewood (updated)

Our treatment of the Wednesday Pioneer Press article focused on the role of the city manager. For further review, we follow the article's organizing device: the question, 'who is to blame for financial management issues?'

The conditions were described:

In the finance department, the long-standing department director retired, then Bauman quit. Two other veteran employees left, one of whom retired and the other quit. Additionally, a third employee was transferred to another department. Those who remained were "very junior members," said Ahl, the city's public works director.

After Bauman left, the day-to-day work "did not get completed in a timely manner," Ahl said. The 2008 budget information wasn't entered into the city system, making it impossible for department heads to know if they are over or under budget on a monthly basis. Transfers between department budgets and funds were not processed. Incoming bank statements were not reconciled against city records for 13 months. Journal entries, to record interdepartmental spending, were not checked and authorized.

Here's how the article answers the blame question:

But Frazell, with the Minnesota City/County Management Association, says it's right to look at Copeland's performance.

"The manager is just like the title implies, so they have a responsibility to assure every department is running as it should be," said Frazell.

Nephew, while critical of Copeland, said there's a "certain danger" in pointing the finger at him.

"In terms of political accountability, Mr. Copeland was appointed by a council majority that ratified his performance and agreed with it," Nephew said. "In key areas that mattered, he performed to their satisfaction."

Mr. Ahl focused on addressing the backlog.

Ahl refuses to lay blame and says the staff is now working together. He is addressing the finance issues by adding staff, at least temporarily. He hopes to get the department caught up by the end of the month.

We remind readers of how the Finance Department functioned when it was last fully staffed, under the direction of Mr. Faust and Ms. Bauman:




Stephan
----------------------

[update 3/28 7:45am] minor wording changes