Racial bias alleged

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Some people have problems with how Selma does business when blacks hold positions of authority, according to Mayor James Perkins Jr.

Perkins brought the issue up at the Selma City Council’s Monday meeting during a discussion of the city’s annual audit.

Questions about the audit’s delay arose last week and it was on the agenda for Monday’s meeting.

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Perkins said the council is aware of the reasons for the delay, which include high turnover and new governmental regulations.

He went on to say he believed the reason some questioned the audit delay was racially motivated.

Councilwoman Rita Sims Franklin, who has questioned the delay, said the audit isn’t a racial issue.

Perkins said race shouldn’t be an issue.

Franklin said Perkins’ accusations were a diversion.

Councilman Glenn Sexton at Monday’s meeting. Sexton said he was concerned about the audit because he didn’t know that Long was the new city auditor.

Franklin agreed with Sexton and said that she originally thought Long was part of Borland Benefield and not with a separate firm.

According to Franklin, the council should have received some financial information by this point. &uot;We have known about this for months and months and months,&uot; Franklin said. &uot;Basically, since we first came into office. Good accounting practices mean that the audit comes out in late March. I’m not the only one that thinks that.&uot;

According to Perkins, accounting scandals such as Enron affected a change in accounting regulations that caused the creation of government accounting standards board pronouncement No. 34, known as GASB 34. Perkins added that the finance department’s turnover rate led to the council agreeing to have its former city auditor, Polmatier, to serve as a technical assistant with the city’s newest city treasurer, Cynthia Mitchell.

By accepting the technical assistant role, though, Borland Benefield eliminated itself from the

auditing position, Perkins added.

Two firms, BKR Borland Benefield and Caston Long & Company, have jointly audited the city’s books for several years, though Borland Benefield played a larger role.

Perkins said that he didn’t want turnover in the city’s auditors since Selma’s finance department had high turnover, which led to Polmatier assuming the technical assistant role and Long, of Caston Long & Company, becoming the city’s prime auditor.

Though exactly when the audit will be available is still in doubt, Perkins said his professional guess was that the audit would be presented in late May.