Ad-Hoc Committee Bypasses Bell Auditor

The newly seated is recommending that the City Council not select the company that audited the city of Bell to probe a couple of San Juan Capistrano's budgets.

Mayer Hoffman Macann P.C. would have likely been the first choice, had it not been for the Bell scandal. "Their presentation was great, but sometimes the baggage is too hard to carry," said committee member John Perry.

So instead, the committee is recommending the selection of San Bernardino-based Rogers, Anderson, Malody and Scott, which Mayor Sam Allevato said is "a little more client-oriented."

Allevato said he liked that Malody and Scott would have employees in City Hall for a majority of the weekdays while conducting an audit. And, because it's a smaller firm, especially compared with the national Mayer Hoffman and Macann P.C., "they may be more responsive."

The decision came after two hours of presentations from three auditing companies Friday afternoon. A newly hired city staffer, Brad Rockabrand, who works in the finance department, had previously worked for Rogers, Anderson, Malody and Scott, City Manager Joe Tait said.

Also at Friday's meeting, the committee decided to add one more member to its body, Dan Merkle, a member of the Utilities Commission. 

Merkle and Raymond Miller, the chairman of the Utilities Commission, had advocated strongly for a financial audit, especially in the water and sewer department.

Mayer Hoffman also lost its bid to audit the Orange County Transportation Authority Monday, with the Board of Directors going against a favorable recommendation of the Bell auditor from its Finance and Administration Committee.