Finance chief job stays in limbo

Commissioners keep quiet about effects of department reorganization on current comptroller

Web posted Tuesday, January 2, 2001

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By Heidi Coryell
Staff Writer

A reorganization of the city finance department - already OK'd by the Augusta Commission's finance committee - will come before the full board for a vote today, and city officials say it likely will be approved.

The staff size of the department would not change if it were approved, but officials have been vague about what effect the reorganization would have on current Comptroller Lon Morrey.

The reorganization would abolish the position of comptroller and create the position of city finance director.

But no city official would go on record to say that eliminating the comptroller's job also would mean firing Mr. Morrey.

The Augusta Commission has the power to terminate a department head with a majority vote.

``There's going to be some things going on on Tuesday that I'm not at liberty to completely disclose,'' Commissioner Andy Cheek said. ``I believe we're going to reorganize and redefine responsibilities, and defining those responsibilities is going to put the finance department back on track.''

The reorganization is intended to improve accountability, enhance customer service and strengthen internal controls in the department, which recently came under attack during an audit of 1999 city finances.

The city's external auditing firm - Cherry Bekaert & Holland - has supported conducting a nationwide search for the new city finance director.

Mr. Morrey would be eligible to apply for the job but is not guaranteed to get it. Contacted at his home Monday evening, he said he wasn't sure what commissioners would vote to do today, but he suspected his job may be in danger.

Commissioners Henry Brigham and Jerry Brigham already have gone on record as being opposed to the reorganization. There is no agenda item to discuss Mr. Morrey's status on today's agenda; however, it could be added by a unanimous vote.

Mayor Bob Young declined to comment on the politics behind the reorganization vote.

Al Slavens, the former comptroller for the Medical College of Georgia who has been working as a consultant to the city's finance department since October, confirmed Friday that he has been approached by commissioners to renew his 90-day contract for an additional consulting stint.

Mr. Slavens' contract extension also is expected to come before commissioners for a vote today, but he said Friday that he had not negotiated terms to serve as an interim finance director.

``My contract is for consulting services, and if there is some kind of a need to have my consulting services extended for whatever reason, either in assisting the finance department or in some other role, we can decide that at that time,'' Mr. Slavens said. ``But right now, I think the emphasis is going to be my continuing assistance to the finance department.''

Reach Heidi Coryell at (706) 823-3215.

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