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Show L Our Readers Write Secrets stir concerns Dear Editor: On Aug. 1 at the Davis County Commission meeting, Rich Nelson, a county employee, requested their permission to purchase a van through CIC (Community Investment In-vestment Corporation), a non-profit organization, which was set up from $708,503.64 of public funds. Our former commissioners: Tip-petts, Tip-petts, Peters and Saunders, took action ac-tion in their commission meeting on or about Sept. 14, 1987, where they approved the transfer of the public funds to the CIC. In the course of the discussion, which followed Nelson's request, the question came up about the county auditor being able to audit the books of CIC. Deputy Attorney Gerald Hess gave this response, "If it were United Way or any other non-profit corporation, we would not have the right to go to them and say we demand de-mand to see your books. This is ai. agreement between us, to the extent that the agreement allows us to have something and causes us to perform our responsibilities. And yes, there is a relationship between the two in non-profit accounting, but I don't think it runs contrary to the agreement agree-ment that we have with CIC on the revolving loan." Over the weekend I contacted Larry Burdette, of the Davis County United Way, to see if I could obtain a copy of their financial statement. Burdette was kind enough to deliver to my home, not only the financial statement, but also their latest audit report. I then wrote up a statement, which I wanted to read during the public meeting Aug. 8, in which I wanted Hess to know that all nonprofit non-profit organizations readily supply their financial statements and even audits, unless they have something to hide or are a fraud. When I phoned the commissioner's commis-sioner's office to ask to be put on the agenda under the "ETC." part of the miscellaneous business, Nan cy Bumingham wanted me to provide pro-vide her a title to put it under. I told her that I just wanted to read a statement. She still wanted a title and started to name several titles. She happened to name "County Attorney." So, since I was quoting a deputy attorney, I told her she could entitle it "County Attorney." Within about 15 minutes I received a phone call from Chairman Gayle Stevenson telling me he was not going go-ing to allow me to be on the agenda, that if I wanted to meet with them sometime they would be happy to meet with me. So, I asked if I could meet with them after Wednesday's meeting. He assured me that I could. The last thing on the agenda was a closed meeting. So, as people left the room for the closed session to take place, I went up to Chairman Stevenson to inquire if they were still going to meet with me. He decided I could take the first few minutes of the closed session. I did not want to be a part of the closed session, because I wanted my statement heard by at least the press, but since I had already been denied the right to be on the agenda, I thought I had no other choice. Then Hess drew the attention of the commissioners to my tape recorder, which I had placed on the table. So, consequently I was not allowed to begin reading my statement state-ment until I turned off my recorder. I really feel I had every bit as much right to be placed on the agenda as any other citizen. They to be denied the right to tape record what was said to me after I read my statement further denied me my rights. Residents of Davis County, isn't your curiosity aroused when former county commissioners have used tax dollars in this manner and yet have made an agreement that the county auditor cannot see their 1 records? It arouses mine. Pearl Wendel Bountiful |
