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closeBELLINGHAM - A recent report by the state's auditing watchdog shows that the city had multiple issues with spending grant funding and working out contracts.
The Washington State Auditor's Office found that the Bellingham Fire Department spent $34,785 on a vehicle exhaust system for the city's fire stations outside of the allowed time to spend a U.S. Department of Homeland Security grant.
The city also didn't include sufficient documentation acknowledging that a contractor was not suspended and was eligible to do the work using the grant money, which is a federal requirement.
Auditors pointed out that if the federal government chose to do so, it could require the city to pay back any grant money spent outside of the allowed period, as well as if the contractor had not been allowed to do federal work.
City officials acknowledged the lack of documentation in their response to the state, but pointed out that the contractor was eligible to do federal work despite that oversight.
Fire Chief Bill Boyd and Assistant Chief Roger Christensen could not be reached for comment Tuesday, Aug. 26.
Also in response to the state, the city said it will begin requiring all grant managers attend Washington Finance Officer's Association training or similar federal grant training workshops.
The city also scheduled a one-day workshop for Oct. 30, and 25 people are already signed up, said City Finance Director John Carter. Mayor Dan Pike "has indicated that he is going to require that all grant managers take this or similar training," according to the documents.
State auditors also pointed out that the city left blank additional documents discussing overall construction costs and a rent schedule for The Woods Coffee in Boulevard Park.
The auditor's office wrote in a management letter that while the issue was "not significant enough at this time to include in our reports, we believe our recommendations will assist you in improving the City's internal controls over the Parks Department lease agreements."
Marvin Harris, city parks operations manager, said that the documents were left blank because Woods still had to finalize overall construction costs, so the rent schedule couldn't be finalized. The city and Woods had agreed that if the owners renovated the building they would get a cheaper rent rate.
Harrison pointed out that an estimated $150,000 to $175,000 for construction was included in the lease agreement, and Woods actually spent about $50,000 more than that. The city will not credit Woods with the excess.
That has an impact on the rent the company will pay, said Woods owner Wes Herman. But Herman said it was only fair, since the lower costs were included in an agreement the company signed.
This story was corrected Aug. 27. The names of Marvin Harris and Roger Christensen were misspelled.
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