Thursday, 4:30 PM
Audit on losses in Everett
By Katheleen Conti Globe Staff
An independent audit of Everett city departments released to the public Monday night revealed wide-ranging purchasing violations totaling $5 million, specifically involving three Everett companies contracted for multiple projects.
The findings had earlier prompted Mayor John Hanlon to fire the purchasing agent, John Garron; the director of the City Services department, Al Borgonzi; and the supervisor of the water office, Glen Garbati.
Hanlon said he issued indefinite suspensions without pay to five other city employees whose actions resulted in oversights that led to procurement violations.
"Real money is gone, oversight was missing, and the public was taken," Hanlon said last night at a special joint meeting of the Everett's Board of Aldermen and Common Council.
Melanson Heath & Co. performed the audit at the request of the state inspector general’s office, which had been contacted by Hanlon’s administration last year over inconsistencies in the invoices of certain contractors dating back 6 1/2 years.
