Fairfield Finance Audit Subcommittee To Review Town Credit Card Usage

FAIRFIELD, CT — The Audit Subcommittee of the Fairfield Board of Finance next month will review government employees' use of town-issued credit cards, after a report on the matter found some questionable, but not illegal, purchases, Patch has learned.

In the nearly 1,000-page report, which was released earlier this month, a systemwide pattern emerges of years of lax oversight of credit card usage among employees.

Large purchases of meals for town workers, many of whom were on long shifts at the wastewater treatment plant, were common, in addition to purchases of gift cards, over-the-counter medications and other items.

Dozens of employees have been issued cards, which Selectman Tom Flynn believes are too many, and officials have closed some inactive accounts, and are also reviewing the number of cards the town issues.

"As a result of the inquiry and the investigation, we identified past policies in desperate need of reform, and we updated protocols to ensure our town employees are held to the highest standards," wrote First Selectwoman Brenda Kupchick in a summary of the report's findings and the actions taken to clean it up.

Lori Charlton, Chair of the Board of Finance, confirmed to Patch that the subcommittee is going to review credit card usage and policies.

Currently, the meeting is scheduled for Sept. 5, but Charlton said that the date could change to the following week, based on availability of Human Resources Director Cathleen Simpson, who researched and wrote the report with staff.

According to Kupchick, among the actions taken to reform the town's policies pertaining to credit card usage are:

• A new requirement that all internal audits now be disclosed to the First Selectperson’s Office, the Town Attorney, the Human Resources Director, the Chief Administrative Officer and the Board of Selectmen. Additionally, the External Auditor will be copied on internal audit findings.
• The addition of an attestation clause on all Employee Credit Card Holder forms, acknowledging their understanding of the policy and the consequences of not following their fiduciary duty.
• Reviewing all credit card policy protocols with Finance Department staff.
• Implementing new training for all employees to ensure adherence to proper protocols.
• The institution of quarterly credit card audits.
• Reviewing the number of Town issued a credit cards, with the intent of reducing the number of cards in use.

"As far as my thoughts on the matter, I have numerous open questions and believe the financial control issues identified extend beyond the use of credit cards," Charlton told Patch.