by 
Mammoth Town Meeting: The town meeting started as usual, led by the Mayor. As usual, no PWD report on water and sewer conditions, and, what the PWD has accomplished for the month.
There was no report on the meat market and the six-month on going renovation financed by the Town; no date when the opening is scheduled or how many man hours were used, and what this building has cost the townspeople. Or, what line-item in the Town budget the funding is budgeted from.
The reason we do not know these answers is there is never a financial statement given. I understand we are paying a wage to the Town clerk for this job,but, we never receive a financial report. It looks to me that the Town is paying for a dead horse here.
After the Mayor skipped over several items on the agenda, the new water system was talked about. It was stated by the engineer that papers were not filled out correctly and a $300.000 grant was lost. As I understand it, this grant was to backup another $300,000 grant and to act like a down payment. The process looks to be lost at this time due to mismanagement. My experience with grant writing is there must be a financial statement and, with a town like Mammoth, a complete audit.
To use grant funding for other than what it was requested for is illegal. To use grant funding for any other line item in the town is illegal. I am wondering how many funds are left from the first $250.000 grant the town received?
The Mayor stated the past Town Council and Town clerk got rid of all records and it was impossible to give an audit. My answer to this is all bank records are available and a forensic audit would find this information out. Where are the old computers with the past records? The computers can be opened and all information revealed. There is no excuse for not retrieving all records. The bottom line is if the Town Council and Mayor wanted these records they could be obtained. What is needed is accounts payable, receivables, and all bank statements. A new audit could be completed. I have been there and done that! There are no excuses for poor management.
The Town Librarian gave a good report and has new programs in line for the Town Library. I see that she is doing her best to improve the Town's Library.
The Town Planning and Zoning Chairman gave a good report about ongoing issues and a new member was sworn in as Council member.
There were no motions brought to the floor from any member of the council. Nothing to improve the Town or the well being of the Towns people.
Councilman Brewer gained the floor and was quickly told by the Mayor to be quiet but he remained on the subject and the Mayor threatened to have him removed. The Mayor was drowned out from the audience and shrunk down in his seat. Councilman Brewer continued and asked his questions.
Finally the acting Police Chief Nash was demoted from the police chief job and officer Macintosh was reinstated as Mammoth Police Chief. It seems to me the police officers ' Come and go like the tide here in Mammoth'…
/s/ Don Jones
Concerned Mammoth Resident
There are news or informational items frequently written by staff or submitted to the Copper Basin News, San Manuel Miner, Superior Sun, Pinal Nugget or Oracle Towne Crier for inclusion in our print or digital products. These items are not credited with an author.
by by