"Lafayette airport advisory audit makes suggestions, no orders"

Monday, March 12, 2007

Airport advisory audit makes suggestions, no orders
By Claire Taylor 
The Lafayette (LA) Daily Advertiser


An advisory audit of Lafayette Regional Airport simply suggests new policies
and procedures to be implemented, such as discontinuing post-meeting Airport
Commission meals at taxpayer expense.

But the advisory audit released this morning by the Louisiana Legislative
Auditor does not order the Airport Commission to do anything.
   
Instead, the second paragraph of the audit letter states, "...Management of
the commission should consider the cost of implementing our recommendations
compared to the benefits they will provide."

Aviation Director Greg Roberts' written response states that the commission
accepts all of the recommendations and has either already implemented the
suggestions or will do so immediately.

Denice Skinner, one of a group of residents who requested an investigation
by the Legislative Auditor, Attorney General and others, is disappointed
with the scope of the audit.

Skinner and others spent three days in October 2006 copying Airport
documents, including travel and meal receipts which suggest questionable
spending. Those receipts were not addressed in the advisory audit, she said
today.

Skinner said she was told this morning by Joy Irwin, assistant legislative
auditor, that the audit services were not directed by what the citizens
requested.

"We want a real audit," Skinner said. "We want someone in authority to
answer our questions and not just ignore the receipts."

The Legislative Auditor's Office released an audit of Iberia Parish
President Will Langlinais last week that concluded alcohol served at meals
cannot be paid for with tax dollars.

Airport Commission receipts show the same practice, but that was not
addressed in the advisory audit released today.

"We want that kind of audit," Skinner said. "Where do the citizens line up
to get the services we asked for from our government?"

 Do you have an opinion about this story?
Share it with other readers in our CAA Discussion Forums

http://www.californiaaviation.org/dcfp/dcboard.php


*****************************************