The Parker Town Council has approved creating the position of Finance Manager at Town Hall. At the Council’s Feb. 1 meeting, Town Clerk and Interim Town Manager Amy Putnam said creating this position had been recommended by the town’s auditors in January 2017. She said this recommendation was never acted on.
Putnam and Mayor Karen Bonds both said there had been many such recommendations that had not been acted on.
Creation of this new position comes during an investigation of embezzlement at Town Hall. This investigation, which is being led by the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office, has led to a town employee being terminated and Town Manager Lori Wedemeyer being placed on paid administrative leave.
Wedemeyer had also been the Town’s finance director. During her time as finance director, the Town had avoided the financial crises that have affected La Paz County government for the last five years.
In a memo to the Council, Putnam said a review of towns and counties the same size as Parker found the salary range would be between $48,000 and $69,000 per year. She said there were several funds the Town could draw from in the current fiscal year, and they could budget for the position in the 2022-23 fiscal year.
In discussing the matter, Council Member Frank Savino said he did not think this was the appropriate time for this. He said he wanted the Town to have a Manager in place before creating a new executive position. He noted the Council is still waiting for the results of the embezzlement investigation.
“If we get a new manager, it should be that person’s prerogative,” he said. “I’m all for separating positions, but this is not the time for this.”
Council Member Randy Hartless said he was very much in favor of creating the new position. He said the extra cost would be worth it, and would be a “drop in the bucket” compared to what’s been lost by the Town not separating the financial manager from the town manager.
“If we had created this sooner, we would never have had a lot of the questionable and possibly illegal actions,” he said.
Hartless said later he was referring to the $160,000 that had allegedly been embezzled. He added there were other items he had heard about.
Council Member Rey DeLeon asked how the Town would go about hiring this person. Putnam said they would advertise for it.
The investigation at Town Hall began Sept. 23, when a town employee was interviewed by the Arizona Auditor General’s office over allegations of embezzlement. In a press release, the Town said that employee was terminated Sept. 24 based on that interview and communication with the town administration.
Police Chief Mike Bailey said the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office was investigating the case. Given the nature of the case and the people involved, he said the decision was made to have the case handled by an agency from outside La Paz County.
Search warrants were executed at Town Hall and Wedemeyer’s home on Oct. 21. The following day, Oct. 22, the Parker Town Council placed her on indefinite paid administrative leave. Town Clerk Amy Putnam was named Interim Town Manager Nov. 2.
Wedemeyer was working from home on Sept. 23 and 24 because she had tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus. She said she was told by the town’s attorneys to gather up their bank statements to see if there were any outstanding checks. She went to Town Hall with Bailey and Community Development Director Nora Yackley to find the statements after hours so she wouldn’t violate her isolation.
Wedemeyer was seen removing items from her office during the visit, which prompted the search at her home. Her attorney, Ashley Adams, said they were personal items Wedemeyer had ordered by mail that had been accumulating at her office because she hadn’t been there.
Hartless said he had spoken with the Yuma County detectives handling the case and was told the investigation could take another two months.