Portsmouth council head: Group improperly contacted auditor

’No comment,’ says Larry Fitzmorris of PCC

EastBayRI.com ·

PORTSMOUTH — Town Council President Keith Hamilton has accused two members of Portsmouth Concerned Citizens (PCC) of improperly contacting the private firm responsible for conducting the town’s independent financial audit, a move he characterized as “disturbing.”

Mr. Hamilton made the charge at the start of Monday night’s council meeting, although he didn’t mention the PCC — a private, taxpayer watchdog group — in public session. He said only that “several citizens” had contacted the auditing firm. 

“They’re not to be interfered with,” Mr. Hamilton said. “As far as I’m concerned, nobody should be contacting our independent auditors, trying to influence our private audit. It should not happen again.”

Mr. Hamilton added that he reported the incident to the state auditor general.

After the meeting adjourned, however, Mr. Hamilton identified the PCC while speaking with two reporters.

“Two members of Portsmouth Concerned Citizens approached our independent auditor to have a discussion with them before finalization of the audit, which I find completely inappropriate and as far as I know right now not illegal, but characterized by the office of auditor general as highly improper,” he said.

According to Mr. Hamilton, no members of the PCC approached the town before contacting the Fall River firm of Hague, Sahady & Co., which in May was selected by the council to be the town’s auditor.

The PCC members got nowhere with the auditor, according to Mr. Hamilton, who added he did not know what kind of information they were looking for. The auditors contacted the town about the incident “last Thursday or Friday,” he said.

No, he had never heard of this happening before in Portsmouth, Mr. Hamilton said.

When asked if he could identify any specific individuals who contacted the firm, Mr. Hamilton responded, “You can discuss that with members of the PCC.”

Little to say

PCC President Larry Fitzmorris, who helps videotape council meetings for later broadcast, was still breaking down equipment at the back of the room. 

“I do know about it, but I’m not at liberty to speak about it,” he said.

When asked if he was one of the PCC members who contacted the auditing firm, Mr. Fitzmorris replied, “No comment.”

He pointed out, however, that he is a private citizen.

“Mr. Hamilton doesn’t get to tell the citizens what they can and cannot do. In his statement he said citizens are not permitted to do this or that, and we don’t accept that,” Mr. Fitzmorris said.

He added, “It couldn’t possibly be illegal. Think about it. The legislature is not going to pass a law that says citizens can’t contact auditors.”

When asked if he was aware of any interest within the PCC to contact the auditor and what specific information they were looking for, Mr. Fitzmorris repeated that he had no comment.

Portsmouth Concerned Citizens, Portsmouth Town Council