The Board of Finance Monday approved spending $4,500 to pay for the ongoing audit of Tax Collector Karen Guillet’s department.
The $4,500 taken from the finance board’s contingency fund will cover a review of the tax collector’s books from Oct. 1 through Dec. 31, 2009.
First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers said the town is also reviewing the books to include July 2009 through September 2009.
The Board of Selectmen will have to appear again in front of the finance board when the bill comes due for that part of the review.
“As soon as the auditors start working on that portion of the investigation, we (Board of Selectmen) will have to request additional money from the Board of Finance,” Drayton-Rogers said.
Lila Ferrillo, chairman of the finance board said she would like to see the audit go back to the department’s last “clean” quarter.
“I want the town to get back every penny,” Ferrillo said.
The town has already spent $2,400 on the audit.
Drayton Rogers added the state police — already involved in the investigation — are looking at the Tax Collector’s records as far back as 2008.
“Any costs for that investigation would be incurred by the police department,” she said.
Drayton-Rogers placed Guillet on paid sick leave Jan. 13 after an anonymous tip about money missing from the Tax Collector’s office.
Guillet hired an attorney and refused to accept her sick pay.
Drayton-Rogers also appointed a three-member committee to review policies and procedures of the tax collector’s office.
The Board of Finance appointed board member Nancy Schmitt, a Democrat, as an ex-officio member of that committee.
Richard Burke, a Republican, was initially nominated to serve on the committee, but turned it down.
“I want the committee to appear as bi-partisan as possible,” he said.
