In reading the BDN’s Oct. 10-11 article, “Auditors question payoff to manager,” I have a few comments.

The article states that “auditors acknowledge there may be exception to policies and procedures, but strongly recommended any exception be approved by the town council and be clearly documented in the meeting minutes. Auditors said they found no authorization for this exception.”

Farther down in this article, Town Councilors Michael MacDonald and Charles Sanders said former Town Manager James Kotredes should not be asked to pay the money back. Could that be because they authorized it on their own? Signing the warrants doesn’t cut it with me.

Another part of thes article states, “Smoke and mirrors were used to get us where we are today.” Are you still going to sit back and allow these individuals to do this to you? On another aspect of the article, “MacDonald agreed with an audit recommendation that the town consider hiring a finance director or additional bookkeeper. He said the position had been proposed several times by Kotredes in past years, but was cut from the budget.”

The only time I remeber hearing Kotredes talk about a bookkeeper was at budget time when he informed the council they needed to cut the position and he felt he and the administative assistant could handle the bookkeeping position. I also remember telling the council at that time that that was a mistake, as a bookkeeper is the one who has to be on the job, not at a restaurant all morning for coffee breaks. He or she is the meat and potatoes. They have to know how much money is coming in and how much each department is spending, and a lot more.

The auditors also said was the revenues have been overestimated. Yet, MacDonald still wants current Town Manager Paul Bird to apply more estimated revenues. That’s part of what got us in this mess. Either MacDonald doesn’t want to be blamed, because he was chairman, for some of this mess or he just isn’t willing to listen. Hopefully, he isn’t following orders from Brewer. Money McGibbon Millinocket