Post-Independent (Glenwood Springs): An independent audit ordered last year by Garfield County looking into the travel expenses of Commissioner John Martin was handled administratively outside of any public meetings, per the county’s procurement code.

“The county manager at the time [Andrew Gorgey] brought it forward and felt we could resolve things by having an auditor come in,” Commissioner Tom Jankovsky said in reaction to a public records request by the Post Independent for documents related to securing the audit.

Jankovsky said he and Commissioner Mike Samson gave their respective approvals for the audit performed by the Denver accounting firm of Betzer, Call, Lausten & Schwartz. A contract signed by Gorgey on May 8, 2015, authorized the investigation.

Because the $7,453.60 audit expense was less than $10,000, Jankovsky said it did not have to come before the full Board of County Commissioners for approval. Likewise, the results and recommendation that Martin reimburse the county $1,800 did not have to be discussed in public, he said.

In retrospect, though, “It probably would have been better if it had been brought in front of the county commissioners,” Jankovsky said.

An open records request by the Garfield County Democrats revealed the audit and disclosed the $1,800 reimbursement that was advised in the May 18, 2015, forensics audit report.

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