Letter from Councilor Stephen Gray

I want to be absolutely clear:  I stand fully with Chairman Erik Brechnitz.  He did exactly what a responsible, ethical, elected official should do when confronted with serious audit failures and the intentional withholding of material financial information. Any suggestion that the Chairman acted improperly is not only false - it is a political diversion from the real issue:  the failure of executive leadership to inform the Council and the public of a material weakness in our audit. 

ChairmanBrechnitz did not cause this crisis. He uncovered it. Without his diligence and willingness to take the heat, these issues would be buried. Those attempting to shift the narrative to blame him are doing so to avoid accountability for their own silence, complicity or failure to act. 

It is deeply disturbing that a majority of Council not only refused to accept a signed resignation and an apology, but also resorted to personal attacks on the Chairman in a public forum. One even went so far as to insult his mental faculties. I find such accusations baseless, outrageous and beneath any public servant. 

I remind my colleagues and the community that the public overwhelmingly supports transparency and accountability. What the Chairman did was expose a breakdown in process that bypassed our Audit Advisory Committee, selectively informed one Councilor, and left the rest of us in the dark.  

Any attempt to remove ChairmanBrechnitz as Chair will be viewed for exactly what it is - a political hit job designed to punish him for telling the truth. ChairmanBrechnitz has my respect and my support. I call on the rest of Council to put the politics aside and remember why we are here, which is to serve the people and restore trust.  

We can and must do better. This is not just about accounting, it is about accountability. The Chairman stood up for it when it mattered and so will I.