BREAKING NEWS: Providence Council to Appoint Clarkin as City Auditor
Thursday, January 13, 2011
The Providence City Council tonight is expected to approve the appointment of Matt Clarkin, the school department CFO, to be the new Internal Auditor for the city.
The current Internal Auditor, James Lombardi, is expected to be appointed city Treasurer tonight, according to Council President Michael Solomon.
Solomon said Clarkin was a good fit for the position because of his expertise and experience in city finances. Prior to taking over as the CFO for the school system last year, Clarkin held several positions in the city. From 1991 to 2010 those positions included supervisor of purchasing, deputy finance director, and acting city tax collector.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST“With Jimmy and him, the financial team is going to be a really good one. Having these two guys there is bringing up the level of professionalism,” said Councilman John Igliozzi, chairman of the Finance Committee. “We feel that we have a team of Superbowl players with Jimmy and Matt.”
The former city treasurer, Stephen Napolitano, retired after more than 30 years in the position. Igliozzi said he expects Lombardi will modernize an office he described as stuck in the “Stone Age.” The office currently does not even have a computer, Igliozzi said.
The Treasurer is responsible for maintaining a real-time schedule of appropriations, determining the sufficiency of funds, and maintaining records that reflect the financial state of the city. “That office isn’t just to write checks,” Igliozzi said. The Internal Auditor, on the other hand, reports to the council on how money has been spent, audits individual departments, and, in general, has a more investigative role to play in city finances.
There is a significant difference in pay between the two positions. The Treasurer earns approximately $55,000, while the Internal Auditor makes nearly double that. The Treasurer is supposed to be a part-time position.
Clarkin did not respond to a request for comment.
