7/28/2019 Dixon Mayor Statement

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g"/9*l2l WestSecond treet Dixon, llinois 61021'Telephone815)288-1485www.discoverdixon.org inquire@discoverdixon.org

JamesG. BurkeMayor

I have eadShawnOrtgiesen's pen etter o the City publishedn Friday'snewspaper.think his etter s bothcandidandgenuine.Shawn's ontributionso theCity of Dixonarenot erased y these atestunfortunate vents.The SterlingPoliceDepartment,n conjunctionwith the LeeCountyStates ttorney'sOffice, s investigatinghe matter.The City is cooperatingully in thiseffortandwillcontinue o do so.Therearea numberof misconceptionshatshouldbeclarified. First,Shawn'smisuse fhis City creditcard or personal xpensesirst came o the attention f the City on March27'h. Twelvedaysprior, haddirected inanceDirectorPaulaMeyerand staff o reviewhistoricaluseof City creditcards n connection ith the ormulation f a creditcardpolicy. When hese rregularities erediscovered,l irected n nvestigationodeterminewhether herewasan nnocent xplanationor these e rsonal harges. n thecourse f that nvestigation, hawn olunteeredo me hathewassometimes sing heCity creditcard or personal xpensesnd ha the owedapproximately 8,000 o theCityfor suchpersonal harges.Based n that nformation, placed hawnon paidadministrativeeave, ending eviewand urtheractionby the council.Second, haveno reasono believe hatany member f theCity Councilknew hatShawnwasusinghis creditcard or personal xpenses. did not know. The requisitionformsShawnsubmitted id notclearlyshow hatsomeexpenses erepersonal.At notime prior o our recent onversationid Shawnacknowledge r explainhow he wasusinghis creditcard. The submittedequisitionormsdescribed ertainexpensess"tobe reimbursed."Thesenotations, hichwere or generally escribed xpensetems,didno t state o whomor from whomreimbursementas o be madeor why. I mistakenlythought hat hesewereexpenseso be reimbursedo Shawnor to be reimbursedromanother ource.

CITY DEPARTMENTSAdministration 88- 485Airport288-4095Building 88-1403Cemetery284-2904Fire288-3323Police 88-zl41lPublicWorks 88-1481Sewage reatment 88-33Sfieet284-7743Water 88-3381

RobertE. BransonCityAuorneyCOMMISSIONERS OFFICERS

Jeftey R. KuhnStreets & Public Imprcvements

David P BlackburnAccounts & Finance

M. Colleen BrechonPublic Property

Dennis H. ConsidinePublic Health & Safety

Kathe A. SwansonCity Clerk

Shawn Ortgiesen, PE, PTOEDirector of Public Works/City Engineer

7/28/2019 Dixon Mayor Statement

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Third, I am not awareof any otherpersonal seof City-issued redit cards. While otherCity employeeswereable o usecredit cards or properCity purposes,he system nplacedid notpreventShawn'smisuse.The City is striving or, and ts citizens houldexpect,stronger nternalcontrols. The City's discoveryof Shawn'scredit cardactivityoccurred n the courseof, and because f, the City's present fforts o implement hesecontrols. To this end, have equestedhe FinanceDirector o surveyCity DepartmentHeadsas o theirneed or City- issued redit cards. This reportwill illuminatewhethersuchcardsare necessary ndwho shouldhave hem. Basedon that report, he City willthen developand mplementan nformedcredit cardpolicy.I believeShawn's etter s an mportantstep oward he more effectiveand accountableCity government hat the citizensof Dixon expectand deserve.We will continue omove forward with the business f the City, including he additionalstepsof theGovernmental ask Force, mplementation f stronger nternalcontrols,and a more opengovernment.

Mayor JamesG. BurkeCity of DixonApri l 19,2013