The Carmel City Council rang in a new chapter of governmental clarity and responsibility Monday evening, approving a brand-new committee designed to scrutinize the city's relationships with its affiliate non-profit orgs, a move backed heartily by Mayor Sue Finkam.
The introduction of the Affiliate Review Committee, receiving a unanimous thumbs-up from council members, didn't just pop up out of thin air, it stands on the back of a transparency and accountability campaign launched earlier by Mayor Finkam—a campaign that's already addressed the costly ties with Promote Carmel, Inc., shut down the All Things Carmel store and kicked off a financial transparency portal that, in Finkam's own words, "Providing residents with a clear and detailed look into the city's financials" as reported on a government newsletter released shortly after the city council meeting.
High on the committee's agenda is a clear-cut mission: pull together reports on each city-linked non-profit, delving into their purposes, governance structures, tax obligations, potential conflict of interests, execs' compensation packs, city cash infusions into these bodies, paired with a status check on assets and liabilities—a tall order, but one that City Council President Tony Green and his colleagues are evidently ready to meet.
In the wake of the council's decision, Mayor Finkam expressed enthusiasm about working hand in hand with this new entity stating, "I look forward to continuing the work already underway alongside the city council and this new committee," while Green happily tipped his hat to the mayor's endorsement of the committee, nodding to the council's relentless dedication to the city and underlining the resolution, introduced by council member at-large Jeff Worrell, as a bold stride toward cementing fiscal efficiency and guardianship within municipal workings—an ongoing effort he suggests will resonate deeply in the way the city spins its wheels financially consensually acknowledging the positive outcome of the council meeting published by a government bulletin.
