South Tucson's El Independiente, 1982-09-17

              Audit routine, pay issue not cause, Serna says
By SHARON K. HUISH
Staff Writer
City records reveal irregularities in pay and vacation
policies applied to former City Manager Richard E.
Kaffenberger, but city officials said these irregularities
were not the basis for a special city audit.
Acting City Manager Enrique G. Serna said an audit of
South Tucson finances is conducted for each fiscal year,
which runs from July to June. The audit he bas ordered is
special only because he has asked auditors to extend the'
period under audit from June to August, 1982, the month of
Kaffenberger's resignation.
The audit "is justa procedure that pretty much is used
by anybody that's got the presence of mind to find out
what is what in city affairs," Serna said.
He said he wanted to extend the audit so that he could
Marcelino B. Martinez rides his tricyle down South Second
Avenue. Martinez, who has been using this mode of tran-
F'hoto by Roo Rodgers
sportation in South Tucson for iO years. said the exercise
is good for his arthritis.
Lottery to fund transportation prolects
By ELLEN J. ETTINGER
Staff Writer
South Tucson's share of Arizona State Lottery reveni has
paved the way for transportation-related projects that otherwise
would have been put on hold, said William L. Ponder, city clerk.
Ponder said about $65,000 in lottery revenue will be allocated to
South Tucson this fiscal year.
The city's fiscal year runs from July ito June 30.
The $65,000 is an estimated figure by the Arizona Department of
Revenue made on the basis of population figures and state income
from lottery ticket sales, said Francis Impraim, administrative
assistant with the South Tucson Deportment of Public Works.
The city will receive monthly payments in amounts that will
vary according lo monthly state lottery income. The first check
should arrive in the near future, Impraim said.
The money has been earmarked for road improvements,
materials, street maintenance and contract transportation
services for the elderly and the handicapped, Ponder said.
Ponder said these projects would have been impossible
otherwise because the city was unable to budget for tran-sportation
programs this year.
Impraim said road improvements and street maintenance will
begin after the city has approved bids for work and materials. He
estimated the bidding process will be completed in a month, but
said it is too early to predict how long it will take to complete road
improvements.
James Kay Jr., director of the Arizona Department of Finance,
said state-incorporated cities must use lottery revenue for
transportation.related projects.
State Rep. Jesus R. "Chuy" Higuera. D-Tucson, said he agrees
"the money should be used for some badly needed services in
South Tucson that were not included in the city budget."
have a clean slate on which to build his policies, not
because of irregularities in city finance policies.
Irregularities verified by Serna include frequent
payroll check advancements to Kaffenberger from June
1901 until his resignation on Aug. 9. Kaffenberger also was
awarded $7,338 in severance pay by the city council as a
token of appreciation.
Fie cashed in accrued vacation time to receive more
than $4,500 just before taking an unpáid leave of absence
from early October to mid-November 1981.
At the same time, Kaffenherger received a refund on
his contributions to the state retirement system. Refunds
are allowed only to terminated government employees,
not those on leave.
Three other administrators also requested and received
money in exchange for accrued vacation time in January
1902.
Higuera said South Tucson's portion of lottery revenue con-stitutes
about 1 percent of the state's total lottery revenue, but the
amount will vary from year to year.
Some of the money will be used to contract Handi-Car Inc., 4757
E. 22nd St.' to transport the elderly and the handicapped to
destinations in Tucson and South Tucson.
Stephan C. Spitzer, president of Handi-Car, said, "I think it is a
very beautiful thing the city officials are doing. They are ensuring
transportation services to the elderly and the handicapped."
Photo by Ron Rodgers
Water-filled potholes plague South Third Avenue in front of the
South Tucson Civic Center.
Serna said he and Dan Williams, then community
development director, requested the money to give tu
Kaffenberger, who was "hurting financially."
"He was really needing some money," said Serna.
City Clerk William L. Ponder declined to say why he
requested money instead of taking vacation time.
Serna said, however, that all of these actions were legal,
and South Tucson's policies were probably being
criticized because other cities refuse to advance pay or
give compensation after termination.
He said he would not know until reading the audit what
it would reveal, bui said he expects no illegalities, only a
"general financial outline and helpful advice on how to
improve the system."
Ponder said Marvin J. North. 2429 N. Alvernon Way,
who audited South Tucson last year, is conducting the
audit. lt is expected to cost about $8,000.
Council approves
advisory referendum
on disincorpo ration
By SUSAN L. WELKER
Staff Writer
South Tucson voters will be given the
opportunity to voice their views on
disincorporation because of the City
Council's decision lo put hie issue on the
ballot.
The council unanimously voted Monday
to place an advisory referendum on the
November general election ballot. The
referendum will he non-binding, but will
provide the council with an idea of
residents' opinions on disincorporation.
Democratic Councilman Luis D
Redouto was absent from the meeting.
Before the vote, Mayor Dan W.
Eckstrom, also a Democrat, said, "The
action the council is about to take shows
that we as an elected body are willing to
listen to the people and give them an op-portunity
in the democratic process."
The mayor said he would not like to
speculate on the election's outcome; "that
issue's going to have to be taken in stride
when it comes."
Stuart Irwin, who ss'ith his wife,
Beatrice, is leading a petition drive for
disincorporation which would bind the
Pima County Board of Supervisors to
consider the issue, described the council's
action as an "autopsy rather than an
election.
"It's a joke because we already have
over 700 signatures," he said. According to
current voter-registration figures, the
necessary amount would be about 680.
Two-thirdo of the city's registered voters
are needed on the petition.
Voters n'ho do not vote in the Nov. 2
general election will be taken off the rolls.
Following a purge of the lists, the 700
signatures should give the drive a 50-
percent safety margin, Irwin said.
In other business Monday the council
accepted the resignation of City
Magistrate J. James Murphy and ap.
pointed the law firm of Gonzales and
Villareal to replace him.
Murphy, the magistrate for seven years.
said he believed that "it was time to do
things in a different capacity," Eckstroni
said.
City Attorney Robert L. Murray
recommended that Richard J. Gonzales.
32, and Stephen C. Villareal, 36, be named
the new city magistrates The two
attorneys are "eminently qualified,"
Murray said.
Both men have worked as part-time
Tucson city magistrates, he said. They
also speak Spanish fluently, a definite
advantage in a community with so large a
Hispanic population. Murray said.
The law firm will share the $16,800 an.
nual salary and the responsibilities of the
magistrate's office, acting City Manager
Enrique G. Serna said.
Gonzales and Villareal, both graduates
of the University of Arizona College of
Law, should begin their duties next week.
South Tucson's
El Independiente
VoI. VII No.2 Published by the Department of Journalism The University of Arizona Sept. 17, 1982