Randy Kugler’s answer to the question on his recent Budget Committee application explaining why he wanted to serve the City of Manzanita, ‘Inattention to structural budget problems during the past 20 years has created both funding problems and community discord when those issues have been raised for public discussion.’ Posted on the City’s website.
Indeed, Mr. Kugler has beat the indirect costs drum for years with no evidence given of financial wrongdoing. He’s even threatened to sue.* The City’s Audits continue to be conducted and authorized. Is there a conspiracy that has continued for 20 years, over multiple staff members, a variety of elected officials, independent auditors and accounting firm reviews?
*Footnote: “We asked our outside auditors, Accuity, LLC to thoroughly review the situation. They found no issues or concerns. Randy then took it upon himself to challenge their competency, reported them to the Oregon Secretary of State’s office, and forced Accuity to hire attorneys to defend themselves.” Mike Scott, Tillamook County Pioneer, July 10, 2020
Mr. Kugler whined that previous city administration officials ignored his advice on indirect cost models and, more importantly, ignored him as a candidate for the City’s Budget Committee. A new City Council voted 5 to 0 on an excellent slate of Budget Committee members at the March Council meeting. Mr. Kugler was not chosen.
The Council voted 4 to 1 to accept an indirect cost model that Mr. Kugler continues to rant and bully against. The City has worked diligently at reviewing the indirect cost model. The City has hired an outside accounting firm in the past. More recently Mayor Simmons has praised the Warrenton Mayor so there was a review of Warrenton’s indirect cost model which they used for the last 20 years. This model was voted on at the March Council meeting. Mayor Simmons was the No vote and she explained her vote by saying, ‘I like direct costs’.
We can’t ignore the fact that Mr. Kugler, in the 1990’s when he was the Manzanita City Manager, used the water funds to keep the lights on at City Hall literally, including paying part of his salary from the water fund. Mr. Kugler using his indirect cost methodology to pay himself.
Deb Tinnin
A Manzanita Voter (I was accused of voter fraud by Mr. Kugler after he lost his Council race.)