OVER $14,000.00 Misappropriated

by Buffalo Elected Officials?

Inside Buffalo previously raised the issue of unconstitutional pay raises by elected officials in Buffalo. Inside Buffalo did not pursue the issue because we wanted to see what steps would be taken to assure taxpayers in Buffalo that there were no concerns. We wanted to give the Town sufficient time to address the problem. Inside Buffalo first informed Town leaders and the Town Attorney in early January 2009. We wrote about the dilemma and posted the article on our website on January 26, 2009. Unconstitutional Article

One special Town Board meeting and 2 regular Town Board meetings later and still nothing had been done about this problem.
We are told that a person currently running for office in the Town of Buffalo brought it to the attention of some State officials. We are also told that the Town's attorney has contacted the Town of Buffalo manager and mayor about the problem and NOW - it's time for the taxpaying citizens of Buffalo to take notice!

Not just Buffalo residents have taken note of this issue. So too have State Senators and State Representatives.

Senate representative Bryce Marlatt, Oklahoma District 27, (Buffalo/Woodward area) recommended that Buffalo's Legal Counsel provide a written response to the question raised by Inside Buffalo regarding the illegal and UNCONSTITUTIONAL pay raises that have been instituted by Buffalo's elected officials since an ordinance was enacted in 1997.

An invitation was extended by State Representative and House Speaker Pro Tempore, Gus Blackwell, to meet face to face with him about this disconcerting dilemma.

Action is necessary as Buffalo taxpayers have been footing the bill for misappropriated funds in the form of illegal pay increases since, it appears, 1998.

Our* calculations show that over $14,000.00 in illegal, UNCONSTITUTIONAL pay hikes may have been put into place for Buffalo's Town Clerk and Town Treasurer without following State Law, the Oklahoma State Constitution and other rules for instituting municipal pay hikes. Our calculations are based on some assumptions as yet not part of the public record. The legal response forthcoming from Buffalo's counsel should help Inside Buffalo ascertain the exact amount of funds fraudulently given as pay increases.
To assist with the calculations, a voluntary, external audit by a state approved auditor has been discussed by Town officials and management.

Once the audit has been completed we'll forward the results to our readers.

A.C.C.O.U.N.T.A.B.I.L.I.T.Y.



*Our calculations are an estimate and an estimate only - they are are based on limited public records. Many records have not been able to be viewed which could have an effect on the total amount. There are raises, as mentioned at the December 2008 Town Board meeting admittedly not received by the clerk and treasurer, that they may be due and have the opposite effect.

April 2, 2009 -This article was updated and edited - We underlined "assumptions" and added that the clerk and treasurer may be due monies after listening to the audio tapes of the Town Board Meeting from December 2008