In the August 10, 2017, issue of the Eugene Weekly, staff write:
Mayor Lucy Vinis convened her first Auditor Study Committee meeting Aug. 2 at the Eugene Public Library. Norma Greer and Marty Wilde were elected co-chairs, and the group will look at various cities that have independent city auditors to see what might work best for Eugene and wrap up its research with a report in two months or so. The problem is that an initiative petition to create an independent elected performance auditor is already in circulation with a measure expected to go on the ballot next spring.
One person in the audience spoke up to complain that the panel is just a “shell game” on behalf of city administration and is an “insult” to initiative petitioners who have already worked more than a year on similar research and in consultation with experts. After the meeting we asked the mayor if indeed she was under the influence of City Manager Jon Ruiz, who is on the record opposing independent auditing. She tells us she and the city manager have avoided talking about this issue.
“I do this work independently, without staff input or support,” she says, “because I want to assure the public that the study group is impartial. I am supportive of instituting a performance auditor in the city and recognize that there is more than one way to do that. Understanding our options is key to crafting responsible public policy.”