They selected interim Inspector General Baron Eliason for the permanent role and picked John Provan as the new city auditor.
The two appointments fill key roles that are independent, council-appointed and responsible for ensuring the city follows the law and avoids risky investments.
Eliason’s appointment brings to a close a sordid search process that went off the rails after city officials broke a voter mandate and hired a non-attorney to the role.
The mistake kicked off another search and Eliason, who began serving in interim, focused on weeding out cases where the city was potentially wasting money. He was the chief integrity officer before leading the department.
One of his office’s investigations revealed the city had potentially overspent $1 million on cases ranging from employees who were using city time to do another job and hidden fees in a towing truck company’s contract.
Eliason will be paid $191,214 a year.
Council member Maxie Johnson voted against the appointment, saying the selection process was a “dog and pony show.” He said the search firm did not do its job because none of the shortlisted candidates except for Eliason had the necessary certifications.
“If we are just going to give someone a job, just don’t waste my time because I don’t do dog and pony shows, and that’s exactly what this was,” Johnson said.
The City Council unanimously approved appointing Provan over the interim city auditor. Provan will be paid $220,000 annually for a two-year term that begins Jan. 4, 2027.