ELGIN, Texas — A week after Gov. Greg Abbott announced an investigation into a Central Texas city’s finances, the community is still calling for answers.
The mayor of Elgin and council members combed through the latest audit Wednesday evening. The discussion aimed to provide clarity, but many residents say they still have questions.
Alejandro Alvarado is an Elgin resident that says the open meeting Wednesday is a step in the right direction when it comes to rebuilding community trust.
“There’s still a lot of stuff that hasn’t been answered,” Alvarado said.
Alvarado adds that there is still a long way to go. Even though the city says there was no evidence of fraud found by auditors, leaders did recognize the need for change.
Interim City Manager Robert Eads pointed out staffing as a major challenge for the city.
“The biggest weakness is not having that person, those people in that office for any substantial period,” Eads said regarding the city’s finance department.
This week, the Texas comptroller announced it would assist the Texas Rangers in the state’s investigation.
In a statement, acting Comptroller Kelly Hancock said, “Texans expect honesty and accountability from every level of government. Our office will fully support the Texas Rangers and use every tool at our disposal to ensure taxpayer dollars are protected and the facts are brought to light.”
Elgin city leaders say plans to course correct have already started, but some are calling for more transparency and accountability.
Tiffany St. Pierre, City Council member for Ward 3, says she wants the council to address what happened to the accounts before moving forward.
“Somebody did something criminal with our accounts. They lost track of our finances,” she says. “We should have gotten ahead of this.”