City will pause relationship with Action Audits


During this morning’s FAIR Committee meeting, City Manager Jerry Moss informed committee members that the North Carolina legislature has voted to take over cable franchising for the state.

It is anticipated the the federal government will soon usurp franchising from states and municipalities that still retain autonomy in arranging their own franchise agreements.

In addition to regular FAIR Committee members Ranger Wilkerson, Bobby Gupton, and chair Lynn Harper, Henderson City Council members Elissa Yount and Lonnie Davis were also present at the meeting.

Moss advised the committee that Bob Sepe of Action Audits has been allowed to continue his audit of cable franchise receipts for the past two years, since whatever is caught is money for the city. He went on advise the committee that any further consulting action should stop after the survey sent out to city residents in last the last round of water bills have been tabulated.

Moss estimated that between $4,000 to $4,500 of the $16,000 allocated for the consulting firm has been utilized.

Moss informed members that the state legislation promised municipalities a portion of the sales tax revenue from cable franchise agreements.

“North Carolina giveth and North Carolina taketh away,” Moss said, commenting on the reliability of payments from the state government.

The city manager also stated that more surveys have been returned in Henderson than any other survey, according to Action Audits.

The committee agreed to allow Moss to tell Sepe to cease efforts on the cable franchise agreement once the survey returns were complete.