PRESS RELEASE: TOWN OF BROOKSIDE CONTINUES TO IMPROVE TOWN

MANAGEMENT AND INVENTORY PROCEDURES

April 15, 2022

The Town of Brookside welcomed receipt of the Alabama Department of

Examiners of Public Accounts report auditing the Town’s financials and evidence
inventory procedures. The Town Council and Mayor Mike Bryan cooperated fully
with the Public Examiner’s office as part of Brookside’s efforts to improve its
evidence inventory and financial protocols.

The results of the report come two months after the Town Council appointed
Henry Irby as Interim Police Chief. Since starting in February, Chief Irby has been
addressing evidence inventory procedures and protocols detailed in the Examiner’s
report.

“We are well aware of the things we need to address and have been actively
doing so,” said Chief Irby.

As an update to the Examiner’s report, Chief Irby has overseen the recovery of
firearms the report stated were unaccounted for. All firearms collected as evidence
by Brookside police have been accounted for. Moving forward, Chief Irby is
appointing an evidence coordinator to manage inventory.

The Examiner’s report indicated that their review noted that $500,494.75 was
collected from various Court funds for the period of October 1, 2020 through
February 2, 2022. A review of the Town’s actual audit for 2020 shows that the Town
spent $499,495.00 from its General Fund to support the Police Department. Also,
based on unaudited numbers for 2021, the Town spent some $685,622.00 for a full
time police department.

“Our objective in moving to a full-time police department in 2018 has always

been about making our Town safer for our citizens and community. It has never been
about raising money to fund other operations of our Town” said Mayor Mike Bryan.

The Town of Brookside is grateful for the suggestions to improve Brookside’s

financial practices. Every town has room to develop and implement better protocols
to ensure the proper handling of public funds.
 The Town of Brookside will continue to retain an independent certified public
accounting firm to conduct its annual audit, adopt an annual budget and provide
monthly financial updates to the Town Council. The first annual budget was adopted
in October 2021 for the fiscal year 2022 under current Mayor Mike Bryan’s
leadership.

“This report is a good thing,” said Mayor Mike Bryan. “It lets us know what we
need to improve. Our objective will continue to be to promote confidence in local
government through transparent practices and respectful interactions with town
employees and elected officials.”

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