Information from an independent auditor showed that the Washington Township Little League’s transactions were reasonable and recorded properly.
By: Lauren Burgoon
WASHINGTON Months after some Township Committeemen demanded an audit from the Little League, the wrangling is over and the league has proved its finances are in order.
Little League representatives Greg Zalenski and Anthony Palmer presented the audit report to the committee on Dec. 9. The information from the independent auditor, Helen Dublas, showed that the league’s transactions were reasonable and recorded properly, as is required for a favorable audit.
Ms. Dublas, a resident of Tindall Road, did provide the league with three suggestions. They were that representatives sign off on invoices to acknowledge that goods are received from vendors, put purchase orders for uniforms in writing to cut down on human errors, and hold uniform purchases until a minimum 12 items are needed to cut down on fees. Ms. Dublas noted that, in regard to the last suggestion, the league paid $160 in unnecessary fees last year, although that amount is a tiny fraction of the league’s $145,000 in expenditures.
The findings come more than three months after the Township Committee’s audit request became fodder for public speculation that it was politically motivated because Mr. Zalenski was a member of a group trying to change the township’s government. That charge was denied, but in September the matter started heating up with league officials and parents denouncing the audit request at committee meetings.
Under the league’s contract with the town, the Township Committee can request an audit annually and the Little League must respond within 30 days. The clause is included because the league uses township recreation space.
The league started handing over financial documents when the township began asking in April. Requests for more paperwork came until August, when the committee began discussing a full audit. Meanwhile, Washington’s Chief Financial Officer Karen Baldino looked over the documents and reported no problems.
The committee still requested the full audit because, Committeeman Pete Chamberlin said at the time, "We just want to make sure the paperwork is proper. We’ll help if it’s not."
About 50 parents and Little League members didn’t buy that. At a September meeting many people spoke out against the audit request, calling it a "witch hunt." In the following weeks both Mr. Zalenski and Committeeman Doug Tindall agreed that the situation was blown out of proportion and a deal was struck to conduct an audit.
Ultimately, the league’s argument was not that an audit shouldn’t be performed, but that the organization shouldn’t have to pay for it, or at least not pay a lot for it. Mr. Zalenski said the goal was to have "as independent a source as we could without costing the Little League a fortune."
The league pegged Ms. Dublas to complete the audit. According to Mr. Zalenski, she has more than 20 years experience in the auditing field and is a certified government auditing professional.
The township committeemen said they are satisfied with the audit results and unanimously accepted the report at the Dec. 9 meeting.
"Your organization is a good organization. That’s why it’s so important that we make sure you keep operating because there are a lot of kids and parents depending on this organization," Mr. Chamberlin said. "I think it’s good we had it done. You’re going to have a better accounting system now. I’m satisfied that the organization is going to stay solvent."
Mr. Tindall noted that he doesn’t expect the league to complete an external audit every year, but asked that financial records be made available for parents and township officials. Mr. Zalenski agreed, saying it’s already the league’s policy to provide that information to any member who requests it.

