Fort Smith Board, advisory committee interview internal auditor candidates

The Fort Smith Board of Directors and the city’s Audit Advisory Committee took a step closer on Thursday (Aug. 7) in what has been a long and bumpy process to hire a director of internal audit.

The director of internal audit is only one of two top city jobs directly hired by the board, with the other being the city administrator. The board in April was forced to reverse its decision to hire Rebecca Cowan as internal auditor when it was discovered she faced felony charges. The salary set for Cowan was $110,000.

The position has been vacant since April 1, 2024, when Tracey Shockley resigned after nine years with the city.

A special meeting was held Thursday in which four board members — Christina Catsavis, André Good, Lee Kemp, and Neal Martin — adjourned into executive session to interview auditor candidates James Carter and Amanda Strange. Kemp has been the board’s liaison in the hiring process.

After the board interviews in executive session, Audit Advisory Committee members Russell Bragg, Deana Infield, Lavon Morton, and Ed Ralston interviewed the two candidates in a public meeting.

Miles Crawford, regional development manager with DPI Staffing, the agency helping Kemp with the auditor candidate search, said in a June 17 email to Kemp that Strange was his “top choice” for the job.

“Amanda has a good understanding of the situation surrounding the internal auditor role and is genuinely interested in stepping in to help bring some stability and forward momentum. She even went as far as saying she felt this opportunity was ‘a calling,’” Crawford noted in the document obtained by Talk Business & Politics through a Freedom of Information Act request.

Crawford also said in the note to Kemp that Carter is a “solid candidate.”

“He brings a wide range of experience in auditing, including work with DHS and time in the military,” Crawford wrote. “He’s thoughtful, sharp, and would approach the role with discipline and professionalism. While he doesn’t currently hold a CPA or CIA, he’s very open to pursuing those certifications.”

Kemp said Thursday after the interviews that the board faces a tough choice between two candidates who interviewed well.

“I think the city could do well with both candidates,” Kemp said. “I think the board wants to hear feedback from the audit committee. … Both interviewed well. I think both are really good qualified candidates. I think it’s down to the process now of, ‘What is the decision of the board?’”

Infield, a CPA and member of Landmark, also praised both candidates, noting that because of the public nature of the job, they were not participating “in a normal interview process.”

“I thought they were both strong candidates,” she said. “They have different backgrounds and different things they’ve worked on in their professional life that I think makes both of them qualified for this position.”

Infield said her feedback to the board would be to consider the person they think can best supervise others in the office, someone who can best identify and manage risks, and someone who will work well with other city department heads.

The board on Aug. 12 is set to conduct another executive session for the purpose of appointing the director of internal audit.

Link here for the YouTube video that includes the two interviews by members of the Audit Advisory Committee.