Audits are not insults

Monday, May 26, 2008 | 2:05 a.m.

No one needs any more proof than our backlogged civil courts to know that we live in an overly litigious world.

But if more proof were needed, the case pitting the Friends of Southern Nevada Libraries against the Las Vegas-Clark County Library District would do nicely.

A dispute between them has so far cost $44,000 in unnecessary legal fees — $31,000 for the Library District and $13,000 for the Friends group.

The fur started flying in December, when the district’s executive director, Dan Walters, asked the Friends to provide him with a professional audit of their finances. He also asked for a contract to formalize an arrangement between the two that raises more than $7,000 a week.

This arrangement involves the Friends’ stocking a few shelves in the district’s libraries with books or other items either donated to the district or withdrawn by the district from circulation.

Friends volunteers sell the items, with proceeds being turned over to the district. This is a nice public service, as the sales produce significant revenue without the district having to expend much staff time.

Unfortunately, Friends volunteers took exception to Walters’ request, saying that it impugned the integrity of their group after 34 years of service. From there each side hired lawyers and a court date has been set for June 9 to decide the matter.

Our view is that Friends has its sensitivity meter set way too high. The Library District has more than a right to ask for an audit — it has an obligation. The sale items belong to the district, after all. And a contract is just good business when so much money is involved.

Walters told Las Vegas Sun reporter Joe Schoenmann that some of the Friends volunteers are retired businesspeople who should have seen the request for what it was without reading deeper, sinister motives into it.

We agree. Any organization that handles public money should be audited. That is a matter of fact, not an attack on integrity.