Ever since the Kirkwood City Council announced in October it was raising city electric rates by nearly 15 percent to bail out Kirkwood Electric from a surprise $15.6 million deficit, a chorus of voices has been demanding two things from city leaders: First, a detailed explanation of what happened; and, second, a forensic audit to determine how the city’s internal controls failed and whether any misconduct occurred.
During a Thursday night work session, the council began the process of delivering on both demands.
Council members spent nearly two hours discussing a 12-page “After Action Report” that looked into the roots of the $15.6 million deficit connected to the final two years of Kirkwood Electric’s electric grid modernization program led by former director Mark Petty…