Inspector General Position Created

Acting Gov. Richard J. Codey created the position of inspector general today with responsibility for ferreting out fraud and wasteful spending at all levels of government. The inspector general will report to the governor and have duties that include reviewing procurements and public contracts and conducting investigations wherever public money is spent to ensure accountability. The inspector general will also examine programs to assess their effectiveness and look at the latest technology and business practices to determine if they can save time and tax dollars. The position will be nonpartisan and the officeholder will be prohibited from seeking elected office for two years after leaving the job. Codey expects to name someone to the post within two weeks and have the office up and running by Jan. 1, eventually with a staff of 12.