Spokane7
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October 24, 2010 in City
State panel clears Cooley in case centering on use of CPA title
The state Board of Accountancy has cleared Spokane’s Chief Financial Officer Gavin Cooley of falsely labeling himself a certified public accountant.
In a letter to Cooley, Rick Sweeney, the executive director of the board, said board members dismissed the allegation on Oct. 13.
The case was opened after Ron Wright, a retired Riverside, Calif., police detective, filed a complaint against Cooley after he saw “CPA” listed after Cooley’s name on a city website that listed the city’s investment committee.
Cooley, who opted to let his CPA license expire in 2006, said he never intentionally used the CPA title after it lapsed and that the Web page cited by Wright was written when he still was a CPA. Cooley said it was an oversight that the title hadn’t been changed.
Sweeney called the usage “incidental.” He said a separate case remains, based on Wright’s complaint related to Cooley’s involvement with the city’s 2004 settlement with River Park Square. The mall is a subsidiary of the Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.
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Ron_the_Cop on October 24 at 7:51 a.m.
Now this is interesting. I fully believe that Cooley strategically allowed his CPA license to expire to avoid potential civil liability from his actions in the RPS Settlement Agreement. There is more to Cooley’s continued usage of “CPA” then is reported in the brief.
All are free to read my complaint for the full details here:
Gavin Cooley CFO Spokane, WA - Misuse of CPA complaint filed
http://tinyurl.com/ylmmodu
The Board as made its decision. What I find very interesting is the Board is considering Cooley’s involvement in the RPS Settlement Agreement. By allowing his CPA license to expire Cooley really isn’t under the Board’s jurisdiction anymore. That’s why I filed the CPA complaint because that’s what they still had jurisdiction on:
“Sweeney called the usage “incidental.” He said a separate case remains, based on Wright’s complaint related to Cooley’s involvement with the city’s 2004 settlement with River Park Square. The mall is a subsidiary of the Cowles Co., which also owns The Spokesman-Review.”
Wonders never cease:-)
Det. Ron Wright (Retired)
liarsinnews on October 24 at 8:33 a.m.
I guess the board thought it was an oversight when Gavin Cooley signed a notice of his speaking engagement at the Spokane City Club several years after his CPA membership lapsed, notwithstanding his CPA title after his name on the city’s web-site. Heck, the state auditors office allowed auditors to use their title after their membership had lapsed. I guess the board feels they can bamboozle the public into believing our officials have credentials showing the citizens these people have a title that they are not entitled to use but use it anyways.. Kind of reminds me of the diploma mill where some of the state law enforcement officers purchased diplomas to increase their salaries and nothing was done about it other than a slap on the wrist when they got caught.