Finance committee seeks explanation for purchases made by Harvey Comptroller Louis Williams

Using personal credit cards for city’s purchases, municipal debt, and stray dogs dominated the finance committee’s Feb. 5 meeting.

In a rare moment, Harvey Comptroller Louis Williams was present to interpret charges on the bills list for period Jan. 19 through Feb. 1. Alderman Tracy Key (4th) and City Treasurer Aisha Pickett were also in attendance.

Personal credit card reimbursement

Williams clarified his role as City Comptroller to the finance committee, chaired by Alderman Tyrone Rogers (6th) and co-chaired by Alderwoman Colby Chapman (2nd), and several purchases made by the city using his American Express credit card.

Williams is often asked to purchase goods, such as those given out to the families during Harvey’s Christmas Toy Drive last year or turkeys for the Thanksgiving giveaway. “A lot of times we’ll have signatures, so I’ll allow them to use my credit card, and they reimburse. I don’t make any charges on behalf of the city,” Williams explained.

Afterward, an invoice is submitted to the city so he is reimbursed for those purchases. However, they are not in his name, Williams said. Williams did not indicate who submits the invoices on his behalf and to what office.

Williams has served as comptroller for over 10 years, first under the Kellogg administration and now the Clark administration. However, it’s not clear how long his credit card has been used for the purchases and reimbursement. 

The matter raised concerns from attendees and some alderpersons about bills’ list accuracy, accounts on file, and Harvey’s relationship with vendors.

Rogers said he had a conversation with Mayor Chris Clark’s assistant as to why Heavy W. W. Consulting, for instance, was using Williams’ card during a year where they “didn’t have an open account.” 

Now, Harvey is creating a separate account, according to Williams, so his invoices should no longer appear on the bills’ lists. Williams’ name on the bills lists is something to “alleviate,” Key said, “because it just brings too much question.”

But that move could reignite concerns from residents that Harvey’s financial paperwork is dubious, at best, and intentionally cumbersome, at worst.

Declining municipal debt

Harvey’s debt burden is approximately is $140 million, Williams said. Clark has routinely affirmed that amount during City Council meetings. In 2019, municipal debt was an estimated $160 million.

In 2023, the City Council approved a measure to work with a private firm to collect from debtors and worked to refinance the bonds. “Understand that [it’s] a cumulative deficit is real and that that includes every governmental entity,” Williams said.

Addressing stray dogs

Unrelatedly, Key used public comment to lament about one of Harvey’s key safety issues: stray dogs. “I have a stray dog that’s been running around in the neighborhood for a while, and when I call the police department animal control, they say that they cannot pick up any dogs,” Key said.

According to Key, he was told that the reason the company, which works closely with Harvey Police Department, has not addressed stray animals is because Harvey the company funds.

Harvey owes vendors from 60 to 90 days behind on the payment, a standard practice when vendors work with municipalities, Williams said.

Correction, 3/28/2024: This article originally indicated that Harvey Comptroller Louis Williams submitted invoices to the city in his own name to be reimbursed. This story has been updated to reflect the invoices are submitted but are not in Williams’ own name, per his statements at the meeting, fact-checked via an HWH audio recording.