American Falls officials release statement on ‘internal issue,’ but many questions remain
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UPDATE
American Falls Mayor Gilbert Hofmeister has issued an updated statement regarding the city’s “internal administrative matter” with a bit of clarity on why officials cannot comment at this time.
The mayor’s statement reads:
“The City of American Falls recently identified discrepancies within internal financial records involving a former employee. Once those discrepancies were discovered, the City acted promptly in accordance with its policies and the individual is no longer employed by the City.
We take our responsibility as stewards of the public resources very seriously. Our focus remains on accountability, maintaining the trust of our residents and ensuring that the city services continue without disruption.
While the City is a public entity and values transparency, personnel matters are governed by strict employment and privacy laws. As a result, the City must follow those legal requirements and cannot comment on specific personnel details.”
ORIGINAL STORY
AMERICAN FALLS — City officials in American Falls are remaining tight-lipped about an “internal administrative matter” regarding a former city employee that involves potentially criminal behavior.
Unfortunately, not much else is known beyond a vague statement issued by the city on March 5.
It reads:
City of American Falls Addresses Internal Administrative Matter
“The City of American Falls recently identified an internal administrative matter involving a former employee within the City’s administrative operations. Upon discovery, the City took prompt and appropriate action consistent with its policies and procedures.
The individual involved is no longer employed by the City. City leadership acted swiftly to address the situation and to ensure the continued integrity of City operations.
The City of American Falls takes its responsibility as a steward of public resources seriously. As part of this commitment, the City has reviewed internal financial processes and is implementing additional safeguards to strengthen oversight and prevent similar issues in the future.
City services and daily operations continue without disruption, and residents should not expect any impact to service delivery as a result of this matter.
While personnel matters are confidential, the City remains committed to transparency, accountability, and responsible governance. The City appreciates the public’s trust and will continue to uphold the highest standards of ethical conduct.
This matter has been investigated by the American Falls Police Department. Upon completion of the investigation, the case was forwarded to the Power County Prosecutor’s Office for review and consideration of any potential charges. The City will defer to the Prosecutor’s Office regarding any further legal determinations. As this matter is now under review, no additional details are being released at this time.”
More questions than answers
The statement has raised more questions than it has answered among members of the public. EastIdahoNews.com reached out to city officials seeking additional clarity, but they declined to provide further details.
American Falls Mayor Gilbert Hofmeister told EastIdahoNews.com his legal team has advised him not to comment further on the matter at this time. He said he hopes to issue a statement at a later date.
The American Falls Police Department said it cannot comment beyond the city’s already-released statement.
Power County Prosecutor Brock Bischoff also told EastIdahoNews.com his office will not comment, citing the ongoing investigation exemption.
EastIdahoNews.com has submitted public records requests seeking a probable cause affidavit and other related documents from various agencies and will update this story when more information becomes available.