INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. — Tempers flared during Wednesday’s Incline Village General Improvement District Board of Trustees meeting.

Two agenda items in particular raised hairs for Trustee Peter Morris, both authorizing the audit committee to hire third party consultants, one to review the 2019 CAFR and give advice on future financial statements and the other to facilitate internal controls assessments.

The new director of finance is starting on March 16, and both Morris and Trustee Kendra Wong thought making financial decisions before the director starts was premature.

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The 2019 CAFR has been a point of contention for the board. They filed the report as required by state law but Chairperson Tim Callicrate, Trustees Matthew Dent and Sara Schmitz felt information in the report wasn’t accurate.

During the discussion, Schmitz and Dent seemed to be on the same page about preparation for future financial statements which Morris implied might be because they violated open meeting laws. Dent and Morris argued about the accusation until Callicrate stepped in to stop it.

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“If we get challenged with an open meeting complaint, then we may have to defend it and we may lose,” Dent said.

He later clarified to the Tribune that he wasn’t implying the board would lose, rather warning that the board could get caught up in a lengthy process of defending itself.

The board passed the authorization 3-2 with Morris and Wong voting no.

Tempers remained high during the discussion over internal controls.

Dent said Schmitz made a public records request for the district’s internal controls and nothing came back, leading them to believe there were no internal controls.

Wong and Interim General Manager Indra Winquest stepped in to say the district does have internal controls, they just aren’t written out in an easily acceptable form.

Still, Winquest said he was in support of bringing in a third party consultant, to help the district review their processes.

The board changed the agenda item to say that the audit committee could engage an independent expert that would work with Winquest and the director of finance on reviewing internal controls.

The agenda items passed unanimously with Morris and Wong both stating they were voting yes because they trust Winquest.

During the meeting, the board also accepted the final design for the tennis court renovation project, approved Diamond Peak Ski Resort raising season pass fees by $20 for non-residents and heard operating budget presentations from all the venue managers.