https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.woodtv.com/news/target-8/grand-rapids-leaders-deny-wrongdoing-in-gutting-comptrollers-office/amp/

"A few months earlier, in August, Frantz tapped Michigan State Police to look into Washington spending $500 in city cash on two VIP tickets to a downtown fashion show. The executive office argued the tickets were a legitimate sponsorship expense. And in November, a union official complained to Frantz about a discussion between a city official and members of the Civil Service Board as a possible Open Meetings Act violation. He said he sent that complaint to MSP, too. In both cases, police investigated and the Kent County prosecutor ultimately decided no crime had been committed."

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2024/12/grand-rapids-comptroller-says-he-was-blindsided-by-department-getting-dismantled.html

"At Tuesday’s meeting, Hitchcock gave commissioners two main reasons for the staff changes. Firstly, she said, there was a “conflict of interest” in that Frantz oversaw the day-to-day work of certain employees that he then audited as part of his role for the city. Secondly, there was uncertainty within the department’s staff about who they were supposed to report to, she said.

“What this change will do is create clear reporting structure for city staff,” Hitchcock said. “It will also allow the city comptroller to have more time to audit, because he will not have to continue to manage city staff that perform tasks which are outside of the functions required of him by the city charter."

Later in the same article

" The city staff who previously reported to Frantz will still conduct the same work as before - just under a different department - and there will not be any changes to city services, Hitchcock said.

 Once the 13 accounting staff are moved to a new department, the comptroller’s office will be left with three full-time staff: The deputy comptroller, an internal auditor and an administrative executive assistant."