By Rob Moritz
Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK – The former chief counsel of the Arkansas Teacher Retirement System could be subpoenaed if she fails to appear before a legislative committee to discuss irregularities that occurred on her watch, lawmakers said Thursday.

A panel of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee asked Christa Clark on Oct. 7 to attend Friday’s meeting of the full committee after an audit discovered several apparent audit violations, including that the $9.6 billion retirement system paid for services before entering into contracts.

The apparent violations occurred under former system director Paul Doane, who resigned last year amid complaints about his travel expenses.

Clark resigned Oct. 19.

On Wednesday, she faxed the co-chairmen of the Joint Auditing Committee, Sen. Bobby Glover, D-Carlisle, and Rep. Johnny Hoyt, D-Morrilton, telling them that she would not attend Friday’s meeting because of an illness.

On Thursday, the Executive Committee of the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee voted to recommended Clark be subpoenaed to testify if she fails to show up at Friday’s meeting.

“We have a responsibility to honor the request of the committee and we do have subpoena powers,” Glover said. “If we set a precedent and don’t require people to come in, what are we going to do next time?”

Roger Norman, director of the Bureau of Legislative Audit, said later that the panel has issued subpoenas in the past, but that doing so is rare.

Clark could not be reached for comment Thursday.
Directory assistance had no telephone listing for her in Central Arkansas.

Officials with Ennis Knupp, the system’s fund manager, also were asked to attend Friday’s meeting and have indicated they would be there, lawmakers were told.

ATRS Executive Director George Hopkins said last month that he is taking steps to correct the problems discovered in the audit.