08:18 AM CST on Wednesday, March 1, 2006

By Jeff McShan / 11 News

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A Houston City Council member said tough questions are not being answered and she wants to know why.

In an inter-office memo written by council member Addie Wiseman and sent to Houston Mayor Bill White Tuesday, she expressed great concern over what she calls "being left in the dark" about the ongoing investigation into payroll irregularities in the office of the Mayor Pro Tem Carol Alvarado.

"We have reached a point of frustration," said Wiseman.

KHOU-TV

Council member Addie Wiseman has tough questions about the investigation into the irregularities in payroll for four mayor pro tem employees.

Wiseman said that city council deserves a formal briefing into what prompted the investigation, its current status and when it will be completed. And why wasn't the district attorney asked to take part.

"This event has escalated and we have yet as a body, been briefed," she said.

Mayor White said talking about the ongoing probe could be harmful.

"You don't tip your hand on all the evidence you have until the end of the investigation and that's what the police are doing here. I believe they are going to have some report within a week from today," said Mayor White.

Most likely an update he says, on the four employees who received the improper payments.

Does he think council member Carol Alvarado played a role?

"I mean I have told the investigators to take it anywhere, whereever it goes so there is nobody that is protected. There are no sacred cows," said White, "I think she has done a good job in her district but there has been some laps in oversight in the mayor pro tem's office, there is no doubt about that."

"Not only are the checks and balances out of whack there, it's indicative of what we are experiencing throughout the city departments because policy makers like ourselves in city council, we are not being informed, we are kept out and when a problem like this occurs, fingers are pointing everywhere but we are not given the opportunity to do our job," she said.