AUBURN - It looks as if all of city hall is on board to have the state review a city investigation of its own Department of Public Works.

The Auburn city council Thursday unanimously voted in support of the state Commission of Investigation looking into how city officials handled theft within the department.

With the vote, the council is following City Manager Mark Palesh and Police Chief Gary Giannotta in publicly expressing support for an investigation.

The vote came after much discussion among councilors about the prospect of a state probe and their thoughts on how the initial theft investigation and subsequent amnesty were carried out.

Councilor Thomas McNabb pointed out that the council did not learn that a handful of public works employees were allowed to return $10,000 worth of stolen equipment and items without fear of prosecution or termination until at least a week after it took place.

“I was not asked my opinion of it,” McNabb said during the meeting.

Councilor Matthew Smith, who was the first to publicly call for the commission to review the city's action, told his colleagues that a state investigation is the only way to truly clear the city's name.

“We have nothing to lose,” Smith said.

While the vote was unanimous, some councilors voiced concerns about an investigation.

Gilda Brower said she believes it is premature to bring in outside agencies.

She also said she does not believe the entire community looks at public works employees negatively, as some councilors have said.

“I take exception to so much of the overall state of affairs,” Brower said.

Mayor Michael Quill said the vote was essentially a “moot point” since Palesh made the same request last week and the APD is currently in the process of sending its investigatory files to the commission.

But, Quill said, this may allow the city to put the entire ordeal in the past.

“All of us have taken a black eye over this,” Quill said.

The state Commission of Investigation looks into allegations of fraud, corruption and mismanagement within local governments across the state. The commission does not need permission from a municipality to conduct an investigation, and as a policy does not publicly confirm or deny whether a governmental body is under review.