Bell Officials Working To Make Governing Improvements

BELL (CBS) — After a year of scandalous headlines, Bell officials Wednesday publicized the work they have done to make improvements in governing the small city, saying the council is more open to public scrutiny.

"We have made City Council decision-making more transparent, and welcome civic participation in municipal affairs, improved communications with the public, hired new auditors to conduct audits of the past two fiscal years to provide an accurate picture of our financial condition," Mayor Ali Saleh said at a news conference outside Bell City Hall.

Saleh leads an all-new City Council, which was elected in March and sworn into office in April.

Eight now-former city officials -- including four sitting council members -- were indicted after news broke that many of them were collecting inflated salaries, leaving the city strapped for cash.

With a new council in place, Saleh said the "reform process is well under way in the city of Bell."