Government Meltdown
Posted by Jeff Pruitt - 5/19/08 @ 9:43 am - Filed Under 2008 Local Elections, Featured, Local Politics
We have a trifecta of government issues right now that require careful oversight by the citizenry and investigation by our local legislative and financial branches. I think it goes without saying that the wasteful $55 million Maplecrest Extension project tops the list. County commissioners need to answer for the assumptions in their economic impact study as well as their real motivations for fast-tracking the project.
Next on the list is an inquiry into the 11th hour contract given out by former mayor Graham Richard to a startup company consisting entirely of his former staff. City council needs to investigate this matter and figure out what it is we received for the $95k we paid in 2007. Council should also ask if the contract was sole-sourced and if so what the justification was. Local government is not in the business of helping fledgling startups meet their payroll - taxpayers should receive actual services for their taxdollars. Current mayor Tom Henry has publicly expressed his reservations about this contract and that alone should warrant an in-depth investigation.
Finally we need some answers about what’s going on at the Regional Public Saftey Academy. The mayor and city controller’s office have essentially been accusing the former finance director of improprieties and that should give us all pause. This is an angle to the story that has mostly been ignored but if there’s some kind of funny-business going on with the accounting then the public has a right to know. On the other hand if everything is on the up-and-up then the mayor and Pat Roller need to explain why they’ve been besmirching the character of the academy’s accountant…
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4 Responses to “Government Meltdown”
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Jeff,
Point #1 I agree with.
Point # 2 I agree that we should have some answers, though I doubt this is really a problem when you see the list of deliverables.
Point #3- I think you worded this a bit strong. At NO POINT has the Henry administration accused the former finance director of improprieties. I am personally glad that they Mayor is concerned about the $1 Million shortfall slated for 2010 tha the city would be on the hook for.
Whether or not the whole mess of the Public Safety Academy is about local control will best be determined by who the board replacements are and who is selected as the next Director. I think it should be known that with the board and director went direct business opportunities that could have contributed to closing the purported funding shortfall. Now they must regain the confidence of potential “customers” to the Academy, and start the business development process all over again, and it doesn’t appear they many, if any, business folks are left.
I hope this is not about letting the Fort Wayne Sheriff’s department use the range for free, or not charging other Fort Wayne organizations for the use of the Academy like anyone else that wants to use it.
If failed Sheriff candidate Tina Taviano is somehow mysteriously nominated as the new Public Safety Academy Director, or the Mayor packs the Board with cronies, vice independent business professionals who can attract new business and raise money, I believe it will be clear what the intentions of the Henry administration with regard to the control of the Academy will be clear.
We will be watching.
Fort Wayne Sheriff?
how about Allen County Sheriff.
Thanks for the correction
Kevin.