Usually they say that "No news is good news," but this is not the case with the City of Lake Worth that seems to have a policy of keeping anything important or considered "bad news" close to the breast. The public is the last to know under this administration that would rather tell us about light weight things like raft race building on July 4th while Rome is burning and adjourn its meetings by 8:30pm or we have to be insulted by a commissioner who threatens to leave the room if anyone disagrees with him.
The City (for this revelation, the City Manager uses the Finance Director as the official spokesperson "fall guy") says that nothing fraudulent had been done regarding its loss claims that were submitted to FEMA. The line that will be used and one that we need to swallow, will be staff incompetence...we can't find the receipts. We hear that line way too often these days especially when it involves MILLIONS OF missing DOLLARS from the past. But how do they know it's that simple? How do we know, as an example, that some staff at the utility were not padding the losses and claims to FEMA by charging some of the 26.4kv electric upgrade to them? Two sources have told me that was a strong possibility/probability at the time and when asked then about that very thing, the response by a member (not the chair) of the Electric Utility Task Force was, "That's just good business."
Who will be held accountable? Will it be the taxpayer, the very guy from whom they continue to withhold information?
Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General
HURRICANES FRANCES and JEANNE
Recommendation #1
: Instruct the State to remind the City that it is required to comply with Federal procurement standards when acquiring goods and services under FEMA awards (finding A).
Recommendation #2 : Disallow $385,890 (Federal share $348,775) of unsupported project costs (finding B).
Recommendation #3 : Disallow $38,390 (Federal share $28,792) of ineligible labor costs (finding C).
Recommendation #4 : Disallow $21,289 (Federal share $19,160) of ineligible costs for activities covered by insurance (finding D).
Recommendation #5 : Disallow $8,570 (Federal share $7,713) of ineligible costs for small project work not completed (finding E).
Recommendation #6 : Disallow $16,105 (Federal share $14,495) of ineligible costs for nondisaster activities (finding F)
REPORT on findings below
"We discussed the results of our audit with City, State, and FEMA officials during our audit. We also provided a draft report in advance to these officials and discussed it at the exit conference held on August 15, 2012. City officials agreed with findings C and E and partially agreed with finding B. They also said that they will continue to research documentation to resolve finding D. However, City officials disagreed with finding A and said that they plan to appeal if FEMA disallows the costs. Their comments, where appropriate, are included in the body of the report. FEMA and State officials withheld comments pending receipt of the report."
HURRICANE WILMA
Recommendation #1
: Disallow $6,998,095 of ineligible costs claimed for contracts that were not procured in accordance with Federal requirements unless FEMA decides to grant an exception for all or part of costs as provided for in 44 CFR 13.36(c), and determines the costs were reasonable (finding A).
Recommendation #2 : Instruct the State to remind the City that it is required to comply with Federal procurement standards when acquiring goods and services under FEMA awards (finding A).
Recommendation #3 : Disallow $476,455 of unsupported project costs (finding B).
Recommendation #4 : Disallow $180,626 of ineligible cost for activities covered by insurance (finding C).
Recommendation #5 : Disallow $8,624 of ineligible costs for small project work not completed (finding D).
Recommendation #6 : Disallow $18,732 of ineligible labor costs (finding E)
6 comments:
Wow - that NEW SPEAK
Definition of Transparency
is clear as duct tape!
Whether the staff is incompetent or not is anyone's guess, but those staff have supervisors and managers. When will management step up to the plate and take some responsibility?
Unfortunately, that management is no longer around--either fired or resigned. The Utility is where are problems lie. Whatever happened to the idea of an internal audit there?
Well Lynn, guess you have answered the blogger that keeps asking the question "Where is the Corruption"/
Two bills from FEMA ?, One for seven million seven hundred thousand and the Second one for Four hundred
seven thousand and two hundred forty four dollars? No wonder the City Manager took off for vacation and the City Commission only wants to talk about raft racing July 4, and short meetings.
Why should we tax payers pay for the illegal and double billing to the State and Federal Government?
Why shouldn't the City Manager and the elected officials pay this bill?
Tell me what the definition of malfeasance and misfeasance.
LYNN check the amount of money to make sure it is right
The ONLY way that anyone could ever blame a commission is because they directly hire the city manager. Other than that, there is no way to blame a commission. They only know what they are told and are guided by the city manager who hires the staff. The Utility Director got to hire who she wanted but ultimately they were approved by the CM. We just need to be much more careful who we hire and raise the bar.
SCREW FEMA !!! It took them until 2013 to come at us with this? Obviously there was zero oversight on the part of FEMA officials when it came to tracking taxpayer dollars. Tell FEMA to find the people working here at the time and go after them. What will the most inept administration in the entire history of this country do ?! Padlock city hall? Which might be a good thing,,,,, government do?
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