Lake Worth in a Good Position?

The Lake Worth Herald just headlined that Lake Worth is in a good position for Grants and mentions the External Auditors report from Tuesday night's meeting that said "the city has done a good job handling monies derived from government sources...there have been no findings for the past three years and this has put the city in the low risk auditee position (for grants).

But what about all the millions that the Department of Homeland Security told us that we owe for questionable FEMA claims that were revealed in their reports of November and December 2012?

After all, the city has not told us anything about this regarding the government demand as to confirmation or denial of alleged monies owed and nothing has been mentioned about these FEMA claims over the past 15 months.  This humongous government charge has never been discussed or divulged by the City since it first received the charge and any investigations that might have been made by the city to clear up the government's claims have not been revealed to the public. This all might fall under attorney/client privilege but then it has never appeared on any public information request for legal matters and no where can you find it in the budget. Maybe the cases have been settled, who knows, and it has all been kept low-key. Perhaps the Herald can respond with a pithy statement.

Department of Homeland Security - Office of Inspector General

HURRICANES FRANCES and JEANNE- Report of November 2012
Recommendation #1
: Disallow:  $470,244
: 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 non-disaster activities (finding F)


HURRICANE WILMA--Report of December 2012
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)