I have written about this through the years where the city took millions of government money that it was not entitled to according to FEMA because of sloppy accounting or even possible fraud (buying personal sfuff at Sam's Club?) according to our outside auditors at the time. The biggest abuses were in the Utility Department. We even had a city manager, Paul Boyer, who was fired.
Read my blog that gives you some details.
In 2010, years after the Hurricanes, FEMA sent a letter to the City requesting it pay back $8.1 million. At that time, city manager Bornstein said that the claim had been negotiated down to just less than $4 million, (the claim today is $4.3 million) but it is still money that Bornstein says the City does not have. "It would almost kill us," Bornstein said. "We're a city that doesn't have a lot of money, we're financially strained like a lot of cities."
The major problem STILL, is that the city can't prove its claims. So now the city is suing FEMA...can you believe that one? They even have Lois Frankel still on their side. FEMA wants the $4.3 million returned. So, instead of believing the audit, acknowledging the gross mistakes and abuse of the City in spending these massive amounts of money, it is easier to sue today and blame it on a "technicality."
Read today's article in the Palm Beach Post on the lawsuit. The City Manager is still lamenting and blaming FEMA. At that time, it was documented that they were unable to prove their claims because of faulty record keeping and/or unable to produce records and receipts.
3 comments:
LW has no money? They managed to get voters to bill themselves 40 million over 30 years or something wild.
don't believe the city don't have any money.they gave themselves big raises and car allowances.how much property does the city own.they have spent plenty on surveys for pool.seems like they always come up with money when is needed for them
A possible use for the penny sales tax?
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