We hope that today’s “IS IT TRUEâ€Â will provoke honest and open dialogue concerning issues that we, as responsible citizens of this community, need to address in a rational and responsible way?
Yesterday the City-County Observer posted a link to the Indiana State Board of Accounts “Special Investigation Report” of the financial records of the Echo Housing Agency during JANUARY 1, 2015 to February 28, 2918. Â On the cover page of this report State Examiner, Paul Joyce-CPA made the following statement; “We performed procedures to determine compliance with applicable Indiana laws and uniform compliance guidelines established by the Indiana State Board of Accounts. The Results and Comments contained herein describe the identified reportable instances of noncompliance found as a result of these procedures. Our tests were not designed to identify all instances of noncompliance; therefore, noncompliance may exist that is unidentified. Â Any Official Response to the Results and Comments, incorporated within this report, was not verified for accuracy.”
IS IT TRUE we find it puzzling that the” Special Investigation Report” didn’t identify who else may have benefitted from the alleged misappropriations of Ms. Tenbarge?…the State Board of Accounts “Special Investigation Report” has been accepted as accurate by the Echo Housing Board of Directors that still leaves several questions unanswered as it only concentrated on the actions of Tenbarge that allegedly victimized Echo Housing and the taxpayers of the entire United States that granted money into those coffers?…as for Tenbarge a tabulation on page 14 of the State Board Of Accounts “Special Investigation Report” charges that a total of $180,006 is expressly concluded to be due back to Echo Housing from Stephanie Tenbarge who has been indicted for 3 crimes that could put her into prison for longer than her life expectancy?
IS IT TRUE that in the body of the State Board of Accounts “Special Investigation Report” a reference is made to a “contractor” who was living in Echo Housing property free and also received payments of over $135,000?…there are numerous other unnamed people or “contractors” who are cited in this report for having received payments from Echo Housing plus it seems as though the established procedures for financial oversight were either not followed at all or followed in a most incompetent way?…it is also cited that Echo Housing carried crime insurance policies but the limits and deductibles of these policies are not stated?…if these policies are worth the paper they are written on Echo Housing may just get reimbursed for some of the losses that happened due to a proven crime?  …if Ms. Tenbarge is not found guilty of the alleged crimes then this policy will not pay a darn thing?…one would expect that such an entity would carry a policy for the errors and omissions associated with the actions and inactions of the Board of Directors?…that small petty theft can easily get swept into the operations of a large organization but for transactions over a number of years subject to a “Special Investigation Report” of nearly $200,000 carry more responsibility than just the alleged thief?
IS IT TRUE that an exit conference was recently held that was attended by Chris Metz, Executive Director; Karen Woodard, Office Administrator; Dane Chandler, President of the Board; Rev. Gerald C. Arnold, Board member; and Jason M. Fisher, Board member?…it’s possible that a couple members of this group could bear some responsibility for what has happened at Echo Housing as they were the fiduciaries sworn to carry out the policies that had been adopted and to provide oversight of the former Executive Director?…we believe that the only way that Echo Housing missing funds isssue can be proven that Stephanie Tenbarge acted alone is to allow the Forensic Audit to point it out?…the insurance companies involved will certainly have an incentive to root out who all of the illegal beneficiaries of this fiasco are from Tenbarge, to board actions, to contractors and service providers?…that some people believe that it may be convenient to hang all of this missing funds issue on Tenbarge and some people in elected and appointed offices hope that this problem goes away but some people believe that would not be in the interest of justice? …bottom line, nothing but a fully executed Forensic Audit will reveal the full tabulation of who benefitted and how?…to do any less is to act as an aider and abetter of the alleged theft?
IS IT TRUE here’s a link of the State Boards Of Accounts “Special Investigation Report”? Â Â Â Â Echo Housing Audit
IS IT TRUE that there were just some layoffs in downtown Evansville and these were some good paying jobs?…the layoffs we speak of were at Vectren where the acquisition purge finally came about right after the public utility was bought out?…there has been no official count yet and most of the people who were laid off were also bought out with several actually getting golden handshakes of over many million dollars?…to the disgust of many, some of the golden parachute crew will be eligible to draw unemployment benefits of roughly $400 per week from the State of Indiana for the next 26 weeks?…as aggravating as some folks may be over this it is fair as they will not be getting paychecks?…there is no means test to draw unemployment and one who gets a million dollar handshake is just as entitled under the law to unemployment benefits as one who gets a two week severance check?…we do wish the departing Vectren employs good fortune as they move on and are disheartened to see a prominent corporate headquarters vaporize in downtown Evansville?
IS IT TRUE the reality that the demographics of the neighborhood where the new $18 Million bike path was just installed have reared their ugly head once again when it comes to supporting a grocery store?…it has not been long since the Buehler’s Buy Low and a CVS closed due to poor business and other than a gold plated bike path, nothing else has changed?… Jimtown was Jimtown before the gilded bike path was built and Jimtown is still Jimtown?…the reality is that Jimtown doesn’t have the cash flow to support a grocery store?… Jimtown’s population is sufficient but the income of the residents is not?…downtown Evansville residents have the income but they don’t have the population needed to support such stores?…there is no reason to believe given the housing stock and available land that either of these situations will change in the next two decades?
IS IT TRUEÂ last night the 4th Ward City Council candidate Alex Burton had a very successful political raising event at a Hayne’s Corner Pub? Â …it’s obvious that Mr. Burton campaign is attracting a diverse group of supporters? Â …one thing for sure that Mr. Burton campaign staff are really for his campaign to begin? Â …we are told that 24-year 4th Ward City Councilwoman Connie Robinson is openly supporting Alex Burton to replace her on City Council?
IS IT TRUE we are told that the ACLU is watching to see if a group of individuals are successful in forcing the cancellation of the upcoming “Drug Queen Story Hour” scheduled to be held at the North Park Public library?
Todays“Readers Poll†question is: Would you like for the Echo Housing Board of Directors to release a copy of the Forensic Audit of Echo Housing to the general public?
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The ACLU is now in bed with the EVPL Board promoting their cross dressing drag queen reading hour for children??
The way things are going with the EVPL Board, its just a matter of time before these choices appear when your library card needs to be renewed.
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“California Democrats Split Delegates Into New Categories: ‘Self-Identified Female’ Or ‘Male/Other Than Self-Identified Female’”
https://bigleaguepolitics.com/california-democrats-split-delegates-into-new-categories-self-identified-female-or-male-other-than-self-identified-female/
Does anyone know if the City foreclosed their water and sewer leens on the McCurdy apartments?
Perhaps Ms. Tenbarge’s woes may include additional Federal courts of filing false income tax returns (3) and income tax evasion as well (3) . . .of course, apparently, the contractor received “in lieu of cash” benefit for the rent and utilities received . . .perhaps the possibly of bribes and kickbacks might be in the mix as well . . .
It appears this was a forensic audit (fraud examination). What makes an audit forensic is typically (1) it is being done as a result of possible criminal activity and (2) it examines EVERY transaction as opposed to testing a percentage of transactions (30%, 50%, etc). Additionally, it appears it is being used as a basis for the prosecution of the former director so from all appearances, this is the forensic audit.
Do you remember the scandal at the Evansville Housing Authority? It was a similar entity to Echo and maybe even an old incarnation of the same thing. The frauds perpetrated at the Evansville Housing Authority all had to do with contractor relationships and in particular with change orders. Any audit that does not go deeper down the patronage chain than the Tenbarge woman is not sufficient to root out the beneficiaries of fraud. Overpaying for construction and stuff is how public money is funneled to political cronies and preferred supporters in places like Echo. If that isn’t snuffed out, they will all be back at the trough. They probably already are.
Also any theft or misappropriation after the first year it was discovered is on the auditors and the board for lack of oversight. Tenbarge does appear to be a thief but there is supposed to be a governance process in place to minimize such thievery. The board is complicit by availing themselves of carrying our their appointed responsibilities.
As disclosed in the state examiner’s report, the statement regarding the possibility of inclusiveness is nothing more than a disclaimer to CYA the auditor . . . there is no review, examination, either forensic or not that guarantees exclusiveness . . . perhaps the optics may be an issue at least with the general public considering that some of our citizens might question if any political awareness of the SBOA would come to play . . .generally, we wish to believe that our investigatory’s are above reproach and generally this is the case . . . my question is why did apparently the Director of the DMD inject himself into the fray early on when this situation surfaced. Perhaps an innocent gesture of goodwill and perhaps not . . .and perhaps time will tell . . .if an experienced board member trained in procedures should have asked what forensic procedures were undertaken to assure the proper accounting of revenue . . . in addition, who opens the mail . . .who makes the deposits . . .who records the revenue within the General ledger . . .just to mention a review . . .and perhaps this was some of the questions . . .the general public will never know . . .
Sure this is only the tip of the graft in the slew of boards with little to no oversight, and piles of money to award at will with no bid contracts. After you get used to doling out wads of dollars, why wait for a kickback, cut out the middle man.
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