Indiana State Board of Accounts Cites Code Violations
By: Ralph Edwards
E. Wayne Parke, Chairman of the Vanderburgh County Republican Party held a press conference on the steps of the Civic Center this morning to calling for state and local investigations into whether Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and the City of Evansville violated state statutes when approving an arrangement to pay Tom Barnett, Executive Director of the Evansville Department of Metropolitan Development.
Parke, said Wednesday that an audit conducted by the Indiana State Board of Accounts that was released on Saturday “concluded that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and the city of Evansville are in violation of two state statutes and the City of Evansville Employee Handbook in paying Mr. Barnett over and above that which was approved by the Evansville City Council for his position.
Indiana Attorney General Greg Zoeller, and Stan Levco, the Vanderburgh County Prosecutor, were called upon to start investigations with regard to the audit findings. Neither gentleman was available for comments at the time of this release. Mr. Parke expressed an opinion that federal agencies may take interest in the audit as the management of federally sourced funds was the subject of some of the findings.
As the City County Observer stated in the fall of 2009 and confirmed in the spring of 2010, Barnett has a contract with the nonprofit organization GAGE, (the Growth Alliance for Greater Evansville), which supplements his income in the amount of $42,000 above the $73,997.78 he receives from the city. The $73,997.78 was approved by the City Council as part of its regular budget cycle.
David Jones, Evansville city attorney, responded in writing with a 3 page letter by saying the board of accounts took the passages out of context. He said Barnett’s work for GAGE is similar in nature to the work many police officers perform when they are hired to moonlight as security guards. Member of the EFD and EPD routinely do work as bouncers, landscapers, and even as beauticians providing in person services to independent businesses during off hours. When contacted regarding Mr. Barnett’s duties under the contract with GAGE, former president and CEO of GAGE, Joe Wallace emphatically stated that he never gave or was expected to give direction to Mr. Barnett and that he was never asked or expected to be asked to provide input to Mr. Barnett’s annual performance review.
HERE IS THE LETTER MR. PARKE READ ON THE CIVIC CENTER STEPS IN ITS UNEDITED VERSION
October 6, 2010
Greg Zoeller
Office of the Indiana Attorney General
302 W Washington St, 5th Floor
Indianapolis IN 46204
Stanley Levco
Vanderburgh County Prosecutor Office
Civic Center Complex
Administration Building- Rm 108
Evansville IN 47708
Dear Mr. Zoeller and Mr. Levco:
The findings in the Indiana State Board of Accounts audit report filed September 30, 2010 regarding calendar year 2009 audit of the City of Evansville are quite troubling regarding the compensation package of how Tom Barnett, Director of Metropolitan Development was arranged and paid.
It would appear that the audit concluded that Evansville Mayor Jonathan Weinzapfel and the City of Evansville are in violation of two State statues and the City of Evansville Employee Handbook in paying Mr. Barnett over and above that which was approved by the Evansville City Council for his position. The Indiana Board of Accounts indicated that arranging for a contract to supplement the amount approved by the Evansville City Council by over $40,000 through a non-profit entity (GAGE) whose Chairman of the Board of Directors was Mayor Weinzapfel at the time is in violation of IC 36-4-7-3(b) and IC 36-7-14-23. See attachment– page 64 of the Audit Report.
It must be noted that Mr. Barnett’s contract with GAGE which has been released to the public was signed on behalf of GAGE by Mayor Weinzapfel as its Chairman and that no other director, officer, or board member of GAGE signed the contract. GAGE was reimbursed in full and to the penny by the City of Evansville through the Bond Bank. The audit was with respect to calendar year 2009. This practice started in 2008, is ongoing in 2010, and is part of the 2011 City of Evansville’s proposed budget. This action that has been identified as problematic by the Indiana State Board of Accounts spans a period of four years but has to this point only been cited in one of those years.
As Vanderburgh County Republican Chairman, at which time that the audit is certified, I am requesting that you use the power of your office to conduct a review of the violations cited and to take appropriate actions if any are indeed appropriate. In the unfortunate instance that Mayor Weinzapfel has violated any Indiana laws with respect to his involvement in the payment of unapproved City of Evansville Funds to the Director of Metropolitan Development through GAGE, a non-profit that receives direct financial support from the City of Evansville, only a thorough investigation will serve justice to either redeem him or verify the audits conclusions.
Sincerely Yours,
E Wayne Parke
Chairman Vanderburgh County Republican Party
815 John St
Suite 110 H
Evansville IN 47713
Impeach Weinzapfel!!!!
Nice idea, but there is no legal mechanism in place in Indiana to remove a mayor by impeachment. Maybe you should uncover some wrong doings that would result in a conviction and jail sentence. That would work.
THERE IS A RED FLAG ON THE FIELD!
But is was NOT placed there by the Vanderburgh County GOP. It was placed there by a State Board of Accounts audit team.
So the flag is currently on the field and the time has come to assess the penalty. Who does that? Why, the Courts of course.
Other than the fact that the flag was a little late in being thrown due to the normal auditing schedule, resulting in the penalty assessment also being late; I would say things are working the way they are designed to work, up to this point.
Now let us see if the responsible people move the ball forward.
Comments are closed.