New ECHO Housing Director Chris Metz Speaks About EPD Investigation

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New ECHO Housing Director Chris Metz Speaks About EPD Investigation

MARCH 27TH, 2018  MELANIE ZAYAS EVANSVILLE, INDIANA

 As Evansville police continue investigating the alleged misused funds at ECHO Housing, the city council is stepping in. Former ECHO Executive Director Stephanie Tenbarge is accused of using ECHO money for personal use but council wants more answers before giving the organization any more money. The Evansville City Council plans to vote on an ordinance to withhold money from ECHO – until it sees results of an independent audit. ECHO Housing executive director Chris Metz is explaining why he was hesitant to talk to EPD in the early stages of the investigation.
Chris Metz says, “There were a lot of moving parts to this situation early on like an issue like this. I think there may have been some issues retrospectively with the flow of communication. We may not have been communicating at the right levels and the right processes. Any issue with communication may likely have occurred on our end and we take full responsibility for that.”

 

ECHO Housing Corporation officials are teaming up with financial crimes officers from the EPD.  They’re hoping to get to the bottom of the organization’s finances after former Executive Director Stephanie Tenbarge allegedly misused funds. Metz says he is fully cooperating with the EPD during this very difficult time. Meanwhile – Evansville City Council is set to vote on an ordinance to withhold roughly $460,000  from ECHO housing until the investigation is complete. $300,000 of that is slated for the construction of the Garvin lofts, while $80,000 allocated for the low-income housing development Lucas Place – and another $80,000 was set aside for the Promise Zone. Metropolitan Development Executive Director, Kelly Coures says, “We’re certain that our funds have all reimbursed legitimate expenses for ECHO because of the processes that we have in place but the ordinance is talking about money that we won’t even receive until September. So I’m hoping that council will take a hard look at that.”

Metz also wants his ECHO housing clients to know their housing will not be impacted in any way because of this investigation. Metz explains, “The residents and the clients served by ECHO’s programs are certainly our priority and the main thing that we want to communicate to them today is your house is not in jeopardy and your services are not in jeopardy. The ECHO Housing Corporation will continue to do the work ECHO Housing Corporation does.” The Evansville City Council is scheduled to vote on the ordinance come April 9th.

Melanie Zayas

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3 COMMENTS

  2. Mr. Coures should be concerned about the apparent lack of internal controls at ECHO. His statement that any defalcations occurred before the anticipated current appropriation of the Council is ridiculous. Kudos to Mr. Weaver and Mr. Elpers in their actions.

    • Why hasn’t the feds been notified? These funds originated for the Community Block Grant which is Federal. Evansville is acting only as a conduit. And, who was the accounting firm that audited ECHO, if any?

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