IS IT TRUE here’s a possible explanation for the increase of labor costs that consumes 87% of the City budget? …Mayor Winnecke has added 187 employees since he took office 3 1/2 years ago? …there were 1341 City employees when he took office and now the City has 1528 employees?

IS IT TRUE that the City and County Councils set the legal purpose of appropriated funds?  …that for funds to be used for other purposes the Disbursing Officer has to get legal authorization?

IS IT TRUE that George Lumley appeared before the joint City/County Councils at the recent budget hearings where he ask and they clarified that the funds budgeted in the River Boat Fund were for residential demolition only?  That other funds were to be used for the related administrative expenses?

IS IT ALSO TRUE that Mr. Lumley appeared before the full City Council on August 24 where they confirmed that residential demolitions were the only allowable expense to be charged to the River Boat Demolition Account?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Lumley appeared before the City Council Monday evening and presented copies of numerous claims charged to the account that were not related to residential demolition?

IS IT TRUE a claim by Morley and Associates for services rendered in inspecting cracks in the Helfrich Neighborhood pool in the amount of $536.25 was charged to the Riverboat Boat Demolition Fund?

IS IT TRUE  a claim by Altstadt Pluming for the installation of a water service to 2800 Riverside in the amount of $1275 was charged to the Riverboat Fund without explanation?

IS IT TRUE a bill from Morley and Associates in the amount of $2,017.50 for inspecting the commercial building at 1500 North Heidlebach Avenue was charged against residential demolition and taken from the Riverboat fund?

IS IT TRUE that bills for fencing at Miller Plating was $4,620.00 and Owens Block $2,275.00 was charged to the appropriation in the Riverboat Fund that was legally appropriated only for residential demolition?

IS IT TRUE that the Klenck Company invoice in the amount of $15,882.42, representing one day’s work to install a fence at the commercial flea market property at 1500 Heidelbach was charged as residential demolition to the Riverboat Fund?

IS IT TRUE that charges for the daily removal of garbage that is billed to property owners is paid out of Riverboat Fund but the income goes to other operations?  …although these amounts may be small, $240 each, they add up to huge monthly charges?  …that a month of August bill from R & R Hauling totaled $10,397.40 and every month these operating expenses are charged against the appropriation for residential demolitions while the collections for the billings are going somewhere else?

IS IT TRUE these claims cited and presented to the City Council are only a small a sampling that represent hundreds of thousands of dollars that were designated for residential demolition but have been illegally diverted to operating expenses each year?

IS IT TRUE that Mr. Lumley asked the Council to do something about this and we ask you to join him and ask your elected representatives what he or she plans to do about this illegal pilfering of our Riverboat funds for operating expenses and leaving large numbers of zombie houses in the neighborhoods?

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