Updated: Throw Momma from the Train: It’s Screwy in Bay St Louie and its now unraveling like a cheap sweater

What we have here folks is a recurring theme in the human condition when someone without a moral compass leads others astray, dirtying them up in the process. It’s deadly serious now and today the Sea Coast Echo has blown things wide open with some of their finest reporting in quite some time but first guess who is not dead after all? That’s right folks, Chief Denardo’s Mother. And who was it that told the world that Denardo was reeling from his mother’s death? Bay St Louis’ Dishonorable Hizzoner, Les Fillingame:

Asked about possible reasons the chief may have taken his life, he said De Nardo had been “reeling from the death of his mother,” was in a state of personal grief.

Interesting as this was in today’s Sea Coast Echo:

Eubanks said De Nardo is survived by his mother in New York; his wife Patricia; his son Michael, Jr.; his step-daughters Eubanks and Ashley Baradell; nine grandchildren; one great-grandchild; sisters; uncles; and aunts.

The truth is simply not in him folks but its worse because while Fillingame has been maintaining for two days in the media that the legal troubles facing Denardo were outside the scope of his employment with the City it turns out the issues were inherent to his employment and the following three current city employees can now be identified as being involved in the payroll processes that surround these very serious allegations:

  • Mayor Les Fillingame
  • Interim Bay St Louis City Clerk Paula Fairconetue
  • Bay St Louis Payroll Clerk Pat Tice

And of course one former employee that now needs a good criminal defense lawyer:

  • Patricia Denardo

Can everyone now see why Mayor Fillingame has steadfastly refused  to hire a competent City Clerk for almost a year after the last one resigned? Sheriff Ricky Adam spelled the reasons out (slowly), in a way that even the Mayor’s staunchest defenders in the social media have no way to reconcile, as told by Stacey Cato and Geoff Belcher in today’s Echo:

“It’s all about the city,” Adam said. “The (alleged) theft of the police property, the fraudulent time sheets for payroll, it’s all about the city. It definitely involves city business. It’s not personal.”

As for the payroll fraud, Adam said, the city apparently kept De Nardo’s wife Patricia De Nardo on the payroll even after she left the police department to take another job.

“I’m really sure she hasn’t been on duty for at least the last three months,” possibly longer, Adam said. “Her time sheet was being turned in and she was being paid, yet she was not working. I don’t know the specifics, but I know it was multiple times. It is being investigated by the FBI.”

As a practical matter, there is no way the Chief could perpetrate the payroll fraud described above by himself as the City is way too small an operation for the Chief to continue to submit time sheets for his wife without someone in the internal control system surrounding payroll knowing she had left, thus the list of names of employees above.  We have a clue as to whom Sheriff Adam is looking at as suspects in the Payroll Fraud investigation as Stacey and Geoff snagged this quote from him:

Adam said he again asked for records from city hall and, once investigators were certain they had proof, called Mayor Les Fillingame and new city attorney Trent Favre this past Wednesday to “lay it out.” Adam said he met with the two in the sheriff’s office conference room where he discussed the gun sale allegation, but not the alleged payroll fraud.

With all the lies and deceit of the past two days starting with the Mayor planting the falsity that Denardo’s mother had died in the Sun Herald its becoming clear things at Bay City Hall are beginning to unravel like a cheap sweater and once that informational spigot opened there is no stopping it. Its all coming out.

Finally annual Single Audit after Single Audit and a State Auditor Performance Review has laid out the columns of billowing smoke in the financial operations of the City, that is until the 2015FY audit by new audit firm Culumber, Harvey & Associates which found nothing wrong and actually minimized the massive problems that were previously identified by both their predecessor and the Office of the State Auditor.  The 2015 audit now appears to have been a massive wasting of taxpayer money.

There is more to come as there is a high probability more arrests will be made sooner rather than later.

Author’s Note:

After I began working on this post Mayor Fillingame has attempted to distance himself from the whopper he told the Sun Herald last week about Mike Denardo’s mother being dead by calling in a new story to them saying Denardo misled him. With the Mayor steadfastly maintaining the illegalities alleged did not involve City operations who is one to believe here? Here is a clue to my thinking:

Falsus in uno, falsus in omnibus

Updated

This morning I contacted Council President Falgout and Councilman at Large Mike Favre with one very pointed question that would reveal much about the ongoing investigation which I will not disclose at this time. In a written statement to Slabbed New Media Council President Falgout in a statement which has now gone out on the City’s Council’s email distribution list said:

“There is an ongoing investigation being handled by the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department and other agencies. At this time, I will not have and/or give any comments or statements. Any and all inquiries should be directed to the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.”

Lonnie J. Falgout, President
Bay Saint Louis City Council

Michael Favre, Vice President
Bay Saint Louis City Council

Trent Favre
Bay Saint Louis City Attorney

41 thoughts on “Updated: Throw Momma from the Train: It’s Screwy in Bay St Louie and its now unraveling like a cheap sweater”

  1. The list of perps will grow as well as the list of informants. Les will be on an island soon. Marooned with just family blaming everyone else! It is never him or lil les daddy said! People are picking on them.

    The previous counselor and les n fly n jerry beau jangles are our very own crime family. Losers all.

    1. That is not good news for Katie Stewart who looks like is now in an even one on one fight with Poolman.

      The Camera never lies nor does it blink.

  3. Doug,
    Rather than Throw Mama from the train, let’s call this post:
    “Throw Mama in the Grave.”
    And Les’s heart is broken at finding out DeNardo “lied” to him about Mama!
    Les said in the Sun Herald today that the Chief told him last weekend that Mama had passed.
    Well, when s Councilman asked Les at last Tues. meeting ” where’s the Chief!”
    Les replied,” he’s out of town.”
    Why wouldn’t he inform the Council and those in attendance that a department head’s mother had died
    They may have wanted to call or send a card to the Chief.
    After all, he knew according to today’s paper—oh, wait, he didn’t know, and his “heart” is broken. Something’s broken alright- snapped right in two 😎

    1. PS: what a shame the Chief is not here to counter Les.
      Looks like the only folks Hizzona’s statements are safe around are dead ones!!

      1. Since the Sun Herald has abandoned the BSL City beat they have no knowledge of that vital contextual fact as it regards today’s story so instead they take a press release in the form of a call from the Mayor and report it as facts alongside a picture of the Mayor with a long face. The story they ran yesterday evening about Sheriff Adams comments was a dud compared to WLOX and the Echo.

        Slabbed has a small circle of people whose opinions we trust and what you see here is an amalgamation of those viewpoints coupled with our own observations. A newspaper is no different and it impacts how the news is framed. I’m always evaluating the quality of the information and opinions here and I’d like to think they do to……

        The Sun Herald abandoned the BSL City beat right around the same time they laid down this stinker of an editorial:

        Bay, Diamondhead leaders should learn to get along

        They framed the problem as nothing more than a bunch of grown men that can’t get along. Maybe that is the issue in Diamondhead but it was pretty clearly not the case in the Bay, where the Mayor refused to follow State law in handling the City’s finances and rejected every attempt to improve the City’s business practices. Quite frankly how can you find common ground with someone that serially lies and misleads?

        I’ve got a good idea who is whispering in the Sun Herald’s editorial ear. Given the events of the last 24 hours I wonder if they too are evaluating the quality of the information and the people whispering it in their ear. I’d like to think they do.

        1. Yea Sunherald only wants to write about boys dressing up as drag queens in Hancock County. 6 total articles sinve this but no reporting whatsoever on Bay St Louis!

          1. There was another notable 2016 high school graduate in Hancock County. A young man graduated from St. Stanislaus got an appointment to the Naval Academy. Sun Herald didn’t bother to write about him. Who is supposed to be covering Hancock County anyway?

          2. I agree MW. They tried to make that real news when it is just something else that routinely happens in A Place Apart and around America. Trying to force those issues into the main stream.

      2. Yep,thats the way politicos control associate or lower tier politicos ….

        The puppeteers set them (puppets) up with a deal (strings) so they will do what they tell them…

        Except some puppeteers ask more and more and then there is the time of blackmail when the puppets offer resistance to control ….

        Where did Poolman go…..he denied it involved him but he never answered what was his business for being at the police station at the very time that the late Chief was confronted by the Sheriff…..

        1. What a highly insightful observation Lockie and I think I can answer your question but I’d prefer that Jeff get first crack if he wants to add those details.

          I will say the answer is very complicated but the events involving the suicide do not involve Poolman directly.

          However the aftermath of the suicide will certainly involve Jeff in the context of the recently sworn complaint against him by Fillingame’s daughter. It was a poorly kept secret that Chief wanted the Sheriff and County Justice Court to handle the Katie Stewart complaint against Poolman just like the City did when Charles Oliver plowed into the back of those cars on Highway 90 and was charged with Drunk Driving last October. Word I get is the Mayor would have none of it. That surely put Chief in a bad spot considering his friendship with the Poolman.

        2. By the way Lockie, Slabbed has several sources that are telling us of other “current and/or current and former employees” at Bay PD that are being looked at in connection with selling City property including assault rifles. Stacey Pickering’s pet phrase “culture of corruption” comes to mind.

          We’ll all find out soon enough as to the quality of that information.

      3. Mike left a trail of thumb drives….according to the Sheriff in the Echo…..Again the camera never blinks….

    2. Lana Noonan:

      I agree with your logical reference to Les’ Pinocchio’s story that Denardo told him his mother had died which you correctly reasoned doesn’t make sense especially when Les just announced at Council meeting “he’s out of town.”

      I could believe that there was already smoke billowing and the Chief was told or asked to take some time off to think about whatever/ visit his sick mother perhaps ? Possibly the chief envisioned and stated that what was about to come down could stress and /or kill his dying mom.

      But when the Chief got back in town was he overwhelmed and did he face possibly a surprisingly different scenario in which both his and wife’s reputation/ well being were being questioned by whomever? And then facing the discord in his marriage, mom’s failing health and anticipated effect on her health…….. was all this too much to face. Did he like Judas believe there could be no forgiveness from his family members/relatives/peers or his God?

      Don’t know about the totality of human peers’ forgiveness but you can’t out sin the Lord’s infinite forgiveness and mercy as long as there is sincere, heart felt repentance. Suicide is never the answer….. only the Great Physician is and the Blood of the Cross. AMEN

      1. Given the dates of the letters of apology that Chief wrote (8/24), it appears he knew the end was near and had made his peace with this world.

        Mayor Fillingame was asked point blank by Councilmen Favre and Boudin whether or not he completed the Sheriff for the information the Sheriff had previously requested at the meeting on August 16, 2016. Surely the Mayor and Council knew exactly what the Sheriff was after and that had to involve the allegations of Payroll fraud.

        At the next council workshop we had the dust up over discussing personnel with Assistant Hizzoner Jerry Beaugez arguing with the Council over streaming the meeting to Facebook, and then the dust up over going into executive session at the next workshop speaking about personnel. How those events play in is the question in my mind because on some level they do play in.

        1. I think you have a typo here:

          Mayor Fillingame was asked point blank by Councilmen Favre and Boudin whether or not he completed the Sheriff for information

          I don’t want to guess at what you intended the word to be in the context it appears.

  4. He is a contractor. He was getting permits for his projects. He is a citizen I’m sure many other citizens and employees were there.

    1. Do you get building permits at city hall or at the police station? The shooting was at the police station, right? I’ve never pulled a permit in BSL, but normally it’s not done at the local PD.

  5. All major problems start at the top. What we have is a bonafide “Culture of Corruption “! Lies, deception, poor to terrible legal advice with intent to deceive Etc…..building dept corruption, court room fixing, malicious prosecution, drug test cover ups, purchasing issues, docket payment issues, illegal raises, mismanagement of city owned rentals including questions about deposits and cash payments, lack of equipment inventory and just bad stewardship of the taxpayers equipment, MLS Training at thousands of dollars with no accountability by the elected officials and no appreciable result as reference to the above, payroll fraud at all levels to include retired building, fire and public works officials who stayed on the payroll nearly a year because they did not have to document time away from work, asst police chief kept her police vehicle months after her departure, Right now I would bet les has accrued 95% of his time, lil les daddy said should have been reeled in long ago unqualified cronies holding high level positions? Who would have figured what is happening now?

  6. Getting Informed,

    What city and county are you talking about because you just described the one I am sitting in. How funny, I do not live in the Bay.

  7. The intelligence gathering and discussion of is gripping and impressive. Thanks to all you intel gatherers!!

  8. Thank You Doug, at least we can get accurate reporting unlike our local news media. I know what I read here is truth and not something someone wants you to believe.
    I can’t wait for the “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth” is revealed..
    Maybe Les will finally be doomed.

  9. Just an FYI! The unqualified chief building official just had a dumpster delivered to his renovation project on Bayview Ct in the the 2nd Ward. Guess he was reading slabbed and all this hoopla got him compliant. I wonder if he is still getting water on the dole? He may not have been able to read that part of the post? His wife can when she isn’t videoing the council with that smug mug she has to bear.

    They all have answering to do and they will jump from the ship or go down with it.

  10. The greatest contemporary novelist of our time, and I’m not even sure who that is at this point, couldn’t come up with a storyline that competes with this mess. Prayers still for those that are both directly involved and especially for those indirectly involved.

  11. If I was an employee in BSL, I know for sure what I would do. Tell investigators everything I knew about any wrongdoings in City Hall. Why get thrown under the bus by the Puppets of Les?
    Things will tumble like an earthquake over there. Get out quick with the truth….

  12. If I remember correctly, the state audit had as a problem area, the police department was cited for not requiring supervisor approval of overtime and not using time cards to check in and out by officers. Was this ever taken up as something that needed action to correct? Also, does the city have any rules regarding the hiring of family members and, in particular, the hiring of family members within the same department or under the supervision of their relative.

  13. Federal, State and Municipal Law has never been more than just a suggestion to Les and the Counselor. Les’s daughter answers directly to him. He doesn’t have a flow chart other than what he makes up at the time to avert these type of issues. They have all “Tore Their Drawers of Public Confidence”. Once Moral authority has been compromised and in this case, all but proven in a court of law, it is over for them. Les has lost the ability to lead as anyone with any sense would run from him and get legal counseling before carrying out any directives he may give at this time. He has lost the Court of Public Opinion. Pool Man, who is going to be vindicated by video surveillance, is the least of the Filingame Clans problems.

  14. As I have watched from afar it appears everyone speaks with forked tongues. If it were my tax dollars I would be demanding an outside source to investigate and oversee everything. I have heard the same statements from the sheriff as the mayor and yet it appears they want to turn it all over to the SO. Doesn’t appear they handled the first step do well!! JUST SAYING

    1. It has been turned over. The Office of the State Auditor, MBI, FBI, DOJ just to get started have gotten involved. Les surrounded by all the wrong people. It is his and their demise. Quid Pro Quo is getting all of them in the cross hairs. Get your popcorn! They are not finished spinning a web of deception. It is in their DNA!

  15. The chief had not been charged with a crime. In fact, it seems that there was no “hard” evidence presented only “unsubstantiated” intel. No further information has been given by law enforcement as to who was involved OR if there was any merit to the “unsubstantiated” intel. The way this whole sad story unfolded just doesn’t sit right or make any sense, IMO. Obviously something is going on, or had gone on, but it is reprehensible that these ‘conversations’, accusations, insinuations are taking place without real information to be had, about a man who was liked and loved by many people. IMO the sheriff should have never released pieces and parts of these “unsubstantiated” claims, or any other information until he could provide actual facts obtained from a full investigation. Really, is it not possible for people to just take a break from pointing fingers and leaping with joy until ALL of the story comes to light??? Using the chief’s tragic death while you salivate over “getting” the mayor & other city employees – no matter what you think of them – is simply evil. What is wrong with all of you???

    1. D. Cuevas, yours is the only decent and moral post on this site. Thank you so very much for your comment. Sheriff Adam has shown his lack of knowledge of the law in his handling of this matter.

      Mike DeNardo was one of the finest men to hold the title of Chief. He is gone, yet the vultures come in droves to pick his bones. Speaking of “bones,” I imagine a lot will be unearthed and these people with their spite fill rants will be subdued directly.

    2. D.cuevas:

      What’s wrong with us? Whats wrong with those who refuse to see and hear such as yourself …….just like those who will vote for neurologically impaired Hellery…. as the MSM and national Establishment hide the truths about Hellery who is less qualified than the garbage man that picks up your trash. Many Hellery voters will vote for Hellery just because of the Democratic Party’s long history of free shite to sheeple and to Democratic politicos in major,inner city governments .You do realize these truths, right?

      So apply those national truths to Mayberry by the Bay as from what has been exposed there were many politico pigs at a mutual pigs’ trough arranged through many politico arrangements ( I scratch yo’ back, yo’ scratch mine) . While some major evil politicos participated by starting/originating one or more “profit sharing” plans others may have been forced reluctantly into such activities by blackmail ( you do this or you won’t have a job).

      That said my prayers and thoughts go out to the Chief’s family who will suffer greatly due to the Chief’s suicide.

      Many disciples of Christ betrayed Him and received His grace through repentance, yet Judas refused and lost his salvation by hanging himself.

  16. Only Time will tell as to who has been honest and not honest. Really d cuevas you must be one of Les’ Puppets, always taking up for him.
    There was evidence of payroll fraud on the part of the Police Chief’s wife, and the Chief knew along with the payroll department and other employees including the Mayor who sees the payroll sheets each pay period.
    Let’s let the proper authorities finish their investigating and see where this all takes the City leaders and employees. I have all the confidence in Sheriff Adams and his staff to do the right thing.

      1. Mijoh:

        Chief Denardo in heaven wished there could have been an explanation. And the SlabbedNation is awaiting a five Pinocchio fairy tale story from da’ Mayor. 💩💩💩😂

        Will da’ Chief, who is unfortunately not here to defend himself, be made the scapegoat like Lee Harvey Oswald?🐐🐐🐐

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