As Rachael Ramsey remarked on twitter, the Lede was buried:
Developer aims to build boutique hotel on Bay beachfront ~ Stacey Cato
Smith gave each council member an information package which included details of a lawsuit where suspected drug money had been seized from an individual during an arrest, but a judge had ordered it must be paid back.
“Is this part of the FBI (police) investigation fund?” Mayor Mike Favre asked Smith.
“It is, which is why I don’t want to go into details on this now,” Smith said. “We can go into an executive session if you need a few to discuss the backstory.”
Why was this discussed in executive session? We have a final court order dating to March and I’d bet big money little new ground was broken in executive session that already wasn’t broke by the media well over a year ago.
Several police officers have either resigned or been terminated this week over a pending federal investigation of a “secret” discretionary checking account, City Councilman-at-large Mike Favre said.
“We went from finding that we had a police DOJ fund that was established on paper but monetarily was not there, to a police chief being investigated for evidentiary items that were missing and being pawned, and the police chief’s suicide.
“We also found possible payroll-fraud allegations with other members of the department, as well as problems with security of the evidence locker, and IT breaches that resulted in lost evidence.”
The fact the City is paying for the judgment from the reserve fund can only mean the cash that was seized sprouted legs and walked off. The systemic corruption at Bay PD is a major black mark on the former Fillingame administration whose legacy the taxpayers are still having to pay for with their tax dollars.
I am amazed when police arrest significant amounts of money from innocent people in the name of the war on drugs why the media acts like such happenings are either unique or an aberration. Just last month for instance:
WV State Police seize $10K from couple without charging them with a crime ~ Jake Zuckerman
As Dimitrios Patlias and Tonya Smith found out, getting their money back is the real battle. When forfeiture funding is not being squandered Bay St Louis/Pelahatchie style, local law enforcement often abuses the loot – the history of that is both long and well documented. As part of the obscenely expensive and futile war on drugs it’s past time that particular program is ended.
Good questions, Doug!! Why is this being considered to be paid out of the city’s Reserve Fund?
Why are no bonds being revoked to cover this?
Why does this city even purchase surety bonds, if they are not going to use them?
Why can’t a member of The Hancock County Alliance for Good Government, David Wells, get his months old Public Records Request for a copy of the surety bond the city purchases?
He wants to read the language in it. Doug Seal (Council, Ward I) insists there has to be criminal activity for the bond to be revoked. Others say the city only has to incur a loss. Hand the document over, and let Mr. Wells see what he is paying for as a taxpayer.
Once again, it seems, no matter who’s elected to lead the City, the same mantra rules, “stick it to the folks.”
Doug and Lana, This is another sad day in the Bay.
Guess the FBI will sweep this under the rug just as they did with dinardo and les on the payroll fraud.
Or the state auditor with the DOJ funds.
Glad to see the mayor and chief are cleaning this dept. up.
Was thugs with a badge running wild in the Bay.
Takes time but I see a lot of new faces.
Ice and Chief, keep cleaning out until you get the right ones.
Build that dept. right and they will come.
But this should not come out of the city’s Reserve fund. That is not cleaning it up.
If the Mayor and Chief know who did this, they should recommend to Council to revoke bonds. This is a mighty lean time of year to have the taxpayers bailing wrongdoers out of trouble. But that’s never acceptable anyway
Well said Stone but wasn’t State Auditors also investigating illegal pay raises given by Fillingame too? Was that ever received? Ms. Lana?
Alliance,
We have a new State Auditor since the Fillingame days. Who knows what he’ll take up. He’s already nailed a Chancery Clerk in Noxubee County for giving away County funds to churches, and the State Board of Dental Examiners for their unethical practices. That included a local dentist in the Bay who is Chairman of the Board. The State Auditor could open an office in Hancock County and never have time to go back to Jackson!!!!!!!$$$$$$$
Les had to make restitution for the illegal raises with a personal check to the city. I think it was a little over $700. He should be grateful they caught him early on, or it would have been more.
Ms. Lana, we called a former 1st annexed Councilman and he stated clearly that there was other raises sent to Pickering for questions totaling quite a bit of money. New Council or Attorney need to look at files. Where’s Reed and Seal?
I don’t know where to start.
Pickering? Empty suit
Reed and Seal? Actionless is what comes to mind.
New Council and Attorney?
More of the above.
Call the new State Auditor. He seems to be moving on some issues.
Locally- do not waste your time.
Ms Lana, Lady in our circle called. Was told, “new Council must inquire about past Council minutes directing or letter if sent or direct Council Clerk to follow up or new City Attorney.” easy as pie. Lol
Alliance,
I found out a long time ago, you can make them “aware” but you can’t make them “care.” Like I said don’t waste your time locally. Knoblock would be the only one I would think would care, the rest, no way.
AFFIG you lost me, the new Council must inquire about past Council minutes directing or a letter ….what? I’m just one person .. without a pool
Reed and Seal have their heads in the Sand. They are seasoned politicians that feel they can’t be beat and have the job forever. We need term limits…..
Lana , Give them time to go after a bond. Sound like this needed to be done now.
I hope they do go after all that was involved but n this scam.
Alliance for Facts. Right on about pay raises.
If I remember correctly what les paid back was pennies on a dollar compared to the other raises he gave without.
Lana,I doubt this state auditor will do anymore than the last.
Neither will the FBI.
The cleaning up part I was talking about was from the employees in the P. D.
This case was turned over to the FBI and again they will sweep it under the rug.
Sad day in the Bay.