UPDATE: THE WEDNESDAY WIND DOWN COVID-19 FUND RAISING EVENT SCAM
In my initial post about the Event listed above, I stated that it was a SCAM and the reasons why. After further investigation into the matter, I have discovered information that supports major Corruption and Collusion between the Mayor and Council, and the City Manager with the knowledge of the City Attorney and City Auditors. I will provide that detailed information to Gov. Kemp’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service Office.
Now back to the Event SCAM. As previously stated, the Event was billed as one sanctioned by the City of East Point. That means that the Mayor and Council voted for it directly or it was an approved City Departmental Event in the FY2020 Adopted Budget that was authorized by the Department Director.( See Financial Policies on page 38 of the FY2020 Adopted Budget.)
I made several Open Records Requests (ORR) requesting the following information. CLICK HERE: WWD Heroes Event 1
CLICK HERE: WWD Heroes Event CLICK HERE: WWD Heroes Event 4 CLICK HERE: Sharon Shropshire Bank Statement
After reading the responses to my ORR, on Friday, August 21, 2020 I called City Manager Gardiner and asked about the lack of funding in the FY2020 Budget for the Wednesday Wind Down Event on August 19th . He stated that the funding had been moved to an account for Council Events and that he would text me the document. As of this posting, I have not received the document. This is what I do know based on City documents:
- There was no funding allocated in the Adopted FY2020 Budget for any Wednesday Wind Down Event.
- Mayor and Council have not amended the Adopted FY2020 Budget to include a Wednesday Wind Down Event.
- ORR do not provide any information showing that any City Department Director has followed the Expenditure Policies stated on page 38 for the issuance of a purchase order for the Event. Therefore, I can only conclude that the Event was not adopted in any City Department Budget.
- There is no record of anyone in East Point City Government authorizing any City financial or human resources or equipment for the Wednesday Wind Down Event on August 19th that was held on City property with City equipment.
It is the job of Mayor and Council to provide the residents of this City an explanation of what is going on, how did it happen and what is being done to make sure that it does not happen again. This total violation of our City Charter, and related financial budgetary policies need to be address and the ones involved should be fired or severely sanctioned. The Federal and State Constitutions and Our City Charter demand that residents know how and where the City spends its money.
I will address the Corruption and Collusion discovered in my next post.
