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00SL2
F L I N T O I D
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1. Administration (Walling and Eason) are not on the same page.
2. Why are the Senior Millage funds not kept in a single separate accounting fund?
3. Not only does it appear the current administration is incompetent, but also the auditors who have been hired by the city. The audits should show Senior Millage funds, as well as Community Policing millage funds. How about it taxpayers? Are audits printed the same way ombudsman annual reports are, i.e., incomplete?
3. We know some of the Senior Millage funds were spent on expensive newsletters during the Williamson administration. What else then and since? Equipment stolen from the senior centers?
Above comments are in response to:
mlive.com
Walling says Flint can account for senior citizen millage funds, but Genesee County commissioners unsure after hearing from city administrator
Published: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 5:29 PM
Ron Fonger | Flint Journal
A top city official told the county Board of Commissioners that Flint could not account for as much as $65,000 in taxpayer money to fund senior services — adding to ongoing uncertainty over the millage spending.
City Administrator Greg Eason told commissioners today that the city will make up for any improper spending of senior services millage funds it received in 2007 and 2008.
“I can’t really tell you where it went,” Eason said. “The city has responsibility for fully replacing it ... The city has to eat it. We have no choice.”
Still more confusion surfaced several hours later when Mayor Dayne Walling said that Eason “may not have been prepared for some of the questions” from commissioners today and said the city can account for “all the senior millage funds.”
Walling blamed the county for changing the way millage funds are dispersed for some confusion and said the county “needs to straighten out its process.”
Eason made the comments when asking the commissioners to allow the city to keep $92,000 in past funding from the senior millage by carrying those funds over to next year’s budget.
Commissioners — who asked for an accounting of how senior millage dollars advanced to the city in 2007 and 2008 were spent or for a ledger showing where those funds are now — delayed action Flint’s request.
The lack of accounting for the property taxes collected across the county as part of a 0.7-mill property tax approved in 2006 to benefit senior citizens has left commissioners with a difficult decision:
Allow the city to simply replace the funds that Eason said he can’t account for or hold back millage payments in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, creating a hardship for the city’s three senior centers.
If commissioners approve the city’s request to carry over the millage dollars, Flint would receive a full portion of the senior citizen millage money again this year rather than being penalized for improper spending.
Flint’s three senior centers — Brennan Community Center, Hasselbring Senior Center and Pierce Senior Center — are in line to receive $113,000 each from the millage in the coming fiscal year if the carryover is allowed.
Eason did not say where the city would get the $65,000 from but he told commissioners that if the carryover was approved he could spend the equivalent money on senior center improvements by the end of November.
Walling said the senior millage funds are in various city accounts.
Senior millage funds were given to Flint during initial distributions in the first two years the tax was collected — 2007 and 2008. Those funds are no longer given to communities and senior centers in advance.
Although Eason did not mention former Mayor Don Williamson by name, the administrator said the city “didn’t have our act together” in spending or documenting spending during the years Williamson served as mayor.
Williamson said his administration spent all millage funds on their intended purposes, contradicting Eason and Walling
“They have no idea what they’re doing,” Williamson said of the current administration. “It is very true that after me, they didn’t have their act together.”
Facing a recall election, Williamson resigned early in 2009. He was replaced on an interim basis by Mike Brown before Walling took over at the end of 2009.
Commissioner Brenda Clack, D-Flint, said county attorneys will have to advise commissioners on what they should do.
“In government, there must be accountability ... We can’t give them money with no accountability,” Clack said.
Commissioners already have approved carryover requests for senior centers in both Grand Blanc and Swartz Creek.
Last week, commissioners delayed Flint’s $92,000 carryover request after some board members questioned why funds awarded to the city in 2007 still had not been spent. Eason spoke to commissioners today in response to those questions.
Flint officials have said only about $65,000 of that $92,000 actually remained unspent. Planning Commission Director-Coordinator Julie Hinterman said that’s possible if spending occurred since June.
Commissioner John Northrup, D-Flint, said the county has to insist that Flint officials either show how the senior millage funds were spent on senior services, require the city to spent an equal amount on senior services, or have that amount taken from future allocations from the county.
“The city of Flint got the money,” Northrup said. “The Board of Commissioners is responsible for the integrity of the senior millage fund... They were given money to do a specific thing.
“It was taxpayers’ money (and) they haven’t done that.”
© 2010 MLive.com. All rights reserved.
Source:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/09/wallings_top_aide_says_city_of.html |
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Wed Sep 22, 2010 8:53 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Genesee County as well as Plante Moran were suppposedly oveseeing those funds for the time in question. Why did it take so long for these issues to surface.
Flint printed the newsletters because other communities were using the same company and seniors said they wanted them. These newletters continued even into the Brown administration. The continuation of funding for the senior centers revolved around building up sufficient numbers of participation at the centers and the newsletter helped inform the public about the availability of services.
There was continued problems with the county over acceptable funding levels and what was acceptable. The county was making up the rules as they went along. Carry over funds were in dispute more than once. Seniors from the centers attended many meetings and spoke about their displeasure about the process.
Walling and Eason are frequently on opposite sides. |
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Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:38 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| There is a court case involving the senior centers coming up next week. Makes you wonder if this is part of Eason's strategy for the court case. |
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Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:43 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| The county put the millage on the ballot and started implementing the spending before they had any carved-in-stone rules in place. Seniors from both Brennan and Hasselbring attended advisory meetings and county commission meetings. Tney can tell you that the rules kept changing and evolving. I guess you could call them a work in progress. |
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Thu Sep 23, 2010 6:47 am |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Wow this is another reason to not re elect this guy!
quote:
00SL2 schreef:
1. Administration (Walling and Eason) are not on the same page.
2. Why are the Senior Millage funds not kept in a single separate accounting fund?
3. Not only does it appear the current administration is incompetent, but also the auditors who have been hired by the city. The audits should show Senior Millage funds, as well as Community Policing millage funds. How about it taxpayers? Are audits printed the same way ombudsman annual reports are, i.e., incomplete?
3. We know some of the Senior Millage funds were spent on expensive newsletters during the Williamson administration. What else then and since? Equipment stolen from the senior centers?
Above comments are in response to:
mlive.com
Walling says Flint can account for senior citizen millage funds, but Genesee County commissioners unsure after hearing from city administrator
Published: Wednesday, September 22, 2010, 5:29 PM
Ron Fonger | Flint Journal
A top city official told the county Board of Commissioners that Flint could not account for as much as $65,000 in taxpayer money to fund senior services — adding to ongoing uncertainty over the millage spending.
City Administrator Greg Eason told commissioners today that the city will make up for any improper spending of senior services millage funds it received in 2007 and 2008.
“I can’t really tell you where it went,” Eason said. “The city has responsibility for fully replacing it ... The city has to eat it. We have no choice.”
Still more confusion surfaced several hours later when Mayor Dayne Walling said that Eason “may not have been prepared for some of the questions” from commissioners today and said the city can account for “all the senior millage funds.”
Walling blamed the county for changing the way millage funds are dispersed for some confusion and said the county “needs to straighten out its process.”
Eason made the comments when asking the commissioners to allow the city to keep $92,000 in past funding from the senior millage by carrying those funds over to next year’s budget.
Commissioners — who asked for an accounting of how senior millage dollars advanced to the city in 2007 and 2008 were spent or for a ledger showing where those funds are now — delayed action Flint’s request.
The lack of accounting for the property taxes collected across the county as part of a 0.7-mill property tax approved in 2006 to benefit senior citizens has left commissioners with a difficult decision:
Allow the city to simply replace the funds that Eason said he can’t account for or hold back millage payments in the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1, creating a hardship for the city’s three senior centers.
If commissioners approve the city’s request to carry over the millage dollars, Flint would receive a full portion of the senior citizen millage money again this year rather than being penalized for improper spending.
Flint’s three senior centers — Brennan Community Center, Hasselbring Senior Center and Pierce Senior Center — are in line to receive $113,000 each from the millage in the coming fiscal year if the carryover is allowed.
Eason did not say where the city would get the $65,000 from but he told commissioners that if the carryover was approved he could spend the equivalent money on senior center improvements by the end of November.
Walling said the senior millage funds are in various city accounts.
Senior millage funds were given to Flint during initial distributions in the first two years the tax was collected — 2007 and 2008. Those funds are no longer given to communities and senior centers in advance.
Although Eason did not mention former Mayor Don Williamson by name, the administrator said the city “didn’t have our act together” in spending or documenting spending during the years Williamson served as mayor.
Williamson said his administration spent all millage funds on their intended purposes, contradicting Eason and Walling
“They have no idea what they’re doing,” Williamson said of the current administration. “It is very true that after me, they didn’t have their act together.”
Facing a recall election, Williamson resigned early in 2009. He was replaced on an interim basis by Mike Brown before Walling took over at the end of 2009.
Commissioner Brenda Clack, D-Flint, said county attorneys will have to advise commissioners on what they should do.
“In government, there must be accountability ... We can’t give them money with no accountability,” Clack said.
Commissioners already have approved carryover requests for senior centers in both Grand Blanc and Swartz Creek.
Last week, commissioners delayed Flint’s $92,000 carryover request after some board members questioned why funds awarded to the city in 2007 still had not been spent. Eason spoke to commissioners today in response to those questions.
Flint officials have said only about $65,000 of that $92,000 actually remained unspent. Planning Commission Director-Coordinator Julie Hinterman said that’s possible if spending occurred since June.
Commissioner John Northrup, D-Flint, said the county has to insist that Flint officials either show how the senior millage funds were spent on senior services, require the city to spent an equal amount on senior services, or have that amount taken from future allocations from the county.
“The city of Flint got the money,” Northrup said. “The Board of Commissioners is responsible for the integrity of the senior millage fund... They were given money to do a specific thing.
“It was taxpayers’ money (and) they haven’t done that.”
© 2010 MLive.com. All rights reserved.
Source:
http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/index.ssf/2010/09/wallings_top_aide_says_city_of.html
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Flint Michigan Resident, Tax Payer, Flint Nutt - Local REALTOR - Activist. www.FlintTown.com |
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Thu Sep 23, 2010 2:18 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Eason could not resist talking about this to council. He now says all of the money is accounted for and the different fiscal years created some of the problems. Flint is on a July 1 to june 30 fiscal year and the county is on a October 1 to September 30 fiscal year. He also said the county changed from an advance payment system to a system of reimbursement.
The odd thing is Eason stated the problem came from 3 years ago. Brown and walling could have dealt with this in the last 18 months. He obviously is trying to tie the problem into the court case next Tuesday as he kept blaming the problem on the person who was the subject of a closed executive session. That person left in February 2009. |
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Sun Sep 26, 2010 3:24 pm |
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