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Mesquite officials reimburse city for unauthorized travel expenses; investigation finds no wrongdoing
By Ann Marie Shambaugh, Staff Writer
City of Mesquite officials said they did not find "any evidence of wrongdoing" after conducting an investigation of travel expenses dating back to 2004.
City Manager Ted Barron said that nearly $73,000 in taxpayer-funded expenses that violated the city's travel policy went unnoticed because of lax enforcement.
"We didn't really have a policy that's enforced by anyone," Barron said. "When the bills came in, I didn't have anybody specifically assigned to audit those checks, test it with t he policy, and fill out non-business related expenses. I do now."
The report concluded that the city's travel policy does not provide guidelines that are specific enough to be interpreted uniformly regarding reimbursible and non-reimbursible expenses, and that no one was specifically assigned to monitor travel expenses.
Budget Director Ted Chinn led the investigation, and he will be responsible for monitoring travel expenses in the future. City staff will review the travel policy and is expected to make changes after examining policies in other cities.
During the past week, seven elected officials and several city employees reimbursed the city nearly $73,000 for personal expenses footed by taxpayers on trips since 2004, with most costs stemming from the 2004 and 2005 bond rating trips organized by RBC, a longtime city financial advisor. Barron, who attended both New York trips, said all unauthorized costs have been recovered by the city and will be added to the general fund.
"It will certainly help with some of the sales tax shortfalls we have, but we're talking $70,000 out of a hundred million dollar budget," Barron said. "Certainly it's not going to hurt."
The bond rating trips to New York were unique, Barron said, because RBC organized and funded the trips and did not bill the city until months later, when costs were covered through proceeds from the bond issuance fees.
"Two months after the event happened, it simply fell through the cracks," Barron said. "We should have picked it up, and we should have reimbursed those personal expenses. Again, it was just a system failure."
The report states that seven elected officials owed money for expenses charged on trips between 2004 and 2008, including Mayor John Monaco, Mayor Pro Tem Shirley Roberts, and council member Dennis Tarpley. Former Mayor Mike Anderson owed the largest amount at $18,625.28, which he paid in full Tuesday.
The officials owed and paid the following amount:
*Former Mayor Mike Anderson, $18,625.28;
*Former council member John Heiman, $11,001.09;
*Mayor Pro Tem Shirley Roberts, $13,224.95;
*Former council member David Paschall, $5,646.24;
*Council member Dennis Tarpley, $9,708.85;
*Former council member Stan Pickett, $4,733.40
*Mayor John Monaco, $2,014.66;
*City manager's office, $4,793.87;
*Finance office, $2,893.48; and,
*Budget office, $235.37.
For more on this story, see Thursday's edition of the Mesquite News.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
Allen wrote on Mar 17, 2009 6:13 PM:
" I am applalled that the council was informed a couple of years back but the warnning was ignored. Where is the accountability and control? Certainly not the Director of Finance who participated. There is no internal audit function to report directly to the Board, but of course that is a moot point as the Board decided to ignore the warning, forego restitution, and not address the weakness. This is Business 101 ladies and gents. I have been on community and association boards and participation requires fiduciary and due dilligence. So no matter if a member was directly involved or ignored the situation, there is either direct involvement or a perception of culpability due to lack of intervention. The bottom line is this... millions of dollars of transactions continually face Board oversight but yet here we have thousands of dollars in question. "
Joe Taxpayer wrote on Mar 17, 2009 6:16 PM:
" You knew this was coming. Swept under the rug. The idea that Anderson, Roberts, Tarpley and Barron didn't realize that hauling along wives, children and grandchildren along on an "offical business" trip to NYC is beyond preposterous.
It sure looks like EVERY level of our government is corrupt to the core. Our own little AIG right here in Mesquite. "
It sure looks like EVERY level of our government is corrupt to the core. Our own little AIG right here in Mesquite. "
Robert Bass wrote on Mar 18, 2009 1:58 AM:
" WOW! There you have it folks! There are still some people who are willing to admit they made a major mistake and correct it by paying back improperly used taxpayer money! Gosh, what a concept! Now how about the Mesquite Schools taking a cue from this, by correcting stupid mistakes they have made with good employees in the past 8+ months? "
Al wrote on Mar 18, 2009 8:00 AM:
" Of course, they found no wrongdoing... Obviously they thought they were justified in authorizing everyone' families' travel expenses since having been INFORMED IN 2005 they were violating their own travel policies and decided to ignore the situation. "
Bill wrote on Mar 18, 2009 12:11 PM:
" Vote Monaco out of office on May 9th. In fact vote all the current office holders out. We need to start off fresh with a change of people and ideas. "
Lynn wrote on Mar 18, 2009 10:32 PM:
" If they didn't find any "wrongdoing" then why are these officials paying back all of this money? "
Lynn wrote on Mar 18, 2009 10:46 PM:
" And by the way, what the heck did Mr. Anderson spend almost $19,000 on? I think the public is entitled to see a breakdown of each official's tab. "
BRG wrote on Mar 19, 2009 12:03 PM:
" Lynn: It's a cover up. Had the investigation been carried out by an indepedent auditor, they would have said wrongdoing was found. "
PAT wrote on Mar 19, 2009 2:13 PM:
" How stupid can you get? You can't tell me that an elected official did not know it was illegal to take along the entire family and put all of the expenses on the taxpers bill!! If that is so, then we definitely need a new city council -
a council that has common sense and a sense of propriety!! "
a council that has common sense and a sense of propriety!! "
David wrote on Mar 20, 2009 10:52 AM:
" This has been said before... we have to keep asking how this was not wrong. Cronyism and protection - from city staff to the Board. How do we have consolation that our interests and rights are superior to the whims of a few? This may be the tip of the iceberg. Call for an independent investigation, either the State Auditor's Office or the Attorney General. "
Ms. M. wrote on Mar 21, 2009 11:04 PM:
" I'm certain that the city gave these officials instructions on how to use our taxpayer money. So, if funds were used wrongfully then they should reimburse the city. Besides that, why would a city authorize funds to paid for a relative's portion of the trips? No wonder our taxes are so high!!!! "
GG wrote on Apr 2, 2009 9:55 PM:
" An investigation never finds any wrong doing when you investigate yourself. One simple question: When these folks were highrolling in New York City who did they think was paying the bill? Santa Clause? These folks are successful business people yet they used taxes paid by the waitress, the auto mechanic, the janitor, the sanitation worker, the yard man and every one else who works for a living to treat them to a highrolling vacation in New York City. They paid back the money because they got caught but they did not buy back one ounce of trust or credibility. "
George wrote on Apr 3, 2009 9:07 AM:
" There usually is no wrong doing found when you investigate yourself. These are successful business people taking from the working poor to benefit the well to do. Come Sunday you will probably find all of them in Church. "
Gene wrote on Apr 4, 2009 12:07 AM:
" S. Roberts, was the cheese cake good? We annexed a piece of land from Kaufman Co. so the JP could sit on the bench in Dallas Co. Boy, want that get it. "
Sancudo wrote on Apr 4, 2009 8:05 AM:
" I would like to see more proof of the pay back. Those guys have lied before and they will do it again. What proof do we as tax payers have that they did. These bunch of crooks can work the numbers and make it look good on paper and say that they have paid back every penney. "
Geri wrote on Apr 4, 2009 8:58 AM:
" He stated there was no enforcement of policy. Obviously they knew there was a policy and they ignored it becuase it benefited them. Now we have a person whose ENTIRE job is to monitor their personal expenses becuase they do not have enough personal integrity to realize that seeing "Wicked" with your entire family on Broadway is in no way related to business in Mesquite Tx. Perhaps we are going to build a broadway caliber theater next to the new police station?
Then he has the nerve to state $70,000 is not going to hurt! Thats more than a lot of people make in a year, or even two! That would pay for another police officer or firefighter, but again the safety of our citizens do not compare with Ted not having to take a cab while he is in NYC on our dime. Lord forbid he and his precious ones have to eat at a chain restaurant while there, I am sure they eat lobster every day while at home, must continue the tradition while on "our" vacation. All this is justified by the statement that RBC billed 2 months later. So if they had only told you in ADVANCE that would make all the difference? oh wait, they DID, but you still did it becuase you all believed that the people who voted you in wouldnt care about this itty bitty not making a difference amount, they love you, they want you to spend 2x their median salary on a trip. wrong "
Then he has the nerve to state $70,000 is not going to hurt! Thats more than a lot of people make in a year, or even two! That would pay for another police officer or firefighter, but again the safety of our citizens do not compare with Ted not having to take a cab while he is in NYC on our dime. Lord forbid he and his precious ones have to eat at a chain restaurant while there, I am sure they eat lobster every day while at home, must continue the tradition while on "our" vacation. All this is justified by the statement that RBC billed 2 months later. So if they had only told you in ADVANCE that would make all the difference? oh wait, they DID, but you still did it becuase you all believed that the people who voted you in wouldnt care about this itty bitty not making a difference amount, they love you, they want you to spend 2x their median salary on a trip. wrong "
CJ wrote on Apr 4, 2009 10:13 AM:
" These officials seem to find no shame in what they did. The reason it "fell through the cracks" is because they knew it would if they kept quiet. These are the same officials that have the "Be Nice" and "Be Fair" signs in their yards during election times, especially Tarpley. "
JC Voter in Mesquite wrote on Apr 4, 2009 4:55 PM:
" What we all need to realize is that these people do not care!! This was over 4 years ago...nothing was done until they were found to have done what they did...and now all they are doing , we are being told, is paying back what we are being told they owe...as someone has already said here, the ones that did this need to be voted out in May...that may be what it takes to get thru to them "
MIKE wrote on Apr 4, 2009 5:53 PM:
" HOW ABOUT AL THE RESIDENTS OF MESQUITE TAKE ATRIP TO NEW YORK OUT OF OUR TAX MONEY,WHATS GOOD FOR THE GOOSE,IF WE GET CAUGHT THEN WE JUST PAY IT BACK DO YOU THINK THAT WILL BE O.K. !!!! "
W.R. wrote on Apr 6, 2009 10:35 AM:
" I have lived in Mesquite almost 52 years. I think it is a shame that these people are so brash and arrogant. This is why we as citizens should care and be involved in all facets of our government. As a career educator in MISD I learned a long time ago with my students and with all people I meet, they need to earn ones trust. Don't take it for granted that they can be trusted just because of who they are. "
Mesquite Citizen wrote on Apr 6, 2009 10:58 AM:
" This is the perfect example of "Good Old Boy (or girl) politics. We vote out the people that are honest - like Elvira Reyna. The people running for office twist words to make themselves look good and destroy a campagin of a runningmate with lies - like saying Bill Metzger lied about having votes from police and firefighters. Someone needs to learn how to read a sign without adding words on it to make it say what you want. He said he had ivotes (not supported by the associations of ) We need to learn not to keep in the people that say what you want to hear and then do what is best for thier company or family. Mesquite needs a fresh start beginning with their elected officials and including their school system ( which is pitiful ) People used to move here because of the fine reputation of the City and the Schools. Now people are ashamed to say they live in Mesquite because of the reputation it now has. Mesquite used to be a great city and we need to fight to get it back like that. We the citizens should insist that the leaders be fine upstanding citizens. Not in the Good Old Boy's Club! "
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