Possibly legal, possibly illegal... but at the time the BatBlog thought these payments just didn't pass the smell test, and apparently the Indiana State Board of Accounts feels the same way. The special investigation and audit by the SBOA reveals that the commissioners didn't have the authority to give Ross a raise with landfill funds and also question why no bids were taken for work done during the expansion of the land fill several years ago
According to an article in the News/Tribune Ross has claimed the incoming commissioners (after election) Coffman and Stephenson along with appointed at that time "Toxic" John Perkins were aware of the previous agreement and even ok'd a raise in the payments to Ross from landfill funds. Ross though has refused to sign an affidavit provided by the SBOA saying that the incoming commissioners were aware of the arrangement as he has claimed.
Both current commissioners Stephenson and Coffman have denied Ross' account that they were aware of the agreement between the former administration and Ross, and stated they were under the impression Ross was contracted with the landfill.
Perkins has denied knowledge as well, though Clark-Floyd Landfill president Robert Lee has stated Perkins was the one who contacted him concerning increasing Ross' landfill payment $500.00 more a quarter.
The board of accounts is suggesting that Ross, Young and Lee refund $14,000.00 to Clark Co. also that Perkins, Ross and the landfill repay $4000.00 for 2013.
As one can see this has become a monumental cluster F_ _ _ and a classic case of "he said...she said". The BatBlog wonders if this money will ever be repaid as it is up to Co. prosecutors and law enforcement to pursue legal action...We'll wait and see....
The only conclusion the BatBlog has come to is "Good Riddance" to Young, Meyer, and Fifer who created this mess as well as several other controversies during their term in office and Co. attorney.Their attempt to circumvent the duties of the County council and these apparently under the table payments once again is a black eye to Clark Co.and Clark Co. politics ....
To see the full report from the SBOA (State Board of Accounts) CLICK HERE
The BatBlog recommends everyone check out the SBOA report linked above.... lots of interesting information as there appears to be more problems than just the story related ...make up your own minds....
If you read it Jim Ross makes the point that Stephenson, Coffman, and Perkins are liars and were aware of the deal made earlier under Young and Myer and wanted to continue it.
ReplyDeleteI haven't had time to read the whole thing ....there is a whole lot of stuff in there like 90 pages.. You have to wonder why didn't Ross sign the affidavit saying Stephenson and Coffman were aware if it's true and to what extent did they know ???
ReplyDeleteJust glancing through the report it appears the landfill is a cesspool (no pun intended) of mismanagement,poor record keeping, and not following procedure...
ReplyDeleteRick Stephenson I believe has stated he would be in favor of selling the landfill to relieve the county of monitoring it's operation and the other headaches involved in their partnership.
I concur.... just like Clark Memorial it may be best to just sell the County's interest...
Typical Clark county politics you wonder how many people got money, benefits and favors over the years on the sly. Looks like Fifer searched out every loophole in order to create this slush fund to pay off Ross.There was also another controversy involving Ross and him getting some property he own paved by the county, don't remember the details.
ReplyDeleteAccording to the News and Tribune article, Ross didn't sign the affidavit naming Stephenson and Coffman due to intimidation from former county attorney Jake Elder.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteThis is exactly why I have been calling for the sale of the landfill. Not only would its sale relieve the citizens of almost $20 million in debt but would eliminate the burden it places on us with monitoring the operations.
Additional findings in this audit were about the ineffective controls that monitor the intake of materials into the landfill. We have entertained creating a position that would place a person at the landfill and installing cameras. All would be costly and could not give us 100% accuracy.
The council did not approve the raise for Jim. The money given him was from the host fees that the county was suppose to get. The prior administration decided they would just do it from the the Landfill Host Fees. As per the statement from Bob Lee, John Perkins is the one that called and told Bob to increase the amount Jim received from the landfill. I stand firm in the fact that Jack and I had no idea that Jim was getting extra money diverted from the host fees. Jack and I were notified from Mike Harris when we questioned the host fees. We found out on one day and instructed all payments to stop the every next day. No further payments were made after we became aware of them.
I will tell you exactly what was told to Jack and I when we first took office. We both were told by Jim Ross that he worked on contract for the landfill. My exact question to him was, " do you do any of the contract work for the Landfill during your normal work hours?" The answer was "NO". It is common knowledge that he does do backhoe business and other land movement work for others.
Sent from Yahoo Mail for iPad
Thank you Commissioner Stephenson for the information...
ReplyDeleteWhat is the landfill worth?
ReplyDeleteWill a private operator have the ability
to exercise the correct legal authority to expand it?
Notes to Rick and Jack:
You pulled off the sale and saved the hospital.
Superb!
Next:
The money from the sale and the yearly royalties
can be utilized for infrastructure investment to increase Clark County's ability
to attract and promote additional private capital investment!
Doesn't Clark County need to build the road from Hwy 31 at the airport
to River Ridge?
The first money can be applied to that project!
Next, an infrastructure idea for The Port of Indiana-Jeffersonville!
Jim Ross was way underpaid for the great job he did and still does.
ReplyDeleteThis isn't really about Jim Ross or the job he did or is doing...If he's doing a good job that's great , if he feels underpaid I'm sure no one is holding a gun to his head forcing him to work for the county.... he's free to work elsewhere..
ReplyDeleteWhat this is about is the former commissioners and their legal representative going out of their way to do something they apparently didn't have authorization to do.
State law is very clear that the County Council is the fiscal arm of County government and makes the decisions on raises for county employees and expenditures for departments...They were aware of this and decided to go on their own and do something that is very possibly illegal....