Published: January 17, 2008 05:27 pm      

OUR VIEW

Something’s amiss at City Hall

Something's not right at City Hall, and folks are beginning to notice.

Here's what we've learned in just the last week:

Despite a city ordinance which purports to treat all utilities customers the same, it turns out that commercial accounts were never subject to termination for non–payment, while residential accounts were. Finance Director Jan Parkhurst told councilmen at a recent meeting that such had always been her understanding of city policy. The council, however, never formally approved Parkhurst's "understanding." What's worse, only Councilman Mark Stewart had even heard of it – and only then in recent weeks. Meanwhile, a local merchant has run up a $13,000 water bill, and the city is still in the process of collecting.

We learned during the same meeting that City Administrator Bob Farley spent $33,000 in city funds last fall on a new SUV, a purchase the council probably would not have approved – had they known of it. Three councilmen – John Hale (who brought the matter to light), Bennie Thomas and Don Boyette – made clear the 2007 Tahoe, which came packaged with $7,400 in options, was too rich for their blood, or for the city's.

Then there's the story of how the vehicle was bought to begin with. Farley said he got permission last September at a budget workshop to give his city-issued Crown Victoria to another municipal employee (whose car had been destroyed in an accident) and buy a new vehicle for himself. However, only one councilman, Ken Duce, says he has any recollection of such a discussion. No one can say for sure, since records aren't kept of these informal, non-binding deliberations.

Hale has brought to light other questionable City Hall practices as well. It was he who revealed that city fire trucks were used on at least a dozen occasions in 2006 to assist a private contractor in completing work on a Live Oak apartment complex. And it was Hale who brought to light emergency work done by the city for Florida Power and Light in March – repairs for which the city didn't bill FP&L until Hale went public with the matter in September.

At a recent council meeting Hale said there's more to come. Citizens of Live Oak are anxious to hear it.

OUR VIEW appears in Wednesday editions of the Democrat.