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A petition calling for a state audit of Neosho’s finances is 58 signatures short, a local official and petition organizers said.
“The first time they looked at it, they took in the four Neosho precincts, but it didn’t show the absentee ballots in those four precincts,” Kay Baum, Newton County clerk, said.
The county clerk said 843 absentee voters cast ballots in the 2008 gubernatorial election. The state uses a percentage of votes cast in the last governor’s race to determine the number of signers needed on audit petitions.
Baum said Friday of the nearly 750 signatures turned in last Friday, 692 were certified as being valid. Originally, this would have given organizers enough for a state audit, as 686 signatures was required.
However, with the absentee ballots from those four Neosho precincts factored in, 58 more signatures are needed.
Les Bond and Dave Holley, two of about 20 local residents gathering signatures, said organizers have gathered about 20 additional signers.
“They didn’t give us a time limit,” Holley said. “We don’t have to start over, we just have to have those extra signatures.”
Baum said she’d been in contact with the state auditor’s office, who said petition drive organizers have several months — until November, actually — to gather the signatures.
Councilmember Heather Bowers initially obtained petition paperwork from the state auditor’s office this past November, but did not start gathering signatures until early December.
She and others began the drive after former City Manager Jan Blase acknowledged using part of an $895,100 state transportation assistance revolving (STAR) loan to make city payroll and to pay city bills. The funds were earmarked to build two hangars at Neosho’s Hugh Robinson Memorial Airport.
Later, Former City Finance Director Bob Blackwood told the Daily News the city had transferred money out of the hotel / motel, tax increment finance (TIF) and water and wastewater funds into general revenue to pay city bills and to make payroll. These transfers totaled $611,900.
The transfer from the “bed tax” fund to general revenue, and Blase’s involvement, was the topic of an investigation conducted by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department and completed recently. Jake Skouby, Newton County prosecutor, said this morning he is still reviewing documents submitted late Thursday in the case, and may make a determination Monday as to possible criminal charges.
During a Dec. 15 closed session, Davidson moved to reprimand Blase for improper management of city funds, with Bowers seconding. The reprimand carried a mandate that Blase come up with a financial plan to recover and balance city funds and to properly itemize fund balances.
A petition calling for a state audit of Neosho’s finances is 58 signatures short, a local official and petition organizers said.
“The first time they looked at it, they took in the four Neosho precincts, but it didn’t show the absentee ballots in those four precincts,” Kay Baum, Newton County clerk, said.
The county clerk said 843 absentee voters cast ballots in the 2008 gubernatorial election. The state uses a percentage of votes cast in the last governor’s race to determine the number of signers needed on audit petitions.
Baum said Friday of the nearly 750 signatures turned in last Friday, 692 were certified as being valid. Originally, this would have given organizers enough for a state audit, as 686 signatures was required.
However, with the absentee ballots from those four Neosho precincts factored in, 58 more signatures are needed.
Les Bond and Dave Holley, two of about 20 local residents gathering signatures, said organizers have gathered about 20 additional signers.
“They didn’t give us a time limit,” Holley said. “We don’t have to start over, we just have to have those extra signatures.”
Baum said she’d been in contact with the state auditor’s office, who said petition drive organizers have several months — until November, actually — to gather the signatures.
Councilmember Heather Bowers initially obtained petition paperwork from the state auditor’s office this past November, but did not start gathering signatures until early December.
She and others began the drive after former City Manager Jan Blase acknowledged using part of an $895,100 state transportation assistance revolving (STAR) loan to make city payroll and to pay city bills. The funds were earmarked to build two hangars at Neosho’s Hugh Robinson Memorial Airport.
Later, Former City Finance Director Bob Blackwood told the Daily News the city had transferred money out of the hotel / motel, tax increment finance (TIF) and water and wastewater funds into general revenue to pay city bills and to make payroll. These transfers totaled $611,900.
The transfer from the “bed tax” fund to general revenue, and Blase’s involvement, was the topic of an investigation conducted by the Newton County Sheriff’s Department and completed recently. Jake Skouby, Newton County prosecutor, said this morning he is still reviewing documents submitted late Thursday in the case, and may make a determination Monday as to possible criminal charges.
During a Dec. 15 closed session, Davidson moved to reprimand Blase for improper management of city funds, with Bowers seconding. The reprimand carried a mandate that Blase come up with a financial plan to recover and balance city funds and to properly itemize fund balances.
On Monday, the council voted unanimously to begin the process of removing Blase from office “because of a lack of confidence of the city council in the city manager’s ability to perform effectively his duties.” That decision came 10 days after Blase released a financial plan calling for an additional $300,000 in budget cuts and borrowing money to make up cost overruns incurred in the renovation of The Civic. The council recently approved issuing $825,000 in special obligation bonds to pay for engineering services related to the water system improvement projects, and granted tentative approval for $425,000 in special obligation bonds for transportation projects, including the controversial “quiet zone” railroad crossing closures, for a total of $2.45 million.
On Tuesday, Dave McCracken, acting city manager and Neosho police chief, fired Blackwood from his post as city finance director. McCracken told the Daily News Wednesday he’d first asked for Blackwood’s resignation, but when the finance director would not tender it, McCracken fired him. Blackwood said Thursday McCracken didn’t give a reason for the termination and that his next step is to “seek competent legal advice.” Blackwood would not comment on whether he plans to seek litigation against the city. The dismissal came hours after Blase was notified of the council’s decision.
Jeff Werneke, Neosho mayor, said Thursday he is considering forming a citizen’s ad hoc committee to look into Neosho’s financial problems.
Blase still has time to ask for what is essentially an appeals hearing, as the city charter gives him five days after being notified of the decision to request one. The hearing would be held during either a closed or open session of the city council, based on Blase’s request, to be held no fewer than 10 days after the notification was granted by no more than 25 days.
Blase could not be reached for comment Friday morning.
The council may adopt a final resolution of removal, which may be made effective immediately, by affirmative vote or a majority of all its members at any time after five days from the date a copy of the preliminary resolution was delivered to the manager, if the manager has not requested a hearing, or at any time after the hearing if one has been requested.
Blase will continue to receive his salary until the effective date of a final resolution of removal. The action of the council in suspending or removing the manager isn’t subject to review by any court or agency, the city charter states.
Bond said very few people approached by the petition group refused to sign the document.
“We hope the concerns will all be resolved and we can get on with good things for Neosho,” he said. “Maybe this will fix a few of the problems.”
