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’s Florid rby a St Early voting begins Aug. 4 l I or Stable Fire in Williston Concealed il ie s Primary election day is Aug. 14 W Kills 11 Horses Weapons Send in your absentee ballot or See page 2A Permits In Vote at the Elections Offi ce at Illustration by Alexander Key Invitations to Bid Florida 421 S. Court Street, Bronson Buster’s Big Splash See page 3A See page 10B See page 2A Your Locally-Owned County Paper of Record since 1923 VOL. 89, NO. 4 THURSDAY, AUGUST 2, 2012 50 CENTS Do You Commissioners Putnam Stops Grant Know Who Looking to Hold the Payment to Another This Is? Line on Spending at Budget Workshop Fraudulent Energy By Kathy Endeavor Editor “Let’s meet in the middle,” was the cry at the Board of County A Florida-based energy company that received money through Commissioners Budget Workshop Tuesday from agencies told previously President Obama's stimulus package is under investigation by state to cut their budgets. For those just needing more funding, the future and federal offi cials for fraud, Agriculture Commissioner Adam looks bleak as property values decrease and the economy with them. Putnam said Tuesday, July 24 at a meeting in Tallahassee.. Th e fraud Chief Deputy/Finance Director Sheila Rees presented the proposed was uncovered as part of an operational audit conducted by the state 2013 budget to the commissioners with the advisement that the board Offi ce of Inspector General of the grants administrated by the Offi ce Unidentifi ed woman in now needed to pass a millage rate for this new budget. of Energy, created in 1975 and moved under the state Department Suwannee County Th e Board decided to roll back the millage rate to 8.5759 while holding of Agriculture in July 2011. Putnam said the state halted pending the line and not raising assessments on property owners in order to give Th e Suwannee County Sheriff ’s payment on two grants once the fraud was detected, saving taxpayers the county a budget of about $13 million dollars which will keep expenses Offi ce is attempting to identify nearly $2.5 million. to county residents about the same as last year. With property values a white female who was located Th e state's OOE was transferred to the Florida Department declining this millage rate will still continue to fund the county budget. on Monday July 16, 2012 in of Agriculture and Consumer Services, under the leadership of Th e dedication of a section of US 19 at 326 to the memory of Army Suwannee County on the side of Commissioner Putnam, by the Legislature in 2011. Specialist 4 Michael S. Osteen was set for Th ursday, August 9 at 10 a.m. the roadway. Th e female suff ered Commissioner Putnam unveiled the fi ndings of his audit of the Sheriff Johnny Smith was asked to cut $1.25 million from his budget. a head injury as a result of blunt Offi ce of Energy (OOE), revealing both success and failures in According to Sheriff Smith, “we have gone through it liberally line by line force trauma and is currently in the various energy grant programs managed by the offi ce. He also and have made what I consider to be very signifi cant cuts to our original a medically induced coma at an announced savings of $2.45 million in taxpayer dollars as a result proposal.” Smith reduced expenditures on the Law Enforcement side by area hospital. We have queried of fraud and indications of bankruptcy uncovered by his Offi ce of $365,517; Corrections by $128,108 including cuts in retirement benefi ts her fi ngerprints through AFIS, Inspector General. for new hires and including the new health insurance increases now in but it did not result in a positive Th ese fi ndings are part of the audit report requested by eff ect; Communications by $ 7,175. Th e total reduction in the Sheriff ’s identifi cation. Commissioner Putnam to evaluate the offi ce, review its grant budget from cuts was $500,800 stating they have cut “everywhere we Th e female appears to be 20-35 programs and identify fraud shortly after he assumed responsibility know to cut.” According to Smith, “If any more cuts come it is going to years old, approximately 5’5”, 130 of the state energy programs. Th is is the fi rst audit that has been done come in the form of personnel.” pounds, with brown hair and blue since the Offi ce was created in 1975. Smith stated that the mechanic they are presently using has saved them eyes. She was discovered wearing “It was a very complicated scheme to defraud taxpayers,” Putnam lots of money by maintaining the fl eet of patrol cars in good condition. cut off blue jean shorts, a Grateful said. Th e audit also uncovered $198,000 in grants that were given to Commissioners want vehicles rotated in and out in smaller batches each Dead t-shirt and no shoes. companies now in bankruptcy. year to avoid buying them all at once. Commissioner Bell told Smith he If you can be of help identifying “One of the programs in the stimulus funding was supposed to appreciated the $500,000 (or 5.1 percent) in cuts and wanted “to meet you this young woman please call build E-85 gas stations around the state; there were 20 grants issued, in the middle, but, where do we go from here.” the Suwannee County Sheriff ’s not one penny was spent, not a single outcome of that program,” Commissioners stated that if the sheriff cut deeply into the budget, they Department at 386/362-2222. Putnam said. So far eight of those programs are still ongoing but would be able in the future to hand back the monies when really needed. without any money being sent out yet and the other 12 have been Elections Supervisor Connie Asbell had been requested to cut $25,000. halted. Asbell stated that elections costs were going up and she wanted to “split According to Putnam and in the audit report, $200-plus million Contents the diff erence” with the board. Commissioner Bell said at this point they was to be awarded but the previous administration (Gov. Charlie would do that but upon further inspection of the budgets they may have Crist) had a travel ban on even visiting the sites that were to receive Public Safety ...............2A to talk to Asbell on this again. the monies. “Th ey were never physically visiting any of these sites,” Maggie Labarta, CEO and President of Meridian Behavioral Opinion .......................4A said Putnam. Healthcare, Inc. reported to the board on the condition of mental care According to the audit, “.....the staff was not permitted to travel, Classifi eds .................. 7A and substance abuse in Levy County. After audits she stated that in disabling OOE staff from conducting federally-required onsite the new fi scal year they would close out with $2.2 to $2.4 million in monitoring to verify grantee progress and address issues related to Levy Life ....................1B uncompensated care which Meridian cannot absorb. Th e fall back is the progress reports, documentation collection and invoices.” law offi cers and emergency rooms which are much more expensive than Calendar .....................2B Th e travel ban was lifted when Putnam’s offi ce took over. Meridian. Th ere has been a 9 percent increase in the number of people Putnam said, “Th ere was a complete absence of leadership. Th e Worship ......................4B Meridian has seen for care. Th ey are now approved to accept Blue Cross offi ce was rudderless.” Blue Shield and are accredited and licensed. It was stated that 2 percent “Th ey were awarding $200-plus million, yet the previous Obits ...........................4B of people diagnosed here with mental illness are under the age of fi ve. administration had a travel ban on visiting the sites that were Meridian relies on state and county funds for 38 percent of the services Legals ..................5B-7B collectively getting more than $200 million, so they were never they provide for indigent care and those qualifi ed for assistance. physically visiting any of these sites,” Putnam said. Th e county is required by law to give matching dollars based on Based on the fi ndings and recommendations of this audit, the population. Th e Department of Children and Families (DCF) is the department has established performance measures that will enable it agency that decides how much money has to be matched and the to hold grant recipients accountable for their contractual obligations agency fi gures the county’s share based on their proportionate share of and evaluate the continuing impact of these grant projects on the population. Labarta said that Levy County’s share is funding “deep-end” state of Florida. Commissioner Putnam issued a letter to all grant services for people with the most signifi cant disabilities. recipients, both completed and ongoing projects, calling for an update Meridian was required to generate $2.7 million last year in matching on progress and continuing impact by the end of August 2012. funds. Levy County’s share in that is $209,000 based on population. Th at Commissioner Putnam plans to use this information to evaluate the $209,000 draws down over $1 million in state and federal money. Th e eff ectiveness of the grant programs in reaching their objectives. commission is looking to lower their portion but Labarta said that will A copy of the audit can be seen and downloaded at: not support the current demand nor support a 5-day a week clinic in Levy http://www.freshfromfl orida.com/newsroom/resources/IA_1112- County.

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