Steve Gaines, Pipes Gaines, Robyn Minor, Daniel Pike Author's Title
Total Page：16
File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb
Name of Author(s): Steve Gaines, Pipes Gaines, Robyn Minor, Daniel Pike Author’s Title (editor, columnist, etc.): Editor, Publisher, City Editor, Managing Editor Newspaper: Daily News Address: 813 College Street City: Bowling Green State: Ky ZIP: 42101 Phone: 270-783-3269 Fax: 270-783-3237 E-Mail: sgaines@bgdailyn- ews.com Submitted by: Joe Imel Title of Person Submitting: Director of Media Operations Phone Number: 270-783-3273 E-mail Address: [email protected] What is the subject/title of the entry? City/count lack transparency in taxpayer funded project Date(s) of publication? 5-30-2015, 6-07-2015, 6-21-2015, 8-19-2015, 11-15-2015, 12-31-2015 Is your newspaper under 50,000 circulation or above 50,000 circulation? Under 50,000 1 Please give a brief explanation of issues discussed and the results achieved. (This space will expand as you type in your comments.) The Bowling Green Daily News broke the story that lack of oversight, changed contracts and misuse of funds forced officials to seek new bonds and a new sub developer to cover a shortfall of more than $4.5 million to complete at mixed-use wrap around the downtown parking garage. The Daily News filed countless open-record requests, hired attorneys to interpret convoluted contracts, poured over thousands of pages of documents to uncover misuse of funds, fraud, and a glaring lack of transparency that might in the end leave taxpayers holding the bag. Breaking the story and then editorializing about the lack of transparency and misuse of funds, ultimately got the Kentucky State Auditor Andy Beshear involved in the form of an audit. Charges and a lawsuit are still being considered by the Warren County Attorney and the Com- monwealth’s Attorney The Daily News is continuing to report, dig and editorialize on this story as it still ongoing. 2 Page 4A – Saturday, May 30, 2015 NEWS MAKERS “I like you, I like my job. I am not perfect, nobody is perfect, but we will do a good job together I am sure.” — Sepp Blatter, who was re-elected as FIFA president for a fifth term Friday despite criminal investigations OPINION into corruption bgdailynews.com THE DAILY NEWS More scrutiny needed on wrap It’s no wonder people are ques- was an $844,000 draw made by That wasn’t the only restau- nue bonds are typically used for the ty, the authority and Mills Family tioning how bond money was spent the Warren County Downtown rant consulting fee that was paid, actual construction of a building and Realty, our initial reaction is one on the development of Hitcents Park Economic Development Authority. either. That Chicago firm, Creative fitting it out to industry standards. of skepticism. It would appear that Plaza, the commercial wrap of the That money was used for construc- Hospitality Associates, received The law doesn’t necessarily MFR will have no responsibility parking garage adjacent to Bowling tion expenses related to the park- more than $188,000 for its efforts require governmental entities to to pay off companies that say they Green Ballpark. ing garage itself – an expense the in developing the short-lived res- have oversight of how such bonds are still owed millions for the actual No reasonable person would think authority said was needed because taurants. The three fast-casual res- are spent, but maybe that should construction of the project. that spending money to buy food for of the commercial wrap. taurants closed in late September, change. Cities and counties have to Did Mills Family Realty’s appar- research and development (tasting) The broad category of consult- and Mariah’s and 6-4-3 Sports Bar be meticulous on how they spend ent casual spending on restaurant or consulting fees to find an execu- ing fees is another, perhaps less closed March 2 after liens totaling taxpayers’ money. items lead to the deficit in funds tive chef or the purchases of a Beer sexy, area where we take issue with $2.4 million were filed against Mills In this case, taxpayers’ money – many expected would be used for Ball table (a bar arcade-type game) money being spent. Family Realty. either through tax money recovered construction? and shuffleboard were OK. Yet they Hundreds of thousands of dol- There was no development need- through Tax Increment Financing Likely. were disbursed by a bond trustee lars fell into that category, includ- ed for Mariah’s menu that was District revenues, or because the Was it illegal? that had no fiduciary duty to make ing to a restaurant consulting firm in pretty much the same as the origi- city or county will have to make up That’s not for us to decide. sure such expenses were allowed. Chicago, where much of the tasting nal Mariah’s, and 6-4-3’s food was any shortfalls in those revenues – We do want the facility to suc- Those are sexy things that jump took place. We know that because pretty standard bar food, except for is being used to pay off the bonds. ceed so revenues produced by it, not out to anyone who takes the time to there were bills for raw foods pur- the wings, which were excellent. Shouldn’t that mean the same over- taxpayers, will pay off the bonds. review the draw requests for bond chased in Chicago. Apparently no one really paid sight on spending should be in But we want to ensure the utmost money – or at least the ones that Then there is the matter of at least attention to how the money was place? caution and transparency is used were made available through an $152,000 paid to CCC Hospitality being spent as long as such expens- If the county is able to make a in how future bonds are refinanced open records request by the Daily Group LLC, a firm started by Rick es fell within the sketchy parameters deal to bring in someone else to and with any agreement with the News. Some of those draws were Kelley. Kelley is the former owner of “construction” and “operating operate the commercial wrap and future operator/developer/manager missing for a full two weeks after of Mariah’s Restaurant, which got expenses.” Now, there is specula- restaurants, we hope that deal has of the commercial wrap. the initial open records request into its own financial trouble before tion that such language in an agree- more transparency than previous- Ultimately, a dose of hefty scru- was filled. Included in those Mills Family Realty negotiated a ment with Mills Family Realty ly has been the case. tiny should be used anytime there is draws initially left out, but other- deal for the name and Kelley’s con- wasn’t legal, which likely will be up As for the settlement agreement the remote possibility that taxpayer wise obtained by the Daily News, sulting. to a court to decide. Industrial reve- reached Friday between the coun- money could be used. MAILBOX Motorist salutes help from law enforcement, other drivers on I-65 On a recent Saturday afternoon, I was driving just north of Bowling Green on Interstate 65 when the car in front of me ran over an enormous piece of tire tread. This piece of tire came flying toward my car, hit- ting the car’s hood and coming through the wind- shield on the passenger’s side. As I pulled my car off on Exit 36, parked and called 911, my body began to go into survival mode, and my brain stopped being able to make decisions for myself. Within a minute of pulling over, two separate groups of people stopped to see if I was OK and to help me in my shocked state. The first man’s name was Charles, and I regret that I didn’t get his last name. He was an angel. The second group that pulled over was Dale and Sharon Bessette. Dale called the fire department to send an ambulance. Charles gently checked my face and legs for any injuries. Sharon helped by immediately getting on the phone with rental car companies, tow trucks and my insurance company to get the ball roll- ing on decisions that I couldn’t make at the time. Warren County sheriff’s deputies (one of which was Deputy Vedad Hadzikadunic) who were on scene, along with the EMTs, were all incredibly professional but also incredibly kind. To all of the civil servants and servant-hearted bystanders who gave me water, made sure I wasn’t injured and helped me with their decisions as well as with their kindness, I am so grateful for the com- THE DOCTOR IS OUT passion and warmth I experienced in the midst of something so scary. Bowling Green is blessed to Electronic records system cramps abilities to see, treat patients have you all as its residents. My deepest apprecia- tion from the bottom of my heart. About a decade ago, a doc- topped by an electronic health general in 2014, “EHR tech- patients. Another study found tor friend was lamenting the records mandate that produces nology can make it easier to that family practice physicians Emily Kilbourn increasingly frustrating condi- nothing more than “billing and commit fraud,” as in Medicare spend on average 48 minutes a Nashville tions of clinical practice. “How legal documents” fraud, the copy- day entering data. did you know to get out of – and degraded SYNDICATED and-paste func- The geniuses who rammed medicine in 1978?” he asked medicine. tion allowing the this through undoubtedly with a smile.