NORMANDY (KMOX) -- "This is absolutely the worst I've ever seen," State Auditor Susan Montee says of her investigation into the Northeast Ambulance and Fire Protection District.
She's sued to get records and documents -- but the district refuses to deliver. Unqualified firefighters and paramedics, she says, were put on the streets. Money was wasted, misappropriated and just generally misused, she argues.
According to her report, the district:
-Tried to kick people out from board meetings and fine them
-Shorted the pension fund by $417,000
-Used cell phones for personal use
-Paid for hotels and plane trips with district credit cards
-Illegally supported political candidates and ballot measures
-Paid hundreds of thousands of dollars to a couple of attorneys for legal fees
-Didn't put money in proper funds, didn't pay bills from proper funds and didn't pay some bills
-Violated the union contract by deciding to cancel it before expiration
-Awarded an expensive, no-bid contract for the district's web site, and then went back to the same firm for 'special project consulting'
Montee says there are sunshine violations, tax problems and the district has no conflict of interest policy.
After an exhausive question-and-answer session, residents by the dozen paraded to a corner of the room where State Senator Rita Days had set up a poster board and series of notepads.
They inscribed their names and addresses, urging St. Louis County prosecuting attorney Robert McCullough and Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster to bring criminal charges against district officials.
"I'm sorry, I just don't see the benefit in having one life lost" due to waiting, one person in attendance declared to Montee. "This is about life and death," another said.
The total discrepancy between the district's three funds comes to $3,578,500.
Listen / Part One: Lack of Records (5:28 mp3)
Listen / Part Two: Budgets and Financial Statements (3:47 mp3)
Listen / Part Three: Accounting Records and Procedures (5:34 mp3)
Listen / Part Four: Legal Services: (2:52 mp3)
Listen / Part Five: Disbursements (4:33 mp3)
Listen / Part Six, Seven: Cellular Telephones, Ambulance Fund (2:40 mp3)
Listen / Part Eight: Payroll Records and Procedures (5:26 mp3)
Listen / Part Nine: Website Designer/Special Projects Consultant (1:37 mp3)
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