he even delayed turning over the case to proper authorities until two months after the embezzlement took place !

the  accounting  of  the  funds  still  haven't  been  done !

these documents, now a public record, have been hidden for over ten months !

            Further research has brought forth a strange coincidence pertaining to the hiring of ex-felons.    In January, 2003, the City Manager put on a Commission meeting agenda a proposal that would allow ex-felons to be employed by the City.     In regards to the present embezzlement within City Hall --- this raises questions.

            The City Manager, at this time, had been made aware of the irregularities within the utility department, and the cash shortages.    Had the background check rule been adhered to, then these irregularities would not have taken place.     Since the City Charter had been broken by the City Manager, with the employment of the individual ---- was he trying to cover-up the mistake with his proposal?

            After much discussion, the Commission voted down his proposal 3 to 2, with Commissioners McGiness and Blake voting "aye".      Did they know at this time what was taking place under their "careful (?)" watch of City Hall?     If those Commissioners, AND the City Manager were aware of the Utility Department embezzlement --- then  ALL were guilty of violating the City Charter, along with anyone else that knew.

            Remember, it took FOUR months to even turn over the embezzlement to the proper authorities for a proper investigation.     All who took part in this cover-up were totally irresponsible, and negligent in their job functions and performance.    The embezzlement even went on AFTER that Commission meeting in January.

            Maybe those that KNEW will assume responsibility to pay back the citizens of Winter Springs all that was found missing, and the expenses involved with the stupidity of the cover-up.     Is the current City dais just one big cover-up seating arrangement --- starting with the City Attorney ?    How much longer are the citizens of Winter Springs going to put up with the incorrigible City management and elected politicians ?

            Look what you have seated on the dais in one form or another   -- rigged bond votes, sexual harassment cover-up, fictitious City #1 rating, elections code violations, and now embezzlement ?     What more can those responsible for the incorrigible events of the current City government do ?    Has the City Attorney shirked his fiduciary responsibility with his knowledge of these actions ?    It is known the City Manager, and Commissioners knew of most of these blunders.    

Are ALL guilty of shirking their fiduciary duties representing the citizens of Winter Springs ?

They  ALL  should  resign  to  allow  the  citizens  to  be properly  represented !

Is the city of winter springs afraid to tell the citizens the truth ?

why won't city manager mclemore give the news media any straight answers ?

the information given to radio station WDBO was in error ---- why ?

the embezzlement story was broadcast on WDBO ---  and then pulled ---- WHY ?

first it was sexual harassment -- then  a still pending horrendous case -- and now

a probable embezzlement case !

            The unfortunate state of our City management has reached a new low.   We have a City Manager whose objective seems to be the destruction of our City greenery, in favor of development.    This is exemplified by City Manager McLemore's blatant favoring of the Utility Department, and the expansion of the Parks Department.    Even though we have been bonded for park expansion, fees can be garnered from outsiders to use our parks.    His bonds are ploys.   Far more outsiders use our parks than taxpayers.

            While he engages in strengthening those two departments, the City Manager has gone out of his way to be tight-fisted and unwilling to expand that which is so needed in a development-oriented city.     The two departments being shortchanged are the Police Department and the Fire Department.    He has refused the Fire Department a contract since 2001, and keeps the Police Department at a minimum low level while other departments and staffing has flourished.

            Even with the horrendous City expansion through annexations, expansion of City boundaries, increase in population, and most definitely the increase in drug traffic and crime rate,  the Fire and Police Departments' needs have been shortchanged.    Why did City Manager McLemore go far above his expertise into an area of which he had no experience, nor the knowledge?    He goofed, and has possibly jeopardized a criminal case of some magnitude.

            PFGG has uncovered that there is an embezzlement case pending from within our City Hall.     Once again, it appears that City Manager McLemore has stonewalled and, once again, as in the sexual harassment matter, uncovered by PFGG, has tried to sweep another embarrassing situation under the rug.     Could it be that he doesn't want the public to know that his administration is having problems again?    This places in question, once again, his ability to administer the City's business.

            There is a procedure in the City's administrative rules/laws that say a background check is to be made on each and every employee hired by the City.    Even included are those that VOLUNTEER for a position to any of the many advisory boards that function within the City.    Those boards don't mean anything, since the Commission continues to override their input.    The same is applicable to the rules and regulations governing the City of Winter Springs, and the City Manager seems to be obsessed with sweeping those aside.

            Thus, we arrive at the most current situation existing under the governing of the City's CEO (?), who has, once again, gone beyond the rules and regulations of the City.    Should any member of our elected governing body be aware of the situation, then they, too, are in violation of the rules and regulations.  

            Any elected official on the dais, the City Attorney,  and the CEO (City Manager), who knew of this problem prior to the law enforcement agency being called in, and did nothing to prevent further theft of City money should resign immediately.    They circumvented the City Charter, and ignored their fiduciary responsibilities.     That would include all department heads familiar with the embezzlement issue.     They were responsible from the day that employee was hired.

             The Police Department DID run a background check on the individual, and it was found there was a prior 1998 conviction of "petty thievery" on the record.    Yet, this individual was handed the keys to the City cash drawer.    Whose responsibility was it?     Ultimately, it comes right back to the City Manager, and with his prior hiding of the sexual harassment case, once again the City was exposed to negligence of a City official.

              There was another incident that again pointed to a cover up, when finally, five months after the fact, the law enforcement investigators were called in.   There was a very suspicious movement of the personnel file of the individual.    Around April the 9th, 2003, a request was made to view the file by the investigators.     They knew of the prior conviction, for they had run the background check.

           When the Personnel Manager opened the locked file cabinet, the file was missing.    The investigators were told that only the City Manager had the other key to this locked file drawer.     The file finally turned up in the possession of the Finance Department head, who had no access to it from the file cabinet.    Why was this file removed?     Who was responsible for giving the individual the keys to the City's cash drawer?  

            As City Manager, and CEO of the City, it was McLemore's responsibility in this case.    It had to be, because of the background check run by the Police Department prior to the hiring of the individual.    Now it becomes VERY important to know if any elected official knew of this incident.   There has been TOTAL IRRESPONSIBILITY on somebody's part, and in this case, there is no excuse for the manner in which this case was handled.

            That question must be asked, for it seems apparent the City Manager is operating this City under his own set of rules.     He has gone over the Commission's head, and all that knew should resign.    This time ---- there are NO EXCUSES !

                The amount of missing money is estimated to be as high as $50,000.00 dollars, AND goes back possibly as far as September 2002.     The City's auditor wasn't even called in until March of 2003, which was BEFORE the Law agency was called for an investigation.     Whoever is responsible for this set of events, should resign immediately.     The City's management is in a shambles !

            The people can't do much about Mr. McLemore, since he's not elected, but the burden can be placed upon the Commissioners, who bear final and total responsibility in this matter.    Those that do not assume that responsibility will be remembered at election time.    The shenanigans at City Hall are becoming too numerous to be totally ignored by the governing body.

            Once again, PFGG, your City of Winter Springs "watchdog", has unearthed yet another issue of startling information originating from within our City Hall.    This information was just too hot to be kept under cover, as our City Manager has tried to do.    There is even another incident, which we will not get into, due to the pending litigation.

you'll  never  read  the  REAL  news  in  the  taxpayers'  City  produced "INSIDER" !

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