GALVESTON, Texas (KTRK) — Galveston council members are demanding change after a brand new audit discovered park board workers broke insurance policies.
Galveston’s Seawolf Park provides a spot to fish, discover a naval ship and submarine, and revel in water views. It’s a common spot not simply to go to but in addition to e book occasions and festivities that use non-public distributors. Normally, that is not an issue for metropolis leaders.
It was, although, on Thursday. Throughout a Galveston workshop assembly, the council discovered the particular person answerable for choosing occasions was additionally utilizing their non-public enterprise at a few of them.
He informed the auditor it was simply a few instances. However the auditor stated a former worker got here ahead saying it occurred quite a few instances.
“The place I take excessive subject with that is there was revenue taken for anyone’s enterprise, clearly breaking park board coverage on metropolis property,” Galveston Metropolis Councilmember Alex Porretto stated.
It wasn’t simply Seawolf Park’s issues. The town auditor stated he found {that a} parks board worker chosen his spouse’s firm for coaching.
“Then, after the companies had been carried out, he personally accredited the fee,” Galveston Metropolis Councilmember Beau Rawlins stated.
Discoveries had been made after town began to look nearer on the parks board months in the past, after former worker Angela Barton embezzled hundreds of {dollars}.
Whereas she’s gone, the auditor informed the council, after sharing what he discovered involving the 2 administrators, he is not conscious of them getting in hassle.
“If there is not any disciplinary motion, and I do not imply a slap on the wrist, and I am not telling them learn how to do their administration duties, however that is inappropriate,” Porretto defined.
The auditor did not present names or say which division they had been in. He beneficial adjustments, together with park board workers needing approval for personal companies and never permitting supervisors to chop checks to their relations.
The group stated it is contemplating these adjustments. Whereas it does, the parks board could not handle Seawolf’s attraction for lengthy.
Metropolis leaders are contemplating pulling two parks from the company after what the audit revealed.
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