Dear Editor:
When should the taxpayers of the city of Larned and Pawnee County shut off the out of control spending of the Pawnee County Economic Development Commission? After my three months of serious research, digging through records, and legal enforcement, in my opinion the time is right now.
The word lacking most during my research for the last four years for the Chamber and PCEDC would be “accountability.” My research shows approximately $275,000 has been given in taxpayers money for economic development of our city and county and to this date no one can put finger on one thing accomplished.
Beginning with January of 2010, I have been told that because the Chamber and PCEDC could not make it financially they merged together. Because both of these entities are separate and are registered separately as “a Kansas nonprofit corporation.”
In my opinion and by what is shown on their joint bank statement the money appears to be commingled. It is my understanding that non profit agencies are not allowed to commingle funds also.
On Jan. 3, I appeared before the Larned City Council and asked for help to stop the waste of the money going to the PCEDC and to ask for an accounting and was told by Mayor Pivonka that he was not interested in investigating or even ask for an accounting of the money that had been given them over the years.
We, the taxpayers, must start standing up and demanding some accountability of our money.
It appears to me that here in Larned it is a lot easier to go before the city council and hold out an empty hat and have it filled with money for an unneeded project than it is to our city water mains repaired and streets pot holes filled.
Thank you.
Lee Hockett,
Larned