City of Mandeville audit released

Mandeville city officials are currently reviewing the findings of a report issued by the Legislative Auditor into the recent Toys for Tots debacle.

The report, which began last October, was completed earlier this week and was issued to Mayor Eddie Price and other city officials to review, comment on and then return to the auditor where it will be released to the public.

Price refused to comment on the findings but did say he was waiting until Finance Direct Milton Stiebing returned from vacation to hold a comprehensive staff meeting to thoroughly examine the findings.

He also said the city has three weeks to complete their assessment and return it to the auditor’s office.

The investigation into the Mandeville Police Department’s Citizen Service Fund was initiated late last year after the New Orleans Metropolitan Crime Commission notified the auditor of a tip they received concerning some unscrupulous dealings with the benevolent fund.

The audit initially zeroed in on the Citizen Service Fund, a charitable organization controlled by the MPD that oversees the Toys for Tots program, but soon broadened their scope and investigated the complete workings of the city.

Earlier this year, the legislative audit revealed Price had accepted $2,300 in Wal-Mart gift cards and other gifts including a $780 bow and arrow and gun case that were paid for by the Citizen Service Fund over the course of several years.

Directed by the MPD, the fund solicits donations from area residents through mail-out campaigns and fundraisers to raise money for the Toys for Tots program.

After the shoddy transactions between the MPD and the Mayor were revealed, Price immediately paid the fund back claiming he was unaware the money came from the charitable program.

Chief Tom Buell admitted to taking the money from the fund and even considered resigning to end the relentless scrutiny from the media. He also admitted it was poor judgment on his part.

His reasoning for taking from the fund involved the yearly gift given to Price during Christmas. Instead of taking up a collection from his already hard-pressed officers, he decided to use money donated by residents.

Price said he would refuse any further gifts presented to him in the future.

To quell the intense scrutiny and attempt to rectify the situation, Buell quickly converted the fund into a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization governed by a board of directors with a third-party accountant overseeing finances.