Says more transparency needed in Century
Monday night, Century Councilwoman Ann Brooks read a letter that addressed several questions Mayor Henry Hawkins brought up from an email he received from attorney Matt Danheiser informing the town it was being investigated by the Florida State Attorney's Office for possible ethics and Sunshine Law violations and other issues.
Hawkins' had sent council members a letter along with the email and included the question, “who gave Ms. Brooks the authorization to represent the town via TV or any other public broadcast with council approval?”
In the letter, Brooks wrote that she “did not need authorization from anyone to give her opinion when Channel 3 News came to her office and asked for it,” and that she “has as much right to free speech as anyone else.”
Brooks wrote that for more than a year, she has requested regularly an update on the gas franchise and got the same response from the mayor, “We are waiting on Matt Dannheiser and FGU.” Brooks wrote that she made a public records request in July for copies of emails between the mayor and Dannheiser and asked to be copied on future correspondence regarding the gas franchise.
Hawkins alleged that he could have given information to Brooks that otherwise cost the town $720 through correspondences with Dannheiser and that Brooks had been providing information to Tom Geoffrey at Florida Gas Utilities concerning the gas department, although Century Gas Department Supervisor Wally Kellett was not given that information.
Brooks wrote that during the course of the correspondence, she discovered that an analysis and subsequent recommendation by Geoffrey for Century's gas department were delayed because information needed from the Century town clerk had not been received.
Brooks wrote that based on the audit findings by Warren Averett in October 2017, “the town's overall financial condition demonstrated signs of deterioration, which, if not corrected, could result in a future financial emergency.”
Brooks wrote it is believed the financial deficiencies found in Averett's audit existed previously, but the prior audits did not reveal the deficiencies and that is why the council was unaware they existed.
She also wrote she discovered the town's payroll taxes were not being paid to the IRS due to insufficient funds, which incurred penalties, and that payroll checks were were being written when there was not enough money in the payroll account to cover them.
“This is the reason we need to be transparent in the town's affairs,” wrote Brooks. “The mayor, the town clerk and the town's accountant have a responsibility to inform the council when such issues occur. The town council has the right to know and a duty to act upon such knowledge.”
