OPRA on WBLS Delayed

Yesterday I stopped at City Hall to see whether my Open Public Records Act request was ready. I had filed it on Aug. 2, seeking to know the total cost of the town meeting with host Gary Byrd of WBLS and an appearance by The Rev. Al Sharpton.

Here is what I asked for:
COST OF AUG. 1 TOWN MEETING, including school rental, speakers’ honorariums or fees, security, setup, including WBLS requirements,cost of videographing, food and supplies, plus any other incidentals.

City Clerk Laddie Wyatt told me she just received my request and a couple others on Friday, as Deputy Clerk Abubakar Jalloh left for a vacation. So the clock that I thought was ticking since Aug. 2 was apparently rewound and I will have to wait until sometime next week for the information.

Meanwhile, at Monday's City Council meeting, Councilman Adrian Mapp said as chairman of the Administration & Finance committee, he had received city financial reports totaling 50 to 60 pages. One thing that jumped out to him, he said, was an expenditure for WBLS in the amount of $2,500 out of capital funds.

"Something was done that should not have been done," he said.

The discovery, he said, showed the benefit of receiving such reports.

The council is tightening its scrutiny of discretionary spending by asking the administration for bill reviews and other financial information.

Sandra Cummings, assistant comptroller and acting chief finance officer, was called to the table but could not shed any light on the expenditure.

The city still has no permanent chief finance officer or director of Administration, Finance, Health & Social Services. City Administrator Bibi Taylor has had to be responsible for aspects of both posts since January.

Given the lack of normal checks and balances, both citizens and the governing body must exercise their right to know what is going on with public funds. Look for many more probes into fiscal matters in the near future.

--Bernice Paglia