FANUCCI PULLS A FANUCCI
Councilwoman Sherry Nealon Fanucci pulled another of her now famous “teeny-bopper” acts when she snickered and walked out of Council Chambers as Scranton-Lackawanna County Citizens and Taxpayers Assn. President Robert “Ozzie” Quinn approached the podium, this week.
Typical of Fanucci’s antics, she overstepped the bounds of propriety, this time, and allowed herself to be snookered.
Not only did Fanucci display another of her “no class” acts, but this time she left the chambers and stood right outside the doorway. However, after investigating further, we determined she had good reason to do so. Quinn was about to call her down and expose her “exemplary” record for what it is, a real sham, perpetrated and promoted by none other than the “Queen” herself. She was probably tipped off by someone at OECD that Quinn had received documentation.
Having obtained some records from OECD under the “freedom of information” act, Quinn revealed the following, for one year only, per OECD records, a copy of which is printed herein:
“OECD has outstanding monitoring reviews since 2006 that are not resolved, as of last Thursday, April 24th.” (Sara) Hailstone and (Sherry Nealon) Fanucci were in charge of the department at the time. Linda Aebli took over in December 2007, however, she was the coordinator of the home program.
“Fiscal year 2006 OECD monitoring report:
There is insufficient evidence to support the city’s determination that CDBG-assisted activities benefit low-moderate income areas:
-
-
-
Home & Emergency Shelter Grant Program for 2005-06 program years – 8 findings involving a 22 page report
1. Lacks appropriate procedures and mechanisms to ensure proper oversight.
2. Insufficient evidence the Home Program complies with the Home Affordability requirements.
3. Home assisted are not brought into compliance with appropriate housing codes and pre-
scribed time frames..
4. Insufficient evidence that the City is properly addressing lead based paint.
5. Emergency shelter grant funds are used for activities that are not eligible and there is
insufficient evidence that the City is in compliance with the cost limitations established
for services and operating staff costs.
6. The City does not have a subrecipient audit process in place.
7. The City does not require documentation to support subrecepient request for payment in
accordance with the source documentation documentation.
8. The City uses Home Administration Funds to pay an OECD staff member, although there was no supporting documentation nor was it determined that the individual in question was working on or involved with the Home Program
Financial Management: $1, 366, 509 the City was unable to document this action or produce corresponding procedures.”
This report is published verbatim from the official document received from OECD by Quinn.
Perhaps we now have a better understanding of why Fanucci was so blatantly arrogant and rude to one of our more outstanding citizens and why she is so anxious to hide from public disclosure of her inadequacies and to cover her trail.
What we don’t understand is why Council President Bob McGoff was so quick to cover Fanucci’s outlandish behavior and refused to call her to task, citing “Council rules” as his reason for covering his cohorts antics. The entire Council is so blatantly out-of-touch with the citizenry that they are even too dense to realize that Fanucci’s act casts serious aspersions on the entire group. Is there no shame among this group of “elected” representatives? Anyone with any sense of dignity would take umbrage to Fanucci’s flagrant disregard for the citizens of
It is obvious that unless Fanucci, who now works in the Governor’s Office, can explain the afore-mentioned matter to the public, it is time for her to get out of office. Her diatribe about being “tired of all the nonsense” is indicative of her long history of arrogance & contempt for the public.
Add to this the fact that Sara Hailstone, regarded as a detriment while at OECD, has been promoted to higher office and we can’t help but see a pattern here, and the pattern is distasteful.
Since when do “incompetents” warrant praise and promotion, and what does it say for the state of our city administration which obviously condones this type action?
While the Feds are at the investigation of the Housing Authority and the Single Tax Office, they should take an extra step and start an investigation into the OECD and its practices. And please don’t stop there…go all the way and let’s solve these problems once and for all. Let the chips fall where they may! The citizens deserve better than what we are being offered as leadership!
It is time the City Council members developed some backbone and faced the facts head on…the free ride is over and those who try to perpetuate this myth of “forward” progress need to be brought to task. They are negligent and derelict in their duties if they can’t govern their own!
The misuse of federal money is not to be tolerated and anyone remotely involved should be among those who “fall”, regardless of what position they hold and whose coattails they ride.
As we pointed out at the last meeting, if the Council had adhered to Councilwoman Janet Evans’ call for subpoenas and examination of documents, this whole matter might have been avoided. We are not promoting Mrs. Evans’ cause, but we honestly believe that she stands alone in challenging the authority in this community and should be commended, though she has been shackled at every turn. If she is involved, she should also go down. But if she is honest and sincere, as we believe she is, she deserves the praise of every taxpayer in this city.
Which leads us to another matter, brought up by Mrs. Fanucci. She chastised the speaking public for what she claims were “politically motivated” speeches designed to promote those who she feels have their own political agenda. Yet, young Doug Miller, president of the Jr. Council, was allowed to pander and sing the praises of Rep. Frank Andrews Shimkus with no “censuring” from Council. Young Mr. Miller, who seems to latch on to anyone who supports “his” agenda, is entitled to his opinions, but he is also subject to the same rules and regulations imposed on taxpaying citizens, and should be treated as the adult he seems to think he is. The fact that Shimkus is involved in an election should preclude any promotion of his name at meetings.
This Council has more than bent over backwards to accommodate this Jr. Council, but it has obviously run its course. It is time to either abolish this group, or to seek more mature input from young collegians who are interested in civic and governmental matters. I am sure there are a sufficient number of college students who would welcome the opportunity to “sit in” as members of a Jr. Council, if invited. What started out as a possibly sound promotion has turned into a fiasco and while we acknowledge some good has been performed by this group, they still have been accorded too much leeway and too little guidance. It has become a forum for self-promotion which seems to fall into line with the “guidance” accorded by the “adult” council triumvirate.
Getting back to our initial issue, with Sherry Fanucci, she owes an apology to “Ozzie” Quinn, and needs to show a little class and a lot more respect for the citizens of this community. Surely Sherry has had to have some training in manners, but she obviously didn’t gain from the experience. Part of being involved in politics is the ability to take the heat which goes with public office. Sherry isn’t alone in her inability to face the music, but she has taken over the prime position of being the “thin-skinned” one on the council.
She questioned this writer about bringing up an “incident” regarding the resignation of a former council member. Our intent was to show a pattern, and we believe we accomplished that goal, but Fanucci sought to sweep the matter under the rug because it happened “two years” ago. The pattern is simply that this council is too prone to avoid any issue head-on, especially if they don’t have an immediate answer. The fact that the councilperson in question was urged to “stay on” by Mayor Chris Doherty, played a major part in our questioning. Why on earth, especially in view of that person’s position, would Doherty encourage him to stay on is beyond our comprehension, unless it is a fact that Doherty feels he is above reproach and “entitled” to special consideration. Any leader, in their right mind, would have welcomed a resignation in light of the charges alleged.
Let’s go, Federal Government, let’s get with the program and take a long and hard look at everything going on in this town, and a good look at everyone involved. If there really is anything wrong, and any misuse of federal funds, get the ball rolling and weed out the offenders and the offenses.
0 comments:
Post a Comment