The current Indian Trail Improvement District Board of Supervisors majority, including Carol Jacobs, Gary Dunkley and Betty Argue, did the district a disservice by terminating the ITID district manager and finance director by a surprise 3-2 vote on Wednesday, June 21. Their justification was flawed, as are many of the decisions on which they find consensus.
To correct the errors printed in the last two issues of the Town-Crier, Jim Shallman and Don Rinzel did not “fail to report required audit findings to bond holders.” The bond holders were informed of our successful audit every step of the way. The violation and request for response were based only on the fact that the committee was not provided a final printed audit report (as required by the state’s Joint Legislative Auditing Committee) by March 31. In that respect, our audit was late. The board of supervisors received, approved and filed the successful document with a fourth-straight unmodified opinion two weeks later at the April board meeting. The budget and assessment rates, as discussed in the Town-Crier last issue, were already completed by June 21 and did not require any review, or revision, by Special District Services (SDS). It strikes me as ironic that ITID board members whining about waste and overspending paid SDS $15,000 to submit the assessment rates that were already calculated correctly and ready to go to the county for processing into the tax roll.
And, of course, the “elder Wodraska did not find any evidence of malfeasance or misappropriation.” None exists. If any of the three “concerned board members” wish to bring the topic up publicly again, I would be happy to discuss the matter at length in a court of law. I have served honestly, loyally and with complete transparency since December 2008 in various capacities at Indian Trail. No one can challenge my integrity, or professional and competent management of this district in every aspect, since the board requested that I take the manager position — a request that came after the board incited crisis resulting in the mass exodus of senior management in June 2013.
It saddens and worries me to know that my tax dollars are now being managed by these three misfits.
I have good wishes for the future of this district. SDS is a reputable and competent organization. Hiring them after railroading us out was the only intelligent decision made by the ITID board in this situation. But please do not try to fool the taxpaying residents into believing that this board eliminated incompetent management and is now saving them money.
A small, rural water control district in the middle of what used to be the woods of Palm Beach County, with an $11 million annual budget, 74 employees and nine parks, should not be so filled with political dissension and contempt for civility and respect.
Jim Shallman, The Acreage
Editor’s note: Mr. Shallman is the former manager of the Indian Trail Improvement District.
https://gotowncrier.com/2017/07/new-itid-management-company-finalizing-districts-budget/
The elder Wodraska added that he has not found any evidence of malfeasance or misappropriation in the time he has been there, and did not feel a more thorough audit of the books is necessary.
“Fundamentally, you have a well-run organization that’s financially in a good position,” he said.
Why were you terminated?
Wasn’t it 3 years in a row that it was late? And that is why there was an issue? possible state regulated sanctions? one of which was dissolution of the district? This isn’t something to take lightly. I don’t think this was as simple as ‘gee’ everyone was told about it, i just forgot to put the paperwork in…. Sorry, not sorry…. and while i appreciate the hard work the management of the district is… with all the ‘dissension’…. what is most telling this was a good decision by this board -this statement by Mr. Shallman, ” It saddens and worries me to know that my tax dollars are now being managed by these three misfits.” This says it all.. – unprofessional and whiney at best. Finally, the district has supervisors in agreement without the whiney nonsense.