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| Herald-Times Photo of Dave Allison Morgan Co. home |
The WRTV report describes Allison as "a central figure" in "a wide-ranging investigation of several individuals and multiple businesses." Allison supposedly submitted construction plans based on one proposal for a new firehouse but substituted it for another after obtaining the federal grant. This 2012 audit report by the Department of Homeland Security's Inspector General may have something related to the investigation. "Fire and Rescue's grant application states that the new fire station will be 7,100 square feet, but the plans submitted to FEMA show a structure of 23,600 square feet," the report reads. "The Chief said that he misread the question in the grant application and thought it referred to the size of the existing fire station."
The audit report indicates the fire station had been a source of controversy in the township where a number of residents opposed its construction, concerned about what it might mean for future development in the area. The Planning Commission held up granting a building permit until a number of issues had been resolved, including title to the property, which were later remedied in January 2012. The work permit for construction of the fire house, however, subsequently expired according to WRTV. Contracts totaling more than $910,000 had been awarded according to the inspector general report. In addition, the more than $76,000 in initial costs incurred for the project were deemed reasonable according to the audit report.
11 comments:
Off topic, but whatever happened to the older guy that was raided for all the artifacts? You are of course spot on regarding government "service"!
And arrests and time served of others from other officers in this county..Connect the dots. why not delving into Zionsville and Boone County the past years...Instead of reporting the news...
Wanna bet that this real estate pays less than $1000 a year for property taxes? Something smells rotten.
I think he has got other grants to get Fire trucks that the Department has never recieved either!
So the Chief of a Volunteer Fired Department owns a mansion????
The Commission on Local Government Reform recommended eliminating Township government, and this would be the prime reason: Corruption, nepotism, cronyism.
If the paid Chief of a Fire Department makes enough salary from the government that he can afford a mansion like that, I'd say he's paid too much.
Volunteer Fire Chief lives in a mansion....something is very wrong.
Maybe a House was built instead of the planned Fire House????????
Wonder if the workers who built the fire house were paid properly ?????????
That seems like an unnecessarily large and expensive fire station for a township of this size with a population of about 1,500 people.
http://www.stats.indiana.edu/maptools/maps/boundary/townships_2010/regions/WC_region_twp.pdf
I am just amazed this was uncovered in an AUDIT! Someone found it, brought it forward and it wasn't quashed?
Believe it or not Mr. Welsh there really are government employees out there who strictly follow state law on purchasing and public works. We take great pride in getting the best possible deal for our employers in everything we procure.
Not sure how a small township volunteer fire department chief built a mansion... it certainly looks like there could be some funny business going on, but let's see what the investigation uncovers. At the very least it's nice to see someone in central Indiana actually investigates corruption, even if it's just the small fish being pursued. Has anyone seen Mitch Daniel's pad in Carmel? One of many.
Your report begs a question: why do the Feds have to offer grant money to build or replace basic infrastructure such as fire stations and equipment? This is a responsibility of local government.
The fire chief in question used to own a hazardous waste removal company. He made millions off of that. Did he pocket any of the 1.1 million??? Good question... my guess is yes. I can say as someone who lives in this community & has kept a watchful eye on the construction of the firehouse that corners have been cut all along. Never has there been an entire crew working on the construction of the building. I have only seen 1 paid employee working on the building. The rest have been volunteer fire men helping when they had time. Up until the raid the Morgan Co sheriff's department was sending a bus load of county inmates to work for free. Which is a whole nother topic since the Waverly elementary is a stones throw away. This new station house is a joke & my only hope is it gets resolved!
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