City of Midlothian

2008 Expenditures

General Fund

(From Oct 2007 through Jan 2008)

Citizens of Midlothian --

this is YOUR tax money Mayor Whatley and city council are spending --

You have a right to know where it's being spent!

Note:  Some of these figures show expenditures that may be questionable, but that's not the "real story."  The amazing thing is that scores of employees have credit cards, and there's very little info on the general ledger except that it was paid to a credit card.  We feel providing this many credit cards could lend itself to abuse and lack of control.

This report covered slightly less than 4 months, and represented a little over $4 million dollars.  This report covers the General Fund only;  the Utility Fund is not included at this time.

General Fund, 10/2007 - 01/2008

• $7,468.89 -- Highest observed monthly charge to Chase credit card during the 4-month period.  Description:  "09806 JPMC 110507 BLDG INSP 3094"  (Support services, building renovation, 11/05/2007)
   

• $7,299.02 -- 2nd highest observed monthly charge to Chase credit card during the 4-month period.  Description:  "09839 JPMC 120507/AL HAAK/CH R 3094" (Support services, building renovation, 12/05/2007)
   

• $4,883.23 -- 3rd highest observed monthly charge to Chase credit card during the 4-month period.  Description:  "09670 JPMC 100507 BLDG INSPECT 3094"  (Support services, building renovation, 10/05/2007)
   

• $4,061.56 -- 4th highest observed monthly charge to Chase credit card during the 4-month period.  Description:  "09839 STEVE EGANMOTO RODEO/GAS 3094"  (Police Department, vehicle maintenance, 12/05/2007)
   

• $2,400 annually for Mayor Whatley to attend council meetings.  Council members, volunteers in many cities, received $5/month last year ($7.50 for the mayor).  For 2008, they gave themselves a raise:  The mayor gets $100 per meeting, mayor pro-tem $75/meeting, and council members get $50.  Mayor Whatley went from $7.50 per month to $100 per meeting;  that's a raise of 2667% -- from $90 annually to $2,400 annually.  Did YOUR SALARY increase by over 26 times as much this year?
   

• $656.38 paid to Mayor Whatley for driving 1,475 miles from 7/10/06 - 12/04/06, and $1,201.34 for driving 2,477 miles from 1/1/2007 to 9/24/2007.  His purpose?  Most are listed as "business" or "meeting."
   

• $25,996 paid to Councilman Sibley for an easement.  That's about $2 for every man, woman, and child in Midlothian.
   

• $990 for Councilman Sibley to attend a 4-day TML meeting in Austin, including:

  • $345 for registration to attend (he could have saved us $70 if he had registered earlier).

  • $209.44 per night for 2 nights lodging at the Hilton.  (Where was he the 3rd night?   From his expenses, it appears he spent as little as 2 days at the 4-day convention.)

  • $48.12 for lunch at Ruth Chris' Steakhouse:  a petite filet ($29.95), steakhouse salad ($7.25), and baked potato ($7.25), plus tax.  Has he never heard of "99 cent value meals?"  He had another lunch at the TML meeting for $25.

  • $17 for breakfast to attend the "Women in Government Breakfast."  (description)  Why was Councilman Sibley attending a meeting for women in government?  We don't want to speculate.
     

• $14,876 a month for Ron Stephens, "City Manager Consultant" ... that's $178,512 annually.
   

• $294.95 for "Council Goodwill" (10/26/2007, Costco).  Since Costco sells everything from Alcohol to Zen Tea, shouldn't this expenditure have been documented more precisely?  Or, perhaps Mayor Whatley wanted it to be obscure.
   

• $54.25 for pizza for a planning subcommittee meeting (11/12/2007, Al Elmazi).
   

• $500 annual dues for Don Hastings' membership in the Rotary Club.
   

• $83 for an administration annexation meeting lunch (10/04/07, Al Elmazi).
   

• $83 for an administration arbitration lunch (10/16/07, Al Elmazi).
   

• $43 for an administration annexation lunch (10/25/07, Al Elmazi).
   

• $2,100 for annexation meetings (11/12/07, Jimmie McClure)
   

• $22,823.41 for annexation consulting fees (11/1/2007, Stephen M Hines)
   

• $98,476.58 total legal fees paid in December, 2007, including:

  • $54,497.27 for legal fees (12/12/2007, Terry D Morgan & Assocs)

  • $38,857.05 for annexation consulting fees (12/14/2007, Perryman Consultants)
     

• $11,750.00 for "organizational assessment" charged to the PD (11/18/2007, Comset Corp)
   

• $700.16 for monthly internet charges (01/2008, at&t)
   

• $44,175.00 for McLain Budget Software (10/24/2007, Kenneth Parker McLain)
   

• $5,825.00 for McLain Budget Software (11/28/2007, Kenneth Parker McLain)
   

• $8,354.07 for Barracuda Msg Archiver (12/03/2007, CDW Government, Inc.)
   

• $15,566.30 for 3 months of copier leasing;  if that continues, that's over $60 thousand annually for leasing copiers!
   

• $25,811.83 annually for computer leasing (10/2007).  How many of you lease your computer?
   

• $20,000.00 for furniture for old PD (11/16/2007, GW Outfitters LP).  Isn't that a strange amount for furniture -- exactly $20k?  What are the chances a bill would be an even $20k?  According to their website, they carry over 4,000 items.  How, then, could someone spend exactly $20k?  Mayor Whatley, are you awake?
   

• $45.75 for 3 pizzas for a committee meeting (11/06/2007, Al Elmazi).  Do you spent $15 each for pizzas when you feed your family?
   

• $2,400 for "fire delivery training" (11/05/2007, TWL Knowledge Group).  Do someone call for fire delivery?
   

• $13,164.20 in "building renovation" (11/2007), of which $7,650.36 was paid to "Chase Bank."

  • Is the city allowing charges to be placed on credit cards, and then paying off the card?  If so, isn't it very dangerous to have the actual receipts so far removed from payment?  And, isn't it a risk to have employees who can charge so much (one was $7,468.89) to the city?  Couldn't this easy be abused, leaving the city liable?
     

• $11,060.40 of $34,528.87 in building renovation (12/2007) was paid to "Chase Bank."
   

• $2,731.14 for light bulbs (10/22/2007).
   

• $940.08 for light bulbs (11/14/2007).
   

• $443.50 for mats and scrapers (10/2007).
   

• $3,355.20 for legal ads in The Dallas Morning News (11/04/2007).
   

• $7,500.00 for HR software package (10/01/2007, Tyler Technologies).
   

• $1,460.00 for Citrix access essentials software package (01/02/2008, Tyler Technologies).
   

• $2,088.00 for HR software maintenance (11/08/2007, Tyler Technologies).
   

• $9,183.00 for Financial software maintenance (11/08/2007, Tyler Technologies).
   

• $2,957.54 for hams (12/07/2007, Sam's Club Direct).
   

• $369.38 for balloons / card envelopes (12/18/2007, Everglades Direct).
   

• $100.00 for ERCOT membership (11/02/2007).
   

• $3.70 for sales tax (01/07/2008, Wal*Mart).  Cities don't pay sales tax.
   

• $227.14 for Suburban oil change (10/09/2007, Coats Car Care).
   

• $296.58 for saw filters & chains (10/16/2007, Asplundh Tree Expert).
   

• $54.50 for P & Z department lunch (01/07/2008).
   

• $76.71 for pizza for PW Movers (01/07/2008, charged to Chase card).
   

• $42.61 for P & Z board meal (01/07/2008, charged to Chase card).
   

• $829.69 for Taser cartridges (01/24/2008, charged to Chase card).
   

• $415.05 for late payment (01/24/2008, Ford Motor Credit).  (Why is the city making payments late and incurring late fees?)
   

• $1910.09 for "Business Cards Form/Layo" (01/10/2008, Kwik Kopy Digiprint).
   

• $150.35 for commode repair (10/24/2007, Donald J. Rogers).
   

• $65.00 for urinal repair (11/07/2007, Donald J. Rogers).
   

• $783.50 for water damage repair to PD men's room (12/06/2007, MBW Service).
   

• $448.45 for trash bags and toilet paper for the PD (01/03/2008, Acuity Specialty).
   

• $696.70  for wipes & towels for the PD (01/24/2008, Acuity Specialty).
  
  (We don't disparage the PD for wanting toilet paper, trash bags, wipes, and towels.  We're just hoping the $1,145.15 spent covered more than a month or so.)
   

• $642.78 for a coffee maker for the PD, plus $142.93 for installation (01/24/2008, charged to Chase card).
   

• $4,060.00 for mowing  (11/28/2007, Lone Star Tractor).
   

• $330.00 for membership dues (10/2007, TX Amateur Athletic Feder).
   

Return to Expenditures Page

Source:  City records, obtained via FOI request