Whatley  Waste

Mayor Whatley presided over one of the most flagrant wastes -- and an associated cover-up -- we've ever seen in a city.

Credit cards were given to many people within the city to cut down on paperwork for reimbursements.  Of course, most of us who spend money for our employers do so at our own expense and on our own credit cards, and then we get reimbursed from the company after they have reviewed the charges.

The problem with Midlothian was that there were few procedures in place and that invited abuse.  It was rumored that personal expenditures were made (including gas in Oklahoma for a personal vehicle), and when one employee was confronted, he replied that the policy didn't prohibit him from making personal expenditures, and he allegedly threatened to sue the city for defamation so they dropped it.

Very few within the city knew it -- it was kept very "hush - hush."  Unfortunately, many people outside the city were laughing at us about it, as the members of law enforcement across the county were making fun of us.

Finally, the city hired Chris Dick to take control of the situation;  however, you'll still see that credit cards are still being used for extreme amounts, and it's very difficult to determine for what the charges are.

There was at least one example of a manager who filed a missing receipt form for an expense, and that same manager signed as the authorized manager for himself!

Other receipts were for items such as "casual sportswear" to stores such as Kohl's, Lane Bryant, and Old Navy.  Don't you wish the city would buy your sportswear for you?

On many receipts, the city paid sales tax.  Municipalities don't have to pay sales tax, but the purchaser has to provide an exemption certificate.  Many dollars were wasted paying sales tax not owed.

One of the blatant abuses of the credti card policy was with the repair of police cars.  For whatever reason, Whatley allowed police cars to be taken to Ken's Muffler in north Dallas for many repairs, including most oil changes.  This was wasteful, took an officer off the streets, put more mileage on the car, and took money away from Midlothian businesses.  This went on for about 8 months!

Here's one example of Mayor Whatley's police car service fiasco for an oil change:

* Express Care is 2-mile round trip;  Ken's Muffler, 4212 N. Central, is 58 miles, 68 minutes.  This does NOT account for the time the officer had to wait for the car to be serviced (one would assume if the car were dropped off in Midlothian, another officer would transport the officer back to the station).  Mileage based upon 2006 IRS rate of 44.5 cents per mile.  Officer salary based upon U. S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics, May, 2006.  Information obtained from city records via FOI request.

These items were included in many repair tickets the police department at Ken's Muffler In Dallas.  If you think these prices are reasonable, you should love our mayor:

• Multiple oil changes as above

• Alignment cam bolts -- $149.95

• Alternator -- $544.02

• Anti-freeze -- $30

• Battery, car -- $165, including installation charge of $30 (Did your car battery cost $165?  Another vehicle got a battery at Wal*Mart for $62.28)

• Battery, free warranty replacement -- $32.50 (free?)

• Bearing / grease seal / grease -- $192

• Check engine light -- $60

• Front brakes -- $219.95

• Front brakes -- $369.95 (Includes 2 resurfacing of rotors @ $30 each, plus 2 rotors at $75 each.  Why would one resurface rotors and then replace them with new ones?)  Total repair bill:  $1,409.90

• Fuel filter -- $42 ($22, plus $20 labor)

• Headlight -- $29

• Labor, miscellaneous -- $600

• Radiator -- $530

• Rear brakes -- $209.45

• Shocks (4) -- $733.56 (that's $183.39 EACH)

• Transmission fluid / filter -- $144

• Vacuum leak -- $130

• Wheel stud -- $80 ($15, plus $65 installation)

• Wiper blades -- $35 ($25, plus $10 labor)

Unusual-sounding repairs:

• Bus -- various repairs, including roof flooring, trap door, & outside steps -- $2,950.

• Car 881641:

  • 3/30/07 -- in for service

  • 4/9/07 -- wiper blades (did it not need them 10 days earlier when it was already in the shop?)

  • 5/2/07 -- wiper blades (again)

• Car 881642:

  • 3/5/07 -- in for service

  • 3/9/07 -- alignment (did it not need it 4 days earlier when it was already in the shop?)

Unusual-sounding expenditures:

• Paintball online -- $1,221.99

• Subscription to COMMAND magazine -- $175

• Kohl's, men's underwear -- $17

• Embassy Suites -- $111.87, Mayor Whatley (ever heard of Days Inn, mayor?)

• Omni Parker House Hotel -- $1,096.35 for 5 nights ($219.27 nightly, Steve Campbell)

• Omni Parker House Hotel -- $1,295.35 for 5 nights ($259.07 nightly, John Spann)

• Food for Senior's Christmas Party -- $1,060.99, including $66.90 sales tax (Should the city be paying sales tax?  Is it legal for taxpayer money to fund Christmas parties?)

• Two M2 Entry guns -- $2,035 (includes $45 for overnight shipping)

• Listed as "Uniforms:"

  • Lane Bryant, 2 pants -- $90.93

  • Old Navy, trousers -- $112.04

  • Wal*Mart, pants (5) -- $87.02

  • Kohl's, 4 casual sportswear -- $87.96

Fellow citizens of Midlothian -- this is our money Whatley wasted, and it went on for months before it was stopped.  Our consultant says Whatley blamed the city manager at the time, and in typical Whatley fashion, took credit when someone discovered what was happening.  However, the fact it happened while he was mayor and he didn't know it, PROVES that WHATLEY DOESN'T KNOW WHAT'S GOING ON.

Whatley also denied the police cars were driven to service by Midlothian peace officers, but numerous city employees have told us otherwise.  When was the last time you saw a civilian driving a Midlothian police car?  We haven't, either.