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Local News

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Farm Bureau wants to see Partnership's books
By JOY BROWN

STAFF WRITER

The Hancock County Farm Bureau wants a private flood control planning group to divulge its finances, but group members are not certain they're legally obligated to do so.

On Monday, prior to a meeting held to outline potential flood control projects in Findlay, the Farm Bureau submitted a public records request to the Northwest Ohio Flood Mitigation Partnership, asking it to "release all of their financial records that pertain to any income and expenditures that it has acquired" since the group was formed.

Signed by Marvin Tuttle, president of the county Farm Bureau, the request said the group is "asking for these records because of the fact that the Partnership has obtained public tax dollars for their organization."

The Partnership, with the help of politicians, received $3 million from the state's capital budget in August. The Partnership said the money will be used for property acquisition and to help pay for ongoing flood-reduction studies, particularly one just launched that will examine existing conditions in the Blanchard River watershed outside of Findlay and Ottawa.

"This is no more than is demanded of anybody receiving public funds. When you receive public money you are expected to account to the public of all your income and expenditures. We feel that it is no more than right, that you honor this request and release the financial records of the Partnership to the citizens of the Blanchard River watershed," the request said.

The Farm Bureau asked that the records be released by Saturday.

The Partnership, however, is an organization that is privately funded by 11 corporations. Since its formation in December 2007, the group has not revealed the salaries of President Tony Iriti and assistant Leigh Esper, nor how much it is spending to rent office space in the Glass Building on West Sandusky Street downtown.

After Monday's meeting, Iriti said a nearly identically worded public records request had also been submitted by an individual claiming to be an assistant professor at a Michigan college, but who has a local telephone number.

"We'll be more than happy to account for every public dollar" received, said Iriti, but Partnership operations costs may not be released.

"We'll turn these (requests) over to our attorney and our attorney will advise us on what needs to be done," said Iriti.

"We'll turn over (to the public) anything that's required of us," said Scott Malaney, a Partnership board member, and president and CEO of Blanchard Valley Health System.

Brown: 419-427-8496,

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18 Comments (2 pages)

Latest comments listed first.
Taylor wrote:
Farm Bureau wants to see Partnership's books
“ What are they hiding? To build trust they need to have transparency.
For $3M in public funds there has to be financial accountability.
Who knows, maybe the ex-mayor is earning a better living now that he is apart of a public bureaucracy the does not have to demonstrate any improvements.
 ”
Tuesday, November 03, 2009 10:37:47 PM
Teri Reinhart wrote:
Farm Bureau
“ Nothing gets approval in this state without the Farm Bureau. They own our legislature. No on issue 2. ”
Sunday, October 18, 2009 9:35:18 PM
Citizen wrote:
Where are the books?
“ Looks like they have something to hide. I can't wait till they get their hands on the county sales tax, if it passes. ”
Wednesday, October 14, 2009 1:04:16 AM
David wrote:
What's up Farm Bureau?
“ In one case the farmer's don't have time for chit-chatwith URS while they are running their combines, but they have time to work out a public record request? Hmmm...the Farm Bureau reminds me of a labor union in this case. I wonder why they are so opposed to Findlay bettering itself...oh yeah that's right, wasn't there a rumor the farmers have changed to french drains and now are dumping too much water into the creeks? Methinks they doth protest too much... ”
Friday, October 02, 2009 9:52:58 PM
j wrote:
Trust
“ When you need attorney to advise you, something is not right. This is not going to go over well in communities outside of Findlay which are already suspicious of Findlay and it flood control plans. Another nail in the coffin of funding a flood plan for Findlay. ”
Friday, October 02, 2009 12:02:05 AM
Mitchell Langford wrote:
Tax Rules
“ "It doesn't work like that.

Simply because an organization received grant money, does not mean they must open up ALL of their books. They must account for how that grant was spent, but that is all they need to account for."

If you are a business this may be true. But if you are a private non-profit, and the Flood Mitigation Partnership says they are on this Fact Sheet from their website, then the non-profit rules from the IRS apply and they do have to 'open their books' so to speak.

http://floodpartnership.org/media/Fast_Facts.pdf

Most of the charities in this town are private non-profits. They do not have to disclose details about who donated what but they do have to make their tax filings available to the public. Those tax filings cover all their income; grants and private gifts.

They don't have to allow people to read through their checkbook register but they do have to give out their tax filings.

And since Scott Malaney gets paid abot $700,000 a year to run the county's largest non-profit he surely knows that.

Why they are acting likes its a mystery that needs to be checked out by a lawyer is what puzzles me.

”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 4:23:49 PM
Bobby wrote:
Flood Litigation Issues
“ Show up, or close up! If this flood litigation is what they say they are, they will show the public their records. If this is for all the right reason, they have nothing to hide. Along the same subject....take a look at the diversion channels around Findlay which this group is proposing...I sure feel sorry for the community that is located west of Findlay and Rt. 224. You folks might as well kiss your acres, houses and land, farms and property value good bye, cause this land will become a swamp once the water works its way west towards Ottawa. Another words in a nutshell, save Findlay, and the heck with the rest of us! ”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 2:26:42 PM
Toast wrote:
Citizen
“ It doesn't work like that.

Simply because an organization received grant money, does not mean they must open up ALL of their books. They must account for how that grant was spent, but that is all they need to account for.

For example, there are numerous small businesses in our community that received small business grant money for the state or federal government. It is ridiculous to assume they must now turn over ALL of their books because they received some assistance.

Finally, anyone tying this story to any of the three tax proposals on Nov.'s ballot is way off base. There is NO connection between how the partnership spends its grant and how our County, City or Schools operate. They are completely separate entities and an attempt to bind the two is simply dishonest. ”
Wednesday, September 30, 2009 8:45:08 AM
Citizen wrote:
Matt
“ When they took public money, they gave up their right to not open up all of their books. If they choose not to, it will just go to show, they think they are above the law. If they don't open their books, it will be another reason to vote against the tax. I think they will do the right thing and open up everything, they have no reason not to, and it will help to improve their image, as not being a back room behind closed doors operation. I think this city is tired of the back room closed door dealings, that have been going on with public business. For the good of the community, I hope they comply. ”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 11:49:07 PM
Matt wrote:
Seriously
“ The Eleven companies that are paying for the Northwest Ohio Flood Mitigation Partnership are trying to be good corporate citizens and expidite the flood mitigation process. They are using their resources to try and preserve their property, and to preserve the area so that there workings don't have to live in a wasteland.

Did these companies need to do this? No, they chose to. I personally think they should be applauded for their efforts.

The 3 million in public money will have to be tranparent, they will need to show how it was spent. The 11 companies can spend their money however they see fit, their is a Board of Directors that oversee this. If they think Mr. Iriti should be paid 1.1 million dollars a year, that is their business. The Citizens have a right to know how the 3 million is spent.

The companies and Mr. Iriti are trying to help the region for the benefit of the Citizens and their own companies.

Why is it when people try to help there are always those who blindly attack it.

 ”
Tuesday, September 29, 2009 8:33:53 PM
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