Allegations continue to surface in Warsaw

WARSAW — Controversy continues to swirl in Warsaw as a growing voice in the community vocalizes discontent with the local government, citing a lack of transparency and accountability. Many residents have expressed concerns about the town manager’s failure to follow through on important issues.

Month after month, frustrated residents come to the town hall meetings hoping to have their voices heard and find solutions they are often unable to get through the regular channels.

Last week at the town board meeting, Anece Best stood before the board to present a signed petition requesting an audit investigation of the town’s financial management, operational practice, and overall governance.

“We have observed issues related to the transparency of Warsaw’s financial records and reported practices. Community members report difficulty obtaining access to financial statements and supporting documents, leading to concerns about the accuracy and completeness of information ” said Best, adding that allegations of “potential mismanagement of public funds” have emerged.

Concerns include “possible misuse of designated funds, irregularities in procurement and contracting practices … misreporting of project costs, and insufficient oversight noted by various stakeholders,” said Best, adding that “reports of conflicts of interest, lack of transparency” have raised questions about the “overall effectiveness and accountability of town leadership.”

Mayor A.J. Connors told the Duplin Journal that Warsaw has not experienced any issues with their audits and believes that the majority of residents are satisfied with the town’s administration.

He also explained that the town has an audit company that audits the books every year. “The books are in order and it will come back clean this year because we do not have anything to hide,” Connors told Duplin Journal, adding that Warsaw has ordinances and general statutes they have to follow and they plan to stick to them even if they get complaints.

“We’re going to follow the letter of the law. And that’s what we’re doing,” he explained, mentioning that they are in the process of updating some ordinances. “We operate based on the law that is given to us to work from.”

Additionally, Connors noted that anyone seeking information from the town can do so by filling out a request form.

“Ask for it or email a request in so we can have paper trails showing who asked for this information and how we responded to them,” he said.

During the same meeting, Commissioner Ebony Willis-Wells addressed Mayor Connors.

“I want to know why several mornings that I wake up, my family, myself, and I see the mayor at the corner of my driveway,” said Willis-Wells. “There’ll be mornings that I come home, and it’s wee hours of the morning and the mayor is sitting out there as well.”

Willis-Well questioned the use of tax dollars and emphasized that monitoring her activities is not part of the mayor’s job. “If we are paying the mayor to drive around to watch me, then the town should cancel that project because that is not what his job is,” she said. “If we have a policy that is in place for the mayor to drive a town vehicle, it does not authorize him to sit at the corner of my street,” said Willis-Wells.

“Mayor Connors, there is no purpose for you to be sitting at the corner of my driveway or my property watching me as I’m going or coming. We gave you authorization to drive the vehicles, but not at your leisure. And it must be business-related. As a citizen we know that there are commissioners as well as elected officials who have conflict of interest in various forms.”

In an interview with the Duplin Journal, Connors stated that he has only been on Willis-Wells’ property once.

“I have not been on her property but one time and that was with one of our individuals from public works when he had a water leak,” said Mayor Connors. “I’ve been on Victoria and Addylin. I turn on Addylin, which is over a football field length from her house — nowhere near her house. I’ve been on Addylin, which is in my rights because I am the mayor and I can travel on any street in Warsaw that I deem fit to deal with. So she’s telling a lie when she says I’ve been on her property or I’ve been in her driveway. Victoria Street is the town of Warsaw Street. Addylin is a town of Warsaw Street. And that’s the only place she’s seen me at is on Addylin.”

Connors emphasized that he is permitted to use town vehicles at his discretion when handling matters related to the town of Warsaw. “There’s no streets that I’m barred from because they belong to the town of Warsaw,” said Connors.

Willis-Wells also addressed Town Manager Lea Turner during the meeting, requesting that her concerns be documented for public record. She noted the lack of response from the town manager to her phone calls and text messages regarding issues affecting town citizens.

Willis-Wells also noted that there hasn’t been any update from the town manager regarding the $7.5 million grant, expressing her concern about how this funding is supposed to be allocated before the deadline to use the money expires. Turner remained quiet as Willis-Wells continued to ask questions, pointing out that the town manager did not include in her report that the wastewater treatment plant received another notice of violation on Nov. 6 and questioned why that information was not being shared.

“DEQ is providing the town with notices of violations as well as civil penalties,” said Willis-Wells, adding that the town manager has the authority to contest those civil penalties, and asked if she had responded. Willis-Wells noted the importance of the town manager responding back within the 10-day timeframe. “I think as commissioners, we should receive updates when the town manager does meet with DEQ and the state, and we should not be blindsided to receive the information after the fact.”

Willis-Wells concluded by emphasizing the importance of transparency. She stated that the town is responsible for anything that affects the wastewater treatment plant and highlighted the need to hold industrial users accountable for their impact on it.

During an interview, Willis-Wells told Duplin Journal that it’s time for the town to take a stand, do what is right, and prioritize transparency in addressing these challenges.

“Our leadership knows what’s right. But so much has been brushed under the road from the previous administration to this current administration. And we’re not being transparent,” she said.

The commissioner explained that it was the town manager’s duty to enforce permit compliance, but ultimately it was the town board’s responsibility to hold her accountable.

“That’s what she was hired to do and handle. But at the end of the day, as you know, as a commissioner, we’re her boss. So it’s our job as commissioners to hold her accountable to do her job,” said Willis-Wells. “I ask for total transparency at every meeting. And as I said, I get pushback. I’m only one voice for the people. And it’s going to take all the other voices to stand up.”

Duplin Journal asked Mayor Connors to share about the status of the $7.5 million grant.

“The $7.5 million was given to us under the cloud that it would be to increase the size of the waste treatment plant,” said Connors, explaining that this amount is insufficient, as they actually need $44 million to expand the plant to meet future demands.

“The engineers have laid out a plan of the cost to increase the size of the waste treatment plant, so they have that report,” said Connors. “It’s not like we’re just sitting here.”

Connors stated that he requested approval from the board to change the language of the grant and to present it to Senator Brent Jackson and House Representative Jimmy Dixon for approval to amend the grant language.

“We’re just waiting for the Senate to get into the session. Hopefully, they will give us the okay to go ahead and change the word of that grant from increase to improve,” said Connors. “Then we can take the $7.5 million and start working on projects and things that hopefully will help us out more at the waste treatment plant until we can get the $44 million.”

Duplin Journal also contacted Turner for comment but received no response.

Since the meeting, an online petition has circulated calling for an investigation of all operational departments over the last 5 years and the resignation of three town officials.

This article is part one of a two-part series.