Editorial: Piggott and Ste. Claire must come clean

I read with growing antipathy the coverage of the city’s mismanagement of the 450th Commemoration and quotes from St Augustine city commissioners published in our local newspaper.

The Record went from “St Augustine has no plans for 450th contracts review” six days ago to “450th contracts back on the table” today. And, the responses quoted are more reflective of a cover-up than transparency or accountability; something Mayor Nancy Shaver is seeking.

Jim Piggott, director of the city’s general services, said his department helps write initial city contracts. The contracts get a legal review and then are managed by the appropriate department. That is the same for 450th contracts, which are managed by the 450th Commemoration Department.

Ste. Claire said some efforts related to the 450th are handled outside of the department. An example he gave was the initiative to bring El Galeon to St. Augustine. Those contracts were handled outside of the department.

The task of overseeing the contracts managed by the department is shared by 450th department employees, Ste. Claire said.

If this isn’t the old soft-shoe, I don’t know what is. You’ve got the director responsible for multi-million dollar spending decisions made by the City saying he doesn’t manage the 450th contracts after they are awarded — they are managed by the 450th Commemoration Department. Then you have the director of the 450th Commemoration Department (Ste Claire) saying certain contracts for the 450th are handled outside of the department, with management of those contracts shared by 450th department employees.

Sorry, you can’t have it both ways. Either Piggott is correct and 450th contracts are handled “the same” as other contracts. Or, Ste. Claire is right, and “some” are handled “outside the department” and his management responsibilities are delegated to “department employees”.

The fact is that an audit will confirm that there have been as many ways to get awarded a 450th commemoration contract as there have been contracts awarded. Charges of favoritism, cronyism, nepotism, and a list of other “ism’s”, have plagued the 450th Commemoration for the last four years of former mayor Joe Boles’ term in office.

Piggott is right that the City of St Augustine has a well-established purchasing department within General Services. One that demonstrates the use of “best practices” learned from other municipalities. However, it is wrong to say that the 450th Commemoration has complied — certainly not in the way other city departments have.

Rather, the whims of an overzealous team of politicians, appointees, and staff members had their own ideas about what is reasonable and necessary for the people of St Augustine. They didn’t adhere to any formal budget, or managerial constraints, or have defined boundaries on how taxpayer’s money would be spent.

It’s shameful.

It’s embarrassing.

And, it may very well be criminal.

An audit, with public oversight and scrutiny, will find out the offenses and identify those responsible. Those who have breached the trust of the people will be held accountable.