Grambling's Money Woes Continue

And so the drama continues in the City of Grambling. City officials told NBC 10 news of their surprise to learn their general fund account was over drawn last week. But, they say there was no surprise that Mayor Martha Andrus was responsible for the drain on the bank account. Grambling City officials are asking where is the money and theyre asking Mayor Martha Andrus. City officials say they got a shocking discovery last week. "The account had been overdrawn to the sum of approximately 32 hundred dollars," said Grambling City accountant, Willie Mabry. Mabry says they soon learned more about the Citys general fund, which was coming up short. Mabry and the other City officials have been reviewing accounts all day. They say they have found checks written to the Citys assistant clerk by the mayor. Officials say memos on the checks claim to cover home office expenses. That is something the council say they never authorized, especially at amounts on the checks. Some as much as 2 thousand dollars. "We have noticed some checks that were issued that dont look as if they were apart of the normal operation of the city," continued Mabry. But wait, theres more. Mayor Andrus was handed checks in the amount of 45 thousand dollars--revenue from the city run bingo palace. Officials said they were to be deposited into a new account at a local credit union--they say it never happened. "We didnt find out until Friday morning that the funds had not been placed in the account at the credit union," explained Councilman Edward Jones. He says he did find out about what he called a *strange call* made to Lincoln Parish Sheriff Friday morning as he stood with other city officials at city hall. "One police officer from the Lincoln Parish Police department came by and said the Mayor had called and stated that they city Hall, her main office had been broken into," said Jones. Jones says the burglary didnt happen either. He compared it to a similar call he says she made in February claiming a hostage situation at city hall.