Grambling Counicil Accuses Mayor Of Writing Frivolous Checks
By: Meagan Fitzgerald
Updated: August 28, 2009
Councilman Bryan said, "It's a party with tax payer money"
Bryan is talking about nearly 10 checks written to the former assistant clerk Elizebeth Jones.
The city accountant Willie Mabry said, "Checks that were issued, that were used for her own personal use and this is a list of those items."
The city accountant says he discovered these checks in April, after the judge ruled he was able to return to work after the mayor fired him. The checks show the mayor paying Jones over 2 thousand dollars on 3 different occasions for office supplies, that's a claim mayor Martha Andrus denies.
The city council hired a handwriting expert to evaluate the checks that were supposedly written by the mayor and according to the report, it says not only did she sign the checks, but she also wrote them.
Council members say this check worth over 9 thousand dollars was deposited in Jones' Fidelity account. The Fidelity bank statement shows Jones spending tax payer dollars on things like Victoria's Secret, hotel rooms and Wal-Mart.
Bryan said, "Basically traveled the I 20 corridor from Louisiana to California and all points in between there stopping and having fun on tax payer money."
We asked the mayor about the checks and she had no comment. But council members say their findings have already been given to investigators.
Bryan said, "The Louisiana State Police know about it and right now our auditors are up here and as long as the auditors are up here they've been finding stuff out everyday."
Bryan is talking about nearly 10 checks written to the former assistant clerk Elizebeth Jones.
The city accountant Willie Mabry said, "Checks that were issued, that were used for her own personal use and this is a list of those items."
The city accountant says he discovered these checks in April, after the judge ruled he was able to return to work after the mayor fired him. The checks show the mayor paying Jones over 2 thousand dollars on 3 different occasions for office supplies, that's a claim mayor Martha Andrus denies.
The city council hired a handwriting expert to evaluate the checks that were supposedly written by the mayor and according to the report, it says not only did she sign the checks, but she also wrote them.
Council members say this check worth over 9 thousand dollars was deposited in Jones' Fidelity account. The Fidelity bank statement shows Jones spending tax payer dollars on things like Victoria's Secret, hotel rooms and Wal-Mart.
Bryan said, "Basically traveled the I 20 corridor from Louisiana to California and all points in between there stopping and having fun on tax payer money."
We asked the mayor about the checks and she had no comment. But council members say their findings have already been given to investigators.
Bryan said, "The Louisiana State Police know about it and right now our auditors are up here and as long as the auditors are up here they've been finding stuff out everyday."
