9,487
edits
Changes
Jump to navigation
Jump to search
m
dronc4
{{current}}
[[Image:FrontPorchLogo.jpg|right]]
On [[March 18]], [[2007]], the ''[[Pensacola News Journal]]'' reported that council chairperson [[Michelle MacNeil]] and vice-chair/treasurer [[Melanie Nichols]] were threatening resignation following claims that Manley had made payments from the group's budget, benefitting herself and family members, without council authorization. In a draft of her resignation letter obtained by the newspaper, MacNeil (who is white) said that her concern regarding Manley (who is black) had been met with "resistance, hostility and personal attacks" and that "my race has clouded reasonable judgment of my character."<ref>[http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070318/NEWS01/703180326 Audit, race shake charity] - [[Pensacola News Journal]], March 18, 2007</ref> MacNeil also alleged that Manley's administrative duties, such as paying utility bills, had been neglected.
On [[March 20]], the News Journal reported that inspectors from the Florida Department of Community Affairs would be sent to investigate the allegations.<ref>[http://pensacolanewsjournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070320/NEWS01/703200321/1006 State to probe Front Porch] - [[Pensacola News Journal]], March 20, 2007</ref> Later that day, Manley held a press conference where she denied many of the allegations and offered explanations for others. Two council members at the press conference, Reverend [[Hugh King]] and [[Dolores Curry]], defended Manley and accused MacNeil and Nichols of racism. Another board member in attendance, [[Meredith Reeves]] (who is MacNeil's cousin), said of Manley, "Sheâs She’s not good at doing the day-to-day office business... [but] has good intentions."<ref>[http://inweekly.net/article.asp?artID=4315 The Buzz: Front Porch Debate] - [[Independent News]], March 22, 2007</ref>
It was revealed that, in addition to the $24,999 salary Manley is paid by the state, supplemented by $13,000 from [[Escambia County]] and $6,000 from the [[City of Pensacola]], she had been collecting as much as 30% of all funds received from donations and grants. Manley claimed this commission had been granted by the council in [[2002]], but it was not mentioned in any council minutes. She also admitted accepting a check for $4,323 of an estimated $80,000 collected from a [[Gulf Power#Foundation|Gulf Power Foundation]] fundraiser, but cited an [[August 8]], 2003 letter by Gulf Power president & CEO [[Susan Story]] as authorization.<ref>[http://ricksblog.biz/wp-content/uploads/2007/03/storey.pdf Original letter] (Source: [[Rick's Blog]])</ref> Both Story and company representative [[John Hutchinson]] refuted this claim on several points:
*Story is not on the Gulf Power Foundation board and therefore has no official power to designate the use or recipients of donations; her letter (addressed to the Foundation, not Manley) was only a recommendation.
*Although the Gulf Power Foundation made the $5,000 donation to Front Porch as suggested by Story, it did not require or request that 20% go to Manley. According to Hutchinson, "There was no designation of any money.⦠… When we support an organization we do it and donât don’t put a lot of strings on it."<ref>[http://ricksblog.biz/?p=1464 Gulf Power explanation] - [[Rick's Blog]], March 21, 2007</ref>
*Story's letter applied only to the one-time donation and in no way meant that Manley should receive 20% of other Gulf Power fundraising activities.
On Friday the [[March 23|23rd]], the Florida Department of Community Affairs Inspector General's office requested "documentation for all years in which the Council received funds through the state's Front Porch program" to be made available by 1 p.m. Monday, [[March 26]].<ref>[http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070324/NEWS01/703240315/1006 Front Porch records sought] - [[Pensacola News Journal]], March 24, 2007</ref> Among the documents' revelations:
*Manley took $3,393 in Front Porch Pensacola funds on [[September 15]], 2004, to pay back taxes from 2001 on a property that had been quitclaimed to her in 1999 and transferred to her ownership on March 20, 2006.<ref name="pnj-032707">[http://www.pnj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070327/NEWS01/703270325/1006 Front Porch details emerge] - [[Pensacola News Journal]], March 27, 2007</ref>
*Between 2005-2006, Manley took approximately $19,490 in payments from the [[Escambia County Health Department]] â — meant for a "Mentoring Moms" program that matches young pregnant women with professional black mentors â — by issuing cashier's checks to herself from the Front Porch account after depositing each $1,624 monthly payment.<ref name="pnj-032707"/>
*Manley leased Building "C" of the [[Long Hollow]] Community Center to a third party for $600. She then "gave a third to the Long Hollow Neighborhood Association, deposited a third in her own bank account and kept a third in the Front Porch account," in apparent accordance with the "30%" policy she believed was granted in 2002. However, Front Porch leases the building for $1/year from the Long Hollow Neighborhood Association, which in turn leases it from the City of Pensacola for $1/year, and no other leases are allowed with City permission, which Manley did not obtain.<ref name="pnj-032707"/>
