Below is a guest editorial. We have edited the material in order to remove names of employees that have not as yet been charged...or may not be charged.
The spring of 2014 was the first time ***** had complete control of Tuscumbia’s Spring Park including the rides. During the winter, he put up a nice sign in Spring Park telling everyone that the park and rides would open on March 1, 2014.
Visitors to Spring Park were to be surprised when they came to the park for that first weekend. The waterfall was not working, there was no light and water show, the lake level was too high so the fountain did not work correctly during the day. The railroad, carouse, and train were also in need of repair. (Maybe all of this can be blamed on Muskrats!?!)
Next, Spring Park’s restrooms had many complaints from park visitors. One teacher this spring told her kids to go to the bathroom in town because they did not want to use the bathrooms in the park. (Also see attached Times Daily Letter to the Editor about another visitor’s complaint regarding Spring Park’s restrooms)
This was the first year that Joel was in charge of the rides and the first year the rides were not ready to open on opening day. (An employee wrote a letter to the mayor in September 2013 describing the deteriorating condition of the park rides (etc.) explaining how Joel was not keeping ($) the park rides repaired.)
The next week, Spring Park’s rides were open for operation. (The fountain and waterfall were still not working and the carousel and bridge were still in need of repair) The rides did well financially that weekend. The money was taken from the park and placed in the safe in the depot museum. ***** and ***** would then count the money, complete the paperwork and take the money to city hall.
One problem arose. Approximately $2,000.00 did not make it from the park to city hall.
Mayor Shoemaker ordered an investigation with a promise to prosecute the guilty to the fullest extent of the law. The Tuscumbia Police Department was called to investigate. Tuscumbia Police included the assistance of the Sheffield Police Department and the Alabama Bureau of Investigation (A.B.I.)
The police investigated the incident finding that the money made it from Spring Park to the depot museum safe but did not make it from the museum to city hall. This pointed to money disappearing in the control of ***** and ***** The mayor did not allow the charges to proceed since it involved his park *****.
Facts:
- Approximately $2,000.00 missing from Spring Park
- Tuscumbia Police Department, Sheffield Police Department, and Alabama Bureau of Investigation (A.B.I) is investigating.
Questions:
- The question asked by many in Tuscumbia today is why anyone who is investigated for mishandling city funds still be handling the money today?
We welcome comments.
Shoalanda