01/31/03


Several 2002 Tidelands Grants Fell Short Of Requirements, Report Says

 

MISSISSIPPI


STEVEN A. McCALEB 
103 ALVERADO DRIVE
LONG BEACH, MISSISSIPPI 39560
PHONE & FAX: (228)-868-8428

E-MAIL: mccaleb4thdist@aol.com

WEB SITE: www.mississippiwebsite.com

It seems that the Mississippi Tidelands Funds are misspent often.

In 1997, 1998, & 2000 the Secretary of State, Eric Clark authorized the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources to give grants to the Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc. (WRANPS) $70,000.000 of your tax money. 

"Tidelands are any land subject to the ebb and flow of the tide."
WRANPS, Ins. is located in the woods on the University of Southern Mississippi property.

I requested an audit by our State Auditor, Phil Bryant, http://www.osa.state.ms.us/phil.htm

Phil Bryant, Auditor

501 North West Street

Suite 801, Woolfolk Building

Jackson, Mississippi 39201

Phone: (601) 576-2800

Toll Free: 1-800-321-1275

TIDELANDS CRITICISM ON RISE PEER FAVORS PRESERVATION SPENDING
click here

But since the Secretary of State, Eric Clark is the overseer of the Mississippi Tidelands Trust Funds, it comes under politics

So as far as I no, there has never been an audit it recovery the $70,000.00 of your taxpayers money.

LINKS

Piece of the tidelands pie $5M fund serves per projects more than preservation

USM AGREEMENT BETWEEN USM AND WRANPS

UNIVERSITY OF MISSISSIPPI AND THE WILDLIFE REHABILITATION

USM-WRANPS E-MAIL REQUESTS

Joint Legislative PEER Committee

Seven projects awarded $781,000 in Mississippi tidelands grants last year didn't meet statutory requirements for funding, a legislative watchdog panel says.

The Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee's examination of the state's tidelands trust fund program, released Friday, also found four other projects worth $482,000 did not have enough documentation to show whether they met statutory criteria.

The tideland grants program is administered by the Department of Marine Resources. According to the report, the state Legislature funded 36 tidelands projects worth more than $5 million in fiscal year 2002. Tidelands are any land subject to the ebb and flow of the tide.

The program's major revenue source is from leases with casinos along the Gulf Coast. Projects funded by the tidelands trust fund program must be tied directly to tidelands conservation, reclamation, acquisition or public education to be eligible for tidelands grants, according to PEER Executive Director Max Arinder.

The seven projects - which include building artificial reefs, restoring the historic Biloxi lighthouse and promoting the state's commercial fishing industries, among others - fell outside those boundaries, Arinder said.

"It's not that we're saying that those projects aren't worthy projects, but the reading under the law is they are not eligible,'' Arinder said.

The committee made 13 recommendations, including revisions to the tidelands grant application process and ensuring all funded projects comply with the statutes.

"The DMR appreciates the effort the committee expends to provide guidance to us in the area of fiscal responsibility,'' DMR spokeswoman Lauren Thompson said. "We will make every effort to address the findings of the PEER committee in a manner consistent with state statute.''

The report also criticized some of the secretary of state's administrative expenses paid for with tidelands funds, saying they fell outside the definitions for use of the money. Those expenses include a $93,917 contract with DMR for the management of coastal preserves.

Secretary of State Eric Clark said in a statement he was pleased with the committee's report and that he intended to implement some changes in procedure that are recommended. However, David Blount of Clark's office said the coastal preserves should be considered part of the tidelands.

"We would like to further clarify that the coastal preserves, as designated by the DMR, are part of the tidelands ecosystem,'' said Blount.

Arinder said the secretary of state's office can seek legislative changes to the laws to expand how the tidelands funds can be used. The report also examined the transfer by Clark's office of some tidelands trust property to Mirage Corp. in 1996 to build the Beau Rivage casino in Biloxi.

The land exchange, which turned over the property for 4,225 acres of wetlands, was approved in Harrison County Chancery Court. Normally, the Legislature would have to authorize such an exchange.

The PEER report said the land exchange was legal, but said going through the court deprived "the Legislature of its traditional authority over the exchange of public lands.''

(Copyright 2003 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
 

The seven projects the Legislature's Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review Committee Questioned as eligible under the tidelands program:

Source: PEER Committee

http://www.peer.state.ms.us/

January 6, 2003

 #444

Joint Legislative Committee on Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review (PEER) Report to the Mississippi Legislature A Review of Mississippi’s Public Trust Tidelands Program and Selected Areas of Operation of the Department of Marine Resources In Mississippi, title to the tidelands is vested in the state in trust for the benefit of the people of Mississippi. The Secretary of State may lease tidelands to private parties and use a portion of the revenues derived from these leases to defray administrative costs associated with administering the tidelands program. The remaining funds are disbursed to the Commission of Marine Resources for programs of tidelands management, criteria for which are set in state law. PEER found that the Department of Marine Resources approved $781,000 in FY 2002 tidelands projects that did not meet the statutory criteria for use of tidelands funds and $482,000 in FY 2002 projects that did not contain sufficient documentation to show whether they met the criteria for use of tidelands funds. Also, the department issued $4.7 million to grant recipients without prior documentation of completed project work. The Secretary of State’s Office paid $1,927 in tidelands funds during FY 2002 for administrative expenditures not related to the tidelands program. Also, the office should have allocated $149,504 in expenditures between the tidelands programs and other programs. In response to specific complaints regarding the Department of Marine Resources, PEER found that the department does not: •collect fines for wetlands permit violations as authorized by state law; •collect public notice fees from all individual permit applicants; or, •routinely review actual public notice costs to ensure that fees cover costs. Also, the department does not maintain complete usage records on its non-law enforcement vehicles. While not required by state law, such records are critical in documenting need.

Mississippi Office of the State Auditor

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Here are three attorneys you do not want to hire, I hired the first two, and got screwed.

The third, Reilly Morse, was the attorney for WRANPS, Ins. and his wife for the President of WRANPS, Inc.

I am still owed since 1991,  $7,790.00 for labor and materials, plus profit and stolen tools.

I requested an investigation by the Mississippi Bar Association but, as you no, attorneys investigate attorneys, that is why Mississippi has so many corrupt attorneys.

Rafferty , Donald J
Employer/Firm: Attorney at Law
Address: 2118 18th St P O Box 4252
               Gulfport, MS 39502-4252
Phone: (228) 868-5421
Fax: (228)868-5422

 

Powell , Michael Channing
Employer/Firm: Attorney at Law
Address: 1915 23rd Ave P O Box 4253
               Gulfport, MS 39502-4253
Phone: (228) 864-5321
Fax: (228)863-5748
E-mail: mcplaw@cableone.net

 

Morse , Joseph Reilly
Employer/Firm: Attorney at Law
Address: 2400 14th St Ste 102 P O Box 1528
               Gulfport, MS 39502-1528
Phone: (228) 864-4525
Fax: (228)864-4348
E-mail: reimo@earthlink.net
Subj: Request for Audit - WRANPS/USM 
Date: 2/3/03 2:27:37 PM Central Standard Time
From: Mccaleb5thdist
To: phil@osa.state.ms.us
CC: mmoore@ago.state.ms.us, bcvi@chevron.com, cabw@chevron.com, ddawkins@mail.senate.state.ms.us, fred.deegen@dmr.state.ms.us, GMcWhorter@sos.state.ms.us, gwaddle@msbar.org, hcboard@co.harrison.ms.us, ltgov@mail.senate.state.ms.us, alice.taylor@dmr.state.ms.us, Mccaleb5thdist, ahedgepe@mstc.state.ms.us, msbar@msbar.org, Max.Arinder@peer.state.ms.us, Ted.Booth@peer.state.ms.us, ReillyM, tidelands@dmr.state.ms.us, sfthames@msn.com, hzuber@mail.lbo.state.ms.us


Several 2002 Tidelands Grants Fell Short Of Requirements, Report Says

I am requesting an audit of the Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc./University of Southern Mississippi.

WRANPS, Inc., received $70,000.00 authorized by the Secretary of State, Eric Clark, and paid by the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources.

Please respond

Steven A. McCaleb

Steven A. McCaleb
Subj: Audit of Wranps, Inc. $70,000.000 from Tidelands Trust Fund 
Date: 2/4/03 1:09:48 PM Central Standard Time
From: Mccaleb5thdist
To: Max.Arinder@peer.state.ms.us
CC: phil@osa.state.ms.us


Several 2002 Tidelands Grants Fell Short Of Requirements, Report Says

I am still working to get paid for my labor and materials, plus profit and stolen tools.

But I believe WRANPS Ins. should be audited and made to pay the $70,000.00 of taxpayers money they received in grants by our Secretary of State, Eric Clark.

http://mississippiwebsite.com/2002tidelandgrants.htm


Steven a. McCaleb

Steven A. McCaleb

 

STEVEN A. McCALEB