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
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
By JOHN PORRETTO
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
Monday, February 18, 2008
Meaning of (lauded): To give praise to; glorify, praise, glorification
Meaning of (laudable): Deserving approbation; praise-worthy
I believe the legislature review panel has overstated the Secretary of State's work.
JACKSON -A legislative watchdog group gives the Mississippi Secretary of State's Office good marks in its primary roles, citing only a handful of internal procedures that need to be improved.
I may be able to clear up the handful of internal procedures that need to be improved.
The Legislature's Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review committee conducted a random examination of the office earlier this year and came away impressed, said Max Arinder, the group's executive director.
I have personally dealt with the PEER Committee (Performance Evaluation and Expenditure Review committee) and Max Arinder along with Ted Booth).
The PEER Committee did in fact help me in during my investigation into why the Secretary of State, Eric Clark. He authorized some $70,000.00 of the Tidelands Trust Fund to be granted to the Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc. (WRANPS)
This society is not authorized to obtain Mississippi Tidelands Trust Funds, but Eric Clark, the overseer of the Trust Fund did in fact authorize $70,000.00 over three FY.
Please read links:
Here is what the Mississippi Peer Committee said about WRANPS
Joint Legislative PEER Committee
MISSISSIPPI PEER COMMITTEE RESPONDS
The report was made public Monday.
As good a day as any
"The secretary of state is running a good, tight operation," Arinder said. "They could be a bit more uniform and complete in some internal policies, but overall they're doing a good job."
The Secretary of State speaks of the, "We work very hard to be prudent in spending the public's money."
If this were true, why has the Secretary of State used the Tidelands Trust Funds to give $70,000.00 of the taxpayers money to an organization which does not qualify for these types of funds.
The Wildlife Rehabilitation & Nature Preservation Society, Inc. (WRANPS) is located in Pass Christian, Mississippi, Harrison County.
It is located on University of Southern Mississippi (USM) land in the woods, not near where the ocean ebbs & flows.
Eric Clark, Secretary of State is the overseer of the Tidelands Trust Funds. The Mississippi Department of Marine Resources controls the distribution of the Tidelands Trust Funds.
Links:
TIDELANDS CRITICISM ON RISE PEER FAVORS PRESERVATION SPENDING
The report says Eric Clark and his staff of 91 are performing well as the state's primary recordkeeper and information provider for elections, charities, securities, public lands and business services.
I have no knowledge of the Eric Clark's staff.
Figures in the report reflect the significant growth in business and industry in the state in the past decade. From 1990 to 2000, the office's revenue increased 163 percent, from $4.8 million to $12.7 million, while expenditures grew 63 percent.
No Comment
The revenue figures do not include money from tidelands leases.
WRANPS, Inc., does not have a lease, therefore do not qualify for Tidelands (Taxpayers) Trust Fund.
"This is an apples and apples comparison, and it shows that our efficiency level has increased dramatically," said Clark, who was elected in 1995. "We work very hard to be prudent in spending the public's money."
I have reservation about the prudent spending habits.
In its findings, the PEER committee said the office does not effectively use performance measures to determine if the staff is meeting goals and objectives.
No comment
Among the committee's recommendations:
Continue to pursue online filing for all applicable documents.
What online filling of documents
I have request documents and never got them or even
a response on some.
Establish a uniform policy for receiving and tracking complaints involving office services.
Again, I have made such request and have never received a response.
I requested records from the Harrison County Building Code Office many times but
never received and
answer.
Then I
request the Secretary of State to obtain the records and then provide them too
me, but
never
received a response.
Compile and maintain detailed staffing information by division.
No comment
Develop performance measures and policies for the office and employees.
No comment
"The office acknowledges the deficiencies in its performance measures and is currently working to create and utilize more accurate and effective measures," the report's executive summary said.
Since I have had little success in getting the help I have need from Eric Clark, I would say the executive summary is a political summary.
In a written response to the report, Clark said he discussed the recommendations with his staff and offered responses to each suggestion.
No comment
In the letter to Arinder, Clark said his office has an informal policy for complaints involving services, and that a formal policy would be written. He said his staff also is working on performance measures and an "agency vision" started in 1998.
I have my doubts about this service coming to pass in Mississippi.
It seems like our elected officials and state agencies like to keep there business too themselves.
Getting information and records are just not in the card.
Clark also told Arinder that his office takes "great pains" to provide accurate staffing information to the Legislature, and that the staffing numbers in his annual budget request have been correct every year.
No comment
Clark said he would develop procedures for compiling historical staff information to help the office perform efficiency studies.
As long as the Secretary of State's office has been there, it would all ready have information compiled from the past.
"This is an apples and apples comparison, and it shows that our efficiency level has increased dramatically. We work very hard to be prudent in spending the public's money."
"We work very hard to be prudent in spending the public's money."
When Eric Clark states, "public's money" he must not include Tidelands Trust Fund money.
Eric Clark,
Mississippi secretary of state
STEVEN A. McCALEB
COMMENTARY