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Show Me The Money…. | Missouri Political News Service

Show Me The Money….

May 13th, 2020 by editor · No Comments

As a follow up to an earlier article, your intrepid editors have been reviewing St Louis County’s COVID-19 expenditures website.

Most of the rest of them make sense….medical screening, hand soap, safety screening, telephones, janitorial supplies, blue painters tape, emergency thermometers, print services, computer equipment, webex, emergency masks, lab equipment, emergency cleaning, building permit, inmate mattresses, Covid-19 screeners, electrical work, emergency body bags, language access multicultural people, tractor trailer, emergency tables for mass casualties, majestic bleach (nothing but the best), trash bags, portable toilet(s), alcohol wipes, basket truck, toilet tissue, cube trucks, emergency bins for mass casual (guessing that is actually casualties), shelving for refrigerator, funnels, emergency ambulance,

Donations I guess…..or hope.

Loaves and fishes – $62,480

This is a little interesting

  • Department: PUBLIC HEALTH – COMM DISEASE CONTROL SVCS
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – EMERGENCY CONTRACT FOR CALL CE
  • Vendor: UNITED WAY OF GREATER ST LOUIS
  • Date: 4/16/2020
  • Status: COMMITMENT
  • Transaction Description: PO Entry
  • Amount: $50,000

Is St. Louis County paying the United Way for a Call Center?

A couple have us flummoxed.

  • Department: POLICE – DIVISION OF PATROL
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – INCREASE PER CO 2020
  • Vendor: HAWTHORN SUITES BY WYNDHAM ST LOUIS
  • Date: 5/6/2020
  • Status: COMMITMENT
  • Transaction Description: Purchase Order Maintenance
  • Amount: $259,383
  • Department: POLICE – DIVISION OF PATROL
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – EMERGENCY COVID-19 HOTEL
  • Vendor: HAWTHORN SUITES BY WYNDHAM ST LOUIS
  • Date: 4/7/2020
  • Status: EXPENDITURE
  • Transaction Description: AP Invoice Posting
  • Amount: $31,000

Emergency COVID-19 Hotel?  There is a hotel designated as an overflow facility but it is a Quality Inn.

Or maybe not

  • Department: POLICE – DIVISION OF PATROL
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – EMERGENCY COVID-19 HOTEL 2020
  • Vendor: HAWTHORN SUITES BY WYNDHAM ST LOUIS
  • Date: 4/7/2020
  • Status: COMMITMENT
  • Transaction Description: PO Liquidation
  • Amount: $-31,000

We wrote it off the books or received a refund.

  • Department: POLICE – DIVISION OF PATROL
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – EMERGENCY COVID-19 HOTEL
  • Vendor: HAWTHORN SUITES BY WYNDHAM ST LOUIS
  • Date: 4/20/2020
  • Status: EXPENDITURE
  • Transaction Description: AP Invoice Posting
  • Amount: $31,000

Again….or maybe not

  • Department: POLICE – DIVISION OF PATROL
  • Item and Comment: OTHER PERSONAL SERVICES – EMERGENCY COVID-19 HOTEL 2020
  • Vendor: HAWTHORN SUITES BY WYNDHAM ST LOUIS
  • Date: 4/20/2020
  • Status: COMMITMENT
  • Transaction Description: PO Liquidation
  • Amount: $-31,000

Again taking it off the books

  • Department: NOT YET ASSIGNED – NOT YET ASSIGNED
  • Item and Comment: SPECIAL PROGRAM FUNDING – SMALL BUSINESS RELIEF PROGRAM
  • Vendor: TO BE DETERMINED
  • Date: 4/30/2020
  • Status: COMMITMENT
  • Transaction Description: Manual Entry
  • Amount: $17,500,000

Why don’t we have the Small Business Relief Program worked through…..we don’t even know what department will be running it?!?!?  It has been almost two weeks.  Remember this is an emergency and we need to pass the money.

It is fascinating how much money is spent on COVID-19 office supplies.  I hope they are keeping track of that.  It appears there is at least some checking since some of it is taken off the books too.  Makes you wonder though if anyone is really keeping track or did a bunch of people just get the company cards and are buying all the things they’ve always wanted.

We have an email in to the email address provided asking about the hotels.  We will let you know if we learn more.

Related:

Why On Earth Would We Need Oversight In St Louis County?!?

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