An investigation into public money from the Community Development Authority for Meeperbot and sister companies (those under the same ownership) is an investigation by some members of the local government (the municipal administration) into the conduct of other members of the local government (the Community Development Authority). All officials involved were (or are) public officials under the constraints (as they should always be) of law and public policy.
A memorandum describing the present state of the investigation (Rachelle Blitch, Director of Financial and Administrative Services, Meeper Technology Loan Investigation, 6.10.24) and supporting documents are public documents. (Professional reporting about the investigation is available at WhitewaterWise, City officials: Internal investigation finds CDA engaged in ‘lack of proper documentation, communication, and transparency’ when it ‘wrote off’ more than $750,000 in loans.)
The memorandum and supporting documents are embedded below. (The memo appears first, and the supporting documents — of which there are 34 — appear thereafter. Any highlighting or emphasis on the documents is from the public investigation.)
Direct Link: Memorandum and supporting documents.
As the investigation is an ongoing matter, one can expect more public notes & documents, about these and other recipients.
Category Link for the Series: A SERIALIZED DRAFT.
Oh, the tangled web they weave in our town! For years we’ve watched the same corrupt antics play out with the same crew. The result – housing costs are through the roof, decent living spaces are scarce, and who’s profiting? Not us! It’s the landlords and the lobbyist, who’s on the payroll of every local organization to push their interests.
The findings are a real eye-opener. Four companies, all tied to the same person, borrowing heaps of money and barely paying anything back. Meanwhile, our landlord-investor CDA member sits pretty because based on how things usually work around here, I’d bet my last dollar he was an investor in one of those companies, which probably got some kind of set-aside that didn’t follow policy. And you can bet that company—or another one getting shady loans—was renting from him as well. This isn’t just mismanagement—it’s a racket!
But finally, there’s a glimmer of hope. Kudos to those bringing this scandal into the light. It’s about time we held the good old boys accountable and cleaned up this mess. Maybe now, we can start putting the community’s interests first and make some real changes. Here’s to a brighter, fairer future for Whitewater!
Good morning. Where these revelations lead (and they should lead to better policies) this community should and must go. Methodically, analytically, and also confidently. We are a place of free and equal people — neither bluster nor fallacy should prevent the adoption of stricter and more equitable standards.
One is reminded of something Yeats once said about his nation, ‘we are no petty people.’ Neither are we in Whitewater. We are part of an advanced continental civilization, a professional and productive society of high & open standards, brought forth into a small and beautiful town.