The cruel facts as Queen Katheryn's Reign comes to an end

An amazing e-mail just came my way regarding the last days of the scandal ridden era of Queen Katheryn. I think the final kick in the face to Kansas City will happen Monday when the County's audit finally comes out . . .

Anyway, this e-mail was so good, I'll let it speak for itself and all that I can add is that every one of these facts should guarantee that no one in their right mind would support her for Mayor:

No matter what "excuses" Shields creates from the Audit to be released
on
Monday, these facts, all from the original story will remain:

FACT - "In 1997, Jackson County told the public that it would spend $6.1 million in
bond money for courtroom improvements. But more than $2 million of that money has been spent or is planned to be spent on anything but courtrooms."

FACT - "A review of county contracts... shows that County Executive Katheryn Shields has used $1.3 million of the bond money to buy computers, software and furniture, and plans to spend an additional $1.1 million on a conference room and fire sprinkler system. County legislators, already alarmed by Shields spending at the end of her tenure, said they had no idea that those projects were coming from courtroom bond money."

FACT - Several legislators and Prosecutor Mike Sanders, the Democratic nominee
for county executive, vow to kill the ($532,000) conference room. But Shields, without their knowledge or approval, already has issued a $26,000 architectural contract for the conference room.

FACT - "The Star's review of Shields personal service contracts also found she spent $15,000 from the bond money on a contract in August to help with the troubled implementation of new finance and human resources software and hardware."

FACT - "Of the total, $6.1 million was for courtroom improvements. According
to the bond indenture agreement, that money was to be spent on 'the expansion, renovation, remodeling, improvement, furnishing and equipping of courtrooms
for the county in Kansas City, Missouri, and Independence, Missouri.' Anything left over was supposed to pay off the bonds early, according to the bond agreement."

FACTS ABOUT WHERE THE MONEY WENT - - About $1 million to purchase new hardware and software for finance and payroll.

- About $365,000 for sheriff's office renovations.

- About $120,000 for computers and furniture for the assessment department.

- $80,000 to overhaul the Kansas City legislative chambers (including 4 emergency no-bid, marble-top tables for $19,500).

- $15,000 this year for the consulting contract to help get the finance
and payroll systems operating.

- $4,000 this year on salaries of temporary workers to do filing and
data entry work.(the last two are thanks to Finance Director Gloria Fisher's
"competence")

FACT - "Shields concedes she failed to tell legislators or circuit judges that there were leftover bond funds...'I was under the understanding that the money was no longer available,' said Jackson County Presiding Judge J.D. Williamson, who wanted more capital improvement projects in the courts. 'We have been making inquiries for years,' Williamson said."

FACT - Shields' spending (some with bonds, some not) included three parties in October alone, at a cost of almost $10,000.

And even if the fine print says none of this secret bond spending was "illegal," no one can argue that it was right. Shields was wrong, wrong, wrong. And everyone with a brain knows it.

ONE FINAL FACT - (this one from Shields herself)"It might irritate people but I am county executive until Dec. 31."

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Mind you, this stuff is pretty well researched so it's most likely from one of her political opponents but that still doesn't mean it's not true and Shields has done a great job of making herself a big, easy target.