County housing agency seeks probe of city authority
In their latest spat, the Pinellas County Housing Authority wants Attorney General Bill McCollum and State Attorney Bernie McCabe to investigate the St. Petersburg Housing Authority for violating the open records law.
Or at least charging too much: the city agency wants the county to pay more than $19,000 for records, notably executive director Darrell Irions' email. The county begs to differ in a fight first noted here at Saint Petersblog 2.0.
The county wants the record to build a case for a $26,000 refund from a law firm that used to work for both of the agencies, back in the day when the authorities were partners and planned a home together, a joint headquarters.
McCollum spokeswoman Ryan Wiggins said the complaint hasn't been received, but generally the attorney general tries to mediate a compromise on records fights.
David DeCamp, Times staff writer
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This is like Hannibal Lector demanding and investigation of Ted Bundy. All Ted has to do is file a reverse investigation request against Hannibal... and this all disappears faster than their respective victims.
Posted by: Jeff | November 10, 2009 at 07:43 PM
Irions belongs in jail. The conflict of interest and disservice done to people who need housing is just sickening.
Posted by: long memory | November 10, 2009 at 09:27 PM
Pinellas county housing authority was cleaned out and now is on the up and up, and with Foster coming in the St. Pete housing authority will follow The mid-town mafia will be history.
Good riddens D I !!!!!!
Posted by: It's about time | November 11, 2009 at 06:54 AM
Pinellas Comm. Brickfield becomes most prominent elected from Crist's county to back Marco Rubio.
http://bit.ly/4e745s
Posted by: Pinellas Comm. Brickfield becomes most prominent elected from Crist's county to back Marco Rubio | November 11, 2009 at 07:54 AM
Doesn't Irions' wife run Clearwater's HA?
Posted by: live'n large | November 11, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Yes, she does. She has a different last name, how about that for sneaky?
Posted by: a new broom sweeps clean | November 11, 2009 at 09:16 AM
The Housing Authorities are the biggest un-investigated tax dollar scam being perpetrated on taxpayers today. It’s huge, incestuous, corrupt, and laden with insider deals. And Jeff is absolutely correct in stating that the Pinellas HA questioning the actions of the St. Pete HA is laughable. Somewhere in the area of 60% of those receiving HA subsidies do not need them and can be directly and indirectly connected to the HA members and staff. The entire corruption ring known as Housing Authorities needs to be investigated, exposed, and shut down.
Posted by: they all belong in jail | November 11, 2009 at 09:45 AM
The Pinellas county housing authority has all new board members and a new ED. The S.P. Housing Authority is still filled with the same old good old boy network and from what I here around downtown where my small business is over taxed, I can't wait till Bill Foster is our Mayor.
A new broom sweeps clean-lets hope so.
Posted by: Taxpayer | November 11, 2009 at 05:40 PM