LAUDERDALE LAKES --

Saturday, February 2, 2013

City Manager Jonathan Allen
City of Lauderdale Lakes
4300 NW 36th Street
Lauderdale Lakes, FL 33319

Senator Joe Abruzzo
12300 Forest Hill Boulevard
Suite 200
Wellington, FL 33414-5785

CC: Commissioner Martin Kiar
Broward County Governmental Center
115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 417
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

Commissioner Stacy Ritter
Broward County Governmental Center
115 S. Andrews Ave., Room 417
Fort Lauderdale, FL 33301

RE: Lies, Sex, and er… really horrible financials.

via email

Hey Jon;

I thought I’d introduce you to Sen. Joe Abruzzo, a name that’s going to keep you up late at night.

Joe, this is City Manager Jon Allen, currently under criminal investigation by the State Attorney’s Office:

The OIG investigation found that Jonathan K. Allen, the City Manager of the City of Lauderdale Lakes (City), engaged in intentional bid splitting and other misconduct to improperly authorize a contract for the management services of Manny Diez, a former city employee. The investigation also found that in contracting with his favored vendor instead of conducting a competitive solicitation, Mr. Allen violated not only the Code, but also basic tenets of good public policy. Accordingly, Mr. Allen’s actions created both real and apparent conflicts of interest. Moreover, in the wake of the gross mismanagement of public funds that has already endangered the City—as addressed in our companion report, OIG 11-017—Mr. Allen heedlessly paid significantly more for the management services.

Allen, as you will come to experience, will be quick on the excuse, “Hey, it was the past Administration.”

Well, that’s horseshit.

After all, it was Allen who passed an extra $1.2 million in debt burden to the County, jacked the city’s fire fees past the legal limit, put the fire fund $1.7 million in the red, and magically concocted $2.9 million in 2011 cash.

Allen, not the brightest bulb on the porch, sought assistance from his college frat buddy, Lauderdale Lakes Commissioner Eric Haynes. And it was those two nitwits – proclaiming themselves “the Donald Trumps of Lauderdale Lakes” — who fueled a $20 million CRA spending spree, dabbled in no-bid contracts, got caught red-handed splitting bids, racially purged white employees, and willfully destroyed public records.

And, to boot, Allen most likely has banged the hired help.

Just thought I should clear the air.

Enjoy the audit.

PS Haynes, we believe, no longer resides within city limits — that’s just the way he rolls.