What Happened To The Investigation Into Missing Property From Emergency Management ?
After much more than an adequate amount of time for an investigation into the matter many questions are still unanswered.
What is factually known about the situation is that a large number of county owned items ended up missing from the Emergency Management Department. Things like a laptop, radios, uniforms even tires off county vehicles among other things. An investigation was launched then, possibly because of the upcoming election or other political considerations, everything seems to have quietly gone away including the person at the center of the issue.
It has been reported to me that a former employee of the Emergency Management Office, Derek Lemire was on parole in Rhode Island at the time he was serving as an assistant director of that office. It is further reported that Mr. Lemire, with the help of a letter from the Giles County Sheriff's office, has now had his criminal record in Rhode Island expunged or sealed and is employed by the Boston Office of Homeland Security.
I do not know to what degree, if any, Mr. Lemire was involved with the missing property. I do know that he was certainly a person of interest in the investigation.
If these things are true, then the question is how could they have happened, is the investigation complete, has anyone been charged, why so much secrecy attached to the matter, who was responsible for the hiring, who wrote the letter, and what did the investigation reveal? It seems that with several thousand dollars of equipment missing no one should be satisfied until the person or persons responsible are held accountable.
What is factually known about the situation is that a large number of county owned items ended up missing from the Emergency Management Department. Things like a laptop, radios, uniforms even tires off county vehicles among other things. An investigation was launched then, possibly because of the upcoming election or other political considerations, everything seems to have quietly gone away including the person at the center of the issue.
It has been reported to me that a former employee of the Emergency Management Office, Derek Lemire was on parole in Rhode Island at the time he was serving as an assistant director of that office. It is further reported that Mr. Lemire, with the help of a letter from the Giles County Sheriff's office, has now had his criminal record in Rhode Island expunged or sealed and is employed by the Boston Office of Homeland Security.
I do not know to what degree, if any, Mr. Lemire was involved with the missing property. I do know that he was certainly a person of interest in the investigation.
If these things are true, then the question is how could they have happened, is the investigation complete, has anyone been charged, why so much secrecy attached to the matter, who was responsible for the hiring, who wrote the letter, and what did the investigation reveal? It seems that with several thousand dollars of equipment missing no one should be satisfied until the person or persons responsible are held accountable.
posted by Allen Barrett | 2:00 PM
26 Comments:
so, who is he related to in local government that would benefit from this secrecy, to a degree that they'd be interested in covering it up and keeping the family name clear?
P. S. I can see from other comments that there are several people who read this blog who are new (or relatively new) to Giles County. I include myself in that group. So much of what is said here is meaningless without context. It would be helpful if the blogmaster and commenters would remember this, and give more detail and/or a little background. Thanks.
you hit the nail on the head
He's not related to anyone in Giles County, except for his estranged wife who lives in the Goodsprings area. He is from Rhoad Island via Chicago. He has no relatives in Tennessee.
So the question is .... why did and still does the Director of Emergency Management not come forward and report the incident? Why did not the local law investigate? If they did , what did they discover?
Another queestion is why was he hired to be in Emergency Management when he was a convicted felon from Rhoad Island?
Before anyone jumps my case, convictions are public record and can be easily found through the web.
Lets ask the director how much money he has got out of the rescue squad budget to pay for stuff at the ema office.
there is alot of corruption and crookness in Giles County Governments, both city and county, however you are barking up the wrong tree if you are pointing a finger toward the emergency management office of Barry Whitt. They don't come any more honest than him. So you need to be specific when you go to making accusations. Im sure he works in and around crooked folks, but I put a farm in Georgia on a bet that he don't participate in any of the shady ways.
he dosent have any shady ways huh? then why is it the only place the rescue squad can get there trucks fixed is at his shop when there rules say you cant make money off the dept but he is breaking the rules himself? he has run the squad into the ground and is now trying to bale out before it hits rock bottom.
Is it illegal for the Rescue Squad to have their vehicles repaired there? I thought they were funded primarily by donations. I don't see that as being a violation. The Rescue Squad and the Ambulance Service are supposed to be two seperate entities. I know the county gives them some money, but doesn't run it.
DAW
DAW
Its called Conflict of Interest. You might research this as it pertains to state law.
only he and his wife see the money/ bills kinda strange just saying......
I know he does not make money on repairs. He prices the jobs at cost and so cheap no else could touch the prices. Sounds like someone from the Rescue Squad is mad at Barry. He has done a great job with the squad and its going to be a sad day when he leaves. The man is not perfect and makes mistakes but some of the members seam to forget that. He also does a great job as EMA director. He did make a mistake by hiring Derek but he gone no and Jeremy does a good job also. so ya'll need to get a life
Did Derek do the stealing?
I believe in the one stealing being caught and have to pay.
Did Derek get fired or leave mad?
yes he did the stealing and yet again another cover up in giles county, and it dosent sound like someones out to get whitt,it sounds like someone is speaking the truth and now his supporters are trying to do some spin control.
This seems like just another example of how things get so messed up in this county because some folks are more concerned with how things look as opposed to doing things in an open above board manner.
Overall I have been a supporter of Mr. Witt and found him an agreeable person even when we disagreed on a subject, such as the claim about the insurance being cancelled without any grace period. I do not believe he would intentionally sacrifice the rescue squad or emergency management office to benefit personally. Is he perfect, who is? I seems that most of the problems that have arisen in the Rescue Squad/Emergency Management office has been primarily the result of weak communication and outside influences from the County Executives Office.
The thief that occurred without question was mostly covered up and as far as I have been able to determine the thief was not punished nor required to pay the county back for what he stole.
It's the attitude of allowing some to break the law with no penalty then telling the people they have to make up for the losses. It's the secrecy and perceived secrecy and the dishonesty expressed by some that have caused the mistrust and frustration among the citizens.
Mr. Barrett
All you did was express your opinion in the above post. I would strongly disagree with you.
May I share an opinion of my own? I believe that it is you and a few others who think like you do who keep things stirred up in Giles County. You tend to justify this by saying you are looking out for the welfare of Giles Countians. Perhaps you believe that, but I don't.
6:08 If barrett is wrong why don't you tell us why there was nothing done to a person who stole thousands of dollars from the county. The proof was so great there was no question of his guilt Barrett has been right on this situation. Vanzant refused to let the guy be prosecuted because she didn't want anything to mess up her chances for reelection.
7:15 Surley you didn't expect 6:08 to say anything except attack WAB. He never has done anything except just what he did. I thought he was going to stop posting.
Once A Liar Always A Liar. The Enabler Is Back And He Hasn't Changed His Spots Or His Hate.
Tbe one who first started calling that name is the true liar.
Yes he's back, knew he couldn't stay away.
Too bad he can't act like DAW, who doesn't always agree but says something worth reading.
the fact of the matter is this,the items were stolen ,and nothing has ever been done about it,is there a cover up i would say yes whitt pays a good to your face but is the first to stab you in the back and he has been use both the squad and now the ema office to make a proffit for years now and when things get hot someone else is seen doing something wrong and the attention is moved off of him because he wants them investaged.the man is a crook he needs to be gone.
To the Anonymous 8:39 poster.
I am in full agreement with your first sentence if it stops at yes.
You identified the problem perfectly in that the facts of the matter are indisputable items (worth thousands of dollars) were missing with out anyone having the authority to give them away admitting they did so. That seems to leave the simple matter that they were stolen. I understand there was an investigation and the proof was overwhelming as to who the thief was and that is when the County Executive stepped in and put a lid on everything to keep from looking bad.
The sad thing is nothing will be done because those in power will just replace the items from their unlimited supply of money and the public primarily is to involved with "American Idol" and "Dancing With The Stars" to get involved or else they are too busy trying to make a living to do much more than just shake there heads in disbelief.
Mr Barrett
Name the thief please.
Read the thread the name is told more than once.
i think that whitt needs to be removed period,hes doing a horrable job and is wasteing taxpayer money and running two depts in the ground,
11:45
No, that's just not true. Barry is simply doing his job. Stop drinking the hatred and jealousy kool-aid. Can't you see what it's doing to you and to others who drink it?
People that knew Derek Lemire are aware that he used to go around town and say he owns Giles County.
Maybe that is why he stole the items from the EMA since he thought he owned the county?
He came to Giles County with a criminal background for armed robbery in Rhode Island.
This was all a matter of record and was brought up in a previous post on the blog in Sept 2009
The EMA hired him anyway with this background.
He moved backed to Rhode Island last year after he stole all of these items from the EMA.
Apparently got his record sealed with the help of a letter from giles county and basically got by with the theft because nobody did anything about it.
Seems like everyone in Giles County is aware of the thief except the State of TN Audit Committee.
Maybe with the help of this thread it will stir them in the right direction?
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