By Michael Bielawski
The City of Burlington’s financial audit of its Racial Equity Inclusion and Belonging (REIB) Department under the leadership of its first director Tyeastia Green found hugely missed cost estimates for a large event, questionable deals with former associates, large overpayments, and other questionable activity.
Now that audit is getting pushback from local supporters of Green and the Diversity-Equity-Inclusion movement, and local and national figures already unimpressed with taxpayer-funded ensconcement of DEI in government.
Charlie Kirk of Turning Point USA. Kirk tried to speak in Burlington two years ago, only to have his reservation at a downtown conference center cancelled when progressive activists threatened to organize a boycott of Burlington businesses. Instead he spoke to a packed house at the DoubleTree in South Burlington.
Yesterday, Kirk told his 2.4 million followers on Twitter (officially “X” now) what he thinks of Green and the DEI movement in general.
“One of her [Green’s] only jobs was organizing a Juneteenth event, which ran more than 100% over budget thanks to her mismanagement,” Kirk tweeted yesterday. “Then, she lateraled to the same job in Minneapolis, where she did the exact same thing. Once the city began investigating her, she quit, claiming it was a ‘toxic work environment’ for not giving her unlimited money.
“Now, Burlington is investigating her as well, so she’s accused the mayor (of one of the most liberal cities in the country) of being a ‘white supremacist,’” Kirk said.
“DEI is a scam for hiring unqualified, deadweight losers who ruin everything around them,” Kirk concluded. “Abolish it!”
In a letter to the editor to VTDigger, William Wolfe of Essex Junction says of Green calling Burlington Mayor Miro Weinberger a ‘white supremacist’: “Wow! I’ve seen smoke screens before, but this much smoke could hide a tank regiment!…it’s clear that Ms. Green hides behind the color of her skin and not the content of her character.”
In response to the audit and followup criticism like Kirk’s and other, more local voices, supporters of Green rallied outside City Hall yesterday and then attended en masse at the Monday night City Council meeting.
Zora Hightower, a City Council supporter of Green, reportedly wanted to publicly reprimand Mayor Miro Weinberger for “continued defamation of character” of Green. However, she later amended the proposal to sending the audit to the council’s human resources committee for further review. The resolution passed unanimously.
Audit to “determine whether there was fraud, waste or abuse”
The city conducted a review in July regarding the contracting processes and expenditures associated with the organization’s spending during the fiscal years 2021 and 2022 with a special focus on the city’s Juneteenth celebration of 2022.
The purpose was to “determine whether there was fraud, waste or abuse,” according to an 18-page July 31 memo sent from the law firm Sheehey Furlong & Behm to the city’s Chief Administrative Officer Katherine Schad.
The audit does not find specific cases of fraud, waste or abuse. The memo’s conclusion is that in the future, the city should do more to ensure that those in charge of large amounts of public money are better scrutinized and employees are better trained so that situations like this don’t repeat: “The City might want to hold annual reminder trainings for any employee authorized to make purchases regarding its requirements.”
Green has been in the news for other controversies including her allegation the Minneapolis city government has a “toxic work environment” that promotes anti-Black racism” based on her time as the city’s equity director.
Trouble in Minneapolis
Last week VDC reported that Green left a position recently in Minneapolis, MN, “under a financial cloud.”
A report by the Minneapolis Star Tribune revealed some details of the financial mismanagements that happened out west. Just as in Vermont, there was suspicion regarding financial mismanagement for a large event.
“The developments raised a number of questions surrounding the planning of the I Am My Ancestors’ Wildest Dream Expo, which drew far fewer attendees than initially hoped and required a late influx of taxpayer money,” the report states.
Cost estimates were way off the mark
In the July 31 memo, an interview with Green by city officials is summarized. It reveals that the Juneteenth event for 2022 was initially estimated to cost $500,000 in total.
This estimate was not corroborated with other data. The memo states, “Based on our review of the information identified in this report, we could not find any evidence of a discussion with the Board of Finance or City Council of an alleged $500,000 budget for Juneteenth.”
The interview reveals that she grossly overestimated the amount of donations that would run the Juneteenth event. She told the city “between $200,000 and $300,000 in sponsorships/private donations” could be expected for the event. After investigation, it was found that only $103,000 was ever received.
Questions about contracts
There were also questions about who was awarded contracts. A former college roommate of Green, Noble Julz, was awarded a contract related to the Juneteenth event. Green’s defense was that there had only been two responses to their public request for proposal, one being Julz and another out of Washington. She claims that Julz and Green had kept in contact on social media but had “not been in close contact” at the time.
The event planner reveals more problems
Casey Ellerby, the event planner working with Green during the event, was also interviewed. Her interview reveals that when Green left the organization, many left with her.
“According to Ms. Ellerby, after Ms. Green left REIB, other REIB employees who would have helped with the planning for Juneteenth quit or did not assist with Juneteenth, with the exception of Thea Heck,” the memo states.
Ellerby revealed that some payouts were much higher than initially estimated, for example, the food vendors.
The memo states, “With respect to food vendors, Ms. Ellerby stated that she thought that they were paying the food vendors for events held on Sunday during Juneteenth 2022 no more than $500 or $1,000 per food vendor. In fact, payments to the food vendors offering free food to the public on Sunday, June 19, 2022, ranged from $6,000 to $14,000 per food vendor.”
Ellerby, who lived in Atlanta while a Burlington City employee, revealed that she had a comfortable hotel stay totaling $2,101.98 during a visit to Burlington for the Juneteenth celebration.
The author is a reporter for Vermont Daily Chronicle.
Categories: Burlington
Miro is a White Supremacist LOLZ!!!
He may be a lot of things, but that ain’t one of them.
This is what occurs when inexperienced and/or incompetent personnel get thrown into positions just to get a body behind a desk without proper training and supervision. Unfortunately, this is the way of the world these days.
You would think being that she is under investigation for embezzlement at her current job that people would be happy that the mayor is checking on her spending while she was employed her, but not the morons of Burlington liberal nut bags. Everything is racist to them.
It’s not at all racist to them. They just don’t no how to make a coherent objection due to incapacity for critical thought.
Not a great fan of the mayor but this time I am on his side! Seems like several communities in Vermont get these crazy suits! 👎👎. Here In Bennington we had several and the town gave in instead of fighting! I Hope Burlington fights this crazy accusation, Miro is not a racist, he does so much for his citizens, toooo much sometimes 👍👏🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
So lemme summarize- a black Robin Hood is going around spending mass amounts of public cash throwing bangers for her friends at the expense of woke, liberal cities DEI programs? And they can’t charge fraud if she ain’t putting it in her own account….
THATS HILARIOUS.
Where’s the next stop on the 2023 tour? More please.
I watched the meeting. The conduct of the so-called protesters was utterly disgraceful. The distortions and lies, violent inflammatory rhetoric and acid vitriol are astounding. A cancerous hate is on the march and seems to be gaining a foothold. Heads up, people.
PS Burlington. Done.
This just goes to show how ridiculous Tyeastia Green and her supporters are,
my question is what bus did they arrive on to attend this meeting, out of town
pack of loudmouths !!
Miro, I don’t support him, but come on ” white supremacy ” give me a break
this shows the mentality of these clowns.
Miro better watch who he hires, and being woke in his decisions, this is what
you get ……………………..
And here I thought it was the nouveau, chic, Malcolm X designer rims that made her look ridiculous …. To each their own
If you blow smoke into DEI behinds, then actually what you are is a “white savior,” which is the wokish non-stigma term for white supremacist… So, yeah. Stick that in your Funk n Wagnalls and make a note of it.
I love seeing the face on a woke white progressive when they are accused of racism only when they call something as they really see it. Maybe some white diversity training is in store for the honorable mayor. 😮
The entire concept of towns, cities, and states having outrageously expensive Racial Equity Inclusion and Belonging Departments is utter nonsense. Once upon a time, there were jokes about people trying to find gainful employment with a worthless degree in “Basket Weaving.” Now a days, the worthless degree, that people have been afraid to make fun of, is in “Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion.”
At least with group who had Basket Weaving degrees, you got a basket for money spent. With the EDI degree holders, you now get a ‘basket of deplorables’ (no apologies to Hilary) and for the money spent, you get mostly ‘Grifters.’
Isn’t the state of Vermont still employing a DEI grifter for a 6-figure salary plus benefits? Someone should audit all this climate change and DEI BS. There might be enough money to actually run the state without the 30% kickback from the Feds. The country is $32 trillion in debt and Biden hands out billions to cover his tail. These are the professional politicians you all think are so great and keep voting for as the country circles the bowel waiting for the big final flush. All the little VT towns like Barre and Montpelier have DEI committees, for what? What are we getting for the money spent? Here’s what we get, make work for busy bodies who want to feel important being on a committee. Wasted time, energy and money with nothing in return.
These DEI and equity employees are hired to fill the Governence role of ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governence), which are United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. The goal relative to equity is to create equal outcomes within and among nations. The US is a signatory on the United Nations 2030 Agenda, which Biden is implementing. We have Obama to thank for signing that agreement with the United Nations. This is why Trump pulled us out of the United Nations because creating global equality or equal outcomes would financially destroy the US.
My understanding is that a president signing such agreements must be ratified by a vote in the senate by 60 senators. Obama signed on but I don’t think there was 60 votes to approve it. The same goes for Biden, he can enter into an agreement with anyone but unless it’s approved by the senate it has no teeth and is not enforceable. Biden and Obama wanted to sign the UN small arms treaty. This would restrict US sovereignty and violate the constitution which protects Americans from tinpot dictators like Joe and Barack.
The second these Marxists don’t get what they want, they will label you a white supremacist to intimidate and defame you. I am so happy that this time it happened to a socialist democrat, sanctuary city hugging politician. Now you know how the rest of America has been labeled, demoralized and treated. Welcome to social critical justice, a critical part of the New World Order.
Exactly. Or Nazi, or transphobic, or…
Looks to me like she was trained by crooked Hillary
What makes Weinberger a “socialist democrat”?
“Democratic socialism can be characterized as follows: Much property held by the public through a democratically elected government, including most major industries, utilities, and transportation systems. A limit on the accumulation of private property. Governmental regulation of the economy.” -Wikipedia
Maybe we need to pay closer attention to the adjectives.
Wikipedia… really.
How about this characterization of democratic socialism.
“There is no difference between communism and socialism, except in the means of achieving the same ultimate end: communism proposes to enslave men by force, socialism – by vote. It is merely the difference between murder and suicide.” – – A. R.
Like we all should be worried about the US going Commie. Is this 1953 or 2023!! Duck and cover guys!! Give me a break!!
Yes, JD, I for one am quite worried. The problem is, apparently now, that while you and I see eye to eye, we can’t muster the votes to offset our totalitarian majority.
As Ben Franklin opined: we are the victims of two wolves and a lamb voting on what to have for lunch.
And now, Marxists. Can one be a Marxist and a Socialist at the same time?
“After the advent of Karl Marx’s theory of capitalism and scientific socialism, socialism came to refer to ownership and administration of the means of production by the working class, either through the state apparatus or through independent cooperatives. In Marxist theory, socialism refers to a specific stage of social and economic development that will displace capitalism, characterized by coordinated production, public or cooperative ownership of capital, diminishing class conflict and inequalities that spawn from such and the end of wage-labor with a method of compensation based on the principle of “From each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution”- Wiki
Power to the People!!
Nope not true. A socialist is the first step before becoming a Marxist or a communist. Bernie’s line about being a democratic socialist is all hot air. He and his new wife honey mooned in the Soviet Union. He has been a communist since his Liberty Union Party days of the 70s. Note how they use titles like liberty and democracy for their useful idiot voters. Bernie has not improved the life of anyone outside his family and himself.
As of the 2016 elections, of all the bills that Sanders sponsored, we have the following breakdown:
357 introduced by Sanders
190 were considered by committee
12 were considered by the floor
1 failed one chamber
6 passed one chamber
3 passed both chambers, went to the President, and became law.
H.R.5245 Introduced 4/27/06. To designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 1 Marble Street in Fair Haven, Vermont, as the “Matthew Lyon Post Office Building” became law in August 2006.
S.885 Introduced 5/7/13. A bill to designate the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 35 Park Street in Danville, Vermont, as the “Thaddeus Stevens Post Office” became law in November 2014.
And, finally, a bill with some merit:
S.893 Introduced 5/8/13. The Veterans’ Compensation Cost-of-Living Adjustment Act of 2013 which became law in November 2013
Since 2016, not one of Sanders’ sponsorships have become law.
Now there’s some bang for the buck for you. At least his wife and son received a stipend to their non-profits from the Sanders election campaign coffers.
Who cares about what he is or what he did or what he does. Vote him out!! Put up a Republican candidate who is a worthy opponent and you got my vote.
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his contribution.”
What’s this ‘contribution’ nonsense?
Wikipedia actually quoted Marx correctly –
“From each according to his ability, to each according to his needs.”
Marx’s Sacred and Fundamental Law 3:
“Every citizen will make his particular contribution to the activities of the community according to his capacity, his talent and his age; it is on this basis that his duties will be determined, in conformity with the distributive laws.”
Of course neither Marx nor Engles ever explained how one’s ‘ability’ or one’s ‘needs’ are quantified.. nor did they determine who it is that makes the determination.
Oh, that’s right – ‘power to the people’… as with the French Revolution’s Committee of Public Safety and its resulting ‘Reign of Terror’. And we all know how that ended – at least some of us know.
JayDee – This is what occurs when inexperienced and/or incompetent people get hiring positions. This woman might be headed to Washington DC next. Sent there by Californians to become a part of the Squad.
When the snakes start eating each other’s tails this is what it looks like. As I’ve said before, fraud has a limited shelf life. When the fraud/scam takes on a life of it’s own due to excessive greed and inevitable mistakes and miscalculations, the perps resort to acts of desperation to cover up their criminal conduct. They will take down their allies/supporters to save their own hides. This is where we are at on many fronts. As the saying goes, never interrupt an enemy when they are in the midst of destroying themselves. Criminals, charlatans, fraudsters, liars and deceivers always stumble because they can’t change their patterns of conduct. They get sucked in by their own devieant practices, so much so their panic moves become evidence. All one has to do is watch the patterns, track the patterns, and see the proof of misconduct reveal itself. There will be those who deny being swindled, deny any wrong doing, and continue to deny to their own detriment. Ignorance is not a defense, It is a losing strategy and in some cases, dangerous and deadly.