Lawmaker said he tried to improve DED before audit
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Lawmaker said he tried to improve DED before audit

Date: September 26, 2012
By: Brendan Cullerton
State Capitol Bureau
Links: HB 1865

Intro: 
Representative Jay Barnes says there's plenty of blame to spread regarding the Mamtek scandal, but Moberly doesn't deserve the brunt of it.
RunTime:  0:37
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: Representative Jay Barnes says the Department of Economic Development and high priced lawyers let the city of Moberly down by recomending to fund a company that went bankrupt before it was even fully built.

Actuality:  BARNES6.WAV
Run Time:  00:04
Description: "They hired experts, they relied on experts, and they got burned by experts."

Director of the Missouri Municipal league Richard Sheets says the people who purchased the bonds aren't entiteled to recieve money.

Actuality:  SHEETS3.WAV
Run Time:  00:04
Description: "People need to be aware of what they're buying and do their due dilligance also."

The agency was audited for not exercising due dilligance in preventing the Mamtek from recieving state funding.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.

 

Intro: 
Representative Jay Barnes says he beat state auditor Tom Schweich to the punch in calling out the Department of Economic development, and he won't stop until changes are made.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap:Representative Jay Barnes says he sponsored a bill that aimed to improve the Department of Economic Develompent before it was audited by the state.

Auditor Schwiech says the agency did not use due dilligance in making sure the artificial sweetner company Mamtek was economically viable before advising Moberly to fund the progect with bonds.

Barnes's bill failed to pass, but he says he will not give up.

Actuality:  BARNES5.WAV
Run Time:  00:10
Description: "We'll be back to it in 2013, and if it doesn't pass in 2013 we'll be back at it in 2014. If it doesn't pass in 2014, we'll be back at it in 2015."

Barnes says a lot of the problems with the agency are things Governor Nixon has the ability to fix and has chosen not to.

Reporting from the Capitol, I'm Brendan Cullerton.