Musicfest Cost Cover Up?

Watching the video posted on The County Watchers site, Former County Manager/Nephew of Senator Raymond Lesniak, infers that the cost to the taxpayers for 2010 Musicfest was $360,000.  He only mentions outside contractors, and is silent on other costs.  He clearly states that that the cost of Musicfest is not one or two million dollars and that those million dollars numbers are grossly exaggerated. The County Prosecutor, however, puts the cost at $1.1 million.


There are a number of issues here and I think this is far too important to be simply swept under the rug.

Was George Devanney lying as to the cost?  If so, did the freeholders aid and abet this lie by not speaking up?

Is George Devanney so inept that he cannot keep track of $1.1 million?  He was in charge of a multi-million dollar budget.

Under any of the above two circumstances, it's clear as day that the Union County Freeholders are not good stewards of taxpayers monies nor have they upheld their sworn duties to Union County taxpayers.

There is a whole lot more that has been uncovered by the Prosecutor, such as allowing County vendor, This Is It Productions, to breach its contract by some $77,617.89.  What's worse, according to the Prosecutor's Findings, former County Manager took it upon himself and authorized TIIP to offset the $77,617.89 that TIIP was not contracted to spend, by allowing TIIP to retain profits from various vendors.  This all occurred  without consent of the Freeholder Board or even a change to the contract.  On the video clip, Devanney clearly states that the outside contracts, including TIIP, are public record and were voted on.  This is not true according to the Prosecutor's Findings.  The Findings Report goes on to state that even the profits retained by TIIP were not accurate and that the County, in fact, overpaid TIIP.  None of this is criminal?

See Prosecutor's Findings here.  You have to read it to believe it.  It's despicable what went on.