RIVIERA BEACH, Fla. — Although Jonathan Evans is Riviera Beach City Manager, the city's mayor said he wants him fired.
On Monday, the Palm Beach County's Office of Inspector General (OIG) announced they found that employees at Riviera Beach's water utility didn't carry out essential duties, including failing to immediately report the presence of E. coli. The Inspector General said they have referred the case to law enforcement and the State Attorney’s Office for possible criminal charges.
City administration, including Evans and Assistant City Manager Deidre Jacobs, said they had no knowledge of issues within the utility. Evans told our WPTV Dave Bohman he didn’t know why he didn’t know the problems.
WPTV Investigates
TURBULENT TENURE: City manager has been fired, rehired & suspended
“You know that’s a question I have scratched my head on as well,” Evans said. “It was defiantly disappointing to read the information in the report."
Mayor Ronnie Felder said responsibility fell on Evans for the issues because he supervises the utility district and Evans should be fired for his role and overall problems within the city.
“My recommendation would be to terminate [Evans]” Mayor Ronnie Felder. “But, I can’t make the motion… Every department in the city is upside-down.”
Jonathan Evans said his department directors are terrific, and do the best job with the resources they have within their jobs.
Council members Shirley Lanier and Glen Spiritis said they planned to wait to talk about the report at a special meeting, which hasn’t been scheduled at this time. The motion passed in a 4 to 1 vote.
Council member Tradick McCoy, who had the dissenting vote, said he wasn’t interested in waiting for a special meeting since it took nine months for the Inspector General to complete their report.
More money to consultants possible
The city is considering extending its contract with US Water, who has already been paid $1.2 million for six months of work and training, until March.
Michael Miller with US Water said it’s taking on more of an operational role at the water plant after Water Plant Superintendent Melvin Pinkey resigned. He also said the consultant agency is bringing in a compliance manager after Margie DeBerry voluntarily resigned as well last week.
Miller also said the company is working on repairs to the lime slacker. WPTV Reporter Ethan Stein spoke with an employee who provided pictures showing repairs with duct tape and which he said leaked fluids burning employees.
Water treatment plant plans
City council members also approved staff to ask the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to help fund a water treatment plant. The request would potentially allow the federal government to give the city $147 million to build a water treatment plant.
City documents estimate the water treatment plant would cost around $350 million. Council member Spiritis said he and Fielder have met with EPA and believe the federal agency is excited to help fund the project.
Riviera Beach
How much is Riviera Beach spending to fix its water utility?
Haskell and CDM Smith, the two contracted to design the water treatment plant, said the city still has wells requiring fixes. Representatives said funding restraints are stopping more wells from being fixed.
