FBI seizes more records

At least one councilman wants law enforcement to sort things out before agreeing to a costly special audit.
By AMANDA C. DAVIS
and PEGGY SINKOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
WARREN -- FBI agents have seized more city records, including some on Avalon South Golf Course.
John Kane, agent-in-charge of the agency's Youngstown office, said Tuesday that agents recently took more records from the auditor's office and engineering, building and planning department.
City officials noted that 10 boxes of records dealing with Avalon South were confiscated.
"We are looking at it [Avalon] because some allegations have been made," Kane said without elaborating.
Several cases: The FBI has made its presence known in Warren. In recent months, it seized documents related to several area contractors and city projects.
"They asked my office to get records from engineering and building and planning that deal with the demolition of Warren Music Center and Sanitary Dairy," said Greg Hicks, the city law director.
The Vindicator requested those records in January, and reporters were told by city officials that the documents could not be located because the FBI had already confiscated them.
"We thought that the FBI did have them, but they said they were looking over their records and could not locate them," Hicks said.
Kane declined to say why the agency wants the information.
Tony Joy, the man who recently was ousted after operating the course for the city since the 1980s, has been in arrears on property taxes and rent.
He and the city are disputing figures. Joy has filed a lawsuit contending breach of contract and asking for an injunction to halt the eviction.
Councilman Gary Fonce, D-at-large, said he asked Police Chief John Mandopoulos to have police look into Avalon dealings and to bring in the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Identification and Investigation if necessary.
Fonce, a former city police officer who works for a private investigation firm, said the department has qualified officers who will be able to make sense of complicated financial documents.
BCI and the FBI also have agents who have experience with such matters.
Audit costly: Fonce said he'd like to see law enforcement agencies look into Avalon operations instead of seeking a costly special audit.
The city's 2000 financial audit released recently includes a $332,000 finding for recovery against Joy.
The state auditor's office shows that the original cost of the 2000 audit was estimated at $60,160.
That figure jumped to $97,835 after concerned residents requested that the state include a look into Avalon South, the former Westlawn housing community and the Country Club Estates development off East Market Street.
Some city officials and council members say another audit of Avalon South would be costly and could prove a waste of time.
"Why drop another $60,000, $70,000 or $80,000?" Fonce questioned. "Let law enforcement do what they can first."
Willing to look: Mandopoulos said he would be willing to look at Avalon South if city officials ask him.
Mandopoulos said Warren police don't have jurisdiction atthe municipal course, which sits in Howland Township, but financial and legal documents originated from departments in the city.
BCI and Howland police will have jurisdiction as it pertains to location, Mandopoulos said, explaining he'll ask that his department be included in any possible investigation.
Parks board: Financial trouble at the course prompted Mayor Hank Angelo to make recommendations to council, including creating a parks board to oversee Avalon South and other city parks, and changing the name to Avalon Golf Park.
Council agreed recently to take out an internal note and pay off the remaining $345,000 of a $425,000 loan Joy secured in 1995 to make improvements at the course.
davis@vindy.comsinkovich@vindy.com