With seven votes opposed and only two in favor, the Evansville City Council voted down an ordinance that would’ve stopped city money from going to ECHO Housing. The vote ends, for now at least, an almost eight-month saga during which city contributions to ECHO hung in the balance.
City funds make up around five percent of ECHO’s average yearly budget. But that money came under scrutiny after accusations surfaced that ECHO’s former executive director, Stephanie TenBarge, took some of the money to pay her own taxes.
The ordinance first appeared before council in April, but they voted to table it twice pending an audit of ECHO’s finances.
Council still hasn’t seen the audit. The police have it and can’t talk about it because of a criminal investigation against TenBarge, an investigation that could take years.
But, Chris Metz, ECHO’s interim executive director, asked council not to table the ordinance for a third time. He said part of the operating budget for a development set to open next month was in question because of the uncertainty of city dollars.
Metz has gone before council multiple times now to defend the organization. He’s outlined new accounting procedures to protect its finances and reassured council that TenBarge is the only one under investigation.
The two co-sponsors of the ordinance, Councilmen Jonathan Weaver and Justin Elpers, were the only “yes” votes to halt funding.
