Atlantic Beach has shortened the town hall hours to save money. Now they are only opened 9a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday-Thursday.
/ Lindsey Theis
There are new details about the town of Atlantic Beach's financial troubles.
Interim Town Manager Benny Webb says the situation is desperate and the town is in dire straights.
Mayor Pro Tem Carolyn Cole, who also heads the town's finance committee told NewsChannel 15 Wednesday, they don't know exactly how much money they owe.
That's because the town's Quickbooks record system, which is how they used to keep tabs on spending, was wiped out on July 28th.
That was the same week the town's former employees were fired.
Council let go of Atlantic Beach's entire police force and almost all of the city administrators and told then town manager, William Booker to take a three week paid vacation.
Tuesday night the council terminated Booker's contract, citing malfeasance, misfeasance and nonfeasance.
Booker told Newschannel 15 Wednesday the reasons for his dismissal are bogus.
"I would expect them for some sort of reason for discharging me. I just don't agree with it. It's bogus and inaccurate, and there's no evidence to support it," Booker said.
Cole told us the town is still working to get all their numbers straight. She added the town is at least half a million dollars in dept. Of that, more than $70,000 is owed to the IRS.
Atlantic Beach also owes money to the state and police retirement systems. They also owe on outstanding utility bills on town owned buildings. Plus, they need to pay for past court cases against the town.
Webb says he is playing clean up, and has a list of which order he plans to pay off the town's list of debts.
"Mandated court cases with their judgements; number two public safety and our police officers and security; IRS, Department of Revenue; Budget and Control Board for our police officers retirement system, our state retirement system and our recurring debts; utilities and other functions that make the government run. Those are our priorities," he said.
Webb says he's working 18 hour days and sifting through checks, stacks of paper, and hard copies of records to try to get a system in place. The town will most likely have to pay for a book keeping service.
Right now Atlantic Beach has four paid employees: the interim town manager and three police officers who were hired this week.
Webb plans to hire 3 part time administrative employees: a town clerk, and administrative assistant, and a clerk of courts. He also hopes to add one more full time police officer within the next couple of weeks. Webb said they won't hire anyone else full time because its just too expensive to cover a full time employees' benefits.
