Officials with the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency, which lost close to $700,000 in fraudulent payouts, will have to explain the negative audit findings associated with those transactions when their agency is called to a hearing on Oct. 13 with the Legislative Joint Auditing Committee.
The early release of the Arkansas Legislative Audit report revealed several discrepancies in the city of Pine Bluff Parks and Recreation Department including one outlay of more than $500,000 when it comes to internal control over financial reporting and compliance.
Tuesday s regular Pine Bluff City Council meeting was moving at a rapid pace when the issue of limiting "small box discount stores" in Ward 1 threw a speed bump.
During a special meeting last week, the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency approved two letters of intent for future developments for the city. The first letter approved was to negotiate a public-private partnership with Oasis Fresh Market grocery store in the 71603 zip code, and the other was to award Ratliff Enterprises Inc. and Big Banjo Pizza Parlor Inc. with a public-private partnership as the Go Kart Track Food and Beverage Vending company at 2100 E. Harding Ave.
The 911 calls made in the moments after the early Wednesday shooting death of Maurice Taggart, the former director of the Pine Bluff Urban Renewal Agency, reveal the frantic nature of what s been described as a domestic disturbance, according to recordings obtained by the Pine Bluff Commercial.