By: Diane Benjamin
The ONLY reason the Atlanta Public Library is no longer paying Bill Thomas $1000 per month for leasing his building is because citizens stood up and demanded answers!
Bill wanted to sell his building to the library for $200,000. It is not assessed for tax purposes anywhere near that.
From the June minutes: (available here: http://www.atlantapld.org/board-of-trustees/)
From the July minutes:
Surprise! There’s the $20,000 grant that most likely went into Bill’s pocket since the library was supposedly buying the building he donated last night. Time will reveal where that money went.
If many citizens had not attended meetings, asked for my help and the help of the Edgar County Watchdogs, the library would have taken out a bank loan at their expense to buy the building.
Three cheers for the citizens who refused to be bullied! Don’t sit back now, it’s not over. Many other investigations are ongoing, prosecutions are probable.
The long time Board members need to immediately resign and start telling law enforcement what they know.
The Watchdogs have written much more on the Union Hall project. See one of their stories here: http://edgarcountywatchdogs.com/2017/08/atlanta-public-library-inked-200000-union-hall-installment-purchase-contract-in-dec-2014/
All the residents of Atlanta who weren’t involved need to give the citizens that fought back a standing ovation! This group rescued your wallet!
I’m no tax expert, but the $200,000 donated building is a tax right off / loss for the uh hmmm current owner. therefore padding his pockets more yet.And that doesn’t discard any problem from him being a treasurer on the library board.
He’s going to have a hard time claiming a $200,000 deduction with out an appraisal and with a much lower taxable value. He might also have that $20,000 check he needs to explain
Cheers to good old common sense! As for buying real estate” seems that is the “IN” thing for cities/towns to do now-see Bloomington/UPTOWN. I guess when the town is dying SELL it to suckers!!
I’m bid a nickle on the dollar. I’ll be waiting.
On the Tax rolls the building is listed as being owned by one of his many LLCs so he is tax free! How convienent! Maybe he is planning to exit Atlanta! We can only hope! Is his house up for sale yet? Maybe the City will buy it for him! The City Officials seem to be suckers for anything Bill wants to do. Remember the 15 acres he conned them into buying for $495k? Bill is the Bernie Madolf of Taxpayer Dollars!
Where is this 15 acres at and what did they use it for?