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Tuesday, March 22, 2016

A MISS FORTUNE EXCLUSIVE: Former Grand Traverse Academy Superintendent Kaye Mentley's Ingersoll Sentencing Hearing Testimony; An Insider Finally Speaks...Under Oath!

STRANGE BEDFELLOWS...OR DEBUNKED BEDS? 

MENTLEY AND SON CO-OWN GTA VENDOR...WITH STEVEN INGERSOLL!




Later today, Part 1 of an exclusive series, only from Miss Fortune.

An in-depth analysis of the official 102-page transcript of Kaye Mentley's recent testimony during Steven Ingersoll's ongoing sentencing hearing.

In this excerpt, under cross-examination by Ingersoll's attorney, Jan Geht, Mentley acknowledges that she shares co-ownership of GTAS, LLC (a longtime Grand Traverse Academy vendor) with her son, Brent.

Steven Ingersoll formed the Michigan limited liability company on December 16, 2003 and used the entity to charge the Academy for janitorial work.

Sweetheart Deal?
Ingersoll billed the Grand Traverse Academy nearly $250,000 in 2013 for “custodial services” provided by that entity — which paid Mentley's son, Brent, a hefty salary. 

Prior Academy audits revealed Ingersoll raked in at least $200,000 a year for his clean-up.

As you can see below, GTAS, LLC is still an active Michigan business entity.

Q. Okay. Are you familiar with the entity called GTAS? 

A. Yes. 

Q. What is GTAS? 

A. GTAS is I believe an S-Corp that was formed for custodial employees at Grand Traverse Academy. 

Q. And who owned that entity? 

A. It started with Steve and then he brought on me in name and Brent Wilson who was the director of facilities at the time. 

Q. Okay. And who -- what is your relationship to Mr. Wilson? 

A. He's my son. 

Q. Okay. And how much did you receive from your ownership of GTAS? 

A. Nothing. 

Q. Why were you brought in as an owner then? 

A. I'm not sure. I guess I can't answer that. The -- it was established, the separate corporate entity was established because the custodial employee group was so different from the educational employee group; their calendar year, at that time their benefits were different, and so it made sense at the time that they be employed by a different entity than Smart Schools. 

Q. And I understand why it made sense to have a separate entity. My question is why were you -- did you ever ask why am I an owner of an entity? 

A. No, there was just discussion with Steve and he said this seems to make sense, let's do it this way, and I said, okay. 

Q. And when did your son become a co-owner of that entity? 

A. At the time, the same time that I did, I believe. 

Q. Did your son receive any money from GTAS? 

A. Not to my knowledge, I don't know that for sure. He received -- 

Q. Salary? 

A. Yes, he received his salary as an employee, yes. 

Q. Do you know what his salary was from janitorial services? 

A. I think in 2013, as an athletic director and director of facilities, I believe it was 85,000. 

MUCH MORE COMING LATER TODAY, ONLY FROM MISS FORTUNE!

4 comments:

  1. You know what really bothers me, that no one in Traverse City is doing anything about this. Watching their taxpayer money line the pockets of these guys is utterly disgusting. This is only the beginning of the destruction of public schools. Schools that actually have to use the money for educating children. Schools that aren't run as a business and every penny is accounted for. Schools that have legitimate board members not friends that slide everything through under your noses.

    This pulic charter school is using every avenue possible to syphon money off, writing up deals that put money into a few chosen pockets and not in producing a better education for you and your community. When are the regular public schools going to get this stopped and get this money back into educating children?

    Publish these stories, talk to every politician in your community, get this out there, so people can understand these individuals are only in it for profit. Anyone supporting them, must be profiting somehow too.

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  2. Oh, I cannot wait to read the rest of this! I'll bet it gets pretty darn interesting! You almost got a wonder what the phone calls are like between Lynch, Noss, and Ingersoll. I'll bet this blog has them worried. All crooked minded people think alike.

    I can almost guarantee that Lynch is not paying anyone at his schools, especially a janitor, a salary of 85k a year. It must be nice to know the right people!

    After I read the other posts regarding BCA and NCA, I wonder where the extra money is going if it's not going to salaries, Teachers classrooms, or building safety maintenance?

    hmmmmmm......must be nice

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  3. I know Ingersoll paid 3 BCA teachers, total, for the same price, or less, as he paid Mr. Wilson alone. What a tragedy! And there were never enough equipment or supplies for use in the classroom. Explains the debt the school is in!!

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  4. Teachers are poorly paid and spend most of what they earn on their classrooms. There is no money going to these teachers or students. How deep are your pockets Steve? I guess deep enough to hold all that money and a noose around everyone else dangling in that pocket grabbing what you might toss to them. I am sure he doesn't let many get too far out of range for fear they might spill the beans. Too bad everyone doesn't start talking, publishing and boycotting anything these people touch. Not that I am a fan of Trump BUT, "Get em outta here."

    ReplyDelete