State to review Arlington lunch program

ARLINGTON, Ga. — The state agency that administers a federal summer lunch program for disadvantaged youth in Arlington will review the program after allegations have surfaced that funds were misspent, officials say.

Lou Brienza, program manager for Nutrition Services for Bright From the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning, said Wednesday that his department is in the process of launching a review into the City of Arlington’s involvement in the Summer Food Program.

The program is funded through the U.S. Department of Agriculture and is essentially a continuation of the nation’s free or reduced lunch program during the summer months when children are out of school.

According to Brienza and City Attorney Tommy Coleman, the allegations as presented to Bright From the Start, is that agreements between the city of Arlington and the state since 2006 have been signed and operated by a non-city employee who signed the documents without authorization.

The complaint also includes accusations that the program paid former Mayor Jerome Brackens and current Mayor Marvin King, as well as clerk Mary Jane King.

Documents obtained from the City of Arlington through an Open Records Request Wednesday show that Brackens received yearly payments of $1,035 between 2006 and 2009, totaling $4,140.

Brackens left office as mayor after 2009 and didn’t receive any additional payments.

Marvin King received one payment of $1,400 in 2010 and Mary King received a total of $9,565 between 2006 and 2010, city records show.

“Anytime we receive a report questioning one of our programs, we initiate a review,” Brienza said. “It’s standard procedure to make sure things are being done correctly.”

While the funding comes from the USDA, if misspent, the city will have to repay it out of a fund separate from the lunch fund, Brienza said.

Calls to Marvin King and council member Turner Bostwick weren’t immediately returned Wednesday. Bostwick has been seeking a review of the account.