El Monte : Agency Will Repay County

A threat, led by Supervisor Gloria Molina, to suspend Los Angeles County funding for the Mid-Valley Manpower Consortium ended Tuesday when consortium officials promised to begin repaying $126,000 in allegedly misspent government money.

The money will be paid back to the county over 18 months beginning in January, said officials from the El Monte-based job training agency.

A county audit earlier this year alleged that former director Douglas L. Shaw, who has since been fired and is under criminal investigation, used federal money for personal expenses and to pay the salaries of two Bradbury city employees ineligible for job training funds.

In September, county officials, who funnel the federal money to job training agencies, demanded the consortium repay the money. Instead, consortium officials asked for more time to begin repayment.

When the consortium on Nov. 2 requested that county supervisors help secure a state-funded audit to track down another $310,497 in possible missing funds, Molina demanded an accounting from the agency. At Molina’s urging, the board notified the consortium that operating funds would be cut off in 30 days unless the supervisors received a repayment schedule and a report on remedying actions taken by the agency.