Pittsburgh parks administrator leaves job after fund inquiry

An administrator in the Pittsburgh parks department has left her job following an internal investigation of a city trust fund, Mayor Bill Peduto’s administration said Tuesday.

It wasn’t clear whether Jamie Beechey, the deputy director in the Department of Parks and Recreation, resigned. In limited remarks, Kevin Acklin, the mayor’s chief of staff, said “the decision was left to” her.

He declined to spell out the details, calling it a personnel issue. Mr. Acklin said the investigation found no evidence of malfeasance or theft in the trust fund, designated to handle

money for the Great Race.

Still, the review spotted a violation of city policy that dictates that such funds be placed solely under the finance departm en t , he said. Ms. Beechey could not be reached immediately for comment.

“We reviewed the outcome of the investigation, and she indicated that she was pursuing other opportunities,” Mr. Acklin said. “Beyond that, from a personnel matter — I can’t go into further detail from the conversation other than to say I wish her well, and that my understanding is that she’s evaluating several different, pending options for employment.”

Before joining the the Talent City —- a program used by the Peduto administration to remove politics from hiring — Ms. Beechey worked for Crafton borough, according to the city.

At one point, Mr. Acklin said, she was on leave from the parks department over a separate, undisclosed matter.

Mr. Peduto said in May that a department employee had tipped off city officials about an issue. The city Office of Municipal Investigations looked into the race fund, discovering that it had not followed a 2014 executive order that was supposed to place all city trust funds under the finance department, Mr. Acklin said.

The order was meant to prevent impropriety, Mr. Acklin said. The race fund holds registration fees paid by participants in the Great Race.

It wasn’t clear Tuesday why the race fund, with some $422,000 on hand, didn’t leave the parks department until the recent internal review.

Parks director Jim Griffin didn’t immediately comment. Mr. Acklin said Mr. Griffin met Tuesday with Mr. Peduto and remained in charge of parks.

“This is more a process violation than a use-offunds violation,” Mr. Acklin said.

Money in the fund went toward the Great Race, although the OMI inquiry found an expenditure for an employee picnic, he said.

An annual running event, the Great Race will celebrate its 40th anniversary Sept. 24. It includes a 10-kilometer run, a 5-kilometer run and a 5-kilometer fitness walk. Participation this year is capped at 16,500 people, according to the event website.

Mr. Acklin said the city is shifting management of the race to the Pittsburgh Marathon organization. That effort, which follows a competitive bidding process, is meant to streamline operations and predates the internal investigation, he said.

Some proceeds — $1 from each registration — go toward the Richard S. Caliguiri Amyloidosis Fund, named for the late mayor, to support medical research.