The city of Bryant reimbursed its police chief and a school resource officer for steakhouse meals purchased at an upscale Orlando, Fla., strip club this summer, according to receipts obtained by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Police Chief Mark Kizer and Bryant High School resource officer Lee Ledbetter both submitted July 18 receipts that were labeled O.C. Food & Beverage LLC SteakHouse, but the address and number listed belong to Rachel’s Adult Entertainment & Steakhouse, also called a gentleman’s club.
A hostess who answered the business’s phone number Tuesday said the restaurant part is on “a separate side of the club, but you can still see right to the stage.”
The club’s website describes the venue as “a luxurious, upscale world-class adult entertainment complex and steakhouse under one roof.” The website also displays several photos of scantily clad and nude women. Other photos show a stage with stripper poles lit up by LED lights situated in an aisle between tables.
Kizer said Tuesday that the night he and Ledbetter ate at the venue, a Thursday, there were no women visible and all of the servers on the dining side were men.
“There was one guy in there serving,” he said. “It wasn’t a total strip club. It’s probably no worse than Hooters.”
According to Kizer, the hotel concierge suggested the chief eat there and said it was one of the best steakhouses in Orlando.
“It was a very, very nice steak - best steak I’ve had in five years,” Kizer said. “You couldn’t see anything from where I was at. Scouts honor. I actually had a very good steak, and, yes, the truth is the city paid for my meal.”
A second employee contacted by phone Tuesday reiterated that the building has an open floor plan and diners can always see the stage from their seats.
He added, however, that some people do come in just to eat without venturing to the show and bar side ofthe club because the venue employs five-star chefs. As to Kizer’s assertion that no women were there the night he dined, the second employee said women are always present because there are entertainment acts from open to close daily.
When Kizer was asked if he justified having taxpayer dollars pay for his more than-$50 meal at an adult-entertainment venue, he noted that there isn’t a policy that would prevent him from being reimbursed for the meal.
The city’s travel-expense policy states that the city will pay for “reasonable and necessary” travel expenses “which are directly related to the performance of official city business.”
“Staff members are expected to exercise sound judgement in the expenditure of public funds for travel expenses,” the policy said.
The club billed Kizer for a $39 bone-in rib-eye steak and an $8 loaded baked potato. After tip, his receipt totaled $58.06. Ledbetter’s meal, also a steak and potato, totaled $50.80 after the tip. The bottom of both receipts state “Entertainment fee included on all food sales.” According to time stamps on the receipts, Kizer and Ledbetter paid for their meals about 10 p.m.
Kizer and six members of his staff were in Orlando for a week-long National School Resource Officer conference.
City Council member Brenda Miller discovered the charges as she was examining a stack of travel and expense reports she requested last month. Mayor Jill Dabbs was made aware of the expenses Monday and said Tuesday that she has turned over the matter to the Human Resources Department to investigate.
Dabbs wouldn’t speculate on what type of disciplinary action would take place if the investigation finds wrongdoing. She said human-resources personnel are reviewing the case to see if any illegal or immoral action, or an action that reflects badly on the city, was committed.
Miller didn’t return a voice mail, email or text message seeking comment Tuesday, but Alderman Randy Cox - who also has been looking into questionable travel and training expenses of city employees - said the charges are unacceptable.
“I feel that the actions of the police chief and that of the school resource officer are unprofessional. To have turned in the receipts for a visit to a strip club on expense reports and/or charge it to a city credit card and have the city pay for this is unethical,” Cox said. “I can assure the citizens of Bryant that this, along with the fact that city policies are being ignored repeatedly, will be addressed Thursday night at the City Council meeting.”
The meeting is at 7 p.m. Thursday at City Hall, 210 Southwest Third St.
Front Section, Pages 1 on 10/23/2013