The Daily Beast reports that questions and outrage are swirling around the transfer of $863,000 from the New Orleans Public Library Foundation to the Peoples Health Jazz Market, a new $10 million home for the acclaimed New Orleans Jazz Orchestra. The transfer allegedly came about because of the efforts of the orchestra’s CEO and the orchestra’s musical leader. The CEO served on the Foundation’s board and eventually became its board chair, while the musical leader also served on the board and then was given discretion in 2012 over the Foundation’s spending by the board. Both the CEO and musical leader are paid salaries by the orchestra. Since the story broke the orchestra CEO has resigned from the Foundation’s board, the orchestra has pledged to return the funds at issue to the Foundation, and New Orlean’s Mayor Mitch Landrieu has met with the boards of both groups and demanded changes at the Foundation.
Lloyd Mayer
