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DSS paid $15K for holiday party catering

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CHARLOTTE, N.C. -- Mecklenburg County's Department of Social Services -- the agency that administers a host of programs fighting poverty -- spent $20,000 of taxpayer's money on its holiday party.

The NewsChannel 36 I-Team broke that story three weeks ago. At the time we requested invoices documenting the exact payments. Tuesday morning, the agency produced the documents, which detail more than $19,000 of the money was spent on food, entertainment, gifts and door prizes.

Every DSS employee -- all 1,200 -- were required to attend the holiday party on Wednesday afternoon, Dec. 17, because it doubled as mandatory training. The department held the party and training at the Friendship Missionary Baptist Church on Beatties Ford Road, the home church of the agency's director, Mary Wilson, although a spokeswoman said Wilson did not pick the location. The space was paid for by an anonymous benefactor, according to the spokeswoman.

The cost of the party more than doubled from the prior year -- from $9,600 to $20,000.

The DSS director barred media access to the party and training. But County Commissioner Karen Bentley was able to attend. When asked what the $20,000 paid for, Bentley responded at the time, "Well I think that's a fair question. I think we absolutely need to ask those questions. I would be curious to see this year versus last year and what the total spend is."

Invoices produced by the department show taxpayers paid $225 for a musical "minstrel" to play for the party. Party favors for each of the 1,200 employees cost another $1,700. Gifts from the department store Marshalls cost $219. Still more gifts from Sam's Club, including truffles, Maglite flashlights, 24-volt drills, Hickory Farms gift baskets, and Starbucks coffee ran almost $1,600.

The bulk of the $20,000 went to Creative Catering of Charlotte for a menu including crudités, chicken "drumettes," Caribbean meatballs, and petite quiche for 1,000 people. Creative Catering's invoice totaled $15,217.

Mecklenburg County's DSS reports seeing record numbers of clients lining up for food stamps and other social service programs.