Emails show more patronage offers by former city manager

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- "Interested in a special project in Missouri?"

At 10:16 p.m. Thursday, July 31, Heath Kaplan sent an email to a former co-worker from his days with the city of Crandall, Texas.

Kaplan would not sign a contract to become the Poplar Bluff city manager for another five days, but appears to have been eager to reach out to members of his "professional network" with the news and offers of new opportunities.

Government documents show the associate served as a job reference for Kaplan when he applied for his positions in Muskegon County, Michigan, and Poplar Bluff.

Texas accountant Neil Conway responded the next morning: "I always have interesting conversations with you. What's in Missouri?"

"A job for you and only you!" Kaplan replied.

That "special project" cost Poplar Bluff taxpayers nearly $124,000 in bills for travel, lodging and work hours that may have included an apartment rental, accordingto invoices which were requested by the Daily American Republic under Missouri's open-records law.

Conway worked for the city between Aug. 19, Kaplan's second day on the job, and May 21.

Kaplan was fired by the city May 12. His office is being investigated by the Butler County Sheriff's Department for illegal purchasing and bidding practices.

Conway's time with the city is equal to a cost of $842.54 per day for the 147 travel and work days reported by the accountant.

The email exchange between Conway and Kaplan is among several thousand provided to the Daily American Republic from Kaplan's government email mailbox in Muskegon County, where he worked before Poplar Bluff.

Conway received one of several jobs the former city manager appears to have offered to his associates on or before July 31, including Information Systems Intelligence owner Ryan Leestma and financial adviser firm First Southwest.

Michigan emails also show Raynesha Hudnell, later hired as a grant writer for Poplar Bluff, was among the candidates in the summer of 2014 for a grant writer position in Muskegon.