Classic convertibles with candy paint sitting on white walls parked as props for the entrance. Inside, musicians entertain guests as they walk the red carpet to the luxury clubhouse. Retirees dressed in their finest pose for pictures with manikins set up as decorations.
The event was no wedding or upscale fundraising gala. It was a private party hosted and funded through a special purpose government that used homeowner assessments to help foot the bill.
Residents in a Manatee County special development district are pushing back against district leaders who have hired family members for top staff jobs, awarded no-bid contracts to other relatives and hosted lavish private parties on the district’s dime…