College Park is seeking the return of payments made to Keller Williams real estate brokers — including a controversial $471,690 payout issued in February — as officials continue to unravel how the funds were approved.
City Attorney Winston Denmark sent a demand letter on June 23 to Keller Williams brokers Nichole Menzies and Phyllis Minter regarding multiple commission payments processed by the city’s Business and Industrial Development Authority (BIDA).
Officials say that neither the BIDA board nor the mayor or city council was informed of the payment, which was approved by former City Manager Dr. Emmanuel Adediran. Now, officials are working to unpack how the payment was authorized and processed without proper oversight.
The payout has come under scrutiny following an investigation by BIDA attorney LaTonya Wiley, who identified multiple irregularities and what she described as a blurring of lines, financially, between BIDA and the city of College Park.
During a July 9 BIDA meeting, Wiley explained that Menzies initially submitted an invoice for $669,000 on Feb. 3. That invoice was rejected by BIDA Executive Director Brian Hooker. Just over a week later, on Feb. 11, Menzies bypassed Hooker and submitted a revised invoice for $471,690 directly to the city manager. The payment was processed while Hooker was out of town, Wiley said.
Menzies and her legal counsel, Wayne Kendall, did not respond to phone calls and a text message from SaportaReport.
At the July 9 meeting, Wiley shared a letter from Kendall responding to Denmark’s demand letter. In it, Kendall acknowledged an overpayment of $27,540 unrelated to the $471,690 payment, and said that the smaller amount would be refunded.
Kendall said he was reviewing the circumstances regarding the larger payment.
That larger payment covered a 10 percent commission for a land transfer that took place in January 2022. However, there was no sale or contract, only an alleged quitclaim deed transferring property from the city to BIDA.
Adediran has said the invoice for $471,690 was accompanied by a 2024 contract signed by then-BIDA chair Tracy Wyatt. Wiley’s investigation found that 10 days after the contract was signed, Menzies emailed a copy to Denmark’s law firm, which was also serving as legal counsel to BIDA at the time. Still, the BIDA board was never informed of the payment, neither by their chairperson nor by legal counsel, according to Wiley.
Wiley also noted that the city manager position has broad discretion over payments made on behalf of BIDA, but when acting for the city of College Park, the city manager is limited to approving contracts of up to $10,000.
“The investigation highlights blurred financial lines that have existed between BIDA and the city for 40 years,” Wiley said.
Don’t believe the hype. Tracey Wyatt is the puppet master here. Follow the money and see where it goes.