Key West’s chief constructing official, Raj Ramsingh, stays on paid administrative go away whereas awaiting an employment listening to.
Metropolis supervisor Brian L. Barroso has indicated in a letter to Ramsingh that it’s his intent to fireside Ramsingh for violating a number of metropolis insurance policies, together with falsifying constructing permits and data. Raj Ramsingh has been indicted on eight felony corruption fees. His brother, Ron Ramsingh, the previous Key West metropolis lawyer who was terminated with out trigger final week by town fee, faces three felony corruption fees, and now-retired code compliance supervisor Jim Younger faces one cost.
Raj Ramsingh was scheduled to have an employment listening to final week, nevertheless it was postponed on the request of his lawyer.
In the meantime, the state lawyer’s workplace continues to pursue its investigation and trial of the three indicted males. Prosecutors final week launched one other cache of discovery paperwork within the case, this one containing summaries of FBI interviews with present and former metropolis staff.
Those that have been interviewed weren’t shy in describing an environment of particular favors, political affect, cronyism and corruption at metropolis corridor in recent times.
Enid Torregrosa, a historic preservation professional who just lately retired from town, described her job as “hell” whereas working with Raj Ramsingh as chief constructing official.
She advised FBI investigators, based on the interview summaries, that Ramsingh would approve permits and initiatives with out ever letting planning and historic preservation employees find out about or evaluation them.
Torregrosa advised investigators Ramsingh would typically go into town’s allowing software program and alter entries, at one level making it appear to be Torregrosa had famous, “No evaluation required,” when in truth Torregrosa had famous a number of questions in regards to the plans and necessities for a venture within the historic district.
Torregrosa advised investigators Raj Ramsingh routinely permitted permits and variances for his private associates, coworkers and politically highly effective folks on the town.
Torregrosa and others, together with present metropolis planning director Katie Halloran, named names and companies of their interviews, however as these folks haven’t, as of but, been charged with or indicted for any crimes, the Keys Weekly just isn’t together with them.
Torregrosa supplied investigators with a number of paperwork and printouts from town’s allowing software program exhibiting events when Raj Ramsingh allegedly altered entries.
Battle of curiosity issues
The most recent launch of paperwork by the state lawyer’s workplace additionally accommodates copies of dozens of checks that have been written to Strykker-Avery Properties, a contracting and building firm that Raj Ramsingh owned and operated earlier than he began working for town, and which he continued to function whereas working as town’s chief constructing official, creating important issues about conflicts of curiosity that will come up from a constructing official additionally working as a contractor that wants approvals and permits from town.
Metropolis data present that Ramsingh initially had permission from town to function Strykker-Avery Properties, however that ultimately turned an issue. State company data present that Ramsingh dissolved the corporate in 2021, however investigators obtained dozens of checks totalling greater than $250,000 that have been written to Strykker-Avery Properties in 2022, 2023 and 2024 for building and transforming initiatives.The state lawyer’s circumstances and investigations are ongoing. Keep turned to keysweekly.com for the most recent updates.