The chief organizer of the St. Patrick’s Day Parade could be on the outs next month – that’s if he doesn’t oust the man who’s called for his resignation first.
In a bitter public dispute this week, William J. Flynn, the president of the famous parade’s corporation, has announced he wants Jim Barker, the executive secretary of the parade committee – which organizes the event – to take a hike.
He’s called a board meeting for Sept. 5 to address his concerns, but Barker says he’s not resigning unless all the key people who run the parade – all 16 of them – also want him out.
He said they’ll be discussing the issue at a meeting next week.
“All the people who have been in charge of the parade since 1993 will be at our annual meeting next Thursday,” Barker told The Post. “It’s up to them to decide what happens.”
The latest spat over the St. Patrick’s Day Parade began after Flynn wrote a letter to the parade board of directors claiming the parade books were in a financial mess – and that Barker should resign.
Flynn complained there were serious problems with the parade’s finances, including irregularities in its financial statements, and that its income-tax status was unclear. He called for a major independent audit of the parade corporation.
He also recommended that jurisdiction over the parade be restored to the Ancient Order of Hibernians, an Irish-Catholic organization which used to oversee the festivities.
Flynn’s letter stated he finally decided to call for Barker’s resignation after learning that Barker had instructed the parade’s accountant not to forward copies of the parade’s financial reports to him – though he had repeatedly requested them.
However, Howard S. Fleischman, the parade’s accountant, said Flynn’s accusations were false.