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The city of Riviera Beach admits it did not perform a required background check on its athletic director, who is a registered sex offender. Consultant Abram Elam ran the city’s athletic department including the Pop Warner football league, for a year before his criminal background became an issue.Riviera Beach native Elam signed a $25,000 contract with City Manager Jonathan Evans in August 2022 to be an outside consultant athletic director.But Pop Warner officials found out last month and sent letters saying they would not participate with the city if Elam were involved in any way.So, how did Elam end up with the job?After repeated public records requests, WPBF 25 News Investigative Reporter Terri Parker received this admission from the city manager’s assistant:“There was no background check completed on Mr. Elam prior to his contract,” emailed Valerie Grimsley, Asst. to the City Manager.City policy is to run background checks on all employees, which is backed up by state statute.It’s not clear why there was no background check or if city manager Evans was aware of Elam’s sex offender status, but in Elam’s contract, it notes that while he’ll provide oversight and assistance to the youth sporting activities,“CONSULTANT will not have any direct coaching contact with youth participants.”After Elam’s past conviction came to light regarding sexual battery against an adult woman while he was at Notre Dame University, the city wrote Pop Warner that it would abide by its rules for this season — ostensibly not using Elam as director.The city did not say it would not renegotiate Elam’s contract, which was up for renewal.Elam supporters planned to attend Wednesday night council meeting wearing shirts saying “We stand with Abe.”
The city of Riviera Beach admits it did not perform a required background check on its athletic director, who is a registered sex offender.
Consultant Abram Elam ran the city’s athletic department including the Pop Warner football league, for a year before his criminal background became an issue.
Riviera Beach native Elam signed a $25,000 contract with City Manager Jonathan Evans in August 2022 to be an outside consultant athletic director.
But Pop Warner officials found out last month and sent letters saying they would not participate with the city if Elam were involved in any way.
So, how did Elam end up with the job?
After repeated public records requests, WPBF 25 News Investigative Reporter Terri Parker received this admission from the city manager’s assistant:
“There was no background check completed on Mr. Elam prior to his contract,” emailed Valerie Grimsley, Asst. to the City Manager.
City policy is to run background checks on all employees, which is backed up by state statute.
It’s not clear why there was no background check or if city manager Evans was aware of Elam’s sex offender status, but in Elam’s contract, it notes that while he’ll provide oversight and assistance to the youth sporting activities,
“CONSULTANT will not have any direct coaching contact with youth participants.”
After Elam’s past conviction came to light regarding sexual battery against an adult woman while he was at Notre Dame University, the city wrote Pop Warner that it would abide by its rules for this season — ostensibly not using Elam as director.
The city did not say it would not renegotiate Elam’s contract, which was up for renewal.
Elam supporters planned to attend Wednesday night council meeting wearing shirts saying “We stand with Abe.”
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