N.O. Public Belt Railroad was run at former director's whim, state audit finds
by Michelle Krupa - Times-Picayune (excerpt)

When it came to throwing parties, Jim Bridger loved to play host. And he had the perfect spot for entertaining. "Since I run the railroad I can do anything that I want to do with the rail cars," Bridger, then general manager of the New Orleans Public Belt Railroad, wrote to a neighbor in June 2008, referring to two swanky Pullman cars owned by the quasi-city agency. "Therefore, you will be having Kevin's birthday party aboard the 'Louisiana' and your party is on me," he wrote in an e-mail message. "I will pick up the caterer and booze/wine as well." When Bridger said "I," he apparently meant "New Orleanians." Receipts for the event show that the Public Belt spent $970 at Martin's Wine Cellar, one of several go-to vendors that Bridger called upon to cater lavish outings on the so-called business cars. Asked recently about the get-together by state auditors probing the agency's operations, Bridger initially said the party was for a neighbor who'd won it in a school charity auction. Presented with the e-mail message, he admitted the party had no charitable purpose.