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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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On her final day in office, former Ombudsman Brenda Purifoy gave local activist Bobby Johnson a copy of an almost completed report that the office had been working on. Had the office been given more time to complete the investigation and interview at least two or more individuals, the outcome would have been more damaging to certain council members than it already is.
Johnson's complaint is the same one that many citizens have made-why did council approve an extension of the Complete Towing contract before it expired and what,if any, role did gifts and campaign donations play in the decision?
What is clear is that some council members are still accepting gifts and are failing to report them on their annual disclosure forms. It also appears that some council members received more than others.
The awarding of a five year extension of a contract instead of bidding it out holds a bad smell that gives the appearance of public corruption and that is what prompted Johnson to make the complaint. This is as bad as the seven year no-bid contract the county gave to Tim Herman's group for the hotel taxes. They both smack of abuse of process.
Jackie Poplar was council president at the time and her remarks was that this was not a new contract, but an "extension" of a previously bid contract, This contract and had 18 months remaining on the contract as of may 2011.. The original contract was dated September 28,2009 and was for three years.
Poplar insisted the extension was requested by the administration. Walling admitted he received fruit baskets at Christmas from Complete towing , most of which were valued at $100 and included Kahlua. Jackie poplar was the only council person said to have received Champagne in her basket in statements from the driver who delivered the baskets.
Nolden refused to accept a basket calling it illegal. Lawler said his son accepted delivery but that his wife returned the gift to Complete and another was not offered. Both Nolden and Sarginson said that others in the home accepted the basket and they told these individuals not to accept any more. Nolden said the basket he recived was small and the bottle of kahlua was the small one. At least two council members said their baskets were small and not valued over $35-$40. Sarginson said his was valued at $100. Weighill said he donated his baskets and did not keep them.
The driver insisted he delivered baskets to every one in 2009 and Neeley was the only one who refused. Most were delivered when the council members were working. Delrico loyd stated he never received one and Poplar stated she could not recall if she received one or not.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:15 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Wed Feb 01, 2012 6:58 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Those voting for the contract extension:
1st ward Delrico Loyd
2nd ward & president Jackie Poplar
3rd ward Bryant Nolden
4th ward Joshua Freeman
9th ward Scott kincaid
Those voting no on the contract extension:
5th ward Bernard Lawler
6th ward Sheldon Neeley
7th ward Dale Weighill
8th ward Michael Sarginson
Campaign contributions from James Patton (Complete Towing)as reported on campaign finance reports:
ist ward no contributions shown in 2009 to loyd
2nd ward $1345 for 2009 shown for Poplar. Note the limit allowed in any campaign cycle is $500.
3rd ward $100 for Nolden during the primary in 2009
4th ward a total of $200 during 2009 for Freeman
5th ward no contribution shown in 2009 for Lawler
6th ward $20 shown for Neeley in 2009
7th ward a total of $75 for weighill during the 2009 election
8th ward no contribution shown for sarginson in 2009
9th ward a total of $400 for kincaid in 2009
Mayor Walling** $1,350 from Patton in 2009 and $350 in 2010 for a total of $1,700. This is over three times the allowable campaign contribution of $500 during an election cycle. |
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Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:14 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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From the Treasurer's office:
Net Revenue of the Impound lot and towing as of the end of the fiscal year June 30:
2006 $430,264.90
2007 $966,978.41
2008 $1,026,516.32
2009 $510,110,02 (Williamson left in February 2009)
* after Complete Towing contract:
2010 $243,078.65
2111 $ 60,151.79 |
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Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:23 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Former Complete Towing employee, Glen Rogers was interviewed and during his tape recorded interview he indicated that Scott kincaid, Josh Freeman and Jackie poplar was the three main council people that Patton made sure he took care of.
ROGERS: I pretty much know ah, what takes place that's why Scott Kincaid ah, Josh Freeman and Jackie Poplar, those are like the main 3 people that ah he makes sure he takes care of them so he gets their vote fo him on having ah...
OMBUDSMAN: Now Mr. Rogers when you say makes sure he takes care of them what exactly are you talking about?
ROGERS: Makes sure that he gets their vote ah
OMBUDSMAN: What does he do when you say he makes sure?
ROGERS: Well i haven't seen him actually do it but I know he gies them money. I know for a fact he gives them money to make sure he receives their votes. That keeps him in the position that he's in. Now, like I said I'm not , I don't want to be speculating that there is something I know that takes place.
OMBUDSMAN: Ok. Now we can't deal in speculation just like you said.
ROGERS: Right.
OMBUDSMAN: You said you know for a fact.
ROGERS: Umm. Umm.
OMBUDSMAN: What fact do you know?
Rogers then told of another person who was in the position to know of the money changing hands who repeatedly told him what was happening.
Rogers stated Patton became angry at Sheldon Neeley for not meeting at a prearranged time to talk to Patton.
rogers stated that Dayne Walling had attended a Christmas Party held by Patton at Complete towing. |
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Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:45 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| The Ombudsman had other allegation of wrongdoing by some of the council. Had the office been allowed to interview more individuals, this could have been a pivotal report chronicling abuses in City hall. Perhaps that is why Brown was so eager to get rid of the office that voters chose to keep. |
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Wed Feb 01, 2012 7:48 pm |
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stevemintline
F L I N T O I D
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| The report claims that the maximum allowable donation per cycle for a mayoral candidate is $500. This is false, the maximum is $1000. A check of Walling's campaign finance reports reveals that the maximum was not exceeded for the 2009 special election or the 2011 regular election. |
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Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:58 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The information provided by Mike Carr's office states the maximum contribution is $500. This document is a listing of all maximums for every state office and is provided by the state.
If this is the case then whoever prepared the report did so incorrectly. The cumulative totals come from the report. |
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Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:07 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Mays has told a number of people that Patton financed the recall against Williamson and spent up to $7,500.
Did he finance the recall out of anger over the towing contract or because of an alliance with Walling.
Per the report Patton gave money under the table to candidates.
Per the report some of the gifts exceeded any limits and should have been reported on the annual form
Walling never reported his non profit in any of his reports.
FLINT NEEDS AN ETHICS POLICY AND A MECHANISM TO ENFORCE THE POLICY.
WAS BROWN PUT IN PLACE TO DO A COVERUP OF THE ILLEGALITIES AND IS THAT THE REAL REASON THE OMBUDSMAN OFFICE IS GONE? AFTER ALL THE STATE HAS SOME BAD MOVES IN THE USE OF THE NSP MONIES.
Last edited by untanglingwebs on Thu Feb 09, 2012 9:47 am; edited 1 time in total |
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Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:13 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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IT WAS WALLING THAT CHANGED THE DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY GRANT THAT INITIATED THE OFFICE OF INSPECTOR GENERAL INVESTIGATION AS WELL AS 4 WHISTLEBLOWER LAWSUITS.
IT WAS WALLING WHO COUNCIL SAYS INITIATED THE CHANGE IN THE TOWING CONTRACT.
IT WAS WALLING WHO HIRED EASON AND POPLAR. EASON TRIGGERED THE LAWSUITS AND POPLAR ALLEGEDLY HIRED FRIENDS AND FAMILY AS TEMPORARY WORKERS.
WALLING KEPT BROWN'S PET TRACY ATKINSON WHO HELPED EASON WRECK HAVOC ON THE DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
CITY HALL EMPLOYEES WERE ASTONISHED WHEN ATKINSON SAID ALL OF THE CITY WIDE ADVISORY GROUP WERE TOO OLD AND NEEDED TO BE REPLACED WITH YOUNGER PEOPLE. hER AGE DISCRIMINATION WAYS SHOULD HAVE BEEN SUED BY AT LEAST ONE EMPLOYEE.
MCCABE COULDN'T DO THE JOB THE FIRST TIME HE WAS EMPLOYED BY BROWN AND NOW HE IS BACK.
BROWN LIES ABOUT HIS TRANSPARENCY! HE TOUTS HIS GROUP OF 50 CITIZENS AS ADVISORY SUBCOMMITTEES, BUT HE HAS YET TO TELL US WHO THEY ARE.
ARE THEY PREDOMINANTLY MOTT FOUNDATION AND UPTOWN REINVESTMENT TOSSED IN WITH BROWN'S OWN FOUNDATION? DO THEY EVEN REPRESENT THE AVERAGE CITIZEN IN FLINT OR ARE THEY MERELY BROWN CRONIES?
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Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:43 am |
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stevemintline
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
The information provided by Mike Carr's office states the maximum contribution is $500. This document is a listing of all maximums for every state office and is provided by the state.
If this is the case then whoever prepared the report did so incorrectly. The cumulative totals come from the report.
The report is incorrect. The maximum for a Mayoral race for a city over 85,000 is $1000. Linked here, page 5: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/sos/CON_LIMITS_CHART2010_CENSUS_371574_7.pdf |
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Wed Feb 08, 2012 1:52 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Brown let Bade toss out all of the pending Ombudsman investigations, including one on Smith Village.
People are asking why Bade is still there? |
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Wed Feb 08, 2012 8:13 pm |
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