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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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The City Attorney's office Of Peter Bade never dealt with the allegations of Harassment and violence in the DCED and as it came out in the hearings, the department did not deal with allegations of wrongdoing in the DOE grant for over a year. Those allegations, found valid and verifiable by the DOE led to the termination of the grant and demands for repayment of a portion already spent.
Neither Brown nor the State wants these allegations out there. City hall staff cannot believe Brown kept the guy they call "Bade the liar" because they believe he was caught in his lies during the hearings. Bade had a conflict-of-interest when he sued the Civil Service Commission in a blatant attempt to keep the employees from revealing City wrongdoing. So now the City has four whistleblower lawsuits to deal with. If we judge by past expenses, those lawsuits will cost as much in legal fees as eliminating the offices did. Is this a case of penny wise and pound foolish?
Brown is more concerned with the coverup than he is with saving money. I believe he kept Bade and his crew because they appear to be ruthless and that is obviously what he wants.
My cohorts are asking if Brown was brought in to protect certain special interests, especially some of the downtown groups. I believe Brown has too many political ties to be the Emergency manager for Flint.
Emergency manager axing ombudsman's office, civil service commission 'disappointing,' council member says
Published: Thursday, December 08, 2011, 4:57 PM Updated: Thursday, December 08, 2011, 5:08 PM
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
FLINT, Michigan — The city of Flint has lost two of its watchdogs today with the emergency manager's decision to eliminate the Flint Ombudsman's Office and the Flint Civil Service Commission, one council member said.
Flint Journal file photoSheldon Neeley
Emergency manager Michael Brown axed the offices in the latest round of written orders issued since he took office last week.
Flint City Councilman Sheldon Neeley said the decision robs the public and city employees of their respective outlets for grievances.
"That's where people could come and get some type of redress," Neeley said. "That avenue has been closed now. It's a dead end street. Now, people don't have that opportunity before them."
Brown could not immediately be reached for comment.
Neeley said he's disappointed in the decision because both offices had cases pending before them. The civil service commission had at least 15 ongoing cases, he said.
"People will never have the opportunity to get closure on them," he said.
Both offices were established in the Flint City Charter as investigative arms of city government. The ombudsman looks into complaints about city agencies on behalf of the public, while the civil service commission operates on behalf of city employees.
In 2006, a proposal to eliminate the ombudsman's office went before voters but was turned down.
Both offices have come under fire recently amid the city's financial woes. Flint Mayor Dayne Walling and some council members have supported eliminating the offices.
Last week, Brown fired Ombudswoman Brenda Purifoy and Civil Service Director Edward Parker as part of his first order terminating seven city employees.
These two orders issued today eliminate their offices, as well as any other employees in those departments. The orders can be found on the city's website. |
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:20 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
My cohorts are asking if Brown was brought in to protect certain special interests, especially some of the downtown groups. I believe Brown has too many political ties to be the Emergency manager for Flint.
My understanding is the city of Flint is owned by the Mott Foundation. Does that help clear things up for you and your cohorts?
Brown does appear to be pretty competent though unline the other guy we had brought in to be mayor. |
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:32 pm |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| Add Uptown Development and/or Uptown six to your list, Adam. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 12:42 pm |
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Adam
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
Dave Starr schreef:
Add Uptown Development and/or Uptown six to your list, Adam.
Isn't Ridgeway the heir apparent to run the Mott Foundation?
Ridgway H. White
Vice President of Special Projects, Charles Stewart Mott Foundation
Ridgway joined the Foundation in 2004 as a program assistant on the Flint Area grantmaking team, was named an associate program officer in 2006, and promoted to program officer in 2009. In that capacity, he also served as a
loaned executive to the nonprofit Uptown Reinvestment Corporation (URC)
, where he coordinated a redevelopment strategy designed to revitalize downtown Flint, the Foundation’s home community. |
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 3:17 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| The wife of Ridgeway White, Shannon White, left her previous boss and started her own architcture firm, Funchiture. She got the job of designing 10 custom home plans for Smith Village. |
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Fri Dec 09, 2011 6:00 pm |
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ins&out
F L I N T O I D
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| Is she even a licensed architect? Look into it. It was a Smith Village issue. |
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Sat Dec 10, 2011 1:43 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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She has one, but it is relatively new and probably issued during the planning stage.
Licensee Information
Name: WHITE, SHANNON EASTER
DBA Name:
QO/Owner:
Address: Fenton, MI 48430
County: Genesee
License Information
License Type: Architect
License Number: 1301056305
Specialties:
Status: Active
Limitations:
Issue Date: 05/13/2009
Expiration Date: 10/31/2013
Status History |
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Sat Dec 10, 2011 7:45 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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Brown was in the Collier administration, an elected Mayor that some say resembles Walling.
Now Brown brings in Gary Bates, another relic of the Collier Administration and an individul that was intimately involved in the scandals of our past.
In December of 2000, the Journal called Bates "abrasive' when he served as Interim City Administrator for Woodrow Stanley after David Ready left for a position in Palm Springs. He clashed with council on the budget and when they procrastinated on extending his contract.
Bates was part of a forestry reorganization. Citizens were outraged when a plan to sell the Parks most valuable trees was unveiled.
The mayor (Stanley) blamed council after Bates resigned, saying he was tired of having his interity questioned in what the media called a "snit-quit". The Second Ward Councilman Ed Taylor had held a press conference over a pension issue involving a settlement for Karen Parsell and lawsuits she had files. The City waived $19,000 she would have had to pay to buy time on her pension and her pension increased from $12,000 to $30,000. (Unique retirement deal, Flint Journal, 3-28-1001, A-3)
He was interim city administrator in October 2000 when alleged toxic soil was moved from University Park, in a violation of a DEQ directive and possibly moved outside of the city. John Gleason was a County commissioner then and he was very vocal on behalf of the county.
In 1988, Bates headed the DDA when there was an attempt to sell the Autoworld.
More recently Bates was Treasurer of the Flint NIPP and was instrumental in setting up Witherbees. There is controversy as to whether Flint NIPP set up a fair rental plan for Witherbees which contributed to it's closing. The loss of Flint CHDO and other funding led to a cash flow problem. |
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Sat Dec 10, 2011 2:11 pm |
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