Monday, March 22, 2010

Conflicts of Interest?

This was one of the longest meetings in quite a while. 3 1/2+ hours! I left at 9:45 PM and the introduction of papers had just started, and it was a thick packet, thick with budget related papers from the Mayor.

Maybe I don't know what I'm talking about? But what if I'm saying is true? Is something wrong here?




Ellen Robertson's 2004 campaign contribution from Kelvin Hanson

I have written a letter to members of Council about this situation. I think it stinks, I don't understand how this is OK, good, or desirable and not self-serving, cronyism and corruption. And yet, with the exception of Councilwoman Reva Trammell, all the rest of them are acting like this is completely fine, it's not in the newspaper, and if I didn't mention it, it wouldn't be public information -- even though it is "PUBLIC INFORMATION."

If something wrong is going on here, I hope to help to bring it to the attention of the public and the proper authorities.

If I am wrong, I will be greatly embarrassed, and will crawl back under my rock. And learn from my mistakes. I am motivated to speak out because NO ONE IS AT CITY HALL, there are no citizens. I don't believe Council members even know as much as they should about what the government is doing, Cronyism is real. And if all this business is done in the open and they are never called out on it -- they are free to continue to play their little insider game of appointing friends and campaign contributors.

I'll be posting the entire meeting over the next few days. There were several big stories at tonight's meeting. Mayor Dwight Jones presented his budget to Council, Citizens spoke during the Citizen Comment Period in Opposition to the Stormwater Fee recently enacted by the City, and the Rezoning of Manchester was a surprisingly popular topic.

3 comments:

  1. Here is the response I receive from Councilman Charles Samuels.

    "In this instance 'Grantor' means the person selling it. The LLC you refer to sold it in 2005.

    'Grantee' is the purchaser."

    That is helpful but this still seems highly suspicious -- that the previous owner of the Taylor Mansion would be a member of the EDA that gave an economic development grant to the developer, Ronald Stallings.

    Is this all perfectly legal. I think it is fishy, I still don't like it.

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  2. When I expressed to Mr. Samuels that I was still concerned he replied, "What is the perceived conflict?"

    I responded:

    "That Mr. Hanson through his membership on the EDA had a part in funneling the $600,000 to the developer that paid him $350,000 to buy his property.

    I think it is strange you even ask the question.

    I am also concerned about Mrs. Robertson's participation in the vote and the recommendation from her committee.

    Should I recommend this incident to FBI for investigation? This is seriously troubling to me."

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  3. i think you should send this to the fbi as it stinks.

    how about some funneling of money to G5.

    Why does the city think they can run businesses better than businesses and take away business from existing business.

    Absolute bullshit.

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