TMC: Thirty Miles of Corruption

Now that City Manager Scott Barber has been chosen, City Council will be voting on his base pay  of $280,500.00. (Item #33).  What will the new year bring? More of the same? Hopefully he’s familar with municipal financing and can have greater imput with the Chief Financial Officer Paul Sundeen.  Regardless, the citizens of the City of Riverside deserve more, and one way to began the New Year 2012 would be to call for a forensic audit of the city hall books.  This will assure balanced numbers and clear possible discrepancies of the general ledger books.

Why they try, I don’t even know, but the city will consider another franchise license for another ambulance service.  Of course it will be shot down, after the usual city theatre.  Alpha Ambulance just doesn’t have a chance for a fair consideration.  Months ago, Mission Ambulance was also denied a franchise license, the monopoly game continues. Denials may continue, and the friendship with AMR’s Peter Hubbard (Riverside Police Commisioner Ret.) with the Fire Chief Steve Earley, City Attorney Greg Priamos and many of the City Council such as Steve Adams.  Does this friendly love fest insinuate conflict of interest?  (Item #4).

UPDATE:12/13/2011: WHAT A SURPRISE!  CITY COUNCILS VOTES TO DENY FRANCHISE LICENSE TO ALPHA AMBULANCE BY A VOTE OF SIX TO ONE.   APPARENTLY ALPHA AMBULANCE’S PRESENTATION WAS DONE DURING PUBLIC COMMENT, INSTEAD OF THE CITY PROVIDING A SET PRESENTATION TIME.  WHY WOULD AMBULANCE EXPEND THE EFFORT.  BUT WHAT WE DO HAVE IS A PATTERN OF DENIALS WHICH MAY INFER A VIOLATION OF ANTITRUST LAWS.  BUT FOR THE TIME BEING THE CITY HAS THE EDGE, AND AS CHARLEY SHEEN SAYS, “WINNING”.

11:25 PM on 12/12/2011 PE story Riverside: City’s ambulance service may exceed authority.

The City Council has allowed their friend Mr. AMR to cloud their judgement on doing what is right. If you recall several months ago, Mission Ambulance proved their is an absolute need for another provider, and they were denied. If you read previous articles you’ll see how absolutely crazy this story is: 1) Mr. AMR is best friends with the City Attorney 2) Mr. AMR does give the council members a lot of money for their campaigns. 3) Mr. AMR is best friends with the Fire Chief 4) Mr. AMR does give the Fire Department 1.4mm 5) This is a Pay-to-Play city 6) No cities do not have the right to limit non-emergency transportation 7) Yes it is a conflict of interest that the Fire Chief is best friends with Mr. AMR, receives 1.4mm, and is responsible for denying applications. 8) Yes it is a violation of the Federal Anti-Kickback statue. Receives money in exchange for exclusivity is by definition a violation of the act. 9) AMR doesn’t care because the fines they’d have to pay on the violation is pennies compared to what they make in the City. 10) Yes it is true that AMR receives 40% of amount billed. What receiving 40% of $5,000 isn’t enough? Besides, it is the County’s responsibility to create a contract that is a win-win. It is NOT the City’s responsibility to take on that burden. So, just to clarify your comment Mr. Bigdawg86, the citizens and patients that receive healthcare in the City of Riverside are responsible for the other 60% that AMR cannot collect in all other cities??? C’mon…Really? 11) So does the City Attorney, Mr. AMR’s goooooood friend, know more about the EMS laws than the State EMS agency? The answer is no, he only knows what Mr. AMR tells him, and that goes for the rest of the council as well. All you have to do is listen to them, they are saying what Mr. AMR tells them say, oh ya and that also comes with a check from AMR, Mr. AMR, or EMS Corp. There are many ways to hide campaign contributions and they seem to be the best at it. 12) Does anyone else see this scandal is the size of Bell??? If you really get down and dirty and look at true numbers, you’ll see a HUGE story here.  – Commenter named “Come On…Really” on PE.

Councilman Paul Davis recommends the council authorization of $18,400.00 for obligatory promisses made to outside programs.  Paul opted out of using $50,000.00 specifically appropriated for a Council Assistant, and instead thought he could spend as he pleased for the community.  This wasn’ so.  The drama begun when former city manager Brad Hudson stated he could do that, but then retracted, and said he couldn’t without council approval. This incidently includes $8,000.00 to go to Paul’s wife May for the yearly Lunar Fest.  (item 34a).

The City of Riverside continues to terrorize the residents with more amendments to rules.  At some point, the City of Riverside needs to inform the community that they belong to Homeowners Association without voting rights. (Item 36).

Another change order, and would think Tom Boyd’s Public Works Department would finally get it right.  Yes, and this time it’s for $1,680,051.75… or is this a game the contractor plays with the city in order to get more money?  More delays more money? This is the fourth grade seperation project, you would think Tom would get the kinks out by the experience of the prior three and save the taxpayer some money by now.  But this is the same Tom Boyd who paved a residential street, then shortly later had to dig it up and repave it at taxpayer expense.  If he worked for the private sector wouldn’t he get fired? Because if this was the private sector, he would have lossed huge amounts of private sector money and be directly accountable for. (Item 52).

WHO WILL BE HIDING BEHIND THE COMPUTER NEXT WHEN THE AUDITOR COMES ASKING QUESTIONS? CHECK BACK WEEKLY…THAT IS, EVERY CITY COUNCIL TUESDAY! WE’LL EVEN PROVIDE THE DIRECT LINK SO YOU CAN CHECK THE CURRENT CITY COUNCIL AGENDA. CALL YOUR LOCAL ELECTED COUNCIL PERSON AND THE MAYOR AND REQUEST THAT A FORENSIC AUDIT BE DONE BY STATE CONTROLLER JOHN CHIANG OF THE CITY HALL BOOKS. 

HAVE THERE BEEN MORE PROCEDURAL GLITCHES OR RED FLAGS THAT HAVE RECEIVED THE ATTENTION OF INTERUM CITY MANAGER SCOTT BARBER THAT HAVE YET TO BE MENTION SINCE HUDSON SKIPPED TOWN?    TMC RECOMMENDS THAT SCOTT WITH THE HELP OF THE REST OF CITY COUNCIL REQUEST A FORENSIC AUDIT!  IT’S EASY, I EVEN LOOKED UP THE NUMBER FOR YOU, 916-445-2636, ASK FOR JOHN.  BY THE WAY, HE’S EXPECTING YOUR CALL…  IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE NUMBERS WILL ALWAYS COME UP RIGHT! 

KEEP CONNECTED WITH TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE!   TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND THAT’S ALL WE’RE GOING TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT!  COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS!  EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT!  THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM