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CITY OF RIVERSIDE: YOU PROVIDE THE FOOD AND THE COUCH, I’LL PROVIDE THE MILLIONS!

Posted: July 22, 2011 in Uncategorized
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The whole idea that you build me the restaurant, and I’ll tell you how at a cost, then I’ll provide the food and service, again at a cost. How did the city and taxpayer get into the restaurant business? Close friends and possibly a little favoritism?  Well let’s look at how this whole web of events play out. First, we start with Rodney Couch who is president of Preferred Hospitality Inc.   Now, under this umbrella falls The Market Broiler chain and Provider Foods Contract Servicing.  Under Provider Foods Contract Servicing,  falls City Hall’s Raincross Café , Stewart’s Boat House Lakeside Room Fairmont Park, Grier Pavillion City Hall, Orange Terrace Community Center Café , Orange Terrace Library Café, and other City Recreation venues.  The city has six contracts with Rodney, and the only one making money in the relationship between the City and Provider Foods/ Market Broiler is Rodney Couch!  If this isn’t favoritism, I don’t know what is!  The City of Riverside has spent BUCKETS of money on Provider at a total loss to the taxpayer.  Need a caterer, nope you can’t use them, you have to use Rodney.  They are, afterall the sole caterer to the City, or let me clarify in politically correct terms “preferred” caterer.  Provider is also involved with other projects such as The Atrium Café Riverside on Lemon St., The Atrium Café at Riverside County Administrative Center.  Conflict of Interest? Monopolization of the surrounding free market place and a breach of laissez-faire economics?  Not to mention, that the Raincross Cafe was built with taxpayer money. We also paid for the kitchen equipment, maintenance, utilities as electric and water, repairs etc. It’s a great deal.  No other vending machines are allowed in city hall except Rodney vending machines.  

Rodney is also paid for his services from the net sales of operations, so it doesn’t matter if they make a profit or not. Then you have those encentive bonuses, 20k for advertising etc., of which we have yet to see.  We know the city has control of the billboard off the freeway for advertising, but we are sure Provider would not have to pay for that advertising service as others would.  Did the Law Firm Cihigoyenetche, Grossberg & Clouse ask to see the receipts Provider/ Marketbroiler was suppose to utilize for advertisement and marketing services of City owned food service/ restaurant facilities?   Just like magic, as one of the partners Scott Grossberg performs on the side, they found no evidence that contracts were steered to friends of City Manager Brad Hudson.  That’s a shocker! You hire a law firm at taxpayer expense to represent you, and  voila, you get the answer you want!  That’s magic…  But it appears that magic has a price.  It appeared that the firm was very close to getting an answer on this favoritism debacle, when the City decided they needed to give the firm more money as to the tune of a measly $100,000.00, for a total payout of $150,000.00.   The firm’s final report, released this week, describes in detail several cases about which questions were raised, and of course the answers the City was looking for. 

But what continues to be agregious, I don’t know if people are seeing this, but you have a City Manager who thinks he can breach the lines of privacy and possibly violation of attorney client privilege information or even ECPA (the Electronic Communication Privacy Act) , and the law firm Brad hired is stating it is acceptable. Brad Hudson is not Assistant Deputy Attorney Raychele Sterlings superior.  City Attorney Greg Priamos is!  There is something wrong when the City Manager goes beyond his range of duty, and breaches an associates department.  The council or the mayor don’t appear to really understand this scenario. But I would expect more from Greg Priamos, a leader and superior of that department.  If this same scenario happened in the private sector, Brad Hudson would have been fired. City Hall has become a culture of enablers creating a dysfunctional introverted world. This scenario is wrong. But what we have is a culture of relationships, such as Greg Priamos and Brad Hudson seen on a Friday night, June 10, 2011, with two unidentified ladies at Duane’s Restaurant at the Mission Inn have dinner and conversing.  So do we have microcosm’s of undefined relationships breaching the laws the community has set forth?  Well, we must then ask ourselves, what would be Raychele Sterling’s modus operandi?  Sterling said city employees brought their concerns to her because they didn’t feel comfortable going to the Human Resources department, but she never stepped outside her role as a city attorney.  “There would be no reason for me to make this stuff up,” she said. “I got fired for doing the right thing — where’s my incentive?”  That’s exactly right, why would an Assistant Deputy Attorney make this up?

 The law firm’s investigator found that Hudson had a legitimate reason to look at Sterling’s emails “based upon concerns that he had received in February 2011 from a public works employee about (Sterling) improperly interfering in public works business affairs.” The report also says Hudson cited a 2009 complaint about Sterling’s conduct. Sterling said she has never been questioned about or given details of any such concerns. Again, a complaint against Sterling’s conduct would have properly been addressed in a one on one meeting with follow-up documentation of the event, usually signed by both parties. This would be impossible for Brad Hudson to know this or conduct a meeting at this level.  He is not the superior, Greg Priamos is.  City Councilman Mike Gardner said Thursday he doesn’t see that any rules were broken, and the report lays out reasonable explanations for how the contracts in question were handled.  Again there is so many holes in this investigation, and it is shameful that taxpayer money was waisted on this event, and especially shameful that Councilman Mike Gardner does not see the breach of duty by the City Manager, as well as the City Attorney, and goes as far to support the rejection of a statement by an Assistant Deputy Attorney implying wrongdoing. 

And where’s City Attorney Greg Priamos in all of this?  He still behind the closed secure doors of his office, possibly making a phone call or two for another expensive consult with Best, Best & Krieger, and that’s OK! it’s not his money… There’s alot here, and a good part was initiated with the leadership of the City Manager.  The law firm’s report also said  that Couch and Hudson are not personal friends, Hudson had nothing to do with  signing the contracts with Provider, and because of the profit-sharing  agreement, “a legitimate reason existed to issue a marketing contract to  increase profits.”   All original contracts with Provider were signed by Ex-Assistant City Manager Tom DeSantis as The City Manager, with what appears to be Brad Hudson’s initials next to his.  This is how the real City Manager Brad Hudson rolls.  Most other contracts are signed by any of the assistant manager or staff as “for Bradley Hudson, City Manager”.  He therefore can always deny signing, but he is  ultimately responsible as the person in charge of this office, and he knows what are in those contracts.  And of course, the City Council and the Mayor are ultimately responsible for all his actions.  TMC is investigating the total amounts of payouts Brad Hudson has allowed to go to Provider, then you the taxpayer, can make your own decision about favoritism, corruption or missuse of public funds.

Read the contracts between The City of Riverside and Provider Foods: Be patient, some of these take a little time loading: 

1. Raincross Cafe Contract 2006

2. Provider Food Services Purchase Orders

3. Advertising Services for Raincross Cafe, Grier Pavilion, Stewart’s Boathouse Fairmont Park, Orange Terrace Community Center Cafe.

4. Preferred Food Service Provider Agreement to Stewart’s Boathouse and Orange Terrace Community Center Cafe.

5. Design Consultant Services for Orange Terrace Library Cafe and Grier Pavilion

6. City Hall Grier Pavilion Reservation Guidelines

“People are looking for something that I don’t think exists,” Gardner said. “I think people are reading perfectly innocent things as something sinister.”   OK, I got it Mike, that’s must be like telling us your running for City Council, then running for Mayor…

UPDATE: 07/24/2011: In the midst of Assistant Deputy Attorney Raychele Sterling indicating retaliation by City Manager Brad Hudson.  Just this past week, Riverside Police Department Sgt. Val Graham sued the police department and City of Riverside alleging racial discrimination and retaliation including with its promotional process. Named in the lawsuit are City Manager Brad Hudson, Former Asst. City Manager Tom DeSantis and Chief Sergio Diaz. Last year, three out of four similar lawsuits based on retaliation were settled out of court, which may have included the case of Deputy Chief Pete Esquivel and Officer Neely Nakamura.  If a “strategic plan” was in order, as promised by Chief Sergio Diaz, would this have made a difference? Again there continues to be a pattern of employee related lawsuits.  Is this a continuation of a lack of leadership skills or qualifications?  Why does the taxpayer continue to have to pay out enormous settlements to employee related firings. But this is nothing new, Sterling filed three complaints in February and April 2011 alleging retaliation by Hudson and City Attorney Greg Priamos.  There is a problem when the Council and the Mayor are unable to control the henhouse.  Community of Riverside demanded accountability after Ex-Chief Russ Leach’s DUI incident.  But a pattern of police behavior appears to continue, with no answer on this issue from Chief Sergio Diaz, except the response of irritation.  I believe these two powerful positions, Chief of Police and City Manager should be elected postions. We have a city in denial and a pattern of behavior with a track record that have yet to be addressed.

UPDATE: 12/05/2012: NO PROFITS EVER FROM RAINCROSS CAFE SINCE 2006 OPENING.  OPERATING COST HAVE COST THE TAXPAYER IN EXCESS OF $300,000.00  THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE MAY BE LOOKING FOR A NEW OPERATOR FOR ITS TAXPAYER OWNED RESTAURANT, BUT HOW SMOOTH OF AN OPERATOR WAS RODNEY COUCH?

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: CLEVER AS THE FOX, BUT NON THE NEDERLANDER!

Posted: July 17, 2011 in Uncategorized
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TMC’S PREDICTION IS THAT THE FOX THEATRE WILL BE OUT OF BUSINESS BY JULY 2012, BECAUSE THEY WILL NOT BE ABLE TO PAY THE 2 MILLION DOLLAR YEARLY DEFICIT ON OPERATING COST.  THIS IS BECAUSE THE CITY SHOULD NOT BE IN BUSINESS OF DOING BUSINESS.  THEY SHOULD NOT BE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT BUSINESS, THE RESTAURANT BUSINESS, THE FUTURE HOTEL BUSINESS, PROPERTY MANAGMENT BUSINESS AND REAL ESTATE BUSINESS.  THEY SHOULD BE IN THE BUSINESS AS A GOVERNMENT AGENCY, OF FIXING OUR SEWERS AND REPAIRING OUR POT HOLES!  WHO KNOWS, H.J. “JOE” ZIVNAK MAY BE ABLE TO THEN PICK UP THE FOX THEATRE FOR A COUPLE OF MIL, BECAUSE THAT MY FREINDS, IS HOW THE CITY ROLLS….

According to Brad Hudson’s planned Guccism for Riverside was to transform Downtown into a major entertainment mecca.  But if that was the plan, what is Downtown Riverside going to do now that the New York Style Theatre is non-the-neder?  What are we going to do without Nederlander?  Well, the City of Riverside figured it was a format problem, therefore the new idea is that the format needed to be change according to the geographics.  Well, neder mind, why didn’t we just do that to begin with?  Should we have just kept it local?  It does appears that’s exactly what the prior owner of the Fox, H.J. “Joe” Zivnak, wanted to do until it was taken by eminent domain by the usual suspects at City Hall.  At the time, the then Riverside City Council stated the current owner had failed to restore the historic vaudeville stage and cinema and turn it into a cutting-edge performing arts center.  Well, neder-the-less, it is what it is now, a cutting-edge government runned underperforming arts center.  The next confusing question, is the unreachable Nederlander really out of Riverside?    Not at all, says Fox General Manager Bill Malone. “It’s just a new relationship”, and “they’re (Nederlander) are affiliated with McCoy Rigby Entertainment”.   Malone says he will now pick and choose from Nederlanders’s traveling shows.  Won’t have to take them all.   This sounds sort of like ordering theatre tickets from the internet, you can pick and choose the tickets you want.  Well, I guess there is an internet site where you can pick and choose traveling shows from a list, then add to the cart.  But further, did it ever occur to management why so many Nederlander shows were being cancel?   He goes on to say, “together we can conclude from experience what will be viable.”  But the delusional new relationship is non-existent, and far from viable, consider the yearly 1 million dollar deficit to the taxpayer in operating cost since The Fox Theatre opened.  

Again, as written in the Riverside Outlook on Page 2, the statement that the City of Riverside is bringing in Nederlander affiliate McCoy Rigby Entertainment  from La Mirada on board to the Fox Theatre is also misleading.  The term “affiliation” brings about the understanding that McCoy Rigby is somehow connected with Nederlander as a business associate, or further, that Nederlander has an interest in McCoy Rigby.  Neder is true!  McCoy Rigby does not have an interest in Nederlander or the reverse.  But as I was told from McCoy Rigby per phone conversation is that they work together as colleagues, and will use one or the other as a referral if the other decides neder to take a gig.  Therefore, McCoy Rigby was more of a business referral per Nederlander, if that’s what really happened. So, now let’s stop with the affiliation part and the denial, Nederlander really is gone, but good try on the spin.

Nederlander officials also told the city they were losing money in Riverside, though they didn’t provide figures, according Assistant City Manager Deanna Lorson.    But what Deanna didn’t tell you was that The Fox Theatre was losing money on operations since it opened and the very night she walked the red carpet of the grand opening.  But here are the figures according to the Annual Budget of 2010-2011.  Malone calls it a primary win for the Fox and a secondary win for Nederlander. And let’s not forget there is a third win, too, because this is truly a win,win situation, that is, replacing Nederlander with Orange County’s McCoy Rigby Entertainment.  Well Malone….if you really look at the whole picture the Fox Theatre is also not winning when it is losing money.  Nederlander left because is was losing money. And  McCoy Rigby Entertainment won’t know just yet if it is a win, till they tell us they’re making money. We realize the city meant neder to be misleading, but neder-the-less, you say tomato, I say tomahto, why don’t we just call the whole thing off?  Well Nederlander did, and they meandered right out of Riverside, but neder mind the incidentals!

But how did this all happen? How did the City of Riverside decide they wanted to be in the business of entertainment? As Ex Chief of Police Steve Stavely stated when referring to Costa Mesa City  Council, “They act as if they are owners of the business that is the municipal government of the City of Costa Mesa, but they are not, they are merely trustees of these public assets both human and physical and they fail in that role completely”.  Does Riverside City Hall believe they are the owners of the business they called their Fox Theatre, of whom they have access for meetings and events, and whom receive free tickets for their personal use each month? Which council people were at the top of the list for free taxpayer paid government entertainment tickets? Councilman Paul Davis? maybe Nancy Hart? How bout newly re-elected councilman and candidate for Mayor Mike Gardner?  

Well, an article isn’t an article without an insult or two regarding Riverside.  Emil Marzullo, economic development chief for San Bernardino, which owns the California Theatre, says Nederlander may have “overestimated this market area. I see this area as an immature theater market. Not that the people are immature, but they’re not used to going to theater here.”  Thanks for that analytical synopsis, Emil.  But we could have also said Nederlander was just giving Riverside a trial run, afterall, they are Nederlander! And Riverside is Riverside, not Neanderthal Land! 

Well neder mind the above, the point is they should have kept it local and simple to begin with, and their is no reason why the Fox Theatre should have some sort of entertainment venue every day, especially during the summer.

COME ONE, COME ALL, GOVERNMENT ENTERTAINMENT AT ITS BEST SINCE NEDERLANDER LEFT,  THE GOVERNMENT HIT PARADE BROUGHT TO YOU BY THE TAXPAYER…  THE MAYOR AND I, BYE BYE BRADLEY, THE PHANTOM OF SEVENTH FLOOR, THE BLUE COUNCIL GROUP, DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS, SINGING IN THE SEWER, SEVEN COUNCILS FOR SEVEN CONTRACTORS, MISS HART GON…..IT IS A BETTER VENUE!

UPDATE:07/20/2011: The theatrics continues when drama king Fox manager William P. Malone told party guests that he is in “partnership” with McCoy Rigby on the Fox’s Broadway season and that he approached the couple to step in after the Nederlander Organization closed its Riverside operation. This is quite different than what was quoted last time, when he stated it was just a new relationship, insinuating that Nederlander never really left, because they are “affiliated” with McCoy Rigby Entertainment, which of course, is not true.

I wish the Fox good sailing. I wish the City government would get out of private enterprise businesss. Socialism.  Management chosen by a private enterprise organization would bring back some of the historic pride of Riverside. The Mission Inn was not built by government. Since 1955 Riverside government has spent (invested) hundreds of millions of dollars trying to push water uphill. Government is the business of mile square. Services to support all those government employees, hundreds of millions in payroll should be the quest of planning for downtown. Bringing a night life to milesquare might be desirable for some but that should be the agenda of private enterprise.   Riverside City Government should not be in any business that competes with the private sector. That is unfair  competition and discourages economic progress.         -Ron, PE Commenter

UPDATE:05/26/2012:  HAS THE FOX LOST IT’S PANTS?  NEW ARTICLE IN THE PE REGARDING OPERATING COST WERE GREATER THAN EXPECTED LEAVING THE FOX IN THE RED, OR SHOULD I SAY, “THE TAXPAYER”.

According to Chief Financial Officer Bret Mason the expected deficit will be $900,000.00 for fiscal year 2012-2013.  While some of the council disturbingly feel the deficit is acceptable, no one in their right mind within the private sector would consider this acceptable.

UNKNOWINGLY PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, 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 PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST…  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  BY THE WAY, COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED!

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: COLLATERAL FOR CASH: THE FOX TO THE HYATT SLEIGHT OF HAND!

Posted: July 13, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Just as a Poker game gone astray, and you began to use the pink slip of your car, or the deed to your house to bank roll the chance that the gamble you are about to take  won’t be the worst decision of your life.  Who’s fault will it be? The taxpayer or City Council? or was this the unsustainable continuation of Brad’s Guccism of Downtown Riverside?   The Casa Blanca Library and the Arlington Library were both given to the State Redevelopment Agency by the City of Riverside in order that the Redevelopment Agency would provide funds to the developer of the new Hyatt Place Hotel. Sounds unbelievable, it’s not, it only gets better. We forgot to throw in Firestations 13 and 14 for good measure. Believe it, and here is the proof in this Memorandum dated March 2, 2010.  In return, the city of Riverside now leases the libraries and firestations from RDA. But the City of Riverside is accustomed to bad deals, when it’s not their money.  Ultimately, you, the taxpayer is responsible after they have left the picture and enjoying their high yielding pensions at your expense.   

What originally appeared to be happening was that if you invest taxpayer money for one particular project, but then the money was used for another project, you no longer have the money for that first project.  How would you feel as a taxpayer when you consider the bonds were created to raise the money for the Fox Parking Garage then with a sleight of hand, the funds are in the hands of the developer of the Hyatt Hotel via the Redevelopment Agency? Don’t forget, the Riverside City Council sit on the Redevelopment Agency Board. That’s right, again, the usual suspects!  And of course, if there is anything left of the funds it will, of course, go back to the Fox Parking garage.  Foremost, I wonder how the investers who bought the bonds feel? A bit sleighted?  Well according to the the City Council, Redevelopement Agency and Public Financing Authority Memorandum, there would of course no fiscal impact to the General Fund. But the city expects to make money on this deal to the tune of $525,000.00 the first year of operations and $660,000.00 by 2014.  Well if you believe this, I have bridge in Brooklyn to sell you……but it gets better. If the Hotel underperforms, the developer is required to fund any deficiencies. If the developer defaults, the Redevelopment Agency will assume ownership of the Hotel and become responsible for its operations.  Well, the taxpayer owns and operates the Fox Theatre at a loss according to Annual Budget of 2010-2011, are you ready to own and operate a Hotel?  Has anyone been to downtown Riverside, where the owners of the Mariott and Mission Inn state their occupancy not at full capacity, and struggling.  But again you the taxpayer will ultimately have to pay for the bad decisions of the Riverside City Council and Mayor, who have breached their fiduciary duty to the taxpayer.  This in part, to their failure of oversite the actions of the City Manager Brad Hudson.  But critics say redevelopment is a way for cities to basically bankroll commercial and residential developers. Controller John Chiang, in a review of 18 redevelopment agencies including Riverside County, Palm Desert and Desert Hot Springs, found Palm Desert used redevelopment money aimed at curbing blight at a luxury golf resort.  San Jose’s redevelopment agency was paying portions of city salaries with the funds, according to Chiang’s report. Was this happening in the City of Riverside?  This is part of the travesty to the taxpayer, and a travesty that ultimately needs and calls for a forensic audit of the books. Redevelopment was created for urban blight, but has been abused significantly over the years, has it made your downtown better? Does Downtown Riverside look as if it had 2 Billion in redevelopment? And how is panning out, are any of the projects beginning to pay for themselves?  These are the questions one must ask, because you, will utlimately be responsible for paying for it…

UPDATE:07/14/2011: SIAVASH BARMAND OF METROPACIFIC PROPERTIES,  IN CONJUNCTION WITH MARK NICHOLSON OF PINNACLE INVESTMENTS PARTNERS ARE CURRENTLY THE DEVELOPERS AND PARTNERS OF THE NEW HYATT PLACE HOTEL CONSTRUCTION ON MAIN STREET UNDER THE NAME OF METRORIVERSIDE AS INDICATED IN THIS DOCUMENT.   PINNACLE HOTELS USA HAD PURCHASED THE MARRIOTT HOTEL FOR 19.3 MILLION IN 2009.  CURRENTLY 35 PEOPLE HAVE BEEN FIRED INCLUDING THE MARRIOTT’S HEAD CHEF, LUIS MARTINEZ!  THE CLINCHER, THE CITY RAVES ABOUT BRINGING NEW JOBS, BUT INSTEAD THIS  TRANSACTION HAS COSTED THE COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE 35 JOBS!  INTERESTING NOTE, METRORIVERSIDE RECIEVED  FUNDING VIA CERTIFICATES OF PARTICIPATION BONDS, SOME TAX EXEMPT, FOR THE CONSTRUCTION OF THE NEW HYATT PLACE.  THE HYATT PLACE HAS NO CENTRAL KITCHEN AS WELL AS NO PARKING, AS THE MARRIOTT DOES. THE CITY AT THIS TIME IS CONTEMPLATING CREATING IT’S OWN CITY BASED REDEVELOPMENT AGENCY,  AS OPPOSED TO THE CURRENT STATE BASED.  IS IT POSSIBLE THAT METRORIVERSIDE OR ONE OF IT’S AFFILIATES SUCH AS PINNACLE INVESTMENTS PARTNERS ARE CONNECTED TO PINNACLE HOTELS?  CURRENTLY,ON MAIN STREET, WE ARE NOW SEEING WHAT THE COMMUNITY IS SAYING AS A “MERCHANT CLEANSING”, DUE TO THE CITY’S PLAN TO TRANSFORM DOWNTOWN INTO AN ENTERTAINMENT MECCA WITH THE FOX THEATRE AND THE NEW FOX EXTENTION.  OUR WE NOW SEEING AN “EMPLOYEE CLEANSING” AT THE MARRIOTT OF AN UNCERTAIN MODUS OPERANDI?  IS THE FIRING OF 35  PEOPLE AT THE MARRIOTT SETTING THE STAGE FOR A DIFFERENT SCENE?  WILL THE HYATT PLACE HAVE A CORRESPONDING HOTEL WITH PARKING AND A KITCHEN?  AS EVERYTHING ELSE, THE TAXPAYER WILL MOST LIKELY HAVE TO SUBSIDIZE, SINCE NO ONE IS MAKING MONEY DOWNTOWN.  AGAIN, TO THIS DAY WE’VE YET TO RECEIVE CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON’S RESIGNATION LETTER.

UPDATE:07/19/2011: MARRIOTT HOTEL, FIRES 35 PEOPLE INCLUDING HEAD CHEF!  IT APPEARS THAT THE PRESIDENT BHARAT “BARRY’ LALL OF PINNACLE HOTELS USA, OWNER OF THE MARRIOTT RIVERSIDE, CHANGED MANAGEMENT COMPANIES, THIS WOULD INDICATE THE CHANGES THAT ARE OCCURRING IN EMPLOYEES AND MANAGEMENT WITHIN THE MARRIOTT, INCLUDING THE FIRING OF 35 PEOPLE.

UNKNOWINGLY PUSHING THE ENVELOPE, 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 PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST…  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  BY THE WAY, COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED!

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, KEEP CONNECTED WITH TMC…

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: TMC STILL RECOMMENDS FORENSIC AUDIT OF CITY HALL BOOKS!

Posted: July 11, 2011 in Uncategorized
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CLICK ON THE PIC TO WATCH PAUL HIDE!

 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. Mayer Hoffman McCann had been the City of Riverside’s auditing firm for the last five years. In John Chiang’s review of the audits conducted by Mayer Hoffman McCann for the City of Bell, he found that the auditor “appears to have been a rubberstamp rather than a responsible auditor committed to providing the public with the transparency and accountability that could have prevented the mismanagement of the City’s finances by Bell officials.”  This has been the concern of the community in the City of Riveriside, but Chief Financial Officer Paul Sundeen believes an independent audit is too expensive and wouldn’t be necessary in his opinion. IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE NUMBERS WILL ALWAYS COME UP RIGHT!

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: SEGWAY MIKE SIDESTEPS THEN SUMERSAWS INTO THE MAYORS RACE!

Posted: July 7, 2011 in Uncategorized
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What’s quite disparaging is asking the support, trust and vote of the community to be elected to City Council, but two months later  you decide to run for mayor.  You originally say you are not, but then you do, well how close can you get to weasel?  But there is a secondary weasel in this game, William “Rusty” Bailey who suddenly overnight, also decided he heard the vague calling for the mayor’s seat, but hasn’t jumped into the kettle just yet.  And third, current Councilman Andy Melendrez decided to give a try at Emerald City’s Mayor.  Do we have a underlying breach of trust by these council people to the community? The question is, was this planned and orchestrated? Because if it is, what is their true agenda, more political leverage?  You see, under the city charter, section 404, if a council seat becomes vacant the city council must then appoint someone to fill it.  Two for the price of one!  A strategic political move if you are on good terms with fellow councilmembers.   Once you are Mayor of Emerald City, you may have the support of that chosen council minion for life.  A corruptible offense? Good question, it’s left to be seen.

But we can also assume that the intended council replacement may have already been strategically groomed for that position. Who will it be? Someone close to the council and newly christened mayor? ..an ex-police officer, or even the mayor himself? Or we can we just imagine the perfect replacement?  But what we have is a breach of trust by Councilman Gardner and Bailey toward the community they promised to serve.  When these planned political moves take place it hurts the community by minimizing importance of the community they asked to serve, and it gives the impression to the community that they simply don’t care.  And in times when cities are being financially scrutinized, trust is needed. What is a council to do if they just can’t see themselves with a favorite councilmen?  HUBO the councilbot, is rumored to be Gardner’s replacement if such actions take place.   Could this possibly be a conflict of interest?  Well, there is one thing for sure,  he does like Mike, permanently, it’s been programmed…

UPDATE:07/09/2011: VIDEO: AT THE WARD 1 RAINCROSS DEBATES HELD APRIL 20, 2011, WARD 1 CANDIDATE DVONNE PITRUZELLO ASK THE QUESTION TO DOM BETRO AND MIKE GARDNER IF THEY HAVE INTENTIONS TO RUN FOR MAYOR.  MIKE GARDNER STATES EMPHATICALLY, ” I HAVE NO SUCH PLANS.”  WATCH THE VIDEO AT TIME 1:38:00

UPDATE:07/11/2011: “I HAVE NO SUCH PLANS” COUNCILMAN MIKE GARDNER’S REASON FOR ENTERING THE MAYORS RACE: “….my constituents and supporters have encouraged me to take this step. I have been heartened by the number of people who have said. ‘Yes, do it, ! you are exactly who we need as Mayor.’ No one has said they were disappointed and see this as just a move up in my political career. They understand that I love being the Ward 1 Council member and am running for Mayor because I truly believe I am the best candidate. “I have those skills and traits. It will be a challenging campaign, but I am confident I am the best candidate and that I will prevail.” Well, O.K. Mike, so you are willing to leave the City Council seat because you feel you are now a better candidate for the Mayor’s seat.  But according to a statement in the Press Enterprise,  “Riverside’s mayor is the ceremonial head of the city and gets full-time pay, but he’s not the chief administrator — that’s the city manager — nor does he have much legislative sway beyond setting the council’s agenda, voting to break a tie, and the power to veto council actions.”  Loveridge has never used his veto. So wouldn’t one want to be the City Manager? Or will he attempt that position now that it may soon be open?  And due to the power and control over finances, I believe the City Manager should be an elected position, this may circumvent abuses we currently our seeing, but allow accountability for their actions.  The Mayor of Riverside is the ceremonial head of the city, that would be similar to the King and Queen of England and whereby the Parliament actually holds the power, or at our city level, the City Council.  A commemorative position that reflects the inhabitants of the community, but again a position with no real power?  Well I guess there are ribbon cutting ceremonies, the mayor’s ball and dinner parties to attend… Now that I think about it Mike, the Mayor’s seat probably is a better fit for you.

UPDATE: 07/22/2011:  “People are looking for something that I don’t think exists,” Gardner said. “I  think people are reading perfectly innocent things as something sinister.”  Gardner’s response to allegations of contract favoritism.

WISHING AMERICA A VERY HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Posted: July 3, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Seneca leader Guyasuta and General George Washington- 1790

Freedom is not without sacrifice, Happy Birthday America!  Simple but meaniful words that continue to echo even today…  The history of the United States goes beyond and before 1776…

When the people find that they can vote themselves money, that will herald the end of the republic.              –Ben Franklin

But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom, can never be restored.  Liberty, once lost, is lost forever..   -John Adams, July 7, 1775

 “…cherish public credit. One method of preserving it is to use it as sparingly as possible…avoiding likewise the accumulation of debt….it is essential that you…bear in mind, that towards the payments of debts there must be Revenue, that to have Revenue there must be taxes; that no taxes can be devised, which are not…inconvenient and unpleasant…”    — George Washington

They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety deserve neither safety nor liberty. –-Ben Franklin

Let us then turn this government back into the channel in which the framers of the Constitution originally placed it. –Abraham Lincoln, July 10, 1858

“Government is instituted for the common good; for the protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness of the people; and not for profit, honor, or private interest of any one man, family, or class of men; therefore, the people alone have an incontestable, unalienable, and indefeasible right to institute government; and to reform, alter, or totally change the same, when their protection, safety, prosperity, and happiness require it.”   – John Adams  1776

“If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around them will deprive the people of all property until their children wake up homeless on the continent their Fathers conquered…I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies… The issuing power should be taken from the banks and restored to the people, to whom it properly belongs.” –Thomas Jefferson

John Adams and Thomas Jefferson died within hours of each other, on the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence, July 4, 1826. There is probably no greater coincidence in American history than this….

THE CONSTITUTION RATIFIED JUNE 21, 1788

THE DECLARATION OF INDEPENDENCE JULY 4, 1776

TMC HERO OF THE MONTH: JULY 2011: WE SALUTE COSTA MESA POLICE CHIEF STEVEN STAVELY

Posted: June 30, 2011 in Uncategorized
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In times when the community are losing trust in government, losing their homes, having difficulty maintaining the stability of their families, losing their jobs and even having difficulty placing food on the table, Police Chief Steven Stavely is a refreshing force of hope for those who have lost trust in public servants. He is what leaders are made of, one of integrity and one in which the community of the City of Riverside should direly seek out.

Excerpts from his letter to police personnell: Read The Complete Letter.

Here is why. It’s very clear to me that there is no fiscal crisis in the City of Costa Mesa. The majority of the council has created budget gaps in order to affect or create the appearance of a fiscal crisis. They have pushed finance and the budget process around to get the kind of numbers that benefit their position. They have in essence lied as theycreate the appearance of crisis in order to appear as the white knight to a narrow band of political followers. They have done this, I believe, because they have a political need to layoff police officers. This is completely unethical and immoral behavior and I will have no part in it.

Don’t blame a bird because it chirps and fly’s and don’t blame a union because it represents the needs of the employees. If you give those unions more authority over management rights, and let them engage in anything beyond pay and benefits then that is the hallmark of leadership failure. If your arguments are so weak that you cannot achieve success in that engagement then the shame is yours not the unions. That is the case here in Costa Mesa in my view and the council is covering itself with lots of shame.

Over the years, I have had city councils I thought were smart and thoughtful and ones who were less skilled. In every case, I know they were trying to do the right thing – I did not always agree, but clearly they were trying hard to improve the communities we all served. I have never, however, seen a council such as this one. They lack skill, training, education, knowledge, they fail to study (or at least learn). The majority either lies or are so lacking in the necessary skills that they actually believe the junk they say. They act as if they are owners of the business that is the municipal government of the City of Costa Mesa, but they are not, they are merely trustees of these public assets both human and physical and they fail in that role completely. They are in my opinion incompetent, unskilled and unethical.

I say that they (council majority) are destroying this police department with their incompetence and that means only one thing. The community building efforts that this department has invested in for many years will stop and the community will begin to deteriorate.

I will say that in the end, this period of turmoil will subside and be replaced with opportunity. If there is not too much damage the department and community can, with time, effort and energy, survive and grow its services again. I caution that each of you should keep your eyes open. When that happens I know for a fact that you will handle yourselves professionally, as you always do. While such circumstance will be hard to take, there is a positive side it – will prevent Costa Mesa from following straight to Bell which is exactly where it is currently headed.

MORENO VALLEY: EX ASSISTANT RIVERSIDE CITY MANAGER TOM DESANTIS HIRED BY MORENO VALLEY CITY MANAGER HENRY GARCIA!

Posted: June 28, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Press Enterprise reports DeSantis hired back to Moreno Valley by Moreno Valley City Manager Henry Garcia to review Public Works via a contractual agreement. The City Council did not have to approve the contract, because Garcia authorized the money from his (slush) discretionary fund.  Henry Garcia stated, “There is no relation between what occurred in Riverside and Tom DeSantis’ talents, he has a very distinguished reputation for analysis in Riverside.”  Garcia contracted DeSantis three months ago, paying him $100 an hour for 140 hours of work.  As an independent contractor, hopefully Garcia 1099 him, and this can be found through the public records act.  Is Garcia drinking the Kool Aid when hiring DeSantis or was this part of his orchestrated schpeel?  Moreno Valley just brought Tom DeSantis up a notch by calling him “distinguished”, but then you must consider the source.  This is a similar to the accounting of Sacramento County Chairwoman Roberta MacGlashan, where she said officials don’t believe Riverside’s City Manager Brad Hudson ordered Riverside city contracts steered to friends.  Well, OK, but you are still required as a steward of the people to investigate.  Brad Hudson worked for the County of  Riverside, and when he departed to the City of Riverside, he not only brought over Belinda Graham from San Bernardino County, but brought DeSantis, Tina English, Deanna Lorsen, and later, the new kid on the block Emilio Ramirez all from Riverside County.  But is history repeating itself? Or does Moreno Valley fit the profile of the track record of the imcomperable Mr. DeSantis?  Has he been tagged as unhireable?  City Manager Henry Garcia left the City of Rialto as City Administrator in February of 2011.  Incidently, Joe Baca Jr. is Councilman for the City of Rialto, the son of  Congressman Joe Baca, who represents the 42nd District, of which the City of Rialto is a part of.  Get the picture?  Just recently, Tom DeSantis had applied for the position of Town Manager in Gilbert, Arizona, but raised red flags when his past service came into question.   Sources have indicated that he originally left the County of Riverside due to allegations of sexual harassment.  There has been similar indications of these allegations with the City of Riverside.  Then there is the coups d’état, the allegation of brandishing the firearm, and there is more, the badges, the holsters, the illegal gun purchases, the concealed weapons permits, the post-it notes documentation of public vehicle use and the illegal cold plate vehicle use, and of course, there is much, much, more….  What is it about this culture of corruption, that appears to turn the other ear to the constituents welfare?  DeSantis, the fall guy for City Manager Brad Hudson…….will he be the fall guy for City Manager Henry Garcia?  Then there was the sorted tale of Ex Moreno Valley City Manager Robert Gutierrez, who resigned in 2009 while facing seven misdemeanor charges involving sexual harassment. No matter how agregious the crime, you still get an enormous payout by the taxpayer! The filo dough is just about to seperate and unfold on this one. 

UPDATE: 06/29/2011: How closely tied is the City of Riverside and Moreno Valley?  Closer than you think…  Barry Foster, Moreno Valley’s Economic Development Director is the husband of Siobhan Foster, the City of Riverside’s Public Works Director.  Now Riverside’s Ex Assistant City Manager Tom DeSantis has been hired by the City of Moreno Valley to review Public Works.  Will Tom DeSantis now maintain an inter-city collaboration with Siobhan Foster concerning issues of Public Works?  Is Tom DeSantis even qualified to review Public Works?  Garcia, formerly city manager of Rialto, said he has known DeSantis more than 20 years since both were administrators in San Bernardino County. Is this close culture of networking responsible for the problems California is experiencing?  Is this all in the family? or just part of the family business?

UPDATE: 06/30/2011: Undisclosed sources are allegedly stating that Riverside’s Human Resource Director Rhonda Strout is the girlfriend of Moreno Valley City Manager Henry Garcia.   The close tie would have enabled Garcia to receive a true account and background check of Riverside’s Ex Assistant City Manager Tom DeSantis.

MORE TO COME, ANONYMOUS SOURCES WELCOMED, DOCUMENTATION AND PHOTOS WELCOMED, KEEP CONNECTED WITH TMC, MAKING THEM HONEST, AND HELL, IT AIN’T EASY….

COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE: PUBLIC RECORDS, KEEP OUT!

Posted: June 28, 2011 in Uncategorized
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This really isn’t about fees, its about access to public records that may maintain heightened level of government transparency, and that is what the county doesn’t want!   Because, the way, I see it, “since when have we’ve been honest?”  The $50.00 per hour fee for public record retrieval would definitely be a deterent and allow a transpicuous government to be non existent.  County Officer Ray Smith, who drafted the proposal,  stated “This is a way to try and recoup taxpayer dollars spent on extensive requests that take people away from their other duties.” I don’t know how to take this, but it appears that we, the taxpayer, are an imposition and a burden on the system.  Higher fees, as the County of Riverside would like to impose, will make it difficult for the public to gather information through the public records request act.  Government services were to always be available to the public, due to the taxes.  Government abuse of the check book  has enabled them to get around increase taxes that the public would ordinarily vote down, by implementing creative fees and revenue enhancers.  These fees and revenue enhancers do not need a vote of the people.  Is it the right of government that police, the fire department and other government agencies charge the taxpayer additional fees for services they should ordinarily be receiving? Double and/or triple secret taxation without representation?  In the private sector, if a vendor cannot do the agreed upon job  according to the agreed upon fee agreement, you find someone who will.  This would be illegal because the public records act for duplication of records depends on “statutory fees”, that is, fees that are based and enacted by statute.  The fee by law should be for the “direct cost” of the duplication, nothing more.  This would fall under California Government Code section § 6253 (b).   These fees are set by Legislation not by local ordinance, this was enacted to prevent abuse.  When government tries to impose high fees for public records, this means they are hiding improprieties, this is a “red flag”.   The less access the public has due to high cost of fees the better for government.  Higher County fees such as this would be an abuse of government, who are there to for the pleasure of the taxpayer, not for themselves, and that is what I call government arrogance and a breach of their fiduciary duty to the taxpayer.

UPDATE:06/29/2011: RIVERSIDE COUNTY SUPERVISORS REJECT PUBLIC RECORDS FEE.

UPDATE:07/12/2011: AS STATED IN THE PRESS ENTERPRISE: “… taxpayers have a right to know public employees’ compensation. It’s taxpayers’ money.”  People forget that government and it’s personnel are financed by taxes from the earnings of the taxpayer.

 SUMMARY OF THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ACT 2004, and GUIDE TO THE CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS REQUEST ACT

ALSO EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT CALIFORNIA PUBLIC RECORDS ACT.

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: TMC RECOMMENDS, FORENSIC AUDIT OF CITY HALL BOOKS!

Posted: June 28, 2011 in Uncategorized
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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.  THIS IS A GOOD IDEA SINCE CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON AND CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER PAUL SUNDEEN ARE CURRENTLY NOT AT LIBERTY TO ANSWER QUESTIONS SINCE THEY ARE BOTH ON VACATION…   IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE NUMBERS WILL COME UP RIGHT!

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