Posts Tagged ‘bb&k’

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RPU’s Taj Majal? 

Yep, if you are a Riverside ratepayer, you just bought yourself a building.  The total time from when it was placed on the agenda of the Board of Public Utilities to the day the decision was made by Council to spend $40 million of rate payer money from the Electric Fund to have a “Taj Mahal” for RPU execs? 1 week.  We got a million dollar baby which will need much more care then we know – from seismic retrofits, to new elevators, to new HVAC.  As a bonus, the City is now in the business of real estate and property management, since about 50% of the building space will be rented to private entities (Chamber businesses no doubt receiving preferential leases).

According to the Press Enterprise, Councilman Paul Davis stated, “I think that once you look at the totality of it … it is better to be an owner.”  Well, we guess Davis didn’t read the back up documents as to the 1980s structure numerous issues.  We’d be willing to be this orchestrated fiasco actually will end up costing the taxpayers more – a lot more – than if RPU had simply found a new building after its lease (already extended once) had run out in 2022.

Of course, as we’ve become accustomed to, the backup documents to the staff report did not provide the financial analysis of the deal.  “Trust us, we’re with the government!” seems to the be enough to satisfy officials like Davis.  Were upkeep and maintenance costs included?  How about the impact to city finances of taking the building off the property tax rolls?  The public was not provided the analysis, and of course the deal was rushed through the process to quickly to ask for the information via a Public Records Act request – so much for Rockstar Russo’s promise of transparency!

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Council Report June 23, 2015 (click to view full doc)

 

Back in July 2011 the City of Riverside decided it was a good idea to assume the lease of the law firm BB&K for RPU at the Wells Fargo building.  This would give BB&K an opportunity to move to the developer Mark Rubins newly built Citrus Towers, which was on the site of former Redevelopment Agency property – of course!  In 2012 the cost annually for lease payment was over $1.6 million.  We believe the move was made because Rubin couldn’t make his occupancy goals for his new building, and hence, his financiers were getting a wee bit nervous.  At the time, we asked whether the formation of this love triangle – RPU, BB&K, and Rubin – was in fact just a gift of public funds?

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07-26-2011 CC RPT 401-3 (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL DOC)

 

More than likely former City Manager Brad Hudson thought this was a good deal, but not necessarily for the RPU ratepayer, as was often the case.  Back in 2012, we not that real estate market research advisers, Grubb & Ellis, showed that while the City was prepared to pay $2.49 per square foot per month to help its buddies out, the average asking rate for the best office space in Riverside-Corona corridor was $2.10 per square foot.  The firm stated that it was even cheaper for second tiered space (but we couldn’t have that! Only the best for public employees in Riverside!).

The issue of excess reserves has been raised by multiple members of the public at both Public Utility Board and City Council meetings during public comment since the Fall of 2014.  Neither the Board of Public Utilities nor the City Council have taken action to comply with the RPU’s Reserve Policy. The existence of excess reserves indicate that the City, through its Public Utilities Department, has substantially overcharged its ratepayers for both water and electric services in violation of Propositions 218 and 26. Is Public Utilities quickly moving forward to craft and change language in order to utilize restrictive reserve funds, so they won’t have to reimburse the ratepayers for the overage?  Or will they simply spend all the money on frivolous and project not in compliance with its Reserve Policy?  We’re betting on both.

At a recent La Sierra/Arlanza Neighborhood Alliance (LANA) meeting, City Manager John Russo stated that because of the City’s heavy debt burden and pension obligations, we simply cannot spend any more money on new projects.  We guess he wasn’t talking about RPU.  What about the other city owned buildings – we couldn’t use them, like RPU has done at Orange Square and Utilities Plaza?  Well residents are beginning to line up for a 40 cent tour of their new $40 million building.  If you have to pay for it, you might as well see it!

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This group of Riverside ratepayers don’t seem to be happy about this purchase…

 

OTHER TMC RELATED STORIES:

JULY 30, 2011: I’LL TAKE A DOUBLE RUBIN ON A BB&K WITH PU ON THE SIDE!

TWO OF FORMER PE ARTICLES BY DAN BERSTEIN’S, AND HIS TAKE ON SWAP ISSUE:

LEASE IS MORE: JULY 26, 2011: DAN BERSTEIN

THE WINNERS? NOT NECESSARILY RIVERSIDE PUBLIC UTILITY RATEPAYERS: DECEMBER 11, 2011: DAN BERSTEIN

RIVERSIDE FORGOTTEN..

pc-riv-1961-greetings-001-A-1000TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST, “VISIONS OF GRANDEUR,” “FULL OF B.S.,” “IGNORANT,” “MISGUIDED,” “BULLYISH,” “FILTHY,” “SICK,” “PERVERTED,” “STUPID,” “PATHETIC,” “DESPICABLE,” “DISAPPOINTING,” “BELOW THE BELT,” “A NEW LOW,” “SHOCKING,” “OFFENSIVE,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE!  TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED.  I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU.  RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS..  TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVLY EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END SOON, SINCE THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE IMPROPRIETIES OF MR. “Z”.  WE TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT NOBODY LISTENED), AND DON’T FORGET WE ARE PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… A STRATEGIC LEGAL MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN RIVERSIDE WITHOUT A CONTRACT… AGAIN, THANK YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT!   COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS!  WE JUST CAN’T SPELL!  EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT BY CONTACTING US AT:  THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM

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PROPOSED BOUNDARY MAP WITH DEVELOPMENT IN COMPARISON TO ORIGINAL 1963 AERIAL (CLICK TO ENLARGE PIC)

Current housing development now known as Arroyo Park approximately superimposed over a 1963 aerial of the original Riverside Sewer Site.  Red Arrow  over proposed boundary map (second pic-below left) displays approximate position of broken sewer digesters.  The housing development within the dark lines is the proposed properties which will be under consideration of the new community facilities district.   The new homes and properties will be subject to the additional tax on top of the standard property tax.  Third pic below right, original aerial of the Riverside Agricultural Park which includes the original City Sewer System.

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DEVELOPER CHUCK COX OF ARROYO PARK HOMES, A.K.A. AG PARK, DESCRIBES THE PROPERTY AS A ‘TOXIC DUMP.” (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW YOUTUBE).  On March 3, 2015 Developer Chuck described the development he purchased from the City of Riverside as follows, “the city didn’t know it at the time, but they owned a “Toxic Dump.””  Now advertised as AHV Arroyo Park Homes, “Finding the Perfect AHV Home is a Walk in the Park.”  Did they mention a “Toxic Park?”

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Resident Jim Martin speaks about Developer Chuck Cox’s comment regarding the AG Park property (aka Arroyo Park) being a “toxic dump” site. ( CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW YOUTUBE).  Resident of Ward 7 Jim Martin, calls out council and reinforces the statement that developer Chuck Cox referenced AG Park, aka Arroyo Park, as a “Toxic Dump.”  Martin also made the claim that the City of Riverside spent over $1 million on the initial clean up of this site, therefore the City of Riverside has a tremendous investment in this project, regardless of what we are hearing. Further he speaks of the credibility of DTSC (Department of Toxic Substance Control) for the State of California. What he also states is that the original 15 inch diameter sewer line is significant, why was this significant? It’s significant because this concrete pipe contains PCB’s (Polychlorinated Biphenyls), but was broken up into smaller pieces and now stands in a huge pile waiting for Jurupa Avenue extension to be completed according to Developer Chuck Cox’s engineer Mr. Beers, and this PCB infused concrete rubble will be the the foundation of the Jurupa Avenue extension.  It is now known that the oversight by DTSC on particular toxic sites is in question.  Further, it is not argued as to why they are being investigated.

TMC was sent the following pics which were purported to show crushed toxic infused concrete being mixed with soil as the foundation for the Jurupa Avenue extension for that property, as Jim Martin stated at public comment, March 3, 2015.

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What can be seen in the mounds of dirt right behind someones backyard, with what appears to soil infused with crushed concrete, in the subsequent photos one can see crushed concrete laid out and graded by the machinery, then what appears to be mixed in with soil and graded.

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AG Park Family resident, Marilyn Whitney, states that AG Park should have been a Super Fund Site, and paid clean up by the State of California.  But the questions regarding California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control ability to effectively handle these issues remains in question.  Department of Toxic Substance Control (DTSC) currently is under investigation regarding their policies and procedures.  She has a list within a 3 block area that claims illnesses, including cancer and reproductive problems.

Again we see the developer hard balling, intimidating and attempting to strong arm the residents.  Residents who attempt to ask the simple question of how they have been impacted by toxic materials that may not have been properly addressed.  One resident in particular Marilyn Whitney, was sent this letter by Developer Chuck Cox’s attorney Allen Matkins, who incidentally also does work on occasion for the City of Riverside.  The letter appears to utilize the lawyers tools of intimidation, hoping you don’t know your rights scenario.  Similar letter was sent to KTLA Channel 5 reporter Kacey Montoya.

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CLICK THIS LINK TO READ FULL LETTER

The following letter from the County of Riverside, Department of Environmental Health which states that test sampling must be witnessed by a Haz Mat representative.  Further the letter specifically states that the letter does not relieve the City of Riverside or other associates (possibly developer Chuck Cox) of any responsibilities mandated under the the California Health and Safety Code, if additional or previously unidentified contamination is discovered at this same location.  The reason this is important is that the Community Advocates brought the issue of AG Park to the County Supervisors, only to be told by them that this was a City of Riverside issue.

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CLICK IMAGE TO VIEW FULL LETTER

Activist Vivian Moreno, attempted to correct interim City Manager Lee McDougal from “waffling” on the issue that the City of Riverside “screwed up.”  McDougal also states that DTSC (Department of Toxic Substances Control) canceled their appointment to speak on the AG Park issue.  TMC has learned that the reason DTSC canceled their appointment with the City of Riverside is that they could not support the City’s position on AG Park (Arroyo Park), therefore there was a no show.  It’s interesting to note they backed out from speaking at Council on short notice.  The following is interim City Manager Lee McDougal splaining explaining the whole situation.

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INTERIM CITY MANAGER LEE MCDOUGAL EXPLAINS WHY THE CITY “SCREWED UP”, REFERENCING AG PARK, AKA ARROYO PARK, A “TOXIC DUMP.”

Interim Riverside City of Riverside Lee McDougal explain how he feels he was quoted regarding what many at a Friday Morning Club Meeting at the Goeske Senior Center. Many are saying he was “back pedaling” and “waffling.” Activist Vivian Moreno interrupts McDougal and Mayor Bailey gets involved. Again, many now see Lee as a “Smooth Operator.” Cheating is cheating is cheating, and whether it happens to the public, a friend or a spouse – its still cheating. McDougal did give the community the option to have properties tested independently tested at the City of Riverside’s expense. He states that no scientific evidence was given to him, but maybe he does not know how to interpret scientific data. Chief Financial Officer Brent Mason gets involved toward the later part of the video.

The below advertisement shows that the AHV is in the process of selling these homes before they are built.

ARROYO PARK     whitneyhomeposition

AHV ADVERTISEMENT AND ARROW SHOW MARILYN WHITNEY’S HOME IN REFERENCE TO THE NEW HOME DEVELOPMENT. (CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE).

Advertised through AHV Homes. While residents adjacent and within the vicinity are claiming deaths and illness from cancer, would you purchase a home here, as many are asking.  The City of Riverside and Developer Chuck Cox continues to discredit the residents of this area as what appears to be allegedly a “cancer cluster.”  According to the below letters sent by developer Chuck Cox to KTLA’s reporter Kacey Montoya and AG Park resident Marilyn Whitney, there is “no toxic dump site.”  This was sent by the law firm of Allen Matkins Leck Gamble Mallory & Natisis LLP, which incidentally, also does work at taxpayer expense for the city of Riverside.

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Yep, a bit on the scary side as many are saying, but don’t shoot the messenger Allen….  A “bullshitter,” as residents are stating, or a law firm you can depend on? Again, an entity hired by the city of Riverside not to defend the taxpayer, but to screw them.  Another parasitic law firm, like Best Best & Krieger, that feeds on the sweat of the taxpayers.  Worst of all, they retaliate against the taxpayer with their own money.  Those that are elderly, sick and dying.

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LETTER TO KTLA REPORTER KACEY_MONTOYA   LETTER TO RESIDENT MARILYN WHITNEY

So let me get this straight, first Cox gets attorney Allen Matkins to send letters to KTLA reporter Kacey Montoya and resident Marilyn Whitney telling them that AG Park is not a “toxic dump.”  But on March 3rd Chuck Cox publicly calls AG Park a “toxic dump”?  There is definitely something rotten in Denmark.

What we have found is that the FRA-RSI Arroyo Park LLC address is associated with 21 other LLC’s.   Questions concerning residents as to how safe this property was in association to their homes.  With DTSC itself being investigated, can their clean bill of health be supported as legitimate?  Signs, which have since been removed, had stated the following:

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 Another fine dirty land deal?  What has been commonly known as AG Park a 21.34 acre housing development to built over contaminated ground, cleared by DTSC as safe for development.  In order to pay for all the incidentals, which the developer usually incurs the cost, they are proposing to council to set up a CFD in order to hit the taxpayer for $6 million, rather than those responsible.  It appears that the property will change hands under developer Chuck Cox’s Friends of Riverside Airport LLC to Friends of Riverside Airport-RSI Arroyo Park LLC, and the developer would like the City of Rivesride to implement a special levy, by declaring the development site a Community Facilities District, aka Mello-Roos.  This means a special tax will be collected to pay for all expenses he is responsible for to the tune of $6 million.  Is Chuck Cox the City’s new $6 million dollar man?  Or will it only become a Bionic crisis for the taxpayer?  The problem that has yet been addressed, has the property been given a clean bill of health in lieu of the Department of Toxic Substance Control being investigated.

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The Community Facilities Act (more commonly known as Mello-Roos) was a law enacted by the California State Legislature in 1982.[1] The name Mello-Roos comes from its co-authors, Senator Henry J. Mello (D-Watsonville) and Assemblyman Mike Roos (D-Los Angeles). The Act enabled “Community Facilities Districts” (CFDs) to be established by local government agencies as a means of obtaining community funding. Counties, cities, special districts, joint powers authority, and schools districts use these financing districts to pay for public works and some public services.[2]

A Mello-Roos District is an area where a special property tax on real estate, in addition to the normal property tax, is imposed on those real property owners within a Community Facilities District. These districts seek public financing through the sale of bonds for the purpose of financing public improvements and services.[3] These services may include streets, water, sewage and drainage, electricity, infrastructure, schools, parks and police protection to newly developing areas. The tax paid is used to make the payments of principal and interest on the bonds.

Therefore, localities that have been empowered by state law or local law can levy these special taxes on their residents to fund the capital costs of a wide variety of public improvements (such as roads and sewer services), as well as the ongoing operation and maintenance costs of a limited number of public services (such as schools, police and fire protection services, libraries, etc.) that benefit the community.  But of course, these are prone to abuse.

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CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM

The work on this project to date has been undertaken by the City’s financing team, which consists of bond counsel (Best Best & Krieger), special tax consultant (Albert A. Webb Associates) and the financial advisor (CSG Advisors).  Staff members from the Finance Department and the City Attorney’s Office are coordinating the formation process.  This already should be telling seeing that Best Best & Krieger and Albert A. Webb & Associates are in on this deal.

Some of the details of the language being brought forward to the Riverside City Council as follows:

Owner has the option to purchase that certain real property located on approximately 21.34 gross acres of land including Tract No. 28987 (the “Property”) located in the City, commonly known as “Arroyo Park” from Friends of the Riverside Airport, L.L.C., a California limited liability company.  Of course it is commonly known as “AG Park.”

The City, is in the process of establishing a community facilities district pursuant to the provisions of Chapter 2.5 (commencing with § 53311) of Part 1 of Division 2 of Title 5 of the Government Code, commonly known as the “Mello-Roos Community Facilities Act of 1982” (the “Act”), over and including the Property for the purpose of levying special taxes (the “Special Taxes”) and selling bonds, in one or more series (the “Bonds”), in an amount sufficient to finance the acquisition of land and improvements thereon for public use, and the design, planning, engineering, installation, and construction of certain public facilities and improvements, to be owned, operated or maintained by the City (the “City Facilities”) to satisfy the obligation of the Property and the Owner for the payment of certain fees to the City. The Public Facilities are generally described in Exhibit A attached hereto, which Public Facilities are necessary to the development of the Property. Said community facilities district shall be known as the “City of Riverside Community Facilities District No. 2015-2 (Arroyo Park).”

Section 3. Types of Facilities and Incidental Expenses.
(a) The types of public facilities proposed to be provided for and financed by the proposed community facilities district are street and road facilities, including street lights and traffic signals, storm water drainage facilities, water system facilities, including capacity in existing facilities, sewer system facilities, including capacity in existing facilities and sewage treatment capacity, or such other facilities of the City which have a useful life of five years or longer(the “Facilities”).
(b) The incidental expenses which will be incurred are: (i) the cost of planning and designing such facilities and the cost of environmental evaluations thereof, (ii) all costs associated with the formation of the proposed community facilities district, issuance of the bonds thereof, the determination of the amount of and collection of taxes, and costs otherwise incurred in order to carry out the authorized purposes of the community facilities district, and (iii) any other expenses

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                    CITY COUNCIL MEMORANDUM                      Intention to Establish CFD-section 3

The following is what is proposed that these properties pay for in the proposed Funding and Acquisition Agreement which is set for approximately $3.9 million, but the actually wiggle room requested expands to $6 million, therefore $2.1 million in taxpayer monies are questionable in appearance.

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Funding and Acquisition Agreement For AG Park Development (aka Arroyo Park)

This was discussed at City Council at 2:00pm on March 3, 2015 on the discussion calender, public invited to speak on the this subject.  We believe this should not go forward until the issue is fully investigated by an outside independent agency with reference to the safety issues brought up by residents, but will appear again for discussion and approval April 28, 2015 at 3:00pm within the City Council Chambers.  Concerned community members should show up for this very important issue.

What public speakers had to say on the proposed issue:

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Public speaker, Kevin Dawson, whom worked in the mortgage industry for years, speaks against the Community Facilities District issue being proposed for the AG Park (aka Arroyo Park) housing development.(click this link to view youtube).  He goes on to talk about capitalized interest, which is using borrowed money to pay the principle and interest of the project until the developer sells the houses. Therefore this benefits the developer for the first couple of years at the expense of the taxpayer.

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SCOTT ANDREWS QUESTIONS SECTION 4 OF THE AGREEMENT (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW YOUTUBE).

Section 4. Special Taxes. Except where funds are otherwise available, special taxes sufficient to pay for all such facilities, to pay for debt service on other obligations of the City relating to such facilities, and to pay the principal of and interest on the bonds of the proposed community facilities district and the annual administrative expenses of the City and the proposed community facilities district in determining, apportioning, levying and collecting such special taxes, and in paying the principal of and interest on such bonds and the costs of registering, exchanging and transferring such bonds, secured by the recordation of a continuing lien against all taxable or nonexempt property in the proposed community facilities district, shall be annually levied within the proposed community facilities district.  This is also in the above Intention to Establish CFD, (Community Facilities District), but referring to Section 4.

AG PARK BACKGROUND: ACCORDING TO THE FOLLOWING CITY OF RIVERSIDE MEMO TO FILE PER DEBBIE ANDERSON, ASSOCIATED ENGINEER, THE DIGESTER BREAKAGE OCCURRED IN AND ABOUT JULY 1ST OR 2ND OF 2003 ACCORDING TO COX’S ENGINEER BOB BEERS.  This is important because Jorge Moreno, Office of Communications for the Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) stated that the department didn’t get involved until 2005, two years after the fact.  The response plan by DTSC, according to their records, was not approved until 2006.  You may ask, why?  We are asking the same questions.  Incidentally, DTSC is currently being investigated.

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But again, we have Phil Pitchard, Intergovernmental and Communications Officer for the City of Riverside, contacting Kacey Montoya attempting to discredit and slander the Moreno’s.  They had recently been told by a former prior high profile executive within the City of Riverside, that the effort to remove them from there place of business was instigated by former Assistant City Manager Belinda Graham, as allegedly stated, “a personal vendetta.”  Mrs. Graham, who is known to work better horizontally, as opposed to vertically some city insiders have stated.  This contradicts the City of Riversides moniker as a business friendly city.  What is more remarkable, we found more small business owners have stated the same, but were afraid to openly state it for fear of retaliation.  What is that all about?  What it is about, is how the City of Riverside does business, and it’s not pretty.

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    JORGE MORENO, DTSC        PHIL PITCHFORD, CITY OF RIVERSIDE

Incidentally, Phil Pitchard previously worked for the Press Enterprise of which very little, obviously, has been reported with reference to the AG Park issue, although many residents surrounding this development have claimed illness and have reported family deaths to unusual circumstances.  Was Pritchard given the job by the city in order to covering up a really big stories such as AG Park?  Is he a journalist or a snake?  Cause we are snake trainers.  As his email indicates, his attempts to silence the message and slander the messenger.  I checked, Jorge Moreno is not related, thank god… PR person for DTSC who was quick to defend his department of any wrong doing.  Our suggestion is that the City of Riverside hire Jay Carney… at least he is more entertaining and can be part of a more believable spin.

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Jay Carney had the art of words, and could have ‘splained just about any alleged malfeasance or bad press coming from the White House..

THE AG PARK ISSUE NOT GOING AWAY: THE COMMUNITY DISCUSSES THE ISSUE AT A PUBLIC MEETING IN DECEMBER OF 2014: COMMUNITY RESIDENTS ARE USING THE MONIKER “WHILE YOU ARE FILLING POCKETS, WE ARE FILLING COFFINS.”
Unanswered questions by the AG Park Community have continued to be unanswered.  The City of Riverside and the Developer Chuck Cox continue to play upon their talking points that the AG Park area is clean of toxins, and has been given a clean bill of health by DTSC.  Though the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) is being investigated, they continue to defend their actions on AG Park, though were allegedly never their to witness samples taken for samples.  According to a 2013 Consumer Watchdog article they indicate an investigation of DTSC after a scathing report against them.  The report states that top DTSC administrators “play favorites and hamper the staff from performing their environmental duties, including within its Office of Criminal Investigations,” and DTSC “suffers from a bias toward industry encouraged by a revolving door between regulators, lobbyist and lawyers.  Sound familiar folks?

In one NBC investigation first reported February 2, 2013, “People are getting sick, people are dying and community members are crying out.” said one DTSC source.  “We’re not doing near enough; in fact, we are allowing it to happen.”  A second DTSC source stated, that the “expectation the public has of being protected is not being served.”  The hazardous waste tracking system seems to be problematic.  The investigative unit analyzed the most recent 13 years of hazardous waste tracking system data and found that 44 percent of the entries detailing types of hazardous waste were listed as blank, unknown or invalid.  It was found that part of the problem could be the DTSC staff itself.  A state audit by the California Department of Human Resources found that 59 percent of employees in the DTSC department were just not qualified to hold the positions they held.  There is simply no doubt that there are problems within the DTSC, and for the City of Riverside to claim a clean bill of health is debatable at the very least.

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http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/Insiders-Say-CA-Toxic-Regulation-is-Weak-192121371.html

Back in August of 2014 a Senate Investigation found major problems with the State of California’s Department of Toxic Substance Control, specifically with DTSC falling down on the job and putting polluters before public health and the environment.  In another story, residents across California are stating that they are getting cancer and other illnesses due directly to weak regulation by DTSC.  Many of these companies were working with expired permits.

FOR SOME FOLKS LIVING IN THE AG PARK VICINITY IT APPEARS THAT IT IS BECOMING A TOXIC TRAIL OF TEARS..

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GERALDO GONZALEZ AT PUBLIC COMMENT ASK CITY COUNCIL TO “RESURRECT HIS WIFE.”  LISTEN TO THIS HEART FELT SPEECH FROM JANUARY 27, 2015.(CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW YOUTUBE).

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RESIDENT JIM MARTIN SPEAKS ON AG PARK SPECIFICALLY DIRECTING HIS COMMENTS TO COUNCILMAN ADAMS JANUARY 27, 2015(CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW ON YOUTUBE).

ACCORDINGLY, TMC JUST LEARNED THAT FORMER AND FIRED CITY ATTORNEY CHRISTINA TALLEY WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY PAYING ATTENTION ON THE DAIS!  While it was noted by interim City Manager Lee McDougal at the Goeske Center, the Friday Morning club was told she had two phones, she would be texting someone on one and playing a “game” on the other.  This may answer the question as to why she appeared at times, surprised, as a deer caught in the headlights.  I as the CEO of the City of Riverside and employer would ask my council to ask for a part refund from Best, Best & Krieger for her lack of duties, as well as not representing the best interest of the taxpayers.  The City of Riverside hired the controversial law firm Best, Best & Krieger, who gave us one of their historically problematic attorneys, Christina Talley.

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RIVERSIDE COUNCIL MEMBERS SIGN A COMPLAINT TO REMOVE THE LAW LICENSE OF FORMER RIVERSIDE DEPUTY ATTORNEY RAYCHELE STERLING.  In what appears to be a conspiratorial closed door retaliatory move, certain council member signed off on a bar complaint against former deputy attorney Sterling, in  what appears to a retaliatory move to silence her public speaking.  Sterling was fired for reporting fraud under former City Attorney Gregory Priamos.  As a result of the bar investigation their complaint was unfounded.  This was an attempt Councilman Steve Adams (who was also serving as Mayor Pro Tem at the time), Councilman Andy Melendrez, Councilman Chris MacArthur and new Councilman Jim Perry.  Councilman Mike Soubirous and Paul Davis refused to part of this underhanded activity and refused to sign the document.  What Adams didn’t know would happen, was that it open many closed session meetings to be made public.  This is going to definitely change the perspective of these councilmen when they listen to tapes that were never meant to be made public.

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FORMER FIRED DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY RAYCHELE STERLING SPEAKS TO COUNCIL REGARDING THEIR ATTEMPT TO SABOTAGE HER LAW LICENSE ON JANUARY 27,2015 (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW YOUTUBE).

DID GOVERNOR BROWN CHOSE WELL WHEN IT CAME TO THE APPOINTMENT OF THE NEW RIVERSIDE COUNTY SUPERVISOR CHUCK WASHINGTON, TO TAKE THE PLACE OF LAW ENFORCEMENT IMPERSONATOR AND NEW SENATOR JEFF STONE?
While questions arose of why it took 3 months to appoint a replacement for Deputy Sheriff former Supervisor and new Senator Jeff Stone, how did the process for choosing Washington go forward?  But maybe the Riverside County Supervisors are ecstatic because of Washington’s association with Rancon Real Estate Development.  The process that Washington was involved continues to stink, no matter how many matches you use to curtail the smell, it smells.

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The disgusting part was that three of the five Temecula City Council had some connection to Rancon Real Estate, a development they needed to vote on.

The hotel’s owners are represented by an agent with Rancon Real Estate Corp. According to Thorson, Rancon Real Estate’s chief executive officer is Dan Stephenson, who also founded the Rancon Group, a Murrieta-based collection of development-related companies of which Comerchero is president and CEO.
Stephenson has been the top donor to all five council member’s political campaigns, and Roberts’ son is a Rancon Real Estate agent, although he is not the listed agent for the hotel.
Naggar and Washington are investors in limited liability companies managed by Stephenson, according to Thorson’s report. Naggar is also a real estate consultant to several of those companies.

So how many times has Washington possible voted in the past on conflict of interest issues that were not in the best interest of the tax payer?  How many times did the other two Council Bozo’s voted the same?  Questions are brewing as why he was markedly chosen for the position, was it because of Governor Brown obligations to union ties, and see that Washington.  Would SEIU have had a word with Brown to get Washington in?  After all, huge amounts of union monies are spent their campaigns.

Governor Jerry Brown did the bidding of the government employee unions? I never would have seen that coming… Good luck Riverside County! Maybe I’ll look at moving to San Bernardino County. Sure, they’ve been both corrupt and bankrupt, but at least they’re already on their way to recovery, while Riverside is only halfway to rock bottom.  –Bill Wallace, Commenter on the PE
$16 MILLION, MAYBE MORE SPENT ON OUTSIDE LEGAL IN THE LAST 5 YEARS!  We have to assume the majority of this money went to BB&K, of who we have not contracts or itemization of the any of the taxpayer work they do.  Just for argument sake, let’s take the amount of $16 million, that number is not set in stone of course because it very well could be $20 or $25 million.  If we divide $16 million by 5 years we arrive at $3.2 million per year.  Currently according to the article the City of Riverside employs 12 lawyers, you would think that it would be more cost effective to hire 16 additional attorneys at $200K per year.  Why doesn’t the City think smart?  Is it because they are too enbedded with some of these law firms, such as BB&K?  So much so that we even advertise for them at taxpayer expense, as you see on some bill boards around town?  For shame.
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The question is if we the public “own it.” Why must we waste our profits in advertisements?  After all Riverside Public Utilities only serves the public.  I believe this wasteful advertisement money should be returned to the taxpayer, as well, as any other monies funneled into other creative financing accounts.
RUMOR MILL UPDATE ON FORMER RIVERSIDE UTILITIES ASSISTANT GENERAL MANAGER OF RESOURCES, AND NOW “RETIRED” PRIVATE CONSULTANT GARY NOLFF:  The word around the grapevine is that the controversy that ensued after the exposure of Nolff’s $200/hr consulting contract with Riverside Public Utilities, is the mysterious Mr. Nolff is now working for Best Best & Krieger, who is working for Riverside Public Utilities.  It is now our premise that in order for Nolff to distance himself from the Reiko Kerr controversy, the City of Riverside strategically asked BB&K to hire him.  Therefore, taxpayers monies are now being funneled through the no contract BB&K arrangement in order to pay Nolff’s consulting fees.  Again, residents are silently asking the question to TMC, for obvious fear of retaliation, what the heck’s going on here?  To many in the community these kind of relationships bear an uncanny resemblance to what some might call a “criminal organization.”  Again, don’t shoot the messenger BB&K: you made the incestuous bed you lie in.
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Gary Nolff, Mystery Man
IS THE PRESS ENTERPRISE DONE AS WE KNOW IT? MANY IN THE COMMUNITY SAY YES, AS TWO IMPORTANT INDIVIDUALS STEP DOWN.  Aaron Kushner and Eric Spitz, Co-Owners of Freedom Communication, resigned from all executive duties. Will this in essence bring the PE into a tail spin.  The Riverside Press Enterprise is under Freedom Communication, a group with a Libertarian background.
We’ve heard rumblings from various online PE commenters complaining that their comments were blocked/edited/removed.  Freedom of speech does not seem to claim precedence over getting across, “the agenda,” on the Press Enterprise comment section.  For one thing, TMC has been blocked… and many in the community have said the same.  So what is up Press Enterprise, are you the Fourth Branch of Government, or only Pravda?  We made a call months back and asked the PE if there was any reason that we, TMC, would be blocked from commenting.  They answered that there was no reason they felt we should be blocked, and there system as they saw it, showed that we were not blocked.  Well TMC did a test this week regarding one of their editorials: Innovation Changes the Climate Change.
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Then we signed off, and voila!  The comment disappears.  Now you see it, now you don’t! PE readers have noticed the low amount of commenters, and less of those who can criticize.  Is this the new PE?  To control the message?  We welcome your comments, especially the PE.  Even though we felt that the PE didn’t tell us the truth, or just wasn’t privy to understand the real issues at hand, we felt this was important enough to know where the PE stands.  Is there an obligation to the public, or is it now just to an elite few?

THIRTYMILES BANNED FROM COMMENTING ON THE PRESS ENTERPRISE..THE CLAIM IS THAT THEY ARE CONNECTING PEOPLE TO THEIR COMMUNITY?…BUT ARE THEY REALLY?

PElogoEvidently we did one of these, we don’t know which, but it could be one or just all of them.

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READ THE FULL VERSION BY CLICKING THIS LINK.

THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE CONTINUES TO UTILIZE THE BIOKORIUM BUILDING FOR A BACK DROP FOR KNBC’S MARY PARKS INTERVIEWS KNOWN AS “FACE 2 FACE.”  THANK YOU RIVERSIDE, INTERESTING NEXUS, AFTER FIVE YEARS, YOU HAVE BEEN UNABLE TO LEASE THIS BUILDING, UNFORTUNATELY AT TAX PAYERS EXPENSE.  YOU JUST COULD NOT PULL IT OFF… BUT WE KNOW WHAT REALLY HAPPENED, DON’T WE?  GRAHAM AND HUDSON… OF COURSE THE PE WON’T REALLY REPORT ON THE TRUTH OF THIS ISSUE, BUT TMC WILL.

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CAN NEWLY CHRISTENED RIVERSIDE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY FIND SOLACE IN THOSE WHO DIDN’T SUPPORT HIM?  WILL THESE NEW ASSOCIATIONS CHANGE HIS ORIGINAL CAMPAIGN OATH TO THE PEOPLE OF THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE?  The question to District Attorney Mike Hestrin is why is he embracing those that didn’t support him?  Such as Senator Jeff Stone, (Mr. Law Enforcement Impersonator), Sheriff Stan Stiff Sniff, Supervisor Kevin Jeffries, Supervisor John Tavaglione, Supervisor John Benoit and of course, who many are stating is the, “ringleader,” Supervisor Marion Ashley..
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How many from this cast of characters are embedded in land deals throughout the County of Riverside? And who are their cohorts, who support their business dealings.  The real question is, “Will Hestrin unveil the scam of developing properties through the mechanism known as newly incorporated cities?”  That is: taking properties from their owners via code enforcement and newly voted upon resolutions, which then can be exploited at their own discretion?
WILL NEW CITY ATTORNEY GARY GEUSS BE ABLE TO HANDLE THE TRASH LEFT BEHIND BY FORMER CITY ATTORNEY GREGORY PRIAMOS?  WILL HE BE ABLE TO KEEP THAT SMILE ON HIS FACE  FOR LONG?
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YOU DIDN’T KNOW YOU HAD CLOWNS TO THE LEFT OF YOU AND JOKERS TO THE RIGHT, AND NOW MR. CITY ATTORNEY, YOUR STUCK IN THE MIDDLE OF IT ALL. (CLICK LINK TO WATCH YOUTUBE).
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PENNY NEWMAN SENDS LETTER TO THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE REGARDING AG PARK WITH REFERENCE TO CONTACTING LOCAL STATE AND FEDERAL AGENCIES:
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CCAEJ Document Riverside Agriculture Park (CLICK THIS LINK TO VIEW FULL LETTER).  LOOKS LIKE THE RESIDENTS OF AG PARK GOT, “TOXIC DUMPED,” ON.  EWWWW!

TMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “OFFENSIVE,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE!  TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED.  I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU.  RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS..  TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVLY EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END SOON, SINCE THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE IMPROPRIETIES OF MR. “Z”, WE TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT NOBODY LISTENED), AND DON’T FORGET WE ARE PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… A STRATEGIC LEGAL MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN RIVERSIDE WITHOUT A CONTRACT… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT!   COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS!  WE JUST CAN’T SPELL!  EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT BY CONTACTING US AT:   THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM

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A bit of concern came forward the other day with emails from the community who were for the most part, taken back, after viewing the City Council meeting on the internet.  City-supported presenters that came forward to address the Council were filmed in a way one would normally expect, as seen below from Council Chambers on January 29, 2015.

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But when it came to public commentary, a funny thing happened: the camera angle was switched to view the public (many of whom are critics) from the rear of the Council Chamber.  This action sends a personal message to the community: you don’t matter.  Your voice and personification is so far away that what you have to say is not important nor worth being heard.

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Not only was it so far away, but now viewers at home could only seeing the backside of the public.  Questions arose if this was a tactic by City leaders to diss or demean the public.  Just when it appears that the City is connecting better with the public, you get this.  We found that this was interim City Manager Lee McDougal’s call, and will remain so until further notice.  According to the PE, Alicia Robinson reported the following on City Manager McDougal.  “It was my order, yes,” McDougal said. “The meetings are City Council meetings … . I believe (council members) should be on camera because they should be the center of attention at the meeting and not necessarily the speakers.”  So was this all Mr. McDougal, or could he of had a little push from our Mayor?  Regardless, we’ll take from this fiasco a positive: a reminder to follow through with our New Year’s resolutions to renew our gym memberships, so our backsides are more pleasing to the audience at home.

Lets review how the past rules of decorum have been enforced at City Council meetings to see if we can establish a pattern…First, by order of former City Attorney Greg Priamos, the City arrests public speaker Karen Wright for going over the three minute rule by a few seconds, but later Mayor Bailey allows former Mayor Loveridge to go well past the three minute rule to talk about his brother.  Second, Mayor Bailey has former BB&K Attorney Letitia Pepper arrested for clapping.  Now Mayor Bailey is the brunt of her First Amendment law suit, and clapping is allowed in Council Chambers, even for those supporting critics of their government.

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Now there’s an attempt to continue to intimidate, disrespect and insult the taxpayers by filming them from behind, and I must say WAAAAY behind.  But not in the City of Moreno Valley: they film you right up in your face and in HD, and live during Council, not the grainy, blurry filming Riverside uses.  So again, I ask CM McDougal if he would like to change his statement?  Just when you think that the new improved City Hall is really listening, are they really walking the walk?

STATE OF THE CITY: A PUBLIC AFFAIR OR JUST ANOTHER MONEY MAKING BOONDOGGLE FOR THE CHAMBER?  We asked the question, why should the taxpayer have to divvy out monies to subsidize non-profits?  Most non-profits raise the money for events through private sector contributions.  Therefore, we have seen this time and time again, and we wonder why are streets aren’t fixed, why are trees are not cut and why we still don’t have a City Library.

HOW YOUR UTILITY BILL SUPPORTS THE CHAMBER: FOLLOW THE MONEY.  The Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce (GRCC) is recognized as an Internal Revenue Code Section 501 (c)(6) organization.  Unlike a 501 (c)(3) organization, whose primary purpose is to serve a religious, charitable, scientific or educational purpose, the Chamber serves the best interest of its membership.  It’s membership consist of a select group of businesses.  Most of these businesses are customers of Riverside Public Utilities (RPU).  The current General Manager of RPU, Girish Balachandran, under Section 1202 of the City Charter, has the authorization to negotiate and execute contracts with individual retail customers for water and electric utility service.  He also has the power to offer many intangible benefits to customers.  Mr. Balachandran serves on the Board of Directors of the Chamber.

Balachandran’s predecessor, former General Manager Dave Wright, back in the salad days of giving away ratepayer money, also chose to serve on the Board of Directors of the GRCC.  As a board member, both had a duty of loyalty to the Chamber as defined under California Corporations Code Section 7231 (a): in essence, they must put their interest before that of the any other entity.  It is not infrequent that GRCC lobbies the City Council on issues affecting RPU, and endorses City Council candidates whom have jurisdiction over RPU.  This answers many questions regarding Measure A and the Soubirous Hearings.  The Chamber, we believe, was in part responsible for the Soubirous crucifixion regarding his position on Measure A.  His position would not favor GRCC’s true agenda.

The City’s Conflict of Interest Policy states that an employee may not have a personal interest which would tend to impair independence, judgement or action necessary to pursue the City’s best interest.  This tenet is codified as law under Government Code Section 1126 (b) of the the State of California.  Conflict of interest laws attempt to discourage not only biased-decision making not serving the public interest, but also the perception of such bias.

To wit, Resolution No. 22676 of the Riverside City Council, states, “the City Manager, City Attorney, and the City Clerk shall not serve as a member of the board of directors of a non-profit corporation which is receiving or will be reasonably likely in the future to seek and/or receive funding from the City of Riverside so as to avoid any appearance of conflict of interest,” thereby establishing intent of the policy.  Obviously our utility managers seem to believe the rules that apply to their boss, need not apply to them…

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CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO ENLARGE

It has been well-known for some time that the Chamber receives taxpayer funding from the City of Riverside. What has been much less known is the amount of funding the Chamber receives directly from ratepayers, under the signature authority (i.e. no public vetting before the Board of Public Utilities or City Council) of both Mr. Balachandran and his direct subordinate, Michael Bacich, the Assistant General Manager of Customer Relations and Marketing.  These funds have been paid via the request-for-payment process that has until recently been kept hidden from the public disclosure.  Below, you will find a list of the roughly 200 payments RPU has made to the Chamber over the past 4 years in individual amounts up to $24,000.00, as well as proof of his predecessor’s participation on its Board (above figure).

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The Kingpin David Wright

THE PAYMENTS TO THE CHAMBER QUEEN

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So folks, could this be how the City of Riverside launders taxpayers money through a non-profit (Riverside Chamber of Commerce), then the Chamber writes a check to support campaign politicians who will feed their gravy train?   Sort of how the “Clinton Foundation” works…  What you have is that “public servants” are on these non-profit boards, but should be looking out for the best interest of the “taxpayer,” but are not, they are looking out for themselves, because, seemingly, they believe no one (the dumbass taxpayer) is looking at them.

CLICK THE ABOVE PAYMENTS IMAGES TO THE CHAMBER TO ENLARGE

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So, is Girish Balachandran following in the footsteps of David Wright, and proving once again that in the River City there’s simply no bridge too far when it comes to conflict-of-interests as is the case with his board membership with the Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce?

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CLICK IMAGE TO ENLARGE

TMC RECEIVES LEAKS FROM RIVERSIDE CITY HALL REGARDING BRENDA DIETRICH’S HUMAN RESOURCE DEPARTMENT.  You can read the full leaked concerns of City of Riverside employees from the employee handbook to specific allegations against Human Resource Director Brenda Diederich, by clicking on the links below.

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HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR BRENDA DIEDERICH

These address Riverside City employee concern regarding an antiquated employee handbook, Human Resource Director Brenda Diederich hiring a personal friend and the targeted termination of gay employees without cause.

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EMPLOYEE CONCERNS OF HIRED PERSONAL FRIEND & GAY TERMINATIONS   EMPLOYEE HANDBOOK CONCERNS

 TOTAL COST TO THE TAXPAYERS FOR THE STATE OF THE CITY EVENT BY QUEEN BEE’S CINDY ROTH’S GRCC (GREATER RIVERSIDE CHAMBER OF COMMERCE).

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CLICK ABOVE IMAGE TO VIEW FULL EMAIL

The bottom line was that the taxpayer paid out $11,218.50 (minimum, given Mr. Mason’s list doesn’t include a $1000 tables for both the Parks and Recreation Department and the Office of Economic (not Community) Development) for Cindy Roth’s Greater Riverside Chamber of Commerce event, but we again, as the general public, had a seat in the back of the bus event.  Next time you pay your utility bill, spot a pothole, or your support is sought for better salaries and benefits by the Police or Fire unions, remember how these departments chose to donate your money to the Chamber….

HOW MUCH IS, “I OWN IT,” COSTING THE TAXPAYER?
Is it also an indirect advertising plug for that specific “I Own It” customer? … Who “incidentally” is the law firm of BB&K.   Since we own it too, can TMC also be part of that campaign? We of course have not been asked..but we patiently wait for our turn… Why?  Because, “I Own It.”  Our take is that it may not be long before RPU begins to recant with, “I Regret It.”

jcTMC, RATED RIVERSIDE’S MOST “OFFENSIVE,” “INAPPROPRIATE,” “HURTFUL,” “MEAN SPIRITED,” “DISTASTEFUL,” “EMBARRASSING,” HORIFFIC,” “SLANDEROUS” AND MEZZSPELLED, “MISSPELLED” AND “OPINIONATED” BLOG SITE!  TEMPORARILY BLOCKED BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AT PUBLIC ACCESS SITES WITHIN THE CITY, THEN UNBLOCKED.  I GUESS YOU CANNOT DO THAT ACCORDING TO THE ACLU.  RATED ONE TWO ONE STAR OUT OF FIVE IN TERMS OF COMMUNITY APPROVAL RATINGS..  TMC IS NOW EXCLUSIVLY EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE’S DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE (WE BELIEVE THIS WILL END SOON, SINCE THE FOCUS IS NOW ON THE IMPROPRIETIES OF MR. “Z”, WE TRIED TO TELL YOU, BUT NOBODY LISTENED), AND DON’T FORGET WE ARE PROSSIBLY POSSIBLY ON FILE WITH THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE’S POTENTIAL SLAPP SUIT LIST… A STRATEGIC LEGAL MANEUVER THAT CAN BE DONE ONLY IN RIVERSIDE WITHOUT A CONTRACT… AGAIN, THANK-YOU COMMUNITY OF RIVERSIDE AND THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE EMPLOYEE’S FOR YOUR SUPPORT!   COMMENTS ALWAYS WELCOMED, ESPECIALLY SPELL CHECKERS!  WE JUST CAN’T SPELL!  EMAIL ANONYMOUSLY WITH YOUR DIRT BY CONTACTING US AT:   THIRTYMILESCORRUPTION@HOTMAIL.COM

INTERESTING STUFF COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, AND I DON’T MEAN THE CITIES LEAKY SEWERS.  THERE IS NO DOUBT WHY GREG IS HIDING BEHIND THE COMPUTER INCOGNITO THIS TIME.  ACCORDING TO CITY COUNCIL PERSON NANCY HART, HE WOULD NEVER STEER US WRONG.  WELL NANCY HART, I HOPE YOU ARE RIGHT, BECAUSE ISN’T THE CITY OF BELL SUING THEIR EX-CITY ATTORNEY FOR NEGLIGENCE AND FAULTY LEGAL ADVICE?  LET’S NOT FORGET, THE EX-BELL CITY ATTORNEY WAS ALSO AN ATTORNEY FOR BB&K.  THE VERY FIRM OUR CITY ATTORNEY CONTINUES TO SEEK WHEN IN NEED OF ADVICE OR TO PERFORM OTHER LEGAL ACTIVITIES.   IT ALSO APPEARS THAT THE CITY IS COMFORTABLE IN IMPLEMENTING VERBAL BILATERAL CONTRACTS, SINCE NO HARD CONTRACTS ARE USED ACCORDING TO CITY OFFICIALS IN RETAINING BB&K.  ILLEGAL OR JUST BAD BUSINESS?

HOLDING TRUE TO THEIR MISSION STATEMENT: The mission of the City Attorney’s Office and BB&K is to provide excellent and ethical legal advice, effective legal representation, and other quality legal services for the City Council, City officers, and City employees in order that they may lawfully attain the City Council’s goals and other department program outcomes without undue risk to the City. 

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.   WITH A NEW INTERIM CITY MANAGER, SCOTT BARBER, THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE NEEDS BASELINE NUMBER AS DONE IN THE PRIVATE SECTOR IN ORDER TO ASSURE BALANCED NUMBERS AND TO CLEAR POSSIBLE DISCREPANCIES OF THE GENERAL LEDGER BOOKS. IF THERE IS NOTHING TO HIDE, THE NUMBERS WILL ALWAYS COME UP RIGHT! 

THANKS FOR YOUR SUPPORT, NOW EXCLUSIVELY ON FILE WITH THE RIVERSIDE COUNTY DISTRICT ATTORNEY’S OFFICE, AND THAT’S ALL TMC HAS TO SAY ABOUT THAT ONE FOR NOW…

UPDATE: PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR SIOBHAN FOSTER RESIGNS TO TAKE A POSITION IN PASADENA, AS PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR UNDER CITY MANAGER MICHAEL BECK.  NO DOUBT A GOOD TIME TO STEP OUT.  BUT IT DOESN’T STOP THERE! ACCORDING TO A PRESS RELEASE BY THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, SIOBHAN FOSTER WAS “APPOINTED” BY MICHAEL BECK TO THIS POSITION, THEREFORE OVERSTEPPING THE AUTHORITY OF THE KINGDOM OF RIVERSIDE. GET IT , SHE COULDN’T SAY NO! YES, IT ALL GETS WEIRDER BY THE MINUTE.  WHY LEAVE YOUR FAMILY, WHEN YOU HUSBAND, BARRY FOSTER, IS MORENO VALLEY’S ECONOMIC DIRECTOR?  IS A VOLCANO READY TO EXPLODE IN THE CALDERA KNOWN AS CITY HALL?   NOW MICHAEL BECK ALSO WORKED FOR THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE AS ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER UNDER CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON.  THE OFFICE CAME UNDERFIRE VIA THE ALLEGATIONS OF ILLEGALLY PURCHASED GLOCK FIREARMS, BADGES AND COLD PLATES.  FOSTER LEAVES AMIDST THE ALLEGATIONS MADE BY EX-CITY EMPLOYEES.  FIRED DEPUTY CITY ATTORNEY RAYCHELE STERLING ALLEGED THE STEERING OF CONTRACTS WITHIN FOSTER’S OFFICE TO A SELECTIVE OR PREFERENTIAL GROUP OF CONTRACTORS.  FIRED CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS ADMINISTRATOR SEAN GILL, ALLEGED FOSTER IGNORED HIS CONCERNS REGARDING COST OVERRUNS AND THAT SHE DIRECTED HIM TO GATHER INCRIMINATING INFORMATION ON OTHER EMPLOYEES WHO THREATENED TO EXPOSE WRONGDOING AT THE CITY.  OTHERS HAVE OPENLY QUESTIONED HER QUALIFICATIONS AND ABILITIES FOR THE POSITION SHE HELD..  TWO HIGH PROFILE EXECUTIVES HAVE NOW LEFT THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE WITHIN MONTHS OF EACH OTHER. THE OTHER BEING CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON IN AUGUST.  WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR THE CITY OF RIVERSIDE, IS THEIR MORE INFORMATION COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE THAN WE KNOW OF?  WHO WILL BE NEXT TO JUMP SHIP? BELINDA GRAHAM, GREG PRIAMOS, DEANNA LORSEN, TINA ENGLISH, TOM BOYD, SCOTT BARBER, RHONDA STROUT, PAUL SUNDEEN? THE PRESSURE IS ON!  GOOD LUCK PASADENA!

In my opinion it’s always been the nature of government to propose the proposition if there is no trail to an incident or event,  it didn’t occur.  In a free society we expect accountability and transparency, not some semantical play on words leading us further from the truth.  What is really disturbing is the fruition of a culture which has become unrepresentative of the needs of the community and has  become increasingly detached from mainstream economic theory, that its interference with the free market takes precedence.  What is best for the community is simply to do the right thing.   If that was done at all, we would not have so many employees fired at will.  But in retrospect, couldn’t this in essence,  be construed as a reflection of leadership?  And leadership can inadvertently distort the truth as a mechanism of defense.  Whereby an initial account of truth once disseminated, is followed by a transfiguration there of,  eventually becoming a subterfuge leading the community with a distorted perception of the truth.  For these reasons people are angry, people are frustrated, economically stressed and foremost, people are now asking questions.  Having questions is one thing, asking them is another.  People are feeling intimidated and afraid of government, and for good reason for which it has been quietly expressed in the community.  What has happened to our government, our protector and fervent leader?  What has propagated an entitled culture to developed independently of  the needs of surrounding community?  We have seen this within cities such as Bell.  People shouldn’t  have to feel that they are wrong  or be  intimidated by asking questions of public servants, or to feel they may be retaliated against.  Remember, elected and appointed officials are there to work at the pleasure of the people.

“Fear is the foundation of most Governments…”       

– John Adams, 2nd President of the United States of America,  January 1776

City Attorney Greg Priamos states he is there to protect the mayor and the council.  Is this an aberration of duty?  Or a momentary lapse of clarity?  …such as when an inquiry is initiated, and the assertion of attorney-client privilege is spawned.   Attorney-client privilege?…. lets analytically conceptualize the relationship.  In our tangible world it simply means the relationship between attorney and client, whereby the client hires the attorney for a fee.  Elected and appointed officials work at the pleasure of the people, taxpayers, and the community etc.,  therefore are we not their employers?  In essence, is the City Attorney present to protect the people and serve at the pleasure there of?  Therefore, would we not be his client?   An employee is still considered to be an employee, and we the people are technically their employer.  Such as the case of Best, Best & Krieger representing the Chief of Police via the tax payer,  we the employer/the CEO, do we not have the right to know what he may have done wrong and how it damages us as the employer?   Furthermore, is it the taxpayer/employer which must then hire a third party entity such as BB&K to actually tell us, again the taxpayer/employer, not the truth?  Led of course, by former Riverside DA Grover Trask, now with BB&K.  The City Manager, serves at the pleasure of the Mayor and the Council,  and therefore the responsibility of his actions reflects upon the mayor and council, it would be considered a breach of trust and of their fiduciary duty to the community  if they did otherwise.  It should also be assumed that the city council and mayor if necessary, could conduct themselves as city manager.  This would imply, a mastery of the appointed position, and this should be a requirement to becoming mayor or a member of the city council.  Understanding the work of the City manager is not only necessary but pertinent to the understanding the intricacies of the general fund.  Therefore there would be no justification to an aberrational abuse as seen with City Manager Robert Rizzo of the city of Bell.

Those that have been there longest have attained institutional memory, of which could be detrimental to a leaders agenda.  Ridding the work force of this intangible phenomenon insures the likelihood of implementing ones agenda without question, regardless if it is right or wrong.   Of course, those with institutional memory know right from wrong.  Is it a benefit to leadership to control and to rid their immediate arena of institutional memory?  And when expelled from the work arena,  does it have a corresponding price?  Duck taping a mouth always has a price within a city gone rogue. (Note: This Original Link Dissapeared From The Press Enterprise Site).  Without integrity there ultimately would be no need to question the actions of representative leadership.  Say what you don’t mean and mean what you don’t say.  Thank-you Sean Gill and Raychele Sterling for doing the rightful work of the people and with the integrity, and thank-you for asking the questions which help us, the taxpaying community,  to protect us from the abuse of public funds.  You have not been forgotten….