Posts Tagged ‘deanna lorson’

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: TMC CONTINUES TO REQUEST A FORENSIC AUDIT OF THE CURRENT CITY HALL BOOKS! I GUESS WE DON’T NEED ONE NOW THAT WE HAVE VIVIAN…

Posted: October 17, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Assistant City Manager Deanna Lorson came under the TMC radar when found that a lease contract was signed for new restaurant called Elephant Thai to go into a redevelopment area, after Governor Brown signed a stay on all redevelopment activity, especially entering into new contracts.  But I guess the city knows best? They may need the help of Best, Best & Krieger to defend this one, since this is part of the abuse the governor has been speaking about.  Self Appointed Citizen Auditor Vivian Moreno brought this to Council and Ms. Lorson’s attention last Council Meeting.  She advised her that she needs to be checking with her City Attorney Greg Priamos about that one.  All TMC can say is Slick…  How many instances of oversight does it take to make a fraud? 

More City negotiations with Redevelopment properties and interested parties post Governor Brown enacted stay on all Redevelopment activity. (Items #3) with Best, Best & Krieger For the Best, Best & Krieger Offices, (Items #4) with the Mission Inn Hotel & Spa for the BioKorium Building , (Item #5) the City of Riverside for 3737 Main Street with their own Redevelopment Agency,  & (Item #6) negotiations with Johnny Rockets and Redevelopment. 

Possible litigation by Claimants: Riverside Community College and Riverside County Office of Education vs. are infamous Redevelopment Agency.  What did they do this time? Call Best, Best & Krieger to the rescue or can our fearless city attorney battle this one out single handedly?   Well it appears the Riverside City Redevelopment Agency has defaulted on redevelopment money which should have transferred to these educational institutions, all educational institutions statewide are suing cities based on this premise.  Good reasoning to abolish RDA?  (item #7).   

Prepared by Rhonda Strout, Human Resource Department, an amendment that employees will pay 100% of their employee contribution to CALpers. (Item #27). Upcoming story regarding Rhonda Strout and the Human Resources Department.  Are we bringing back the love contract article?

(Item #31) a change order for $111,121.36 requested by Elite Bobcat Services. 

(Item #34) Legislative Reports with the City of Riverside’s lobbying group, League of California Cities.

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…

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: I’LL TAKE A DOUBLE RUBIN ON A BB&K WITH PU ON THE SIDE!

Posted: July 30, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Riveriside City Councilman Mike Gardner said he disagrees with the characterization of the lease as a backroom deal, but for some people, “I don’t think anything anyone will say will change that perception.”

THIS WEEKS CITY COUNCIL AGENDA WAS THE GIFT THAT KEPT GIVING, AND ONE OF THOSE GIFTS WAS ITEM 40 OF THE CITY COUNCIL AGENDA.   THE “ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION” OF A LEASE BETWEEN PUBLIC UTILITIES AND BEST, BEST & KRIEGER.  THIS MEANS THAT THE CITY WILL TAKE OVER BB&K’S VERY EXPENSIVE LEASE, SO THEY CAN GO TO A NEW LOCATION THAT IS CURRENTLY IN CONSTRUCTION.  SOUNDS LIKE DEVELOPER MARK RUBIN’S PROJECT, THE CITRUS TOWER BUILDING.  QUESTION IS WHY DOESN’T PUBLIC UTILITIES JUST GO THERE, WITHOUT ASSUMING A BAD DEAL SUCH AS AN EXPENSIVE LEASE? PRIVATE SECTOR PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU IT MAKES NO BUSINESS SENSE!  THEN IT VERY WELL MUST BE POLITICAL.  MARK RUBIN’S RAINCROSS PROMENADE HAS NOT PANNED OUT AS THE CITY EXPECTED EITHER, WITH THE MAJORITY OF UNITS REMAINING EMPTY.  COUNCILMAN MIKE GARDNER STATES,”IT’S A GOOD OPPORTUNITY THAT FELL IN OUR LAPS, SO WE TOOK IT.”  LET’S SEE HOW GOOD OF OPPORTUNITY THIS IS.   FIRST, IT APPEARS THAT BB&K’S LANDLORD STILL HAS BB&K’S SECURITY DEPOSIT, SO IT LOOKS AS RPU/CITY WILL GIVE THEIR SECURITY DEPOSITY DIRECTLY TO BB&K IN THE AMOUNT OF $151,104.00.   THEN BB&K CAN LEAVE AND RPU/CITY MOVE IN AT LOAN SHARK PRICES REGARDING SQ. FOOTAGE.  YOU HAVE TO REMEMBER THE MARKET IS DROPPING, BUT THE COUNCIL IS CONSIDERING PAYING $1.00/ SQ.FT. OVER THE CITY AVERAGE AND RIVERSIDE MARKET TRENDS, WHICH BEGINS AT $2.49/SQ.FT. IN 2012 AND ENDS WITH  $2.75/SQ.FT. BY YEAR 2016!  MONTHLY RENT IN 2012 WOULD BE $175,234.00.  IF YOU GO AROUND TOWN THERE ARE MANY SPACES AVAILABLE AT HALF THAT RATE WITH A BOTTOM LINE SAVINGS TO THE TAXPAYER.  MIKE GARDNER STATES, “WE HAVE TO FIND SOMEPLACE TO PUT RPD”.  SOUNDS LIKE RPD WILL BE HOMELESS AND ELGIBLE FOR FOOD STAMPS SOON!   BUT THE CURRENT BUILDING RPD RESIDES IN IS CURRENTLY OWNED BY THE COUNTY OF RIVERSIDE, AND LEASES THE SPACE AT A LOWER THAN REASONABLE RATES, AS IN $1.00/ YEAR.  WHY MOVE AT ALL?  BUT NEWLY ELECTED SECOND TERM COUNCILMAN MIKE GARDNER, WHO INCIDENTLY  CHANGED HIS MIND MONTHS LATER TO RUN FOR MAYOR,  DOESN’T THINK THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG OR SINISTER IN THIS CHANGE.   I CAN GET A WAREHOUSE FOR $0.65/ SQ.FT TO HOUSE RPD OR PUBLIC UTILITIES IN THESE TIMES, WHAT IS THE BIG DEAL?  SWEET DEAL FOR BB&K, I’M SURE THERE IS NOTHING MORE THAN THAT OR EVEN A CONFLICT OF INTEREST, EVEN THOUGH WE ARE USING THEM FOR DIFFICULT CASES SUCH AS UNLAWFUL DETAINERS TO CLEANSE MAIN STREET OF MERCHANTS…. AND IT MUST BE WORKING BECAUSE ACCORDING TO ASSISTANT CITY MANAGER DEANNA LORSON WHAT THE CITY SEEMS TO OWN THE MOST, STOREFRONTS ON DOWNTOWN MAINSTREET.   AND I GUESS IT DOESN’T HURT TO GREASE THE GLUTEOUS MAXIMUS OF THE LIKES OF DEVELOPER MARK RUBIN.   WHY DID RDA UNDERWRITE CITRUS TOWERS IF IT COULDN’T MEET IT’S OCCUPANCY GOALS?  WHY WOULD ANYONE GIVE UP A $1.00/YEAR IN A RECESSION?  BUT IT MAKES YOU WONDER WHY THE CITY CONTINUES TO TERRORIZE THE TAX PAYER, AND THE MORE REASON THAT REDEVELOPMENT SHOULD BE ABOLISHED. 

It’s possible Ex Costa Mesa Chief Steven Stavely said it best regarding his city-  “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.”

UPDATE: 08/03/2011: Back in June 18, 2008 City Council approved the purchase to the Gateway Building at a cost to the tax payer of 3 million.  Public Utilities was then housed within the Gateway Building  and the Orange Square Building.  Once Public Utilities moves to take possession of the current building BB&K resides, the Gateway Building will become empty.  Even though the city mentions the Federal Courts have expressed interest, there is still no current commitment.  This musical chairs  of alleged favoritism will cost and continue to terrorize the taxpayer in higher taxes, waisted money and more wasted unoccupied city owned buildings.

If you haven’t received your  Brad Hudson Farewell Invitation, here it is.  It appears that the City’s restaurant, The Grier Pavillion will be providing the food in order to support Rodney Couch, and at what cost to the taxpayer? Is this even legal in this public arena?  In the past, employee’s would contribute food and drink to such events.  Currently the Community and City of Riverside has yet to receive City Manager Brad Hudson’s official resignation letter.  Does this mean that the taxpayer is obligated to pay the remaining two years of his contract, especially with days left before he leaves?

UPDATE: THE PARTY HARDY WITH BRADLEY PARTY BRINGS ABOUT SOME DISTURBING REVELATIONS WITH REGARDS TO CITY BUSINESS. THE JOKES OR THE ROASTING JOKES ARE A  CLEAR  PROCLAMATION OR A REVELATION OF THE DYSFUNCTIONAL CULTURE OF CITY HALL AND THEIR ABILITY TO CONTINUE  TO CREATE AN ECONOMIC SUBTERFUGE OF DISCEPTION, WHICH IN TURN REFLECTS ON THEIR ABILITIES TO PERFORM AS EXPECTED BY THE COMMUNITY WHICH HAS ENDOWED  THEM WITH THE POWERS  TO GO FORWARD AS INDICATED….

UPDATE: 08/22/2011: Councilman Paul Davis asked that the issue be revisited after questions were raised about the total cost of the move, which entails relocating owntown police and public utilities workers.

UPDATE: 08/23/2011: Councilman Paul Davis first told colleagues he’d heard concerns about “the general perception of the gift of public funds and creating a monopoly”to benefit a private developer, but he ended by saying it was a moot point because the city already has signed a lease.  There is no doubt as to brazen display of conflict of interest displayed perpetrated by the City of Riverside in approving this deal between Best, Best & Krieger, Developer Mark Rubin and the City of Riverside.  “Three peas in a pod.”  How long will the City of Riverside continue to terrorize the taxpayer with shear imcompetance and their breach of fiduciary duty to protect the coffers of hard earned taxpayer monies?  It is not a secret of the contractual agreements between BB&K and the City of Riverside;  even though hard copies don’t exist.  Our we to believe that as taxpayers that we should expect anything less than a written contract?  While the city implies to the community that “we don’t need no stinkin contracts”?  If anyone has dealt with lawyers there is always a contract, but it appears that the City is the only entity that is allowed to perform this “verbally”, or should we try to request a rational answer from our Chief Financial Officer, Paul Sundeen, which would be the same.  Is Best Best & Krieger therefore dictating carte blanche on their legal fees to the taxpayer?   Then there is developer Mark Rubin’s connected liason with the City of Riverside and the City’s alter ego, the Redevelopment Agency.  Is is at all possible that BB&K deal was orchestrated and designed to provide a lease revenue stream for the bonds held on the Citrus Tower project?  Paul Chiang are you hearing the Raincross Bells?

UPDATE: 08/25/2011: One source of criticism has been the $20 million loan the city provided the Hyatt through a special federal bond program; the deal leaves the city on the hook if the developer defaults on debt payments.  The timing of the hotel, as far as the expansion of our convention center, is good. Having the hotel is a key to being able to do the expansion,” Gardner said Wednesday. But has Gardner asked the Marriott and Mission Inn of their current already dismal occupancy statistics?

CITY OF RIVERSIDE: CITY MANAGER BRAD HUDSON RESIGNS! IN 2016, COUNCILMAN PAUL DAVIS STATES HE WAS ‘GET RID OF.’ TMC AGAIN HAD IT RIGHT, ‘HE WAS FIRED!’

Posted: June 14, 2011 in Uncategorized
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Anonymous sources say City Manager Brad Hudson was given an ultimatum: BE FIRED OR RESIGN?  NOT SO!   At Tuesday’s closed sessions at City Hall, Brad Hudson was scheduled for his Performance Evaluation to be reviewed by the Council and Mayor Pro Tem Chistopher Mac Arthur.  Neithertheless, the council and mayor pro tem ‘s scheduled evaluation was circumvented by Hudson revealing he would be resigning.  Though we are told the City knew he was looking for a new job for some time, in reality it wasn’t a real shock to them as they indicated to the public.  The Sacramento Bee stated that the interview process began in February 2011 for the Chief Executive Officer postion.  We still do not know if the City of Riverside did anything to retain him,  in lieu of two years remaining on his contract.  Currently, Hudson has yet to present his resignation letter.  Brad’s spending from his discretionary slush fund of $50,000 for each item with no limit on the quantity of times it can be paid out, has been under scrutiny of alleged misconduct and questionable accountability.   The resignation is at the surface, a subterfuge to hide much more than the council would like you to know.  Wrongdoing by the City Manager would ultimately and legally make the Council responsible.  Will the council have enough gumption to tell the community the truth?  According to the Sacramento Bee Brad Hudson will become Sacramento’s County Chief Executive Officer, his annual compensation in Riverside was $424,000.00 making him one of the highest paid city executives in California.   The question is, why would you leave his base salary of $295,000.00 to make $258,000.00 in Sacramento?  No one just chooses to make this move, especially to Sacramento.  This goes along with former Assistant City Manager Tom DeSantis, who applied for a job in Gilbert, Arizona for Town Manager, but raised red flags when his past service came into question.  Brad Hudson has been at the forefront of allegations of misconduct, nepotism and favoritism.   The allegation have increase two fold the last few months with most of them coming from fired employees, accusing the City Manager of preferential contract awarding.   This in lieu of the use of Police Cold Plate Vehicles, Request for Official Badges, Fraudulently Using the City Hall Address to Register a Firearm, Illegally Purchasing a Firearm and being in part responsible for the demolition of the Press Bindery.  This beginning with a criminal conviction for credit card forgery at age eighteen.  At the evening City Council session the the law firm Hudson hired, Cihigoyenetche,Grossberg & Clouse, is requesting an addtional amount of $50,000.00, not to exceed $100,000.00 for continued personnel investigations.  This was the firm that was to investigate the favoritism allegations of himself as well as the varacity of the chain of events.  The City Council and the Mayor have continued to deny these allegations, and have defended the City Manager.   This is also the person who knowingly supported the actions of Chief Russ Leach, who left in disgrace, and out of 91 applicants hired retired LAPD Deputy Chief now Chief Sergio Diaz, who has criticized Riversidian commenters in the Press Enterprise as Cheeto eaters in their underwear, in reference to the realities of police business.  The theatrics of City Council wishing Brad well stink to high heaven, probably from all the leaking sewers…

UPDATE: 06/14/2011: CITY COUNCIL BOMBSHELL: During Public Comment today, Citizen Auditor, as she would like to be known, Vivian Moreno asked all on the dais if City Manager Brad Hudson was having an affair with Assistant City Manager Belinda Graham?  If true, there is a obvious conflict of interest.  That questioned sure quieted the dais.  Before her, Ward 1 City Council Candidate Dvonne Pitruzello stated this was a City Manager that has raped our sewage funds, our water fund, our electric fund and our workmans compensation funds.  He has paid for properties with it and other projects with it.  The City calls them inter-fund loans, but she gave Chief Financial Officer Paul Sundeen a lesson in finance terminology, by stating these were inter-agency loans.  She also made known to Brad Hudson that you can run, but you cannot hide because criminal activity has no jurisdiction.   Made known that the City Council has a City Manager that they are responsible for, whether or not they were aware of what they were voting on, and not only have a fiduciary but ethical responsibility of that final vote.  Federal CDBG funds that were forged, with inference to Assistant City Manager Belinda Graham, and Dvonne even gave her phone number out, and stated she has the documentation to back it up.  Questioned Councilman Mike Gardner statement, “We had to pay for talent”, regarding Brad Hudson. “This is not talent, Mike”.   Criticized the council regarding terms use to describe Hudson’s positive moral compass as a leader. Questioned the Council about the expensive pavers on the Main Street Mall in which Brad Hudson personally sent a helicopter to Mexico to get, which she was told were special because they were waterproof, but when she looked into it they were just pavers (Anonymous sources state that they were not even water permeable, expensive, and paid for twice, and Mexican Made not American Made)..  Questioned the construction of a house built  with funds that was to be used on the construction of a police station.  She stated that restrictive Police Asset Forfeiture Funds were used to purchase cars for city council.  No reporting of the City Managers discretionary fund, and when she requested the documents, the spending was ridiculous because it was the councils responsibility to oversee these funds, and they allowed the city manager by doing this, to place our city in bankruptcy. And it will be in bankruptcy because all those loans will come do in 2012.  Questioned the money used to built the Raincross Promenade, that continues to remain empty.  The city use of sewer money, electric money and workmans comp money that was given to the developer to build those, and a portion of those were to go to  low income people. 

 Sources are also are stating that City Attorney Greg Priamos and City Manager Brad Hudson were seen last Friday night, 06/10/2011, with two unidentified ladies at Duane’s Restaurant at the Mission Inn. Hopefully this dinner was paid appropriately.  The question is , will Greg Priamos be next?

UPDATE:06/15/2011: 12:16pm: Anonymous Sources are stating that the City of Riverside is worse off than they thought, and the city can’t pay the bonds that are due in July 01, 2012.

UPDATE:06/15/2011: 02:52pm: The question arises, who will be the Interim City Manager.  Sources say it would be counterproductive to hire from Brad Hudson’s surrounding emloyees, such as Deanna Lorson, Paul Sundeen or Belinda Graham.  These people are partly to blame for the budget problems, and were the enablers behind Hudson spending wildly, they cannot be trusted to fix the broken monetary policies at City Hall.

UPDATE:06/15/2011:11:55pm: The house built with construction funds used for a police station.  Does it have a well known City Executive’s name on it?  In addition, most of the Council continue to drink the Kool-Aid and still don’t get it!  Sources say, this is exactly what Brad Hudson stated about the council, “They just don’t get it!”  This is the one time TMC is in agreement with Brad Hudson.  Ward 1 Councilman Mike Gardner, elected for a second term, does not get it. “There’s a reason that city managers typically don’t last longer than three to five years,” Gardner said. “Either you make your bosses mad and they replace you, or you make the citizenry mad to some extent and they complain about you.”  Mike, it’s time to put aside childish excuses and thinking and do the right thing you were elected to do.  Stop the charades, you’ll get more support if you do.  Toward Sacramento, how much Kool-Aid does Sacramento County Chairwoman Roberta MacGlashan drink, stated, “officials don’t believe Hudson ordered Riverside contracts steered to friends”.  Well even if she doesn’t drink the Kool-Aid, which is even worse, Brad Hudson found a workable nitch.  It appears to be a kind of Nancy Hart (City Council Representative for Riverside Ward 6), type of community in their thinking, possibly laughing out loud for no reason, perfect for the antics of Brad Hudson.

UPDATE: 06/16/2011: 12:15pm:  COMMENT FROM THE SACRAMENTO BEE: 

Supervisor chair, Roberta MacGlashen’s mismanagement is further revealed in this  terrible selection of Hudson whose apparently the only qualified applicant in  Calif at a 1/4 million dollars a year.  MacGlashen, is full of myths and  this one is a whopper; one  reason’s these salaries are so inflated is because we  are falsely informed that only a man of Hudson’s alleged skill level can do this  job. Hudson sounds like a first class pos.  MacGlashen, is also the one  that is concealing the county council’s, Robert Ryan’s, bogus false legal advice  to the Superior court’s  state statutory committee (JJDPC) to thwart a  valid felony complaint against the probation dept and chief Don L.  Meyer.  When MacGlashen’s total abuse of the office failed to obstruct  that issue she then called an internal 911 to the sheriff’s that are now  criminally investigating this citizen for threats & harassment of the board  of supervisor’s, county council, prob dept, JJDPC, Little Hoover Commission; and  who else Roberta, oh yah, the superior court?  It certainty appears that  board chair, Roberta MacGlashen, is an unethical supe and anyone she brings to  the table should be heavily scrutinized.

Mr Hudson, I look forward to  speaking with you soon since Steve Szalay swept it under the carpet.

Jake  Wallace, 209-470-5175    Read more: http://www.sacbee.com/2011/06/16/3704495/riverside-city-manager-is-picked.html#ixzz1PT4Tgqhw

UPDATE: 06/16/2011: 03:30pm: Brad Hudson still has 2 years remaining on his contract with the City of Riverside, has not submitted a formal resigation letter and flew to Sacramento the next day after the Tuesday closed sessions city council meeting to solidify his position as Sacramento County Chief Executive Officer.  These chain of events do not reflect a prepared state of affairs.  The story with the Sacramento Bee describing Brad’s new position was published for release 11:30 pm Tuesday the 15, 2011.  Was it calculated, one week after elections?  In an interview Wednesday in Sacramento, Hudson said he leaves Riverside having  accomplished his goals.  Is he leaving or is he running?

UPDATE: 06/17/2011: 12:15pm:  SACRAMENTO BEE STATED THAT Chairwoman Roberta MacGlashan said the selection came about two weeks ago, after an extensive search for  leaders with experience in California counties. This would be a week prior to the elections.  Did the mayor and city council know this then, with two years remaining on Hudson’s contractual obligation with the City?  Why did Brad make this decision, was it with or without the City Council or the Mayors knowledge? Were things getting hotter on the City Hall seventh floor? Is there more comming down the pipeline? Did it have anything to do with the Connie Leach Grand Jury Investigation received by the city?

UPDATE: 06/17/2011: 04:00pm: According to the Sacramento Press, Brad Hudson was one of five candidate in consideration for the new chief county executive position.  Process for his consideration began in early February of 2011, and he will be offered a five year contract.  He will replace interim chief executive Steve Szalay.  Former state Sen. John J. Benoit (R-Riverside) worked with Hudson at the local level when Benoit was a member of the Riverside County Board of Supervisors and said that Hudson’s move will be “a great loss for Riverside, but a huge gain for Sacramento.”  The rumor around downtown riverside is that Brad Hudson was looking for another job for some time.  Did the City Council & Mayor know this information prior to Tuesday”s closed session meetings, as they indicate they were shocked to hear the news that he was resigning?  Or the acceptance of Hudson in Sacramento regardless of his background, reveals a much bigger picture.  A reflection of the status quo phoenomenom of which Hudson is part of, and the primary reason that California is economically suffering.

From the history that follows this guy, it is once again apparent that the Sac County Supervisors are not doing background checks, but rather relying on corrupt advisors.  –Commenter Sacrameto Press

MORE COMING DOWN THE PIPELINE, SOURCES SAYING RIVERSIDE WORST THEN BELL, IS THE COUNCIL AND MAYOR PREPARED?  ARE ORANGE JUMPSUITS IN THE WORKS?  DO WE ALSO NEED TO WARN SACRAMENTO?  OR IS SACRAMENTO PART OF THE SAME CULTURE OF BEHAVIOR?  SUMMER’S HERE, RIVERSIDE HEAT IS JUST STARTING TO SWELTER….

SHOW CITY COUNCIL & THE MAYOR WHAT YOU THINK! SEND YOUR PACKETS OF KOOL-AID TO CITY HALL, 3900 MAIN STREET, RIVERSIDE, CA  92501

KEEP CONNECTED WITH TMC, MAKING THEM HONEST, AND HELL, IT AIN’T EASY….

ALLEGED FAVORITISM OF ALBERT WEBB AND ASSOC., NOW A CHANGE ORDER FOR 308,495K

Posted: May 10, 2011 in City of Riverside
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On the City Council Agenda for Tuesday May 09, 2011, it appears we have another request by Albert Webb and Associates requesting an increase in funding via the infamous “change order”.   This is in lieu of multiple allegations by city employees in a PE article two weeks ago involving favoritism by City Manager, Bradley J. Hudson.  What stood out, was that Chief Financial Officer, Paul Sundeen stated that Webb was only selected for 2 projects out of 22 over a 2 year period.  Yes there are a lot of two’s, but when you multiply them geometrically they become this.  I don’t know if it’s my visual impairment or just a little bit of “fuzzy math”, but you will find more than 2 projects over a 2 year period.  We took years 2008-2009, WEBB20082009    To be fair, take for instance 2008 and look 06/02/2008.  There are 12 payouts on the same day; why couldn’t the city just make one check, well we aren’t quite sure.  I understand they could be all be from twelve new individual projects which makes accounting sense, or one past project with twelve change orders (when vendors ask for more money), or several projects with change orders.

The recommended total budget according to this City Memorandum is as follows:

$352,000.00        Webb environmental consulting services

35,210.00        10% Consultant Contingency

24,750.00        Legal Fees

31,435.00        Planning, Fish and Game Fees

15,000.00        Misc. Postage, advertising, printing and mailing

    50,000.00        Staff administration to support the environmental review

$508,495.00        Project Budget Cost

($200,000.00)       Less additional amount approved by Council August 11, 2009

$308,495.00       Additional appropriation required

The key, is that they are claiming no fiscal impact to the General Fund.  Though they would like to finance this cost through funds available in the 2011 Unprogrammed Taxable Bond Account No. 9854800-440446.  This would be like using a credit card to fund the needed requested amounts.  Simply, the taxpayer would have to pay for this in higher property taxes at a later time, not to mention the additional interest.

This has also been brought to you by the usual suspects who are working hard to protect and serve the community at large:

Submitted by: newly christened Tina English, Interim Development Director

Certified to as the availability of funds: Paul C. Sundeen, Assistant City Manager/CFO/ Treasurer

Approved by:  newly christened Deanna Lorson, Assistant City Manager for  Bradley J. Hudson, City  Manager, because the assistant usually takes the fall in case something goes wrong.

..and of course the whole thing seems up to par with the City Attorney, Greg P. Priamos, otherwise we’ll just call Best, Best & Krieger for a consult.

It appears they already received 200K back in August of 2009, what did we get for this?  I hope it was at least a couple of signature pens and a notebook, but I digress.  But I don’t know that as of yet, but I do know they will be at City Council  requesting an additional $308,495.00 to help them do what they know best, continuing to figure what’s best for the Riverside Library with the additional of cost for legal fees, postage, printing, and of course we have to throw in fish and game fees.  What, you didn’t know about the deer hunting and trout fishing within the library.  Planning what you are going to hunt or fish for is one thing, but how much are Fish and Game Fees anyway?,  I can tell you they are not, anywhere near that amount.     Well the jokes on you as well as myself, the taxpayer if this passes, to the extent of $31,435.00 for planning and fish and game fees.   Hopefully will get a few more pens and a couple more cool notebooks this time.

UPDATE: May 10, 2011:  Without community imput, City Council unanimously passed Albert Webbs and Associates request for additional appropriations of $308,495.00  Matt Webb, president of the engineering firm denies charges brought about by Deputy Attorney, Raychele Sterling.  But it appears that sometimes doing the right thing can be the wrong thing, which appears to be the undefinable position the City of Riverside is taking.   Now Raychele Sterling remains on administrative leave.  But many our a little closer in blood lines than we think in River City.  It appears that Councilman Chris MacArthur and Matt Webb are distant cousins!  OK, it’s a stretch, they are not technically, but it’s been cleared by City Attorney Greg Priamos, all by himself and without a BB & K consult,  that there is no conflict of interest.  It further appears that Chris MacArthur’s aunt was adopted by Matt Webb’s grandparents when she was five.  But still no conflict.  Matt Webb acknowledges that he has known Chris for decades. I don’t doubt it considering the close family relationship.  But according to a Press Enterprise article regarding favoritism Matthew Webb, stated that he is a Riverside native with ties to local officials.  He has known council members William “Rusty” Bailey and Chris Mac Arthur for decades and is friends with Hudson.  In my opinion good ol’ boys and cronyism begans with close family ties, and I don’t mean by blood lines.  But what is important, we haven’t heard from City Council why the additional appropriation was awarded and needed by Albert Webb and Associates, and without the scrutiny the council ususally imposes on others requesting the same.