The official agenda for Tuesday’s Council
Business meeting differs from that of last Monday only in the addition of
perhaps a half a dozen resolutions that were added at that meeting. Two of those
do with settlements of compensation claims.
One of the new ones will recognize
the services that Eke and Sanders rendered "us taxpayers" and the Mayor by appointing
them to the PMUA Board.
Another Resolution
finally closes the Corporation Counsel void by appointing David Michello; the
City Solicitor who has been serving in an acting role for over six months. The
salary quoted is $99,000.00 which in passing last week was mentioned to be
for only 6 months. Nice work if you can get it for what can only be a part time job.
Or does his contract prohibit him from doing any work for his firm? Will the contract be made public as it should
be?
The continued lack of a
CFO a fact which the Mayor’s supporter; Councilor Reid repeated bemoans, makes
it difficult to ascertain the City’s total legal costs excluding settlements
for 2012 and 2011. The data could be "OPRAed" but not without difficulty for something that should be available in the budget reconciliation.
Similarly that lack of
knowledge is applicable to Engineering services which are still being granted
by the pay to play mechanism despite the City’s own Ordinances. The City Solicitor
did mention that those Ordinances were illegal; but if so why did the
Corporation Counsel draft them for passage?
Once again there is an unusual unexplainable expenditure
of funds presented in a Resolution authorizing the payment of
$22,126.34 to the Mayor’s legal firm that SHE engaged for herself while
delaying any appearance before the Council in the WBLS hearing. Such procrastination action only increased time
and work for which the Council’s Impartial hearing officer billed.
Of course there are
Councilor’s who rightly express the fact that the funds in question was only $20,000.00.
Unfortunately they seem to have blinders when it comes to what may have been
illegal or improper action, something which should never be permitted in a
functioning government.
As Taxpayers we should be
advised by what legal authority City funds should be used to pay her legal
expenses? Could there have been conflicts of interests in the negotiations?
whatever funds go toward the Senior Center.. take it out of that...
ReplyDeleteThey want to wear red and be played like fools... Let em wear it with pride.