I know it's not funny literally watching 10s of thousands of dollars get washed down the river or blow out the back of dump trucks that keep moving Damon's dirt piles all over the place. And I'm sure FEMAs going to give Madison a black mark for misusing federal funds. We might even have to pay them back like we did with clerk treasurer Dave Adams grant fraud . But I'm wondering about the Main St scam.
Last update I read was Welch lied to city council and said it was only going to cost12-15 thousand for the city to take over maintenance of Main Street from the state in exchange for a new bridge access. Damon told council he had an independent engineer look at the costs, except nobody's been able to get any proof that that was true. What we do know is somewhere around a quarter of a million was set aside in the budget and that's lots more than 15 grand. City council voted to approve the deal with the state .
Can it be undone since the mayor lied to council about an engineer study? Is there anyway to get out of the deal since Welch once again worked with Crook and Jenner to come up with a way to scam council. In other words if the mayor cut a deal be it for bridge access or sewer rates is the deal void if the mayor acted illegally or unethically to push his deal through.
I'm trying to keep things straight:
RIVERGATE- Welch's premature grab of private riverfront land in collusion with 1-2 guys on riverfront development committee so a dock could be built for personal benefit . In addition welch tried to rip off little old couple and recently announced he plans to attempt to intimidate them.
DIRT DISASTER: welch and crook concoct a plan to bypass regulations and FEMA rules. They misuse federal disaster grant, pizz off the corp of engineers, pollute the Ohio river and make a laughing stock of the entire town. We face fines, might have to return the misused funds and will probably be tagged in the federal system once again. Today they are digging up the dirt Welch threw down there right?
SEWER GATE: for years councilman Lee has been trying to do what's right by citizens when it comes to adjusted sewer rates for pools, landscape etc . But the mayor Didn't support Jim's idea. But, behind the scenes, without public disclosure, on a plain old piece of unofficial paper, welch cuts a sweet deal to the state park to adjust their sewer rate. No one seems to be sure if Welch could legally do that but of course what's legal, ethical or honest doesn't matter to our old Christian mayor Welcher.
ATTORNEY ATROCITIES: is more like a saga starring Jenner and Georing who represent city and county executive branches. Their dirty deeds are too nervous to mention in this short space but suffice it to say there's plenty of video.
GRANT GRAB and other falsified documents. Alleys, disasters and planning grants oh my. The publics favorite description of this admin- is "liar, liar pants on fire." The latest new player is county councilman Joe Craig's wife Susan from the always ineffective SEIRPC . Susan demonstrated it's never too late to jump on the hide everything you can from the public train and head to city hall so the BOPW can cover up your dishonesty. That a girl Susan- no point in letting your hubby be the only one that plays dirty politics at citizen expense.
MAIN STREET MIRACLE and other scams city council bought hook line and sinker. Seems the mayor once again had expert advice from someone he assured was qualified but no one seems to know who, have record or be able to verify . So taking over Main Street in exchange for a new road that doesn't go past Jan Vethrus' a house went from about 15 grand to quarter of a million in just a couple of weeks. City council said yes it was a good idea to go along with the mayors ghost expert but they wouldn't go along with Jim
Lees sewer rate adjustments.
Am I missing anything from this months list of Dirty Damon Deeds?
At yesterday's BOPW meeting, Welch, Carlow, and Greves spent a great deal of time trying to make the Auxier family the bad guys for outbidding the city on a parcel of land. They all went the holier than thou route. We've grown to expect this from St.Damon I, and after Carlow's baloney on why he voted to support funding MIDCOR after savaging it in a speech, he too is in my book as a hypocrite. Then there is the third one, the one who voted three times to give David Terrel's wife several hundred thousand dollars in city funds disguised as a loan-this after she skipped out on close to a million in debt on the failed Local Harvest. His reason for voting to give her the money was because her husband was in a position to do good things for Madison. At the time her husband was the head of OCRA, a state agency that gives money to cities and towns. Since that time, Mr Terrell has been ousted from that position and shuffled off to a university.
My point is, who the hell is Greves to preach about ethics and behind the scenes deal making to anyone?
I don't think the mayor has any choice but to keep the dirt. There was only one person in town who would accept that nasty stuff and he is in possession of it. What do you think the final cost is on the "free dirt"? This dirt will follow him for the rest of his days. He'll be like Pigpen on Charlie Brown, where that little dirt cloud followed him around everywhere.
I want to comment on the Rivergate scandal and hope the nay-sayers to this site don't call me negative, as they typically do. Sometimes the truth hurts.
I just hope our Mayor and those involved don't set us up for another huge fine to pay. It seems the condititions are right.....I guess now, it's in the hands of the Federal Government.
On another subject, I believe it is only fair for our Tourist Trollies to include St. Michaels on their tour route. Before sunset yesterday I drove down St. Michaels toward the river. As I drove past the City.s favorite vacation spot, the Cotton Mill Resort and Spa, I noticed a statuesque buzzard standing in one of the smaller windows, seemingly enjoying the view. . Now that, has to be a favorite that should be put on the "things to see list" for any future prospective person(s) wanting to make Madison their home. Meanwhile, is the American Legion project still on hold? Seems like the buzzards(squatters) have more rights than the American Legion.
Federal marshals arrived today at city hall to deliver the stop work order which required Mayor Welch to "cease dumping dirt" along the riverfront. An armored vehicle accompanied the marshals who were dressed in full riot gear complete with bullet proof vests in the event that Bob Crook threw another tantrum and threatened to take out a few old people. Mayor Welch played the offended Christian card and swore on the holy * * * he had no idea who was putting the dirt along the riverfront, that he never said he was putting dirt on the riverfront and that he stands on his statement that there is no dirt what so ever on the riverfront. Joe Jenner was called in to provide legal advise and he promptly said he was confused, because as far as he was concerned stop work orders could only be issued to law abiding citizens for political payback or intimidation. He added he did not see Jan Vethrus's name anywhere so therefore the order must be illegal. Dave Carlow of the Board of Publ!
ic Works was called in during the stand off for his expertise in negotiations. He promptly cowered behind secretaries Gina Center and Tammi Accosta while screaming "SHAKE HANDS"! Andrew Forrestor grabbed one of his "friends" as he dashed down the hall in a stunning lavender stripped shirt and matching socks while yelling, "We need to start another anonymous face-book page that'll show 'em!" Several young boys with a video camera were very interested in chasing Andrew but after tripping over a lawsuit, imaginary customers and low business revenue the boys fell flat on their face.
In the mean time building inspector Mark Johnson ran to get the the chief of police because he was afraid and needed protection. Sadly all the chief could provide was a baseball and some pitching advice.Clerk Treasurer, Bill Kalb shut his office door and pretended nothing was going on.
The good news is the fire chief helped put out a fire, but it was in another town. The mayor called the NMCC ladies prayer group who immediately arrived on the scene and set siege to city hall as they pulled out their knitting and crochet. At that same time, poor Gina Center was trying to pull Tammi Accousta away from a clutching, whining Dave Carlow so she could hide all the citys official stationary. We think she succeeded because the mayor was later seen passing out sewer waivers to everyone who lives near Jim Lee as well as the federal marshals. Joe Jenner called County attorney Wil Georhing to act as the "cleaner". Georing slide quietly through some dark back door but was unable to hide the slim trail he left. When questioned why the county attorney would be involved in city matters, Georing replied he was a figment of the marshals imagination and that no public record of the call or his appearance existed at this time, therefore he was innocent until proven guilty or t!
he bar revoked his license for malpractice. Despite Crooks outbursts and threats the stop work order was placed and Damon ordered to clean up dirt below a certain high water mark.
After the Marshals left Whitney from Main Street was called in to post a facebook message about how Main Street was absolutely fabulous and everything was beautiful in its own way. Trevor arrived late and was horribly offended not to have been contacted sooner so he he could use his "connections and chamber position" to resolve the matter. Although the stylishly dressed Andrew attempted to contact Brandon Taylor, he was told Brandon was last seen running from a referendum meeting.
At tonights city council meeting Rick the flopper Berry will has pledged to be on top of Madison's most critical governing issue. He plans to speak about the inspirational value of rainbows. Laura Hodges will also ignore the obvious and plans to speak about roses and how well they grow along the river front. Henderson will hope no one really knows he meets with Welch and Crook every week while, Lee just wants to talk sewer rates. Jones has been MIA since elected and Pete Backus will remain embarrassed to be associated with a bunch of loosers who buy sand in the desert and think its special, while Mindy McGee wonders just what the heck Kellems got her into.
Finally, the vast majority of citizens were unaware of the fiasco as most had gathered down along the river bank to watch dirt that had arrived just last week, be scooped up and moved out this week, along with the tattered shreds of the city's reputation, FEMA funds and credibility.
Damon appears to have an affinity for that KDH dirt which he first had moved to private property on the river. Now it is being moved to city property directly east of the city camp grounds on Vaughn Drive. Wonder what his plans are for it? Talk about a fast decision, it was only 24 hours after the corps ordered it removed that Damon decided to keep it and store it on city property.
There is an investigation underway concerning the FEMA funds and how they are being spent on Madison's riverfront. Anyone with an IQ above room temperature( JB's saying) can see that the type of work going on with the "free" dirt is in no way within the scope of work authorized by FEMA to restore the riverbank. If you read the FEMA grant you will see no reference whatsoever to fill dirt being added and spread illegally on the Madison riverbank. It simply calls for a dozer to put back the displaced dirt and compact it with the dozer. Some areas call for rip rap being added to deter further erosion.
Did the BOW authorize this work to be done? No. Why ? Because they probably had no idea as to what was going on. Mr. Carlow , this is the result of business being done in private and not out in the open where it needs to be. This is what happens when you throw your saddle on a lame horse. The mayor states publicly that there is no plans for that property and while you're still trying to digest the information, the mayor is spreading rock infested chit dirt on private property. I don't believe the BOW is as upset with the loss of this acquistion as they are with who ended up with the property. Come on, tell the truth guys, it really pizzed you off to see Auxiers win the bidding war.
One other thing: Mad Republican, you make a valid point in that mayor Welch is a total embarrassment to the party. He has done a fine job in aligning himself with persons who are as inadequate as himself. I hope Brother Bob talks real s-l-o-w when giving his sermons. Otherwise, he will leave lots of them behind. But, I don't feel there is any cause for concern. Coat tail politics isn't what it usd to be. It is true that a candidate as awful as Damon can be a detriment to his party but I believe he is SO bad that he stands alone. I don't foresee anyone wanting to jump on board with this guy.
I heard that Auxier Investments had made an offer larger than that of the City BEFORE Welch made his land grab public at BOW when he asked for approval of the 16K. Amazing how facts elude this man.
What I hear the three amigos saying in the video is that the city is at a disadvantage because of transparency and doing their dealings in public. This is the very mindset that perpetuates backdoor deals and secret meetings. You work for the citizens you %$#@^& morons. If you had any scruples about you whatsoever you would realize that the citizens of this city and county DESERVE to have our business up front and above board. I would think that with your responsibilities and the potential for misguided information that you would embrace the idea of transparency. When public officials don't respect and appreciate the value of open and honest dealings you get city council meetings at 9:00 on a Saturday morning to pay 13,000 dollars an acre for the same cra*p Damon had spread on private property.
Don't expect me to feel sorry for you and there is no way on this earth that I would ever support the BOW or council doing private dealings. In Damon's own words, you had no plans for that piece of property, you just thought it would be nice to add two parcels to the city expense ledger. You missed out on a city expense and liability. Your dealings were shady to say the least. Don't be upset with the the couple who entertained a better business proposition, be disappointed in the mayor and his unethical business partner, Mr.Cook. If the city had made a legitimate offer to begin with you wouldn't be crying in your soup. I can't begin to tell you how #$@#$% fired up I get when a member of the BOW cries about someone dealing unfairly. Maybe it's Karma.
The biggest problem for good candidates like Schafer getting elected is that they are in the same party as Damon. The mayor is destroying local candidates chances. The party leaders need to send a clear message they want Damon out and are working to get him out. If they're going to back McGee or any other candidate they need to start talking instead of whispering maybe this or maybe that person will run in a primary. It takes more than the republicans to elect a mayor so word needs to spread outside inner party circles. If they don't not a single republican will get elected and the county council will go all Dems.
I'm not saying there aren't good democrats, I'm saying there's awfully good republicans that'll take a big hit cause of Damon. He's a dead body that's stinking up the ship and needs thrown overboard.
Appreciate the public video being made available to the public JB . The mayor and Carlow are way off base. Carlow has no business talking about how people should be able to trust each other when he's sitting at the table with the poster boy for lying thieves. It's just plain wrong to act like their the victim of something dishonest when it's this administration and his puppet board members who are the bad guys.
Does anyone know if Lee is going to say anything at tonight's city council or if he'll settle it behind closed doors? Ain't it funny how the mayor lies in public, cheats the public and complains in public but when it comes down to him being held accountable he starts whining it's not right to do that in public?
Another question could be, how long is the council going to permit this mayor to lie and manipulate them to satisfy his own agenda ? It is imperative that the council and mayor work together to ensure the citizens of this city are being represented fairly and decisions are being made in their best interest. Cooperation doesn't mean going along to get along, it means establishing a mutual respect to work through differences to arrive at viable solutions.
When the mayor purposely feeds misinformation to the council it becomes evident that he doesn't respect their position or their opinions. This mayor has NEVER been open to discussions when anyone dares to stand in opposition to his way of thinking. There just doesn't appear to be any effort made by this mayor to share any common ground. He is not a negotiator. He is not a leader. His actions resemble those of a dictator. Pride really does cometh before the fall and this guy is headed to earth at a high rate of speed. If the council doesn't start demanding the truth and call him out on his lies they will all crash and burn together. And we'll be the ones left to pick up the pieces.
Damons' lies and scheming seem to be getting more and more severe and frequent.
A reliable source told me that he was in city hall the other day and overheard crook say " they(he and damon) are going to cause people as much misery as possible". Not only do I believe this it is very plain to see they know their time is limited and they intend to screw with us until we throw them out.
I would suggest that some of their actions have become criminal. Every other day some kind of disaster or fraud comes out of city hall not to mention the huge amount of tax dollars(your hard earned money) they have spent/wasted on useless * * *.
Yesterday the Army Corp of Engineers ordered the City remove all of the dirt that has been placed below the Ordinary High Water (OHW) line. The City was given 10 days to comply. Essentially, all of the dirt the City put in place will now have to be removed and hauled away.
River Rat.... I can tell you with all certainty that FEMA money is to be spent as described in their grant response. I have dealt with FEMA and those receiving FEMA grants are expected to follow their recommendations. That is how they arrive at the grant total. Anyone receiving these government handouts MUST provide the paperwork necessary to prove that these standards have been met. This administration is notorious for having money set aside for an intended purpose and spending it elsewhere. Look at the track record and you will find numerous misallocations of funds. You can only rub that magic lamp for so long. Eventually the genie is gonna pop up and slap the h-ell out of you!!!
Holy moly are they already digging up all that dirt on the riverfront. It was busy busy this morning. The corp must have lite a fire under someone's lying crooked arse.