Big Block, Big Ideas, Big Cost to Taxpayers?

[XLFD]

A front page article in last Thursday's City of Ludington Daily News (COLDNews) caught my attention.

What caught my attention was not Mayor Henderson's choice of horizontal stripes on his shirt to bring attention to his abdominal muscles, though that may have subliminally influenced my gaze.  What struck me as odd and worthy of attention, was that a public-private venture was being entertained to develop the old bowling alley block.

In the Development of Authority series, Malignant Growth Alliance series and others, it has been shown that these 'ventures' typically deal with the expenditure of significant local tax money-- what most people think goes to our infrastructure, public safety, necessary public works and utilities-- to the benefits of private individuals, many of those individuals being public officials, their families, their friends, or to their businesses.

In the article, Mayor Henderson announces "that a committee has been working on potential projects and has concluded a public-private partnership would be better and more likely for the block than solely a private one".  Why is this the first time we hear about such a committee?  What type of committee is it?  Who's on the committee?  How did they come to such a ridiculous conclusion?

The article continues:  Attempts to develop a private project have not come to fruition.  So this new approach was being considered.  "We'll need your help." Henderson told those gathered.  His use of the pronoun "we" should trouble you.  His past partnership with Bob Neal, the main property owner of that block, may have cost the City some big money back in 2008 in the Jack Byers' lawsuit.

Speaking of which, Bob Neal then explains that the private approach just couldn't be made to work.  "None of the pieces ever came together well enough to make it happen.".  Excuse me, Bob, let me refresh your memory recall that you received an OPRA tax break back in 2009   OPRA Certificate   that will last until 2021, unless it is revoked by your friends in the City-- highly unlikely with the current batch, even though you are not living up to the standards of that tax break as further explained here about a year ago:   Kingpin Knockdown  You have already been receiving some great deals from the City of Ludington since at least 2005.  Now you want even more of our tax money, for your ends?

They later mention a work "team" consisting of Bob and Barry Neal, Henderson, John Wilson (of WLS fame, who were supposed to be developing this block back in 2008), and Dan LeMoore of Christman Co. (the people doing up to $19 million of work at the unnecessary hospital expansion who, emceed the event.) and hope to have groundbreaking of whatever they decide the fall of 2013.

Bob Neal had similar optimism back in 2005, and John Wilson had such a groundbreaking figured originally back in late 2008 for this block.  Mayor Henderson, more optimistic than both, was busy all that time bending over backward to give these two all the help he could legally give.  Maybe more.

The Ludington Fire Department was in full flight mode before I resigned that organization in late 2008, figuring they would be homeless, until John Wilson and friends built them a new station in mid- 2009.  They had already moved a lot of rarely used equipment elsewhere in preparation for an October 2008 demolition that kept getting pushed back, until it was finally cancelled the next year.  The LFD would have had their fire apparatus at the LHS bus barns and at OXY chem, according to discussions at the LFD meetings, in the 9 months or so without a fire station.

I don't like the idea of having 20 people rush to the three school area (every grade level) around the time school lets out, and then come out in emergency mode.  But this was what was envisioned as progress at that time, even though the City had not figured out where the new station would be put.

Anyhow, I sent this FOIA request out the next day:   "All records in possession of the City of Ludington and its attendant officials regarding the 9-26-2012 meeting between public and private concerns as related in the LDN's 9-27-2012 edition I include as attachments. This would include invitations, rosters, and any records received or made by those in attendance from the City of Ludington."  and I received the following, only:

Invitation to the Event

Invitee List 1

Invitee List 2

There was no rationale given for why some people were invited, and why some were not, who did the invitation list, or anything given out in what I thought was a broad request.  I can't figure why two people from the COLDNews were invited, but that nobody from any local radio station, or Ludington's most successful social networking/blog site was invited.  Why were some from the downtown area allowed to give their voice, but a lot of others being given no voice?  Who knows, the rationale is not given even though about half of the attendees are involved with local government in some way.

Apparently the following people representing the City of Ludington as City Officials didn't have any written records received or made at this event, just invitations (those sheets of paper that Ludington City Councilor's Castonia and Taranko have in front of them in the pictures in the paper were blank sheets!):   Bill Anderson (Ludington Historic District task force chairman), Marilyn Cunic (DDA-DLB), John Henderson, City Councilor Kaye Holman, Mike Lenich (Planning Comm.), Kathy MacLean (DDA-DLB), Barry Neal (DDA-DLB), Mike Necola (Planning Comm., CDBG), Budde Reed (Building Auth.), Shay, and Heather Venzke (CDD).  if they did, it would have been included in the FOIA response.

I find it rather hard to believe there was no extra records, and the appearance of both Taranko and Castonia defied the final invitation list seem to indicate that the 'final' list was not totally reliable.  All in all, this meeting was not open to the general public, and definitely not transparent.  But with the attendance of at least three City Councilors, three incoming County Commissioners, nearly half of the Downtown Ludington Board (DDA), there was a lot of political power around to be influenced, and just less than enough to not run afoul of the Open Meetings Act.  

[AQUAMAN]

I must say, this looks like the petition list that is being trotted around for the extended term length of the Mayor's office, that of Jonnie Boy, His Honor, and quite fitting, given the recipients of the proposed funds that will line the pockets of all those at attendance, sooner, or later. This is Really Putting it in the FACE of the Public, imho! These guys have absolutely NO SHAME!... and this "caper" goes to show just how bold they are! Why can't local Millionaires put their own "thinking caps" on and decide to sell or develop on their own? Are they "real entrepreneurs" or just pretenders? Inventors and capitalists, or just Fakes? I say they do their own homework, and not ask for any taxpayer handouts, ideas, or input, lest they be not fixable, and rich in inheritances, not hard work and sweat like too many others of worth.

[XLFD]

There is a lot of interlap between the petition committee, those who signed it at least once, and the guest list, including COLDNews publisher Jeff Evans.  I have been surprised that the COLDNews hasn't come out, in an editorial (or a feature story, since they can't tell the difference) gushing about Mayor Henderson's accomplishments over the last eight years and how he will be sorely missed even if the second coming of Christ takes his place.  I say eight years, because all he has really accomplished took place in his first years. 

Neal and Wilson do show their true colors here, and both have left the City of Ludington standing at the altar in 2005, 2008, and 2009.  When will the two-headed Johnster (Shay and Henderson) learn, that these guys are faux-entrepreneurs who just want to use you? 

Scratch that; they want to use the public money and grants you can get for them, not either of you Johns.

[Willy]

X. Again, the information you requested should be handed out without any hassles but we all know what is going to happen. I am truly curious as to how many FOIA request the City gets every year and how many of those people  are made to jump thru endless hoops just to see what these silly politicians are doing. I also wonder how many of those FOIA requests are reviewed by the City Attorney.

[XLFD]

According to Kaye Holman, the City Attorney reviews "most" of the FOIA requests I make.  He has commented to me on about a dozen or so through E-mails.  I have 'good' relations with a couple of other FOIA Coordinators elsewhere, and they have consulted with legal consultant a grand total of one time concerning a very broad and vague request. 

Why consult with legal advisers if you're just giving out copies of public records?  Good question, and my best answer is that there are a lot of records they don't want to be seen by the public... and I'm fishing in the right spot.

[Dave]

I think a strip joint would be good for downtown.

Your welcome for the brief moment of levity.. now back to your regularly scheduled news.

[AQUAMAN]

Dave, good thought, in the fantasy world. Or did you mean a strip mall, complete with farmers' market? If we can't even get a "bikini party" approved for the GGW group, (thanks Barnett), at Michael's Pub, next door btw, what do you think these frivolous pious parties would recommend for a new development? Probably another house of worship, or maybe something the tourists would like, not the locals again.  Personally, I could envision a Golden Corral, and/or wet and wild type slides for the kids alongside, but that's just plain silly, as they might want a convention center, or better yet, another marina, or canal for the canoes/kayaks, digging up the streets to achieve it. Oh yeah, I almost forgot, Hey Mayor, tuck in those pajamas, would'ya?

[Willy]

[XLFD]

Councilor "In the tank" Taranko needs to check out his corrective lens prescription if he can't tell the difference of those two things.  

And how did Castonia get that if it was in the women's restroom?   

[Willy]

X. Good questions that you might want to ask the Councilors at the next meeting.

[XLFD]

Being that I'd likely get blank, baleful stares or blubbering (from Cassie), I'll use my scant time to deliver another sermon.  I definitely won't FOIA that pubic record.

[Willy]

[XLFD]

No doubt funded by Downtown Development Authority dollars, so at least I will be able to eat well.