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FlintCityMole
F L I N T O I D
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The mayor has been working with his friend Rick Short to get him into tax breaks and city monies. Mr. Short has been seen at Flint city hall numerous times in the past few months.
Convicted embezzler Richard A. Short had raised hopes in Flint for new jobs in a new industry
By Kristin Longley | Flint Journal
March 17, 2010, 8:24PM
Flint Journal file photoThis 2002 file photo shows the building at 2851 Cole Blvd., near Buick City, where Richard A. Short plans to bring the headquarters of his new business, Renewable and Sustainable Companies, or RASCO.
FLINT, Michigan — His plans are grand: To bring up to 765 jobs in a cutting-edge industry to his hometown of Flint.
Richard A. Short said his company would manufacture and ship renewable energy sources to bring services such as wireless Internet, clean water and electricity to rural areas in developing nations overseas.
And, it would all happen here at Short’s new company — Renewable and Sustainable Companies, called RASCO.
But now, Short, a convicted embezzler, is the subject of a state investigation for possible parole violation after the Michigan Economic Growth Authority granted Short’s company $9 million in tax credits Tuesday.
Michigan Department of CorrectionsRichard A. Short
Short, 57, spoke in detail to The Flint Journal several times Tuesday about his goals, saying the company would begin locating the company headquarters in Flint within six to eight weeks and was close to securing a building for $18.5 million in capital investments.
The company, formed in June, would locate at 2851 Cole Blvd., near Buick City.
Short had said he and the other principals of the company were excited about coming to Flint, especially since the federal government under President Obama has pledged to support new green industries where former automotive manufacturing once reigned supreme.
“People in the developing world listen to that,” Short said Tuesday. “Michigan is the seat of the automotive industry, and people look to it to be the seat of that new green industry.
“Flint seems to us to be making the right moves. We were very, very impressed.”
It would be a first-of-its-kind business in Michigan, according to the state, which also claimed that it beat out competing sites in Delaware, New York and Virginia for the venture.
The status of the company and the tax credits remain unclear.
The project was expected to bring up to 71 jobs in the first year and create up to 765 jobs during the next five years. The Michigan Economic Development Corp. estimated the economic activity created by the project would create an additional 1,048 indirect jobs.
Short had said the company would be recruiting for a “wide spectrum” of positions, many of them for manufacturing, packaging and readying its products to be shipped mainly to countries in Africa.
Some of the employees to be hired would be what Short called “remote monitoring staff.” The company’s technology would allow employees in Flint to monitor the company’s facilities in Africa, he said.
There would also be positions in administration, marketing as well as research and development, he said.
According to Short’s application for the tax credits, the average weekly wage for the newly created jobs was projected to be $559, and the company would also offer healthcare benefits.
Short said the tools would allow people in rural areas to enter into “micro-business development” — such as recharging cell phone batteries or electric lanterns — so they don’t have to relocate to the cities to make a living.
The company calls this division Integrated Distributed Utilities Network — and it was looking to make Flint its hub, helped along by the $9 million in tax credits. Short and city officials said the city of Flint also was considering a 15-year tax abatement for the property.
Short’s plans were hailed by many leaders at the state level and in Genesee County.
At the time, Short said the tax credit was a significant factor in helping the business locate in Flint. The state’s growing reputation as a center of the budding renewable energy industry was a key consideration as well, he said.
He said the company was assisted by the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce as well as Flint Mayor Dayne Walling’s office.
“To be in Michigan is to be in the center of green opportunity,” Short said. “We also believe that there is a trained workforce, from engineers to skilled trades, that’s in abundance here.” |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:06 am |
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FlintCityMole
F L I N T O I D
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| The mayor communicates often with Mr. Short |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:07 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| I saw a quote from the mayor saying he was "unaware". For once, he got it right. Could this be walling's OK Industries? |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 7:31 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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This is Wallings campaign promise to bring jobs to Flint, Tim Herman looked rightfully embarassed.
But it is the Michigan Economic development Corporation that looks the worst! They were the ones who were to vet him. Once again we are so eager for jobs that we are vulnerable to these con men.
from Terry Bankerts blog:
No one associated with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Economic Growth Authority (MEGA) was aware of Mr. Short’s personal history. [2]
The MEDC conducts due diligence on all MEGA applications prior to submission for consideration by the MEGA board. Included in the company’s MEGA application is a requirement for disclosure of any current, pending or expected legal action that may impact the company’s ability to meet the obligations set forth in the MEGA agreement. There was no disclosure by the company of Mr. Short’s ongoing parole requirements and supervision.[2]
In this light, we will add to the MEGA application a more explicit requirement of the company that it disclose any prior felony convictions by senior company executives. In addition we will perform a background check of all company officers prior to any final MEGA award. [2]
[2]
http://www.mlive.com/business/mid-michigan/index.ssf/2010/03/michigan_economic_development_1.html |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:16 am |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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| Pat Clawson is a former CNN reporter turned Private Investigator. He was a candidate for the Ombudsman job and is the one who first revealed the Eric Mays deal to make Donna Poplar a Deputy Ombudsman in return for Jackie Poplar's vote. The deal occurred because the council could not make a concensus becaquse jackie would only vote for her sister-in-law. Clawson rightfully blew the deal up. |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 8:33 am |
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ConcernedCitizen
F L I N T O I D
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I was told this morning by two individuals downtown, (one who had just come from the Genesee County Jail) that Short is currently sitting in jail.
Was this an oversight or is it more Flint politics as usual. Is Walling and Montle and his band of politicos up to more "mischief." I will be the first to admit that it might be an honest mistake. But with Walling's growing record of doing things as he wants instead of by the rules, it makes the possibility of impropriety more likely. |
_________________
"When people fear their government, there is TYRANNY.
When the government fears the people, there is Liberty"
Thomas Jefferson |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 11:28 am |
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Dave Starr
F L I N T O I D
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| I hope the media keeps digging until they find out everything about this. |
_________________
I used to care, but I take a pill for that now.
Pushing buttons sure can be fun.
When a lion wants to go somewhere, he doesn’t worry about how many hyenas are in the way.
Paddle faster, I hear banjos. |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 12:03 pm |
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Derrick1965
F L I N T O I D
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 1:30 pm |
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munnbreslin
F L I N T O I D
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| Ok Flint has a specific system when working with tax cuts for businesses (these were in place long before dayne). The final stage includes a background check. This stage had not been reached yet in negotiations, so how was the city to know, and why is it Walling's fault if he followed the city rules? |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 5:34 pm |
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ConcernedCitizen
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
untanglingwebs schreef:
Pat Clawson is a former CNN reporter turned Private Investigator. He was a candidate for the Ombudsman job and is the one who first revealed the Eric Mays deal to make Donna Poplar a Deputy Ombudsman in return for Jackie Poplar's vote.
The deal occurred because the council could not make a concensus becaquse
jackie would only vote for her sister-in-law
.
Clawson rightfully blew the deal up.
According to the Flint City Charter:
Sec. 1-604
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
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A. An elective officer, appointee or employee who has a conflict between a personal interest and the public interest as defined by law, this Charter or ordinance shall fully disclose to the Chief Legal Officer the nature of the conflict.
B. Except as provided by law, no elective officer, appointee or employee of the City may participate in, vote upon or act upon any matter if a conflict exists.
Once again Ms. Poplar was voting on issues when there was a conflict of interest. This is a clear violation on the Charter. And once again, the City Council turned a blind eye to that violation.
Webs, how long ago did this happen? |
_________________
"When people fear their government, there is TYRANNY.
When the government fears the people, there is Liberty"
Thomas Jefferson |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 6:23 pm |
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo
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quote:
munnbreslin schreef:
Ok Flint has a specific system when working with tax cuts for businesses (these were in place long before dayne). The final stage includes a background check. This stage had not been reached yet in negotiations, so how was the city to know, and why is it Walling's fault if he followed the city rules?
A background check should be one of the first things to consider. If something seems too good to be true, then it probably is. |
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:15 pm |
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Ryan Eashoo
F L I N T O I D
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Thu Mar 18, 2010 10:43 pm |
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andi03
F L I N T O I D
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quote:
munnbreslin schreef:
Ok Flint has a specific system when working with tax cuts for businesses (these were in place long before dayne). The final stage includes a background check. This stage had not been reached yet in negotiations, so how was the city to know, and why is it Walling's fault if he followed the city rules?
Knowing whom you are dealing with *before* you go into negotiations is a pretty good start and an effective time management technique.
Hell, I even look at court records online before I let my children go with another child's parent somewhere... |
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Fri Mar 19, 2010 6:31 am |
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DELETED
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Sun Mar 21, 2010 3:36 pm |
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