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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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Business community takes steps to combat public corruption in Genesee County
Published: Friday, August 17, 2012, 4:00 PM Updated: Friday, August 17, 2012, 4:43 PM
By Gary Ridley | gridley@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- Some members of the Flint business community say Flint and Genesee County is suffering from widespread public corruption and it's now up to them to try and help stop it.
"The public corruption is out of control," said Mike Killbreath, president and CEO of the Flint Area Chamber of Commerce.
So Killbreath, and other members of the Chamber, have taken it upon themselves to help combat corruption by organizing their own citizen crime commission.
The commission, which would be a separate entity from the Chamber, would aim to find evidence of corruption and bring an end to it by confronting government officials and sharing evidence with law enforcement organizations, which organizers claim do not have the manpower to conduct their own investigations.
"The stench of corruption is overwhelming," said Pat Clawson.
Clawson, who worked as an investigative reporter with NBC and CNN, brought the idea of creating a crime commission to the Chamber's board earlier this year. On June 28, the board approved forming the commission.
The commission is currently in its infancy but Clawson said he expects it to be up and running by the end of the year.
Killbreath said the group hopes to organize as a 501(c)(3) in order to obtain donations to help fund the project.
Clawson, who has also testified in front of the U.S. Congress while executive director of the Saginaw Valley Crime Commission, said the group would be transparent by hosting public meetings and making its financial information available for review.
The group would serve as a watchdog organization, Clawson said, adding that law enforcement and the media have dropped the ball on policing politicians.
He added he would also like to have a group of volunteers that would sit in county courtrooms to ensure that justice is being properly administered.
Killbreath said the group is interested in partnering with criminal justice college students and young attorneys to help conduct the investigations.
"Public officials are not doing their job," Killbreath said.
Those interested in assisting the group can contact Killbreath at 810-766-9330.
Linda_DeGuise_658
thank you, it sucks living here more than ever. Kids need stuff to do, FOR FREE, and you need to reach out to the kids
untanglingwebs
Bid rigging, bribes, croneyism and conflicts of interest. Also misuse of federal funding. All of the things the FBI is investigating and prosecuting in Detroit!
califguy
There are many different kinds of public corruption. There are the black bag payoff guys. There is voting on something where an official has a financial interest. Someone mentioned city inspectors taking bribes. What kinds of public corruption are they talking about?
prozacboi
"The stench of corruption is overwhelming"
Talk about cliche, nothing but mindless rhetoric.
Paul Jordan
I don't support a self-appointed group, however well-meaning, would be either appropriate or effective. (Judging by many posts on Mlive, lots of people can't distinguish between true corruption and legal political decisions that they don't agree with--or simple errors of judgment.)
What I think WOULD be a good idea would be a special integrity unit within state government composed ONLY of career members of the state police and attorney general's office that would be charged with independently investigating AND prosecuting corruption at any level of government, from the governor's office and legislature to the smallest school board.
That would far more effective than imposing an emergency manager to address those rare instances when fiscal distress is the result of corruption.
genctyres
I thought we had Journalist in Town, Investigative journalist seem to be a thing of the past.
untanglingwebs
jacksondm sounds like an apologist for Walling and Eason who along with their incompetant appointees have brought numerous HUD repayments on the city with more to come.
The whistleblowers in DCED revealed the corrupt Department of Energy Grant, which requires repayment.
John Carpenter sent a very precise complaint to the federal officials and i believe this complaint resulted in the suspension of the CIG contract by HUD for lack of "competition". Competition and the HUD law violated was the core of his letter.
There should be a merger as several complaints are in the pipeline to be sent to the HUD Office of Inspector general regarding recent actions by Brown. Clawson has the expertise to dissect the BS and present a legitimate and comprehensive document detailing alleged violations of regulations and law.
nosnownhell
Public hangings will cure public coruption.
jacksondm
It is critical to note that this is NOT the Genesee Regional Chamber of Commerce - but a little organization of (supposed) business people who sound like crazy right wing nuts at their meetings. There may be mismanagement in some of the area governments - and I think one might question whether some of the past Mayor's actions were corrupt - - but there is little or no evidence of public corruption across the County - and City of Flint. This is not to say there isn't the occasional inspector who "overlooks" a problem now and then - but these charges of "out of control public corruption" are VASTLY OVERBLOWN. I've known dozens and dozens of public servants over several years - and most are decent honest office holders.
ic23b
You have to be kidding, it is not mismanagement, it's misappropriation.
tdmics
One recommendation....START AT CITY HALL IN FLINT!!!!!
Linda_DeGuise_658 likes this.
Ted Jankowski
Well It'd be nice if they catch those city inspectors that try to get kickbacks for approving business inspections.
Linda_DeGuise_658 likes this.
asuccubus
You fail to mention that Clawson has a very specific agenda and political viewpoint...
prozacboi likes this.
patclawson
And just what do you think is on that very specific agenda? Please inform me, because I didn't know I had one.
As for my political viewpoint, I am an unabashed maverick who votes for those conservative, moderate and liberal Democrats, Republicans, Libertarians and third party candidates who are honest and qualified for the job. I will always vote for someone I disagree with if they are honest and have integrity, rather than for a scoundrel who marches in lockstep with my personal philosophies.
Flint and Genesee County are overwhelmed with crime and corruption. Safe streets and honest government will not be restored to our area unless the private sector takes the initiative to force accountability and constructive change. Too many of our local government leaders have repeatedly demonstrated that they simply are not up to the task of dealing with the crime emergency.
Pat Clawson
Swartz Creek, MI
patrickclawson@comcast.net
Linda_DeGuise_658
reopen business after dark and get the pubic back out in the streets. We close up and give criminals a free reign on deserted streets. The more we close down....the worse everything gets....jobs, crime, blight, economy, despair, apathy. Re open and stay open later (not talking about bars and liquor stores...and that's another bunch of BS to damn many of them)
..and I just LOVE how the sex strip on Dort hwy has been sooooo upgraded. Such priorities....but Flint was always a cess pool. Actions show the people what is important, and the strip clubs and bars been ruling a long time.
sga
Maybe the strip clubs actually have money to get something done. Granted I would rather see high tech development here, but strip clubs and bars are a legal business.
sherryann47
What a joke. Sounds like the pot calling the kettle black to me. The chamber of commerce represents big business, who pay their ceos huge bonuses to help them not pay any taxes and lay off good workers that are unionized. The unions built this county and its economy by spending their hard earned wages here. Now business is trying to turn this state into a right to work state and pay workers minimum wages while they line their pockets with profits and the 1.8 billion dollars extra they have after snyder cut their taxes and raised the middle class taxes. Where are the jobs promised from that tax cut? The chamber of commerce here and all over the state have contributed big bucks to fight the save our jobs effort. And not created any new jobs. What is happening here is from Gov Granholms efforts not snyders. And the chamber recruits these new people from out of state with no ties or loyalties to our county and they are going to clean up this county? Out of touch with the voters here and not listening to what is happening around the country as we are telling you- WE DO NOT TRUST BUSINESSMEN.
fedupinflint likes this.
fedupinflint
...and furthermore, entities like the C of C and their mouthpieces, Clownsan and the appropriately named Killbreath, are obviously to corrupt themselves to realize that they only expose their own culpability when they make blanket accusations without a shred of evidence or proof.
sga
Better plan on being poor if one does not trust "businessmen." Kind of works like that in a capitalistic economy. Sometimes I think the union mentality runs possible entrepreneurs off from starting up businesses because if you own a business around here, one is automatically considered a thief and scoundrel. That is a hell of a wrong attitude to have as this city falls apart.
bodrell
"Public officials are not doing their job," Killbreath said.
Ya think?
Good for Killbreath & co.
Law enforcement and local media in Genesee county are indeed clueless and mindlessly regurgitate or obediently echo what they are told.
Linda_DeGuise_658 likes this.
fedupinflint
What a joke ! Corruption is when the EM (who isn't even an elected official) is planning on giving a building that Flint taxpayers were mandated to pay 9 million dollars for, to a small group of local private investors for 1 dollar. I'll believe their motives when they investigate Dan Kildee's "Land Bank". This is nothing but blatant hypocrisy to divert from their own malfeasance and misfeasance.
Politically Correct
Fantastic idea, and finding corruption in Genesee County and Flint is like shooting fish in a barrel...
Linda_DeGuise_658 and WOW55 like this.
qwertyasdfgh
Surely sir, you jest. |
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Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:31 am |
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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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From Carpenter's complaint:
The federal standard for procurement in the Neighborhood Stabilization Program is 24CFR85.36(b)(9) (enclosed). "Grantees and subgrantees will maintain records sufficient to detail the significan history of procurement. These records will include, but are not necessarily limited to the following: rationale for the method of procurement, selection of the contract type, contractor selection or rejection, and the basis for the contract price."
In addition 24CFR85.46(c)(1) states that "all procurement transactions will be conducted in a manner providing full and open competition."
My complaint is that the City of Flint department of Community and Economic Development (DCED) and City Administrator Gregory eason did deliberately violate both the federal rules and regulations for HUD procurement and the City of Flint procurement rules by not ensuring full and open competition. I am of the opinion this was a clear case of attempted bid rigging ...... |
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Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:43 am |
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untanglingwebs
F L I N T O I D
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another excerpt:
There appears to be a pattern of cronyism and race consideration when Eason selects both contractors and employees. The most recent HUD monitoring report (May 20,2011) calls the DCED a department"in disarray". Although they commend staff as being willing to learn, they note that the staff is not knowledgeable about HUD rules and regulations. The administration is cited as being unwilling or unable to respond to the findings of the October 13, 2010 Office of Inspector General audit in which Flint stands to lose considerable funding. Most of the contractual positions have been filled by companies that are primarily minority firms based in Detroit. Eason, after he left Jobs Central (now career Alliance) held 2 positions in the banking related fields in the Detroit area. He was a member of the Detroit based Chamber of commerce. |
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Sun Aug 19, 2012 7:53 am |
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