"IN-THE-BORO" News, Video and Commentary: boat issue

Showing posts with label boat issue. Show all posts

Tuesday, February 7, 2017

Scottsboro City Council Work Session - Property Mismanagement, Ball Field Fiasco Continues, Minimum $1.3 million Over Cost - Out come on Scottsboro's Cabin Cruiser Fiasco - February 6, 2017

The management of Scottsboro's property continues to be a problem. This is a boat similar to the one sold for $3000.00, a 1979 Marinette Cabin Cruiser. Fair Use photo for non-profit news reporting and commentary, unknown contributor. Blog article about the boat issue and Scottsboro property mismanagement. http://arklite.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-boat-and-mayor-of-scottsboro-deep.html

Why is this important? The City Council is responsible for property management and management of the budget and finances of the City of Scottsboro. This responsibility is codified in the laws of the State of Alabama. The mayor may have erred in any number of issues, including the inappropriate sale of Scottsboro City Property, such as the above boat, or for that matter the renovation of the ball field. However, the City Council is the responsible authority for property and money. You cannot delegate the legal responsibility for those areas the city council is responsible.

City Official's disclosed to me yesterday evening that the District Attorney found no criminality regarding the disposition and sale of Scottsboro's Cabin Cruiser although the law was not followed.

Scottsboro Ball fields, Scottsboro Recreation; photo from the City of Scottsboro dot com (Government Source) - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary.

Ball Field Failed Planning

Agenda Item 2 - Ball Field "renovation dollars" to cost tax payers $2.396 million, $1.3 million more that originally stated. The Bond issue was for $3 million dollars and included the ball field project, the swimming pool project, the Fire Station renovation and an addition to the Heritage center.

Poor planning and mismanagement by the City Council and the unnecessary demolition of the entire field structure and infrastructure is the root cause of the mismanagement.

The City Council is responsible for budget and property, there is no scapegoat for the City Council's responsibility in this failure. Early on in the planning phase of this project the City Council erred by placing responsibility on the previous mayor and a small committee to make decisions which were under the entire councils purview.

Discussions with an elected official on this matter reveals that there may have been an intentional effort to completely demolish the ballfield and its' infrastructure to raise costs of "renovation" of this project. However, at this point intent cannot be proven.

Many thanks to Mr. Wallingsford and Mr. Smith for having the courage to tell it like it is regarding this unfortunate problem regarding the mismanagement of our financial assets.

Essentially, the ball field project is not a renovation, it is a complete building of a ball field from ground up.

Next Mismanagement Item

Agenda Item 3 - Another unnecessary cost to the taxpayers of Scottsboro is the mismanagement of the Streetscape Renovation of the Downtown Square. The southside of the square will have traffic and parking diverted because of the 2 large park areas which have been inserted into the current square area at the southeast and southwest corners. It is estimated this unneeded work will cost tax payers approximately $200,000 in unnecessary renovation costs, possibly more

AGENDA

VIDEO

Wednesday, July 13, 2016

Scottsboro City Council, Work Session and Regular Session - Top Issues - Mr. Smith Wants to Donate City Real Estate, Fire Department Receives Grants for Emergency Equipment

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

(Click on image for an expanded view.)

VIDEO

Press Release From Scottsboro Fire Department
(Click on image for an expanded view.)

"The Scottsboro Fire Department is pleased to announce we have been awarded an Assistance to Firefighters Grant in the amount of $163,850. This grant will be used to update and upgrade our EMS equipment. New 12-Lead Cardiac Monitors, Automated Compression Devices, Video Laryngoscopy, and Intraosseous Infushion equipment will be added to our first out engines, providing our citizens with some of the most advanced pre-hospital technology in Alabama."

PROPERTY ISSUES

City Council Member Keith Smith has suggested that demolished property on Tupelo Pike be donated to the Rescue Squad. This brings up the issue of the proper disposition of demolished real estate property which has not been resolved. The city may not "just donate" property. (photo by G. Morgan)

. The Jackson County Rescue Squad is an admirable organization and does wonderful things for the community. This does not mean that laws of the state may be violated to satisfy public officials whims and nefarious motives such as has occurred with the boat (article link on the boat: http://arklite.blogspot.com/2016/06/the-boat-and-mayor-of-scottsboro-deep.html ) disposal and property abatement demolition.

PROPERTY PROBLEMS

Apparently the City of Scottsboro has several demolished real estate properties. The Laws of the state have much to say about demolished real property: "Section 11-53B-9 Sale of property upon default."

The point is this, real estate has value, a demolished property cost the citizens of Scottsboro, there is a fair market value of the real estate and there is the cost of demolition which must be added to the cost of the property. There are also several issues involving elected and appointed city officials intentionally violating the laws of the state regarding property abatement and the demolishing of property and the sale of property in the City of Scottsboro.

Fixing the costs of demolition have not been accomplished. Re: "Section 11-53B-5 Fixing of costs."

"Upon demolition or repair of the building or structure, the appropriate city official shall make a report to the governing body of the cost thereof, and the governing body shall adopt a resolution fixing the costs which it finds were reasonably incurred in the demolition or repair and assessing the same against the property..." This requirement has never been accomplished as long as I have attended city council meetings for 13 years.

Fixing the misapplication of law and policy has also not been accomplished. The city council is responsible for the acquisition and disposal of the citizen's real property.

This is what should be accomplished immediately, it is a common sense approach and a solution to problems which pompous, misbehaving public officials within the city of Scottsboro have created.

1) Identify all real estate property belonging to the City of Scottsboro and assess a "fair-market value" to all real estate property. 2) If the property is demolished property to abate a public nuisance, list the cost of demolition of the property on the property list. 3) When a person's property presents a public nuisance the laws of the state should be followed as to the proper procedures in abatement and if necessary, demolition of the property. It is not sensible to hold demolished property in the real property inventory of the City of Scottsboro as there is a insurance and upkeep cost to the demolished properties. 4) A fair property value should be listed and the cost of demolition assessed against the property. At that point, the property should be sold as soon as possible,

Never, ever should property be sold or given away belonging to the citizens of Scottsboro in violation of the Laws of the State of Alabama. When this occurs, responsible parties must be held accountable. Additionally, the City Council has no business in covering up any wrongful act by public officials particularly when it involves property, money and issues involving ordinances and policies involving personnel management. The Council and Mayor are responsible for keeping the citizens informed.

Unfortunately, misconduct and misapplication of public policy extends beyond failed property management and includes failed personnel management, sexual harassment, failed organizational communications and retaliatory conduct.

Monday, June 20, 2016

The Boat and the Mayor of Scottsboro - Deep Throat 11 - The Expose Continues - Shh, we had a boat, now we don't, the Mayor sold it, where's the money, but don't tell anyone - Update and Sexual Harassment.

Photo of Mayor Melton Potter at the State of the City Address. Photo by G.Morgan

(UPDATE JUNE 30, 2016)

Code of Alabama 1975 § 11-43-56 “Except as otherwise provided in this title, the council shall have the management and control of the finances and all of the property, real and personal, belonging to the city or town.”

UPDATE - July 6, 2016: Whose fault is it, the Mayor, Mr. Wheeler, or the City Council, maybe all?

Informant says "Boat case forwarded to DA's office for review."

In other developments, the informant has reported more incidents of sexual harassment from the financial department for the City of Scottsboro. Unfortunately, it appears that our fearless leaders are as confused about this issue as they are on Das Boat. It seems the boy just can't keep his "camera to himself." And City Leadership does not want to correct the problem, instead they hide the problem. This is turning into a multi-issue mess of failed leadership practices and incompetence.

Sinking Boat Politics - A lack of leadership and corrective action.

Sexual Harassment - "Prevention is the best tool to eliminate sexual harassment in the workplace. Employers are encouraged to take steps necessary to prevent sexual harassment from occurring. They should clearly communicate to employees that sexual harassment will not be tolerated. They can do so by providing sexual harassment training to their employees and by establishing an effective complaint or grievance process and taking immediate and appropriate action when an employee complains."

https://www.eeoc.gov/eeoc/publications/fs-sex.cfm

City of Scottsboro leadership has not required nor provided training regarding sexual harassment.

THE BOAT

In December 2012 a citizen donated a boat to the City of Scottsboro. I vaguely remember a discussion about this as it was stated a boat would be good to show industrial prospects around the community.

Goosepond Colony (GPC) Marina photo - The folks at GPC did not know any specifics about the boat other than to confirm the City of Scottsboro did have a boat tied up on the end of one of the docks. (Fair use photo for non-profit news reporting and commentary.)

AN EXAMPLE OF WHAT NOT TO DO IF YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR CITY PROPERTY. A QUESTION OF GROSS NEGLIGENCE?

The Clarion, article by Heather Garner - "After doing a public records request asking for a copy of the city council meeting minutes showing acceptance of the boat donation; city council meeting minutes showing the boat was declared as surplus property; a copy of the donation letter given to the Culvers and a copy of the bill of sale showing the boat was sold, it was discovered that the City Council never publicly accepted the donation, the property was never declared surplus, and that copies of the donation letter and bill of sale were not kept for recording, by the City. According to Rick Wheeler, City Finance Director, the boat was never listed as an asset by the City and it was never insured by the City."