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Topic: Flint and KWA
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

What I find interesting is the former FBI's comments linking the Wright KWA proposal to the current water crisis.
Post Tue Jun 07, 2016 11:38 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Some political pundits are speculating former FBI director Arena came out of retirement to focus on some individuals he could not indict during the Kilpatrick and Detroit political scandals. Names being bandied about include four Kilpatrick financial supporters and possible links to their involvement in the KWA. They wonder how Walling and Earley could possible be involved.
Post Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:24 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

My household received a notice that our phone conversations were being listened to when Riddle was under investigation, however we were not targets.

Lots of conversations regarding Jeff Wright , his campaigns and other stuff.
Post Thu Jun 09, 2016 10:31 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Rizzo investigation named a lot of Burton politicians as implicated in some form of corruption.

The Busch-Pickell war of words resulted in Pickell's January 4th, 2005 Press release printed in the Flint Journal.

Priority for Leyton

Genesee County Prosecutor David Leyton, who was sworn into office this morning, can waste no time in dealing with bribe-taking and other allegations raised against four public officials.

Understandably, Leyton did not expect to spend his first days trying to determine the truth or falseness of old accusations made against Drain Commissioner Jeff Wright, Burton Mayor Charles Smiley, and two others, but considering the scale of the public corruption alleged and who is involved he can't wish this problem away.

Though it's Leyton's prerogative to ask Attorney General Mike Coc for assistance, it should not absolve the prosecutor of all responsibility to see the four officials either charged or cleared. After all, this business became public when former Prosecutor Arthur Busch included the allegations, which were made by Burton homebuilder Blake Rizzo, in court records Busch files as part of a plea deal 10 days before he left office.

Why Busch waited until the last moment to reveal this damning information is troubling, but that doesn't excuse Leyton from finishing the job. The alternative is to leave the public wondering about the integrity of prominent public officials responsible for handling millions in taxpayer dollars and important duties.
Post Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:12 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

None should be in office if Rizzo's claims can be substantiated. In an Oct. 30, 2003 interview with Busch and police, Rizzo said he gave tens of thousands of dollars to Smiley for favorable treatment of his housing developments, $5,000 to Burton Councilman Bob Centilli to support a rezoning, and a $35,000 lot in one of his subdivisions to Burton City Administrator Charles Abbey. Rizzo also accused Wright of laundering more than $30,000 Rizzo gave him for the drain commissioner's 2000 election campaign.

As a result of this information , Busch dropped felony counts against Rizzo, who was charged with a conspiracy to commit arson and insurance fraud. He likely will spend no time in jail.

That sweetheart deal is one more suspicious part of Busch's behavior and may explain Rizzo's accusations, but it doesn't clear any of the four officials' reputations or remove questions in people's minds. Only the prosecutor and/or attorney general can do this, and the ball for the moment is in Leyton's court.
Post Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:21 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

What Pickell isn't saying in this press release is the fight between himself and Busch over allegations Pickell was stalling the Gain auto theft and arson investigation because he and then county commissioner Ted Hammon were trying to make a soft landing for Rizzo. Depositions and court proceeding showed Hammon and Rizzo were close friends and Rizzo gave Hammon an expensive shotgun.

Also Abbey was prosecuted and convicted. Smiley managed to coast, but his funding of water and sewer projects for developers created major problems for Burton with the housing market collapse. The Journal carried storied of several stalled developments whose land went to the Land bank for unpaid taxes.

Centilli lost his next election.

Kiertzner did an undercover story when Smiley, Hammon and other council members met with Rizzo at Puzzler's following a vote on a Rizzo project. Hammon tried to hide from the camera and even had a Burton cop drive his car because of a rule against drinking and driving city vehicles. Even the cop was drinking though.
Post Sat Jun 11, 2016 12:30 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Sunday Free Press (June 13,2016) had a front page story "OFFICIAL: FLINT WILL LOSE EVERYTHING' IF IT LLEAVES KWA" written by Paul Egan and Matthew Dolan.

Weaver needs to get a grip as she is looking indecisive and uniformed. "A top county official is warning the city will "lose everything" if it pulls out of the project and defaults on promised debt payments."

Jamie Curtis, Chairman of the Genesee County Commission, told Free press reporters the Karegondi Water Authority would be stuck with Flint's share of the debt. Curtis further stated the KWA would seize the Flint water treatment plant along with other assets, including 25% of the city's constitutional revenue sharing payments from the state.

"Flint's debt is "heavily, heavily secured", and "they would lose everything they have", Curtis told the Free press.
Post Mon Jun 13, 2016 11:56 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

The Free Press noted how the 2013 KWA financing contract, which was signed by former Mayor Dayne Walling, allows the KWA to "direct the local unit to make a tax levy to reimburse the KWA in addition to seizing Flint assets and revenue sharing money if Flint defaults.

Allegedly Weaver's leverage is that specific KWA transactions can't take place without her signature.

Wright, Genesee County Drain Commissioner and CEO of the KWA, says the delays are creating cost overruns. He cited the needed $74 million required to complete the pipeline had to be borrowed at a 4.3% interest rate instead of the 3.15% rate it would have received with Weaver's signature on the standard disclosure documents.


Wright stated that upon Weaver's signature, the rate could be adjusted downward. "Every day Flint does not change course will mean additional costs to both Flint and Genesee County taxpayers of $1.6 million said Wright.
Post Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:13 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint spokeswoman Kristin Moore says Weaver will not bee unduly pressured and wants time to ensure she makes the best decision.

"She's aware the clock is ticking, but she doesn't want to rush into anything", said Moore.

The Free Press referenced a May report from the Treasury Department that Flint's high rates could double in 5 to 6 years based on the current trends and with Flint joining the KWA and helping to pay for it.

Wright spokesperson, Kevin Sylvester noted Flint is not required to make their first $7-million annual payment until November 1, 2017.
Post Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:22 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Flint's advisor is retired Brig. Gen. Michael C.H. McDaniel in an interview said Flint has new good alternatives if it decides not to move forward with the KWA. They can stay with the Great lakes Water Authority permanently, but he indicated that body has a record of imposing price increases. McDaniel stated that while no one envisioned a return to the Flint River, a secondary water system would be required and that means hooking up to the KWA.

Meanwhile Snyder's top aide, Richard Baird, told the Free press the cost of leaving the KWA could be high and Flint "would still be obligated to pay the $7 million bond payment and repeated the warning of Curtis.

"Unless the city is able to prove the 2013 contract was entered under false pretenses, using bad information", Baird indicated the mayor needed to look at the KWA deal.
Post Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:35 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

"Every analysis I saw over a four year time period showed that KWA was in the best interest of the city for its long term water supply " Walling told the Free Press about signing the contract. He stated that nothing has come forward to change the underlying fiscal benefit and the terms of the contract were standard for a long term capital project.



http://on.freep.com28tG33
Post Mon Jun 13, 2016 12:41 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

On Sunday Aug 2, 1998 (Pg 2) heritage Newspapers Suburban Flint Jeff Wright placed an ad promising there would be an election to see if the voters decided to build a pipeline.

"Machine politics is alive and well in Genesee County. When you look at the lineup of politicians who hope to keep inexperience at the helm of the Drain Commission...you ask yourself, why?

It makes you wonder what's going on.... and what's in it for the politicians?

Is it all a matter of control? If so, Jeff Wright is right: the voters should decide whether or not we spend 270 million dollars for a duplicate pipeline. This major decision should not be left up to a small group of politicians.

If Genesee County is going to be run by a political machine...maybe they need a money machine...or are we the money machine?"


Obviously Jeff Wright has forgotten all of his previous arguments. Does he count the state as part of his political machine?
Post Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:54 am 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

Wright's July 31, 1998 (Flint Journal page A4) again references a vote of the people.

"THE PROFESSIONAL OR THE DREAMER

ken Hardin, during his seven months as a political appointee filing the unexpired term of Mr. Ragnone, has a dream of spending 270 million dollars on a second pipeline to run parallel to our existing pipeline.

If Mr. hardin wins this election he will take it as a mandate to proceed with the water line at any cost. His pipe dream will cost the residents of Genesee County 270 million plus interest. We will pay these millions for his pipe dream through a doubling of the water rates or a county wide millage.

If he thinks the residents are going to accept this, he's dreaming."

"Jeff will ask the residents to make he important decision on whether we will build the pipeline."



Who is the dreamer now and when was the election?
Post Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:04 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

As the election in 1998 was closing, an unregistered campaign committee purchased large Flint Journal ads targeting Wright and portraying him as dishonest. The ad focused on three drinking related arrests of Jeff Wright. Wright lost the Flint Journal endorsement because he had attempted to hide the incidents.

The Flint Journal on July 29,1998 (Drain Race even hotter, C1) described the full page ad "What's wrong with Wright?" featured a Genesee County Sheriff mug shot of Wright from his DUIL in 1998. Wright pled guilty to impaired driving cases in 1988 and 1996. The Burton Judge in the 1989 case took the case under advisement and later dismissed the case. Wright and his family are from Burton.

The ad was placed by the Committee for Good Government and thy did not file their campaign paperwork until after the election. Roger Samuels, then publisher of the Flint Journal, stated the information was factual according to the 67th District Court Records. The ad was later revealed to have originated with a group out-of-state.

At the time Doug Weiland was Chairman of the Genesee County Democratic Party. Weiland was quoted as saying the ad material appeared to conform to the fair campaign practices of the party because it exposes material contained in public records-such as Wright's arrest and convictions.

"As long as the material is the truth, its fair game", said Weiland.
Post Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:27 pm 
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untanglingwebs
El Supremo

A Flint Journal "Our Views" (February 29, 1998, H2) Local Water Costs Factor in Deciding pipeline Idea, noted the pipeline decision was being fueled by a growing dissatisfaction towards charges from Detroit and a belief Detroit was taking an unfair advantage. Woodrow Stanley was one who was named as being displeased but cautious, but cited several unnamed county officials as ready to proceed.

The Journal used this issue as an example of why they were supporting a county exec position.

"What results is yet another graphic example of the need for a more consolidated government in Genesee County, especially regarding the largest services. "....

"Economically, much more is at stake than higher water bills. This community's chief struggle for the coming two decades is the same as it has been for the past two: economic development.
Just as a ready locally controlled supply of water can enhance prospects tremendously. so can excessive water discourage business startups."
Post Wed Jun 15, 2016 12:40 pm 
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