Has The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Surrendered to City Hall?

          Less than a week after columnist Pat Lynch excoriated the Gang at City Hall on their current grab for an extra $50 million a year in new taxes, his column is suddenly cancelled by the Democrat-Gazette. Coincidence, or has the Dem-Gaz succumbed to political pressure from City Hall? Are we witnessing the downfall of  “Freedom of the Press”?

            Of course it’s only COINCIDENCE that since firing Mr. Lynch the Dem-Gaz has run a series of Politically Correct articles eloquently extolling the benefits of and many new extravagances to be bestowed by the City on the Taxpayer, but only if this new tax passes.

An interesting revelation, that the paper has failed to share with its readers, was accidentally shared at a Tea Party meeting on the 6^th by one City Director. He was proudly explaining how the City had cut employee numbers to the bone to stay within budget over these past difficult years. For example they eliminated 5 employees at the Zoo. Since they couldn’t eliminate any more “feeders” and “poop picker uppers”, the City eliminated five folks who were responsible for raising money from charities, donors, and grants. Excuse me! The city was paying five fund-raisers more in salary than they were bringing in? Or worse, they eliminated five folks that were bringing in more than they cost! Neither answer engenders growing confidence in the Gang at City Hall.

But back to the Dem-Gaz, it needs to convince its readers that it didn’t succumb to City Hall. How, you ask?  Well perhaps the paper should rehire Mr. Lynch prior to the  voting date on September 13^th  to further rip the covers off the tax proposal by the Gang at City Hall.

The Answer is: Darn near half a million dollars!

          What Shirley? You forgot the question? In a recent “blog” I asked what President Meadors' ‘buyout figure’ might be; I was just speculating that he might get bought out. And sure enough he was. The answer is somewhere between $350,000 and $500,000 is what UCA or as they term it “private funds” will Pay Meadors to depart.

            Isn’t America great? Where else do executives get great big fat ‘buyout’ deals when they are “fired” for some type of misdeed or incompetence or both?

            Former President Meadors, to his credit offered to resign IF, there is always that “IF” isn’t there. Anyway he would leave IF UCA would give him some type of lucrative ‘buyout’. You know, to save UCA from all the hassle and bad publicity of dragging Meadors over the coals and through the mud.

            Here’s the details of the deal per the local paper:

1.      Must vacate another UCA house on Mansion's grounds where he's currently housed, (apparently they have two houses in which the pres can live), by Oct 1^st.

2.      His parents must vacate their university house, (apparently UCA has three ‘presidential’ houses), within 90 days, unless they need more time. But Meadors must pay their rent. UCA has been housing his parents too?

3.      UCA will pay for storage of his stuff; forever apparently.

4.      $1,000.00 monthly car allowance ends Oct 1^st. (I recommend that he ask Governor Beebe to put him on the Game & Fish Commis where he will again receive a state owned car, or two.)

5.      UCA Pays his health insurance tru 6/30/2012. Probably won't cost UCA much as he will surely follow Lou Hardin to Florida and live a healthy lifestyle.

6.      UCA will use remaining annual current salary to purchase his tenure and stuff: about $187,770.83

7.      He’ll be paid an additional $337,987.50 tru 12/31/2013.

            Sort of strange, isn’t it. UCA loses the $700,000 offer; has to pay the culprit who messed up the deal over $500,000; and now needs to hire another new president at some annual cost of around $225,000.00; and all of this was orchestrated by the Board of Trustees. With representation like that, who needs to stay up nights and worry.

            What Shirley? Do I want to bet that the $700,000 offer to fix up the mansion is later accepted? Are you kidding? With this Board of Trustees, I wouldn’t bet on anything.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Succumbs to Political Pressure?

          Less than a week after Pat Lynch’s column excoriates the Gang at City Hall on their current grab for an extra $50 million a year in new taxes, his column is suddenly cancelled by the Democrat-Gazette. Coincidence, or has the management of the Dem-Gaz succumbed to political pressure from Mayor Stodola’s “Strong- Armers” and City Manager “Moore’s Mafia”? Are we witnessing the downfall of  “Freedom of the Press” as the Dem-Gaz bows to strong-arm tactics from the powers at City Hall? Has Chicago style politics arrive in LR?

            Of course it could be just another step into oblivion as the paper cancels a third popular column in the interest of, well of what? Frugality? First Oakley, then Sweet Tea, now Lynch cancelled and with whom are we left? Paul Krugman and Gene Lyons both of whom never meet a liberal line not loved and liked and written about.

            What did the Dem-Gaz receive, or with what were they threatened, that compelled them to cancelled Mr. Lynch’s column? We’ll probably never know. Of course we’ll hear the cover-up cry; the usual suspects of excuses: “purely an economy move”, “new direction”, “offended the Editor”, or some such alibi. Like Mr. Lynch’s column is just too expensive in comparison to Mr. Lyons’; and Krugman’s is almost free, close to it value by the way.

            The only way to convince its readers that it didn’t succumb is for the Dem-Gaz to “man-up”, and rehire Mr. Lynch prior to September 12^th to further rip the covers off the tax proposal by the Gang at City Hall.

            I’m taking bets on the likelihood that that will happen.

            It’s really sad to witness the self inflicted wounds ensuring the suicide of a long time, successful independent newspaper, an old friend.

Throw ‘em Under the Bus! My Hands are Clean!

          The University of Central Arkansas (UCA) just keeps on giving, news that is!

            The latest episode involving the $700,000 “gift” from Aramark for Meador’s Mansion has been exposed as having a condition; that being the extension of Aramark’s food service contract for an additional seven years, without a competitive bid.

            This August 12^th offer letter was carried to Diane Newton, UCA VP for Finance & Administration. (Does hand carrying the letter remove any possibility of federal investigation for some type of mail fraud or extortion?) She walked it down to President Meadors. Per President Meadors, in his own defense:

            Excuse #1 and #2: Others are doing it and she told me it was OK.

Meadors said the he asked Newton, “if this type of contractual arrangement was the ‘norm in Arkansas’ as he said it was around the country, and that she replied it was.”

(Obviously it wasn’t Meadors’ responsibility to practice a high degree of ethical conduct concerning bribery; just ask a junior if we should turn down the money to refurbish his mansion or justify keeping it, and lay it off as everybody is doing it- “it was around the country”.)

            Excuse #3 and #4: Did Lou Hardin or others ever do this before, and she told me yes!

“He said he also asked her if UCA had a history of accepting such contingency funding and she indicated that she said it did.” (Of course the prior President Lou Hardin is in the jailhouse now, but what the heck, if it was OK with Lou, let’s go for the money.)

            Excuse #5 and #6: The obviously inflated contract costs don’t cost the students extra to eat, she guaranteed it

He said that she also ‘guaranteed’ me it would not have any effect on [the cost of student] meal plans.”

(Oh please, if Aramark can fork over an extra $100,000 a year for 7 years are you serious that it’s not coming out of the prices charged to the students? If not, who is Aramark gouging for these excess funds that they can lavish on the Meador’s Mansion? Wow, isn’t it convenient to have a VP you can blame for bad advice which assisted you in making a ethically challenged decision to accept what many of us would call a bribe. Of course Meadors was only thinking of the good of UCA, not that the funds would turn his meagerly mansion into a house fit for a king, well, a presidential potentate anyway.)

            Excuse #7: I was told not to tell.

Meadors said (Head Trustee) Roussel asked that ‘we not release[news of this offer] at this time’.”  (Excuse me, informing all of the Board of Trustees falls under the caution ‘we not release at this time’. And isn’t being told to keep your mouth shut sort of a warning that something is rotten in the state of Denmark, or in this case the President’s Office at UCA.)

            Well, based on the testimony from President Meadors it is intuitively obvious to the most casual observer that he is innocent and the victim of poor advice and guidance from “she” and Trustee Roussel. Oh and President Meadors also stated that he “didn’t even think”. A statement of the obvious.

I certainly hope that the Board requires appropriate penance of fellow Trustee Roussel and that President Meadors summarily dismisses “she” for all of her bum advice. Throw her under the bus, President Meadors.

With a leader like that, no wonder he has little campus support.

I wonder what his contract ‘buyout’ amount is?

What? The Vendor demanded Reciprocity for the $700,000 Meadors' Mansion “Gift”?

          Just when you thought that things were finally beginning to straighten out for the “Trustees” at the University of Central Arkansas (UCA) in Conway, one of them alleges that someone foolishly read the entire “Gifting Letter” from the vendor (Aramark) who offered $700,000 to redo President Meadors' Mansion up to some degree of socially acceptable living standard. (One can only wonder what the prior president Lou Hardin did to the mansion to trash it to the extent that over a million dollars is required to make it habitable for the new El Presidency, Alan Meadors). Poor President Meadors, having already sunk $800,000 into his mansion only to be forced to move out as it didn't meet his “standards”, now reveals that the gift has a string attached, a very long string. Turns out that Aramark, having won the current food business bid on the UCA campus via competitive bidding, is willing to fork over the gift, IF, there's always that “IF” isn't there? If UCA will extend their contract another 7 years without competitive bid, they'll come to President Meadors' housing aid.

            After publicly announcing this financial gift and extolling its solution to the need for more mega thousands to make Meadors' Mansion inhabitable, one of the “Trustees” claims that only later “was he informed of the details” of the letter to discover this little “tit for tat”? Now the “Trustees” is “Shocked! Shocked!” to learn of this demand for reciprocity. He promises a deep, immediate wide-ranging investigation to get to the details of this offer.

            To save the UCA from another “Trustee Tryst” at the Red Apple Inn and Country Club costing over $3,000.00 to discuss and investigate this, I can tell them what occurred.

            UCA has been begging for donation for the Meadors Mansion 3^rd and continual refurbishment to meet President Meadors' demands. This vendor, apparently making a substantial and satisfactory profit from their food contract at UCA, offered up the money IF the contract was extended without competitive bid. The “Trustees” went public with the first part of the deal and while congratulating all on a non UCA cost solution to magnificently restoring the Meadors' Mansion some sneak spilled the beans.

            Now begins the “cover-up”. They are surprised, no “Shocked! Shocked!” to learn of this reciprocity demand.

            Now just think about this. They get a good deal and now want to act “Shocked!” that they finally pulled one off for the good of UCA. Complete honesty would compel one of these “Trustees” to just fess up and say, “Look, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer, we just saved UCA $700 grand. The food contract was won in an open competitive bid and this vendor was selected. Extending this competitively won contract costs the students and UCA no more than currently, and allows us to make the Meadors Mansion acceptable to his Presidente, and saves UCA from footing the bill for a third go at it.”

            On the surface, sounds like a win-win to me, of course one can quibble that the food costs for the students must be pretty high if there is room for around a $100,000.00 annual gift to El Presidente's Residency. Maybe this is one reason that student matriculation is down for the 3^rd year in a row. But what the heck, the students are being subsidized by the poor folks that play the state's lottery, so I guess it all comes clean in the washing of the facts. Or perhaps it’s the fact that shady and low ethics seem to be in high use at UCA?

            Can someone explain the duties of “Trustees” to me?

There's Just Too Much Temptation For Arkansas's State Employees!

          It's really not their fault. There are just so many state owned vehicles available that an employee is almost dared, compelled to go use one for his, or her, own personal use.

          It's well documented that the Arkansas Game and Fish commission had more vehicles than employees. To over come this imbalance some of the Commissioners took more than one vehicle home. Since only one vehicle can be driven at a time, the other rested safely at their farm or residence until required for personal duty.

          When asked to located and document the number of state owned vehicles and their users, Mr. Richard Weiss, the Head of the Dept. of Finance and Admin., all but admitted that he wasn't capable of doing so. And to his credit he has met that expectation. And what has his boss, the Governor Beebe done concerning this failure to investigate and report? Governor Beebe has continued to use the State Police to drive him around so that he can't be accused of abusing a state owned vehicle. The fact that at least three State Police are thus unable to help defend the citizens seems to be of little or no concern when compared to the possibility of misuse of a state vehicle, or whatever his rational is for using the Professional Police Officers as chauffeurs.

          Now we learn that Sheila Sharp, the Corrections Department Head of Administrative Services has used a state vehicle to take her family on a Florida vacation. At least in her defense it wasn't her personally assigned state vehicle, she took a larger one to better hold all the family and baggage.

          OK, it's not as bad as I've written. She was on her way to a convention on state business; her family just went along for the ride. The fact that she had to take a gas guzzling Dodge SUV, assigned to the computer “Geeks”, rather than her assigned Chevy Impala was to accommodate her daughter, son-in-law, and two grandchildren. But that's not what got her into trouble. What got her into hot water was the fact that she didn't tell her boss beforehand that she was commandeering the “Geeks” SUV and taking the clan on a working vacation. This prior notification was all that was required, then all else she did was OK, Mr. and Mrs. Taxpayer.

          Ms. Sharp has only been with the Department 14 years and her current job is Head of the Administrative stuff so how could she be expected to remember such a piece of trivia.

She was one of 15 state employees who went to this convention. Eleven of them flew, if you can believe that. Passing up the opportunity to take the entire family to Florida and flying? Perhaps they checked with the “Geeks” and learned that Ms. Sharp had already commandeered their SUV.

          But talk about being completely in the fog of life. If you can believe it, two of the folks that attended the conference actually carpooled down and back! What were they thinking? Two traveling for the cost of one? I can only assume that their careers will be suspect when this information gets out to our state executives.

An Apologetic for Plaxico Burress.

          Preseason NFL football games may actually be necessary to prepare new signees and old hands for the upcoming rigors of a sixteen game season. But candidly most of the games are of little interest outside of the 27 diehard fans that watch them. Nevertheless there I was watching the NY Jets stumble through a preseason game against someone. I found myself rooting for the one behind in the score hoping to keep some degree of interest going. It was at the halftime that my viewing buddy mentioned that the NY Giants had traded Plaxico Burress to the Jets after his release from jail where he had spent almost two years in the “hoosegow” for shooting himself in the leg.

          For those of you who may not remember, here is a review of that incident as captured from “Wikipedia”:

“On November 28, 2008, Burress suffered an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound to the right thigh in the New York City nightclub LQ when his Glock pistol, tucked in the waistband of his sweatpants, began sliding down his leg; apparently in reaching for the gun he inadvertently depressed the trigger, causing the gun to fire. The injury was not life-threatening and he was released from an area hospital the next afternoon. Two days later, Burress turned himself in to police to face charges of criminal possession of a handgun. It was later discovered that New York City police learned about the incident only after seeing it on television and were not called by New York-Presbyterian Hospital as required by law. New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg called the hospital actions an "outrage" and stated that they are a "chargeable offense". Bloomberg also urged that Burress be prosecuted to the fullest extent, saying that any punishment short of the minimum 3½ years for unlawful carrying of a handgun would be "a mockery of the law. Burress had an expired (concealed carry (CCW)) license from Florida, but no New York license.”

(With a Mayor like that sticking up for you, you don’t need any enemies.)

“On Monday, August 3, 2009, prosecutors announced that Burress had been indicted by the grand jury on two counts of criminal possession of a weapon in the second degree, and a single count of reckless endangerment in the second degree, both felonies”. (How they came up with ‘two counts of weapon possession' for this is a mystery to me since he had only one Glock, but then again so is ‘second degree’. Is there a first and third degree level of disobeying the law if you carry a hand gun in NY?)

Well, with all that governmental impetus behind the DA, they refused to entertain a plea deal and Plaxico was indited by the Grand Jury; ended up serving almost 2 years in prison. (I could find no record concerning the prosecution of the NY Presbyterian Hospital for their failure to report the incident. Guess that they have better friends down at the Mayor’s or DA's office.)

During the halftime festivities my buddy and I discussed this shooting episode. Turns out that my buddy carries a weapon legally and was all upset over this incident. Says that Plaxico, having had a Florida CCW permit knew that carrying a gun in the waist band and not in a holster was dangerous and stupid. He did commend him on owning a Glock 9mm however. He dragged me over to the computer and showed on an internet site for “USCCA” how article after article warns to carry hand guns in a holster, and in a holster that covers the trigger so that you don’t accidentally shoot yourself. I asked him if the old west gunmen used that kind of holster, but he just waived me off.

After he left I began to review the whole situation in my very active mind. Seems to me the Hospital was egregessly remise in their legal responsibilty and something should be done to get their attention. After all, when two gangbangers have a shoot out, about the only ones that will know about the firefight will either be the Coronor or some local hospital or doctor. Especially since most of those exchanges seem to occur in neighborhoods that eschew calling 911 for anything.

Then my thoughts turned to Mr. Burress. The guy got a bum deal in my opinion.

          Everyone living in NY City should be allowed to carry at least one handgun. Sure Mr. Burress should have registered like he did in Florida, but two years in the slammer? If I lived in the Bronx, Queens, or the like, I’d want to carry at least two semis and wear body armor, of only the most decorative style of course. Add the wealthy target that Mr. Burress presents to every perp that wants to” take yourin and make it hisin”, and the need is increased to go “armed”.

          Then there is the issue that he shot himself. Yes, he should have been charged with gross stupidity and sentenced to some type of “potty cleaning” community service reserved for only the most mentally challenged weapons' violators. But two years for shooting yourself? It is obvious that this is the type of justice that you can expect in the eastcoast dominated by pointee headed, liberal, commie pinkos that hate guns more than they hate shutting down an abortion mill, ACORN, or Planned Parenthood. Had Mr. Burress been so fortunate to live in the South when this mishap occurred, the Grand Jury would probably have sentenced him to “punishment already received”. After all, he shot himself in the leg at point blank range with a 9mm Glock, the wound cost an entire season of gainful employment and remuneration with the NY Giants, a Super Bowl Winner, and he was traded to the Jets! Wasn’t that enough?

          Yep, Mr. Plaxico Burress got a bum deal in my opinion!