Yard Sale Time Again

Word on the Street

• Rumor has it that King Tommy is considering yet another City run yard sale.

Now I know what you’re thinking folks, after selling off

• Hovercrafts
• Fire Stations
• World War 2 Monument
• and other Various Equipment 

What in the world could be left in the city to sell?

The rumblings are that The King wants to sell the Parking Authority: 

• All City owned lots including but not limited to the New Overpriced Intermodal Center.

To a company owned by none other than Patrick Murphy brother of former city administrator J.J. “Home Security System” Murphy!

• I guess this is the Mayors way of getting J.J. back on the books!
• I also hear poor J.J. is having trouble finding a job.
• I guess the folks in Florida are smarter than the folks in The WB….. 

Wake Up Wilkes Barre, your City may be on EBay! 

Deaf Eared BobbleHeads

“Bill Barrett said after the meeting that he had already made up his mind, and He was unmoved by the verbal attacks, he said, and cast the tie-breaking vote in favor of Jensen”

• When did the truth become a verbal attack?

"I didn't take any of that into consideration," Barrett said after the meeting. "I know Ms. Jensen. I know her background, I know her qualifications."

• So did the councilman already know of her unethical activity?
• Is that why he was unmoved?

“Barrett said after the meeting he was able to overlook any alleged ethical lapses because he knew Jensen so well.”

• Based on the filthy looks Butch was passing, I’m wondering if Bill knows her as well as Butch does?

FACTS:

• In a letter from the Pennsylvania State Ethics Commission dated February 1, 2012 “It was determined that all intern hiring for the City of Wilkes-Barre were conducted the City’s Director of Human Resources without input of direction from the Mayor”

• Executive Order NO. 28 of 2011, dated June 17, 2011 Katherine Jensen was hired by her mother Christine Jensen at The City of Wilkes Barre.

• July 2011 the Mayor’s Kin, along with Christine Jensen resign from Wilkes Barre City

"The fix is in," Kadluboski told council before the vote. "Right, Bill?"

• Bob got it RIGHT!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source

• Residents pan W-B council's decision to appoint former HR director to planning board

• Jensen gets planning board job

Bobbleheads have Majority

If at first you don’t succeed try try again? Or in the case of The Bobbing Head City Council just keep make the same motion until it passes.

At least that seems to be the case when it comes to ensuring that Christine Jensen is appointed or anointed to the city’s planning commission

WHY?

• Why is Council hell bent on getting a former HR director on the planning commission?
• What does the mayor want to shove down our thoughts now?
• Why won’t the bobble heads consider someone with experience in the field?
• Is it legal to keep voting until you get the outcome you want? If so I want to cast my vote for Mayor, and Council again!

• Well according to Robert's Rules of Order NO you cannot!!!!

Reconsider: A motion that enables a majority to bring back for further consideration a motion which has already been voted upon. There are certain limitations that apply to this motion. It can only be made by a member who voted with the prevailing side. In a session of one day, which is the typical city council or county commission meeting, it can only be made on the same day the vote to be reconsidered was taken.

• So if the motion FAILED it can only be reconsidered if Tony George or Maureen Lavelle bring it up!

What can anyone do?

• Well we all know if a citizen has the audacity to speak out, the renegade bobble head in charge will throw them out! 

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Ex-HR chief likely to be put on W-B planning board

Is Kane Abel?

Well as it stands we haven’t seen hide nor hair of our new City Controller.

• No audit as one would expect of the new controller.

She hasn’t attended a single city council meeting since being elected controller.

I’ve personally visited City Hall many times looking for her, and have yet to find her in her office.

• She seems invisible.

This blogger was wondering if Mrs. Kane was even still in The WB, or did she retreat to her posh estate in The Sun Shine State. Either to avoid the long bitter cold Pennsylvania winter or the bitter cold political climate in The WB. 

Either way I took to the streets asking frequent visitors of City Hall if they have spotted Mrs. Kane anywhere, and I was able to find One Citizen who confirmed that yes Mrs. Kane is still in The WB.

In-Fact the citizen said they saw Mrs. Kane with an overflowing shopping buggy one weekday afternoon at approximately 1:30 PM at Wegman’s Supermarket.

Now that would explain why I couldn’t find her, anywhere. Stupid me: I had been looking for her at her Office in City Hall, as I figured that’s where she would be for 40 or so hours per week, as that’s what her job description entails, and that’s what were paying her for. 

But as the locals keep telling me, “This is The W-B, and That’s just the way it is.”

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Did Wilkes Barre City Officially Secede From the Union?

First the good news: Wilkes Barre City Council approved the sale of Old River Road Bakery to Harold’s Pharmacy.

Next up No 1st Amendment Rights for anyone period…

Councilman Tony George's questioning the appointment of Christine Jensen to the Planning Commission was quickly outed when council moved to floor vote, and what Councilman George thought was just a procedural vote to get his questions answered was actually a sneaky, vote to make that appointment. When the Councilman figured out he had been duped by his devious counterparts, he asked to change his vote, and was quickly answered by city clerk James Ryan with Tough Darts!!!

Then when citizen Linda Urban had the nerve to mutter “that’s not right”, Council President, Mike Merritt, “who must have been auditioning for A Little Theater part of Adolf Hitler” quickly gaveled her out of order, and demanded City Police Officer Yelland remove Linda Urban for her muttered remark.

Next Bob Kadluboski spoke out against Mrs. Urban’s ejection, and he was also ejected, but when Frank Sorick, President of the Wilkes Barre City Taxpayers Association also chimed in on Mrs. Urban’s ejection he was warned repeatedly, and still not ejected.

WHY:

• Why did Linda, and Bob get ejected, and Frank didn’t?
• Why is it that Council President, Mike Merritt can order a citizen out for muttering “that’s not right”, and then allow another to continue yelling?
• Is it that Mr. Sorick was informing the  Communist like Council President that he was violating the 1st amendment rights of now 3 citizens?

The meeting abruptly ended, and Communist like Council President fled City Hall before the press could interview him. I wonder why?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Demolition Time

I do not say this often, OK never before in the history of this blog have I uttered the words, and may never again so here goes.

Thank you City Hall!!!!

You may recall back in December, I published “Wrecking Ball on Sullivan Street?” well it took some doing but after much back and forth with all the folks involved, tomorrow at 7:30 AM Stell Enterprises with begin ripping down the burned out eyesore.

The owner of the burned out eyesore was a bit reluctant to say the least, when it came to fulfilling the responsibilities, that any responsible homeowner should be expected to do, when their property is struck by fire.

1. File an insurance claim
2. Deposit said insurance check
3. Hire a licensed contractor to repair or rip down the burned out structure.  

Now I agree the owner of the burned out eyesore did complete steps 1 and 2 but failed to even begin step 3 until the City applied months of pressure.

So with that I say Thank You

• Michael Simonson, Assistant Director of Operations: Who was instrumental in coordinating the overall project, from start to finish.
• Greg Barrouk - Director of Economic Development: Who quickly followed up on any, and all problems, questions, and concerns I had throughout the project. NOTE: Folks who know me, know I have tons of them, so this in itself was a rather large undertaking.
• Timothy J. Henry, City Attorney: Who quickly took care of the legal issues as they arose.

Like I said, I don’t get to say this often, but again thanks guys for your outstanding hard work. I truly wish every encounter with City Hall ended with results like these.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Truly Non-Stick

Once again folks we have the King of Non-Stick making the case that increased spending, and declining income is nothing to worry about. 

Now please forgive my ignorance folks. Remember I’m a simple hick from T-Town, but what I do remember from basic math is this: 

• 1 – 2 = Negative

But perhaps the reason King Tommy isn’t worried is he knows the foreclosure won’t happen under his watch. 

The next poor soul or “sap” who succeeds him will be the one to blame. The King has been blaming his predecessor for 8+ Years now. It would seem that strategy has worked well for him, and who could blame him?

FACT: We weren’t in this much debt when Old Tom was our mayor, So New Tom must be doing something right. After all even though we can’t afford to pay our bills we do have that Average (A) S&P Credit Rating to brag about.

Do we care about that analysts pointed to several areas of concern:

• A declining population, much of which is elderly.
• Unemployment higher than national averages.
• A declining tax base.
• A high poverty level.
• A limited local economy with low wealth and income indicators.
• Moderate-to-high overall debt levels.
• A low level of median household purchasing income.

If King Tommy is not concerned about these issues I guess we shouldn’t be either. I mean after reading his “What bank would lend you money if you couldn’t afford to pay it back?” statement in the Times Leader: "Debt City" , I know I can rest easy. 

• This is The WB nothing bad ever happens here!

I still wonder about all those folks who lost their homes when “some bank” lent them money they couldn’t afford to pay back, but that can’t happen to us Right? 

After all that was their problem, and likely caused by "Bad Management" Those fools did't have a plan to keep refinancing without ever having to pay back, like King Tommy's wonderful, creative financing package.  

So with that I say, come on folks stop whining already our King is doing his little part to singlehandedly bail out those poor disenfranchised, troubled banks, by increasing the cities debt by $74,750,344.00 during his administration, he is contributing to a greater good, RIGHT? 

• Like higher than average CEO bonuses? 

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Thank you Times Leader

• DEBT CITY?
• Situation a concern, Hirko says