Thursday, August 30, 2012

My Wife is the BEST Qualified

The Wilkes Barre Area School District held a special meeting last night. In spite of an attempt by Secret Service to investigate the business as usual policy of nepotism, secret back door meetings, and rampant legal fees.

At the meeting held earlier this month board member had planned to hire their family members, but those items were removed from the agenda, when Secret Service Agents served subpoenas on the board.

Now instead of complying with the Secret Service subpoenas, the board (all but Christine Katsock) opted to hire the law firm of Scartelli and Olszewski "to ensure that we will be in fair and full compliance with the subpoenas, served by the U.S. Secret Service at the board meeting two weeks ago, Toole said in a prepared statement.

  • If you wanted to be in full compliance with the subpoenas do you need a lawyer? At any rate thank you Miss Katsock for not voting to defend against the Secret Service subpoenas. I guess we can clearly see who has something to hide, and who doesn’t.

Hire my Wife:

The original agenda had bold printed names for all positions to be hired except 2 blank spots on the agenda, and when citizens questioned why those where left blank the board broke for a SPECIAL closed door meeting, that drew criticism.

"We don't know what's going on back there," said Frank Sorick, the head of the Wilkes-Barre City Taxpayers' Association, who called for the banning of all nepotism hires. "There could be naked pole dancers in there, for all I know."

  • Rumor has it, it’s not naked pole dancers Frank, but instead a knock out drag down fight. We were told that one male board member who is usually high tempered to say the least actually offered to punch another in her face. This same board member and his son (who wants to be a teacher for the district) were also rumored to have threatened to rough up Bob Kadluboski.

60 minutes later the board returned and had added the names of the wives of board member Robert Corcoran and Louis Elmy into those spaces.
In the end, neither was hired. James Susek, Maryanne Toole, Lynn Evans and Christine Katsock, voted to block the hires. Dino Gallela, Phillip Latinski and John Quinn voted in the affirmative, with each husband supporting the other's wife.

  • So Robert Corcoran and Louis Elmy abstained from voting for their own wife but did however vote for the others. Sounds like a fair trade!

Just before the meeting was called to an end Corcoran asked those who voted against his wife to reconsider, saying she was the best candidate for the job.
Several audience members, who are also part of a recently formed taxpayer watchdog group, reacted out loud. “If at first you don’t succeed, vote, vote again,” said Frank Sorick, president of the Wilkes-Barre City Taxpayers Association

  • True story, wow this is the first time Corcoran was ever told NO, and he didn’t know how to deal with it. He even became belligerent with Bob Kadluboski, asking if he was only speaking out because he wanted a job with the district. 
  • Wake Up Corcoran the Secret Service might assume that you were trying to bribe Bob to shut up.

A special Thank You to
  • James Susek
  • Maryanne Toole
  •  Lynn Evans  
  • Christine Katsock

For standing up for the taxpayers.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wednesday, August 29, 2012

Wake Up Hobbs

We reported yesterday that the City of Hobbs, New Mexico was getting a new city manager, and one that many in The W-B are happy to see go, but reading the comments on the TimesLeader, some seemed to think that Mayor Cobb of Hobbs either didn’t have Google access or was somehow snowed by our little kingdom.

Yet as reported by Bill O’Boyle of the Times Leader, Hobbs knew all J.J.’s dirty little secrets and chose to hire him anyway.

Mayor Cobb of Hobbs said he did check out Murphy’s background and his time in Wilkes-Barre. He said he was aware of the alarm system controversy.

  • WOW, Cobb’s gunna get robbed?  

Murphy in The W-B

“J.J. was a trusted adviser as my administrator, and Wilkes-Barre’s loss is certainly Hobbs’ gain,” Leighton said.

  • In other words, He knew where the bodies were buried! 

Murphy said. “I’m thankful to Mayor McGroarty for giving me my start in city government.

  • So that’s why you teamed up with the King to take him down. Gratitude!

Murphy said the corruption scandal in Luzerne County that led to convictions and guilty pleas of elected and appointed officials has tainted the reputation of the entire region. “Some people have painted all government workers with that same broad brush,”

  • No not everyone, just the Crooks who steal security systems, and gas

Murphy said. “This area will have a real challenge to motivate people in the future to get involved with government.”

  • Yea like stop attacking everyone who tries to make a positive difference.

Murphy’s new boss, Mayor Cobb of Hobbs, said Murphy was the unanimous choice of the city commission and himself.

“His administrative abilities impressed us, along with his military training and his responses to our questions,” Cobb of Hobbs said. “We liked what he had to say about his vision for our community and its future.”

  • Don’t say we didn’t warn ya Cobbie!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Related Links:

Tuesday, August 28, 2012

Good Riddance

Well it looks like The W-B will no longer get soaked for $300 - $400 per hour as J.J. Murphy has accepted the job of city manager for Hobbs New Mexico.

All I can say is good for The W-B, and God speed J.J. but at the same time I fear for poor J.J. without the Kings protection, I’m sure all will flounder once he tries to soak the good people of Hobbs for private home security systems, bad parking deals, an overpriced security camera network, or consulting fees for nothing.

Not Taking Family:

According to the Citizens Voice J.J. is going but he’s not taking the wife, and kids. 

  • WHY? Is he not expecting to keep the job long?


Murphy, 41, a married father of five daughters, said he plans to move to Hobbs right away. His family is going to move there after the school semester is over, he said. 

One can only wonder do we get our security system back now, and how long will this last, but at any rate, so long J.J. we wish you all the best, as long as you don’t come back.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Sunday, August 26, 2012

No Cameras for Hill People

It would appear that the management of a local housing complex, that has been the scene of many crimes here in Gotham City could care less that their complex has issues to say the least. 

Early this month a man was stabbed there, but yet management refuses to do something as simple as post a notice informing residents of a crime watch meeting.

In fact when the leader of crime watch showed up alone, (as she always does, because the city refuses to help crime watch even though they receive grants for such programs) to facilitate the meeting only to find the meeting room empty, she then asked the manager where the folks were, she was met with “What do you want me to do, pull people out of my hat” said the manager. 

I would have responded with “No but allowing us to post a notice would be NICE”

When the news paper had the audacity to ask why this complex didn’t have Hawkeye Security Cameras similar to the ones posted around the Kings elite residential community, the City’s Administrative Coordinator Drew Mc-Laugh-lin said that with recent cuts to Community Development funding and further cuts anticipated in coming years, “financing installation of security cameras for a privately owned facility would not be a priority of the administration with the funds available.”

“The private operator should bear the cost burden of such a proactive security measure,” Mc-Laugh-lin said.

While we do agree that the complex should own up to its responsibilities with regard to maintaining security at their location, untimely it is our city police who must continue putting themselves in harm’s way to protect the good residents in and around this complex, so with that it should be a priority there Mc-Laugh-lin!

Also it should be noted that if we “the city” weren’t coughing up $10,483.87 per camera to a campaign contributor of the King’s, and we were buying them at the actual price of just$977.30 per camera then perhaps we might be able to afford to properly blanket the entire city, and not just the Kings Castle.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Saturday, August 25, 2012

Legally Steal Gas

Don’t say we didn’t warn you. As reported by Wake Up Wilkes Barre back in June Let them EAT New Cars

Now thanks to Terrie Morgan-Besecker of the Times Leader City OKs vehicle purchase over gas

IF you’re caught stealing gas you’ll be punished with a NEW SUV

Terrie writes:

A city department head who was caught up in a controversy over use of city gasoline will no longer drive his personal vehicle on city business and instead will use a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee that’s being purchased by the city.

City officials said the decision to buy the nearly $28,000 SUV for use by Ken Pahler is part of an overall plan to purchase more vehicles for certain departments in lieu of paying mileage to employees who use their personal vehicles in their jobs.

Pahler will use the vehicle primarily to drive around the city, checking on crews doing paving, snow removal and other road work, said Butch Frati

  • Wake Up Butch the city is only 7 square miles, and our roads look like a war zone, so where is Kenny going?

Karen Ceppa Hirko and Frank Sorick, who closely monitor and often criticize city spending questioned the timing of the purchase.

“When they are no longer able to put city gas in their vehicles, that’s when the need for vehicles arises,” Sorick said.

In an email response to Sorick’s comments, Leighton said his administration “has never spent taxpayer’s money frivolously and we are not about to start now.”


“We continue to look for opportunities to upgrade the city fleet and this is no different. The vehicle is purchased for the department and not any individual and it will be only used for city work,” Leighton said.


“They have other vehicles that can do that. Why buy a brand new vehicle?” Ceppa Hirko said. “All he needs to do is keep track of his mileage.”

  • Karen please understand that you, and the rest of the Taxpayers Group pissed them off, and this is their way of retaliation!

Drew Mc-Laugh-lin the city’s administrative coordinator, defended the purchase, he said that city also wants to get away from paying mileage in certain departments

  • I bet they do Drew its too easy to get caught billing for personal use!

Mc-Laugh-lin also noted the SUV, which cost $27,482, is being purchased with money from the Liquid Fuels fund, which is funded by the state through taxes on fuel.

  • “The MUNICIPAL LIQUID FUELS PROGRAM funds a range of projects to support municipalities' construction, reconstruction, maintenance and repair of public roads."

“If someone’s on their way home and needs to stop for milk and bread at Schiel’s, do they use a city vehicle, or take the vehicle home and then go back to Schiel’s?” Sorick said.

Frati said it will be made clear the vehicle is only to be used for official business. He noted it will be marked with city decals, making it easy for residents to spot.

“If the public sees the vehicle out and they think it’s inappropriate, there are checks and balances … we will act accordingly,” Frati said.

  • Much like this one spotted the other day at Sams Club during LUNCH hour!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Saturday, August 18, 2012

THE W-B PAY 2 PLAY GAME


Looking back at this month’s Mayor’s Agenda we noticed some interesting line item resolutions approved by city council, then we compared these expenditures against the King’s campaign finance reports, and we were shocked. 
  • (Not really) 


Approved Spending

  • Brdaric Excavating $5,163.50  
  • Popple Construction $10,467.56
  • Joyce Insurance $645,447.00


Donations to the King’s Campaigns

  • Brdaric Excavating $4,200.00  
  • Popple Construction $14,450.00
  • Joyce Insurance $10,800.00



Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Friday, August 17, 2012

You will PAY for exposing Gas Gate

You may remember Let them EAT New Cars where Wake Up Wilkes Barre published part of an anonymous email from a citizen who said they overheard The King grumbling about the exposure of Gas Gate.

In that email The King was quoted "So they think their smart do they, well I will just go buy everyone new cars. Let’s see how they like paying for that"

As usual The King responded then with “Wake Up Wilkes Barre couldn’t be more wrong”, yet in The TimesLeader article W-B mulls action over Centax delays, here is the Purchase of a 2013 Jeep Grand Cherokee at a cost of $27,482 with Liquid Fuels fund. The vehicle will be used by the city’s Department of Public Works.

This extravagant purchase comes on the heels of The Kings loss of his so called “crowning achievement” when Standard & Poor’s downgraded the city’s A credit rating to “credit watch

Questions:
This Car Cost YOU $27,482
  • Why now, when our credit rating has been downgraded, and our borrowing ability seems bleak?
  • Why such an expensive vehicle?
  • What does DPW need this for?


Could it be that someone who was recently caught on camera by Wake Up Wilkes Barre taking City gas for his own personal use is now trying to punish all the darn folks who keep speaking out?

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:


Thursday, August 16, 2012

Lying Through Your Teeth

As I sat at city council tonight listing to Leo Glodzik owner of L.A.G Towing, the City’s towing contractor literally lying through his teeth to members of city council, I almost fell over laughing.

Leo said “the taxpayers do nothing but bash him and the Mayor at their meetings”. 


  • As if they (The Taxpayers) have noting else to worry about!

At the taxpayers meeting I attended they (the taxpayer board members) DID NOT bash anyone, and if Leo wants to email a copy of the tape where his Goons attacked the Taxpayers "in its entirety", Wake Up Wilkes Barre will air it for everyone to see, but rest assured folks he WILL NOT!!!

In addition Leo was whining about this blog’s case of mistaken identity, regarding the wicked witch who attacked the taxpayers at their last meeting, but made no mention of the retraction we printed clearing up the whole matter.

Get over it Leo, stop crying like a little baby. It’s very unbecoming of the girlfriend bashing, bad attitude yielding, bad boy we’ve all come to love to hate in this town.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre 

Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Gas Gate in Gumpville?

Gas Gate may be a hot button issue lately here in Da Hood but just search the internet for a bit and you’ll find that many towns across America have experienced their own version of Gas Gate: Where public officials have decided to help themselves to public gas.

Feeling that because they are doing city business at work that they are somehow deserving of a taxpayer ride to and from work. 

  • Just ask your boss to pay for your ride to work, I dare you!

Or that because they can’t even go to the supermarket for milk without being harassed by citizens complaining about one thing or another, that ride too should be billed to the taxpayers, and God forbid a citizen asks them a question at Kmart, that may entitle them to a Big Screen TV!

The major difference that we found between other towns across the country, and Da Hood, is that even in the small South Carolina town where the movie Forest Gump was filmed, when Gas Gate struck the town, law enforcement responded.


  • Now I know I’m asking for way too much! 

Thinking that any public official should be held accountable, pay their own way, or at the very least, pay us back for stealing gas on the weekend in their undershirts, but that’s just me.

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Tuesday, August 14, 2012

How long will the Mayor Thumb his nose?

Back on July 12, 2012 The Citizens Voice published W-B councilman calls for towing operator's firing

Yet The King continues to thumb his nose at former police chief and current Wilkes-Barre Councilman Tony George. 

Wake Up Wilkes Barre has added a running clock to our side banner to show The King’s total disregard for our City Council!

George has said he has reached a conclusion on LAG Towing owner Leo Glodzik: 
  • He should be fired. "I want his contract terminated," George said. "I want to make a motion (today) to request the mayor do it."

Like The Citizens' Voice, which obtained and reviewed five months of towing records, George said he found a number of discrepancies in Glodzik's billing practices, record-keeping and explanations.

  • $4,170: What Glodzik's annual city payment boils down to every month.
  • $3,440: What Glodzik reportedly made from city tows in December 2011.
  • $7,035: What Glodzik reportedly made from city tows in January 2012.
  • 142: Number of tows police reported from December 2011 to April 2012.
  • 76: Number of police-reported tows for which Glodzik does not have a record.
  • 164: Number of tows Glodzik reported from December 2011 to April 2012.
  • 98: Number of Glodzik tows for which police do not have a record.

According to the records obtained by The Citizens Voice as well as Gratefulhands.net, Glodzik cannot account for more than half of the vehicles police reported towed from December to April. One has to wonder why that might be?


To be fair L.A.G. Towing does pay the City $50,050 annually for his exclusive right to

  • An unlimited Police provided customer base
  • Set/Change Prices at will
  • Shred Public Records
  • Do whatever tickles his fancy
And if a citizen has an issue, they may likely hear from police (what one citizen heard) “I don’t give a F**K about your car”

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Friday, August 10, 2012

Gas Gate On Duty 24/7


The King has told us many times he is entitled to FREE GAS because he works for us (The People) 24 hours a day 7 day a week.

My guess is that explains why he fuels his SUV in his undershirt.

In all my many years living, working, and worshipping in the city I have never seen our King in his undershirt not even at Kmart!

My guess is this photo was taken on a weekend!

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Name That Goon

I know it’s a rarity when Wake Up Wilkes Barre is wrong, but like any good news source sometimes we do get it wrong.

A lot of our reporting comes from tips, from people just like you, in the previous posting Goon Squad Visit Taxpayers

We mistakenly identified the vicious blond Taxpayer Group attacker as Pilar Glodzik as that was what we received from a tipster. 

Understand we have never seen Ms. Glozick before and the photo emailed in had some striking similarities, but upon further investigation we found the attacker to be non-other than the King’s (mayor Leighton) neighbor, and City Beverage owner Cheryl Wright

Questions:
  • Why would the City Beverage Owner be so adamant on defending Leo?
We apologize for any inconvenience that report may have caused, please accept this retraction as our apologize.


Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Goon Squad Visit Taxpayers

If you missed the Wilkes Barre City Taxpayers meeting, you missed a good show, but not to worry folks the entire meeting was taped, courtesy of the head GOON himself, owner and operator of L.A.G. Towing, Leo Glodzik (Via Hired Cameraman).

L.A.G Towing (the city’s towing contractor) has come under fire by many citizens including a sitting city councilman and former chief of police.

L.A.G has been cited for price gouging and illegally disposing of cars without first sending a certified notice. Leo Glodzik himself has admitted in court that he has not maintained records. 

I do not expect the video to be shown in its entirety. I presume he will show just the clips of the Taxpayers board members responding to several personal attacks.

This may include Leo posting a clip of President Frank Sorick losing his temper after the Goons refused to allow an 83 year old Word War 2 army veteran a chance to speak.

It was argued that desperate folks resort to desperate measures, and it’s no coincidence that as the heat has been turned up on Leo and the King due to recent events being made public by this group, that now ALL the members of the WBCTPA have come under fire by the GOON SQUAD.

This reflects the fact that L.A.G. is running scared as his strategy is to personally attack the group.

By all accounts it would appear that Leo has resorted to the same old Wilkes Barre City Policy! Don’t answer the questions attack, and attempt to discredit the questioner.

The Wilkes Barre City Taxpayers Association, and their members DID NOT gouge anyone, steal gas or cars, but yet they are attacked for standing up, and fighting the regime.  

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Monday, August 6, 2012

Total Un-Enforcement

Back in 2008 the city applied for and received TWO grants to buy a NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM called Total Enforcement, that could link every police car to the 911 system as well as the police station.  The first grant totaling $500,000 from Gaming money, then in 2011 the Mayor announced the second grant from Department of Justice's Community-Oriented Policing Service technology program for $300,000 to by a Records Management System. 

This system should interface with 911 and other law enforcement agencies. However most other local cities, and municipalities use "Visual Alert® Records Management" system, and they all interface together.  Furthermore, Total Enforcement comes preloaded with all New York data that must be removed before city police could add anything of PA!

To date the city has spent $526,616 on equipment and training. The rest ($273,384) God only knows, but the problem with this "NEW RECORDS MANAGEMENT SYSTEM" is that even though the city paid over a half a million dollars for this system it is not working correctly as of today, and it would seem the city could care less! 

City spokesman Drew Mc-Laugh-lin said officials are working with Frontier Communications, the city’s Wi-Fi provider, to address the connectivity issues and expect to have the problems resolved in the next few months.

“The strength of the signal is intermittent,” Mc-Laugh-lin said. “If the Wi-Fi is coming in and out, that’s not reliable. We’re trying to solidify it so there’s never an issue.”

Mc-Laugh-lin said officials believe the problem can be resolved by attaching an antenna to the cruisers, that would strengthen the signal. The city is in negotiations with Frontier regarding that matter.

  • Just a thought, but if Frontier could make it work since 2008 perhaps it’s time to drop them!
  • Also we all know just how fast technology changes, that being said would this still be the best system in today's market?

“It’s one of those things with their gear and how they do their job in driving the vehicle,” Mc-Laugh-lin said. “It was an unforeseen complication we didn’t know until it was installed.”

  • It’s like seeing the King texting at council meetings. It’s just one of those things with his gear and how he doesn’t do his job!

Officer Phil Myers, president of the police officers union, said officers are anxious to get the system running. “It will definitely make it a lot easier to do a report on the road instead of having to come back,” Myers said.

  • Don’t hold your breath Phil it’s only been in the works since 2008!!!


More to the Story:

History of Total Enforcement in Luzerne County:

"Between March 2006 andOctober 2007 - Former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak, Deputy Chief Clerk Bill Brace, housing authority board member William Maguire and Human Resources Director Douglas Richards, who were incarcerated for corruption were involved in attempting to purchase a law enforcement records management system from two former New York City police officers named Grub and Luongo. Maguire, who was a law-enforcement consultant to the county government at the time, told the FBI that one of the former New York officers paid county officials thousands of dollars during a trip to New York to discuss an initiative to develop a county-wide computerized crime-reporting system."

This system is called "Total Computer A.K.A Total Enforcement". By the way the county never bought it, but the city did.


One of the two former New York City police officers who formed the corporation, William Grub, wined and dined county officials on trips to Manhattan and gave each of them New York City Police Department key chains attached to small boxes stuffed with up to $4,000, according to a pre-sentence report prepared by federal probation officials in Richards' case. Click here, Documents: Ex-county officials received gifts from ex-NYC officers 


Just another coincidence?

Now I call your attention to the missing credit card statements that the city claimed never existed, but the average Joe obtained via subpoena. In the event you forgot click here for They do exist!

The August 2006 statement of for former cityadministrator J.J. Murphy shows 3 rooms were charged at PARK CENTRAL HOTEL FD NEW YORK NY, which by the way was also the same hotel that Former Luzerne County Human Resources Director Douglas Richards stayed at when he went to NYC (click here to see county bill)After digging further, Joe obtained receipts concerning this charge. That shows who went to NYC.

On that trip:
  • J.J. Murphy
  • King Tommy
  • Police Chief Gerry Dessoye
  • Police Officer Matthew Stash

In 2008 - A grant totaling $500,000 was given to the City of Wilkes-Barre from "Casino Gaming Money" for a county-wide law enforcement records management system. "Total Enforcement". Click here for 2008 State Awards Gaming Money

May 2011 - "Mayor Thomas M. Leighton announced Tuesday, May 10, the start of the next technological evolution of the Wilkes-Barre Police Department.

The Records Management System [RMS] funded by a $300,000 RMS grant secured by the city will transition the department to a completely electronic records system." "Total Enforcement". Click here for 2011 City Press Release


Total Grants: $800,000
City Spent:      $526,616
Missing:           $273,384

  • Bids??? Oh boy... who said bids? 
  • To date citizens have requested copies of the bids relating to Total Enforcement, and the city has not complied!!!!

This trip seems awfully coincidental to the trips of former Luzerne County Commissioner Greg Skrepenak don’t ya think?

Especially considering the city bought the very same system that the former county commissioner got in trouble for attempting to buy through the Bribe Process, not to be confused with a Bid Process, which by the way was not followed either.

Breakdown obtained from Right to Know requests:

TOTAL ENFORCEMENT- Police Records Management System

3/09/10 Quote from DELL - $394,665.00
1st Phase- $ 95,845.45
2nd Phase - $ 289,819.56 Training
3rd Phase - $ 9,000.00

Checks with invoices received for system:
DELL
$ 22,544.97
$ 13,990.14
$ 162,097.25
$ 292,899.55
= $ 491,531.91
AND

Invoices received for system with NO checks included:
DELL
$ 1,878.22
$ 745.36
= $494,155.49

Checks with invoices received for system:
LIGHTSPEED
6/29/ 11 $ 9,000.00
FRONTIER
6/27/11 $ 24,820.00
Are these yearly fees ?
The city also pays a Licensing fee yearly.
L-TRON- Barcode Scanner
$ 1,264.40

Included in with invoices received for system:
3/16/10 For Cruisers ( NOT BEING USED) as of today.
Computer Mounts
5- Impala -$ 4,054.20
10- Impala- $ 8,054.30
1- Caprice/ Crown Vic - $ 805.43
2- Durango- $ 1,612.64
Installation fee for 18 cruiser laptop mounts - $8,282.16
12 Laptops for cars -$ 15,698.88
Total for cars = $ 38,507.61

Wake Up Wilkes Barre

Source:

Wake Up Wilkes Barre TV