Welcome to the Coatesville Dems Blog

Public Corruption in Chester County, PA

I believe an unlikely mix of alleged drug trafficking related politicos and alleged white nationalist related politicos united to elect the infamous “Bloc of Four” in the abysmal voter turnout election of 2005. During their four year term the drug business was good again and white nationalists used Coatesville as an example on white supremacist websites like “Stormfront”. Strong community organization and support from law enforcement, in particular Chester County District Attorney Joseph W. Carroll has begun to turn our community around. The Chester County drug trafficking that I believe centers on Coatesville continues and I believe we still have public officials in place that profit from the drug sales. But the people here are amazing and continue to work against the odds to make Coatesville a good place to live.

Sunday, May 31, 2009

QUIET WAR

Please note that some of this is opinion from a person who looks at church service collection and immediately thinks money laundering.

Also understand that if you want “something done” in Chester County Democrats can’t help you. The Republican Party however, has been solidly entrenched Chester County since about 1856. And the political power structure here in Chester County is very slowly changing.

I believe that there is a quiet war going on among Eisenhower Republicans and extremist leaning Republicans in Chester County. Unfortunately I believe that Extremist Republicans now hold a majority in the Chester County Republican Committee.

I believe that in the past certain people have had what I call “protected person” CCRC status that follows them into our court system. Richard Legree Jr. and Clayton Ayers Jr. are in my opinion two examples of that “protected person” syndrome. Mark Ethan McFall may be an extreme example. Mark Ethan McFall former owner of McFall's Towing in Valley was alleged to have Chester County Republican Committee connections and Philly and Delco organized crime connections that extend into Chester County. Some allege that it is the reason that he “got off easy” so many times in the past. I’m not sure but I think that the publicity over the suicide of one of his alleged victims in New Jersey along with his many arrests here may have overwhelmed the “protected person” status of McFall in Chester County Republican circles. Some people have also hinted that McFall may have traded information for special considerations. See:

”Prison for owner of tow-truck business”
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2008/02/02/past%20stories/19957473.txt

Some evidence of that “Quiet War” in Chester County may be the school board elections in the Borough of West Chester.

The involvement of “Chester County ACTION” and Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School (PALCS) may be a manifestation of that “Quiet War”.

Einstein Academy virtual school had its charter revoked for financial mismanagement and failure to provide services. Dr. James Hanak was the CEO of the Einstein Academy. Dr. James Hanak is now the CEO the Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School.

See “Wired.com”:
http://www.wired.com/culture/education/news/2002/08/54737?currentPage=all


http://www.palcs.org/

Pennsylvania Leadership Charter School board members and past members include:

John Wingerter Republican committeeperson; Chief Academic Administrator, PALCS

Shannon Royer, former Republican committeeperson and West Chester Borough Council member, candidate for state legislature

Andrew Lehr, Republican candidate for West Chester Borough Council, 2007

Terence Farrell, Chester County commissioner and Republican committeeperson.

Thursday, May 28, 2009

Schenk's "Sermon"

Coatesville City Councilperson Kurt Schenk's "Sermon" delivered before the Coatesville City Council Meeting.

The text that Schenk used in his “sermon” is taken from the wording of the “The Prayer of Repentance”; Delivered January 23, 1996 by Pastor Joe Wright of the Central Christian Church to the Kansas House of Representatives in Topeka.

“Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask your forgiveness and seek your direction and guidance.

We know your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good," but that's exactly what we've done.
We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and inverted our values.

We confess that we have ridiculed the absolute truth of your Word and called it moral pluralism.

We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.

We have endorsed perversion and called it an alternative lifestyle.

We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.

We have neglected the needy and called it self-preservation.

We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.

We have killed our unborn and called it choice.

We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.

We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building esteem.

We have abused power and called it political savvy.

We have coveted our neighbors' possessions and called it ambition.

We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.

We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us O God and know our hearts today; try us and see if there be some wicked way in us; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent here by the people of Kansas, and who have been ordained by you, to govern this great state.

Grant them your wisdom to rule and may their decisions direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the name of your son, the living savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen."
Click here:
http://web.archive.org/web/20070407061139/http://www.centralcc.org/NewsNow/JoeArticles/JoeRepentancePrayer.html



One Democratic Kansas House member said it "reflects the extreme, radical views that continue to dominate the House Republican agenda since right-wing extremists seized control of the House Republican caucus last year."

From Snopes:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/prayernation.asp



This is about one half of the "sermon". The complete "sermon" was not recorded.

Is this what he is going to do for the rest of his term?

Listen here:

http://www.box.net/shared/56ohay8jms

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

The Agenda for tonight’s Coatesville City Council Meeting May 26, 2009

There are two action items:
Regular Action Items
1. Receive and consider a Resolution to approve Barbacane Thornton Company services to conduct 2008 Audit.

2. Receive and consider a Resolution to appoint Tax Collection Committee Delegate.

A PDF of the Agenda is here:
http://www.box.net/shared/f0lbyjn79x

WINE TASTING FUNDRAISER for the CRIME VICTIMS’ CENTER OF CHESTER COUNTY

"The Crime Victim Center does a great job, but they have been hit with some funding cuts from the state and federal government this year. This fundraiser is intended to raise funds to cover at least some of the reduction so they can continue to provide a full range of services."

Chester County District Attorney, Joe Carroll


First Annual CVC Wine Tasting

Sunday, June 7, 2009
3:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.


Join CVC for an afternoon of fine wine and hors d’oeuvres at the Stargazers Vineyard to benefit Victims of Crime & Violence

20% of the purchase price will go to the Crime Victim Center of Chester County.


For more information, call 610-692-1926 or e-mail sues@cvofcc.org.

PDF OF INVITATION HERE:
http://www.cvcofcc.org/files/Invitation09Large.pdf

Stargazers Winery is located at 1024 Wheatland Drive in Coatesville.
For more detailed directions, please visit their website at:
http://www.stargazersvineyard.com/content/201

“The Crime Victims’ Center of Chester County, Inc. provides free and confidential services to victims and their family members and significant others who reside in or were victimized in Chester County, Pennsylvania.

CVC, also known as the Rape Crisis Council of Chester County, Inc., is the designated Sexual Assault Center for Chester County. CVC provides services to victims of all types of crime and violence including, but not limited to: rape, sexual assault, incest, sexual harassment, child abuse, elder abuse, homicide, assault, robbery, identity theft, drunk driving, stalking, and bullying.”

http://www.cvcofcc.org/


Poem- "I AM YOUR BARBIE DOLL"
Pseudonym:
Madison
http://www.cvcofcc.org/node/69

Sunday, May 24, 2009

Read: "Don't ask me what happened on Tuesday"

It's by, Bob Carville, the copy desk chief for the Daily Local News.
Published: Saturday, May 23, 2009
Daily Local News
http://www.dailylocal.com/article/DL/20090523/NEWS/305239987

I picked the parts about Coatesville right away; “they're running a back-room scheme to squeeze money out of the system.” and “any candidate who refuses to answer the League of Women Voters questionnaire should be automatically disqualified”.

In 2005 no one from the “bloc of four” showed up for the League of Women Voters candidate’s forum in Coatesville. Kurt Schenk did not respond to any calls, letters or emails from the League of Women Voters. Patsy Ray, Robin Scott and Kareem Johnson called the day of the event and said they couldn’t make it.

It would not make any sense for relatively unknown candidates to miss an opportunity for public exposure. There could be only one reason. It was very obvious to me that the “bloc of four” candidates had something to hide.

It was a first for the League of Women Voters in Chester County. They were furious. They told me they were never insulted like this before.


DO SOME OF THE CANDIDATES RUNNING IN THIS ELECTION HAVE SOMETHING TO HIDE:


Eric Lacerte responded to the League of Women Voters of Chester County questionnaire but did not answer the question.

ONLY FOUR CANDIDATES RESPONDED AND REPLIED TO THE QUESTION:

Karl Marking
Joseph Hamrick
Matthew Baker
Ingrid W. Jones


THERE WAS NO RESPONSE AT ALL FROM:

Falaq Lucas no reply,
Patsy Ray no reply
Kurt Schenk no reply
Joseph J. DiSciullo no reply
Calvin Culclasure no reply
Winifred Mayo no reply
Fran Schnering no reply
Beverly Phillips no reply
Kenneth Allen no reply
Jarrell Brazzle no reply


The "2009 Voters Guide • Sponsored By the League of Women Voters of Chester County COATESVILLE CITY is here:

http://palwv.org/chesco/vote09/index.htm

Friday, May 22, 2009

Just in case any budding snitches out there are listening:

Prosecutors and detectives like evidence with all the t-s crossed and i-s dotted that can be presented in court.

It is very seldom that easy. Any intelligence that can lead to obtaining more evidence is desired. It might be a missing piece in a puzzle.

So if you know something don't keep it to yourself.

And the political climate here is changing it might be a little safer to snitch and still keep your job.

I would suggest calling the FBI.

Read today’s editorial in the DLN

It is long distance writing but even so you have to ask where the writer’s head has been for the last four years.

The writer did not mention that Brazzle’s boss is Harry Walker. Did he bother to find out?

When someone writes authoritative commentary they, at the very least, need basic knowledge of what they are writing about.

Election results another step in city's makeover:


http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/05/22/opinion/srv0000005397250.txt

Thursday, May 21, 2009

Was Harry Gordon Walker III’s letter a campaign piece for Patsy Ray and Kurt Schenk?”

Walker's "From the City Manager" was hand delivered allegedly by teenagers paid by the City of Coatesville.

The City of Coatesville bulk mail is not first class and takes between 2 and 4 weeks to be delivered.

It had to be hand delivered to reach people before Election Day.

Is it a campaign piece for Patsy Ray and Kurt Schenk paid for by the taxpayers of Coatesville?

"From the City Manager" is now in the press release section of the City of Coatesville website:
http://www.coatesville.org/forms/CityManagerletter051309.pdf

Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Highlighting Recent FBI Public Corruption Investigations

Press Release
For Immediate Release
May 20, 2009 Washington D.C.

FBI National Press Office
(202) 324-3691

Highlighting Recent FBI Public Corruption Investigations

Public corruption is one of the FBI’s top investigative priorities—behind only terrorism, espionage, and cyber crimes—and is the top priority of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division. It can affect everything from how well our borders are secured and our neighborhoods protected to verdicts handed down in courts to the quality of our roads and schools. It also takes a significant toll on our pocketbooks by siphoning off tax dollars. It is estimated that public corruption costs the U.S. government and the public billions of dollars each year.

“Public corruption erodes public confidence and undermines the strength of our democracy. In investigating these crimes, the FBI can leverage tools such as undercover operations and electronic surveillance to root out those who betray the public trust,” said Assistant Director Kenneth W. Kaiser of the FBI’s Criminal Investigative Division.

http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel09/highlight_052009.htm

JARRELL BRAZZLE FIRST LEARNED THAT HE AN PATSY RAY HAD THE VERY SAME POLITICAL COMMITTEE WHEN HE SAW THE PRINTED MATRIAL

They are both supported by the “COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE”.

However on Election Day Jarrell Brazzle said that he first learned that the same campaign committee called the “COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE” that supported and printed nearly identical campaign material for Jareel and for Patsy Ray was when he saw the campaign ads and handouts.

Jarrell said that he called the people that managed his campaign material and told them that he was very angry to see the printed material connecting him with Patsy Ray.

Jareel made it very clear that he had no connection at all with Patsy Ray and was not running with her and disliked the association with Ms.Ray.

Mr. Brazzle intends to contact the Daily Local News and declare his independence from Patsy Ray and Harry Walker.

Monday, May 18, 2009

PEOPLE THAT LIVE HERE IN CHESTER COUNTY PA CAN SAY: WHAT RECESSION?

Check out the Associated Press Economic Stress Index measuring economic stress by county in the United States Interactive Map.

You will see that Chester County, PA has one of the very lowest Economic Stress numbers and lowest unemployment numbers in the United States.

It helps you understand why Chetty Builders feels that they will have no problem selling their condos here in Coatesville, Chester County, PA.

It’s crime keeping people away from Coatesville; not a recession. If Coatesville was not drug trafficking central for Chester County, PA the real estate market here in Coatesville would be in HOT.

And, demographics show us that the hottest portion of the real estate market for decades to come is the condo-townhouse market for Baby Boomers and young people starting out. The McMansions may turn out to be “white elephants” in the real estate market.

Chetty is a very well respected experienced builder who is still making money is an over all depressed economy. Bart Blatstein is a very well respected experienced builder who is still making money in a depressed economy. They are both interested in Coatesville…Mmmm

Some Samples from the AP INTERACTIVE MAP:
THE NUMBERS FOR CHESTER COUNTY, PA are

"AP Economic Stress index 6.65
Unemployment 6.1%
Foreclosure 0.21%
Bankruptcy 0.38%"

Just a few samples from places you might know:

Sacramento County, CA

"AP Economic Stress index 16.58
Unemployment 11.3%
Foreclosure 4.44%
Bankruptcy 1.58"

Bucks County, PA
"AP Economic Stress index 8.73
Unemployment 7.5%
Foreclosure 0.69%
Bankruptcy 0.64"

Westchester County, NY
"AP Economic Stress index 8.30
Unemployment 7.2%
Foreclosure 0.79%
Bankruptcy 039%"

San Diego County, CA
"AP Economic Stress index 12.97
Unemployment 9.3%
Foreclosure 2.87%
Bankruptcy 1.21%"


Have some fun checking out the Associated Press Economic Stress Index Interactive map at:
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/files/specials/interactives/_national/stress_index/index.html?SITE=YAHOO&SECTION=HOME

Saturday, May 16, 2009

PATSY RAY & JARRELL BRAZZLE team up to RUN FOR COATESVILLE CITY COUNCIL

It looks like the bloc could get a new member named Jarrell Brazzle. It looks like Patsy Ray and Jarrell Brazzle are running as a team. They are both supported by the “COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE”.

They claim to be Democrats but Patsy Ray was the Mistress of Ceremonies for Republican Candidate for Chester County Commissioner Terence Farrell at the Masonic Hall in Coatesville. THAT IS MORE THAN ENOUGH FOR PATSY RAY TO BE BANNED FROM ANY KIND OF DEMOCRATIC MEETING FOREVER.

See the attached flyers:
http://www.box.net/shared/gxi72nylab

Does the color photo on Patsy’s flyer look familiar? It is the same one that was on the PatsyRay.com where she talked with the thinly disguised voice Ernie Campos playing Moses Coates about herself in Coatesville.

I would add one more way that Miss Patsy has “served her community”. She wrote a letter to Judge Howard F. Riley Jr. in support of her drug dealer friend.
See “Ray’s support for drug dealer a concern for city

Friday, May 15, 2009

Lavender Running Illegally

A news article in today’s Daily Local News concerning the elections for MDJ in Coatesville’s Magisterial Court 15-1-03; the Daily Local News failed to point out that it is illegal to run for office as District Magistrate Judge and be employed by a government agency at the same time.

Even a candidate for Coatesville City Council cannot take office and work for any government agency. Ask Calvin Culclasure, he recently withdrew his candidacy. He was unaware that people who work for a government agency cannot take for office without first resigning their job. Since the position as Coatesville City Council member does not pay very well, the decision is an easy one to make.

But Lavender is very well aware that she is breaking the law.

It came up in Judge Ott’s courtroom on Friday March 20, 2009. Lavender has been working as Hennessey’s Legislative Aid and running for Magistrate District Justice. She made the claim to Judge Ott that she is employed by the House Republican Caucus and not Tim Hennessey. Judge Ott quizzed her further and asked what it says at the top of her paycheck. Linda Lavender replied, "Commonwealth of Pennsylvania”. Lavender stated that Tim Hennessey told her that she could run and work as a legislative aid at the same time. She told Judge Ott that Rep. Tim Hennessey would write a letter explaining it to Judge Ott. Judge Ott said that she would like to see that letter.

In spite of Judge Ott very well pointing out that Lavender is an employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania Lavender continues to break the law and run for election. Lavender did not have sufficient valid signatures to be on the ballot for Magistrate District Judge in Coatesville. She was taken of the ballot for this reason. If there was sufficient time she could also have been removed by the ballot by proving in court that she was is employee of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

I think that it is a spectacular failure of news reporting for the Daily Local News to not include the fact that Lavender is running illegally as MDJ and would be removed if she won the election. Her “certification” may be also be removed by the Judicial Conduct Board whether she wins or not. She may even have some difficulty in keeping her job as Hennessey’s Legislative Aid.

The Daily Local News article is here:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/05/15/news/srv0000005341236.txt

Thursday, May 14, 2009

I decided to add this as a post instead of a reply

I revised the introduction to the Coatesville Dems blog to reflect exactly what it is I do here.

I decided to add this as a post, instead of only a reply, to this comment of the post SMALLWOOD DISBARRED ATTORNEY SMALLWOOD MOSAIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS:
“I would like to see someone do a background check on the candidates for City Council. I am sure all of them have made some mistakes in their life. This is a good company. Instead of trying to smear their name perhaps people should argue the merits of the proposal!”


I stand by what I have said about Mosaic and I can back it up if necessary.

I have checked for any criminal records of all the candidates in this and all other elections since I have lived in Chester County. At times I have hired CFR-Cloud, Feehery, & Richter, Inc. when I had trouble finding information myself.

I have law enforcement contacts at local and Federal levels.

Since this is Coatesville, PA it is not surprising that a few of the candidates now running in this local Election do have felony convictions that they are hiding. If they should win I will do what I can to remove them from office.

The candidates supported by the Coatesville Democratic Party have no criminal records, not even misdemeanor criminal records. That is part of the reason they were chosen.

It is my opinion that pubic corruption in the City of Coatesville is at a truly astounding level.

In some parts of Coatesville the social life is a closed loop of families that go back for generations. Not necessarily a bad thing. “Coatesvillians” are a very friendly and loving people. I have spent some very good and memorable moments with long time Coatesville residents.

Think of Coatesville like a village in Sicily or the suburbs of Naples. It is not that bad here. The drug dealers here are not even close to being as effective or as brutal as the Mafia or the Camorra. But I think that the money from drug trafficking trickles down and spreads into nearly every corner of Coatesville and is major portion of the economy and political life here. The fact that many people know not only your immediate family but nearly all of your extended family and where they live makes it very easy to for a climate of fear to spread in certain areas of the city. The money and the fear make people be inclined to not hear or see things.

It is very hard to sit and listen to the victims of violent crimes here tell their stories. I don’t know how the police, district attorneys and social workers can do it.

I believe that public corruption and organized crime in the form of drug trafficking is the primary impediment to the redevelopment of Coatesville.

The current administration eliminated the CPD Narcotics Division, the CPD Bicycle Patrol and a Police Lt. who is said to have more knowledge of the players in drug trafficking than any other single person and that District Attorney Joe Carroll said was extremely important in his investigations. Joe Carroll said “I want Lieutenant Matt Gordon back”. Joe never got him back. Those facts arouse my suspicions about the city administration.

I believe that Coatesville has the potential to become the primary destination place in Chester County PA; but right now it is the primary destination place of anyone who wants to move “product” in Chester County.

That needs to change.

I believe that we need a massive increase in drug trafficking enforcement to do that. That level of drug trafficking enforcement does not need to be permanent. It does need to happen so that drug crime Coatesville is ordinary manageable level like it is similar cities like Phoenixville or West Chester. When that is achieved the redevelopment of Coatesville will be possible.

Federal Warrant to review city finances

I believe that this whole mess cries out for a Federal Judge to issue a warrant (not a subpoena) to review all city records so that USDoJ forensic accounts can do a complete forensic investigation of the city finances.

See Jennifer Miller’s “Coatesville Roundtable” blog “:

“Completed Task?
City Manager Harry Walker said at last night's City Council meeting that Donald McKensie, city consultant turned acting finance director somewhere along the line, is no longer with the city. Walker offered no detailed explanation for the exit, except to say McKensie had ‘completed his task."
Click here for more:
http://www3.allaroundphilly.com/blogs/dailylocal/coatesville/2009/05/completed-task.html

Was his "task" to sell an accounting system that may be a very costly mistake for the city in the near future?



SOME OTHER QUESTIONS

The City of Coatesville won a decision in Commonwealth Superior Court; “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania v. RST Partners (Amrit Lal), Appellant” in the amount of $110,000 for 98 Coatesville City Codes violations. The finial reward may include attorney fees. It was never collected. The people at the Clerk of Courts Office in West Chester are wondering why?
http://www.aopc.org/OpPosting/CWealth/out/1416CD06_6-28-07.pdf

Read the article below for some commentary on RST Partners concerning zoning violations in West Chester Borough.

Borough Wins Big in Zoning Dispute
[Posted March 2, 2006]

"According to a memo from Housing Officer Michael Perrone, this is probably the largest award for a zoning violation in Pennsylvania history, but it is not the largest penalty ever levied against RST. On January 6, 2005, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported that one of RST's principle partner (described as "an inveterate litigant") was ordered to pay $26,000 to the Borough of Modena for violations over a thirteen month period. The reporter added that the partner has "a reputation for stretching his frequent disputes with municipal building inspectors into protracted courtroom dances" and quoted Chester County Court Judge Thomas Gavin's estimate "that he has presided over at least 100 real estate cases" involving the same individual in the last five years."
More at:
http://wcjim.com/news/newsarc8.htm


What about the unauthorized withdraw of approximately one half million dollars from the trust fund by Harry Walker
and an undisclosed Coatesville City Council member? What happened to that 1/2 million dollars?

I think that those things could be just the tip of the iceberg.

Does the Coatesville government look like an easy make for every con artist within 3000 miles of here?

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

More local governments mean more chances for public corruption and less State and Federal investigators per local government.

The final result is that the States with the most local governments have the most corruption. And Pennsylvania is one of the states with the most local governments.

I believe that the same is true of school districts. Complex budgets make stealing easier to hide. The more separate local school districts in a state the fewer forensic accountants per school district and the more potential for a clever thief to believe he or she will never be caught.

A portion of corruption is also discovered by investigative reporting. Investigative reporting of fraud takes a lot of skill, time, and access. It is usually but not necessarily done by larger news organizations.

Diligent, courageous school employees with high ethical standards frequently seem to be the people who discover fraud. The bottom line is more school districts equals more fraud. This should be considered in Governor Rendell’s effort to consolidate and reduce the number of school districts in Pennsylvania.

See Dr. G. Terry Madonna’s excellent “Politically Uncorrected Column-Corruption: No Longer an Iffy Proposition in Pennsylvania”
http://www.fandm.edu/x22228

Also see “Police, Politics, Corruption: The Mixture Dangerous to Freedom and Justice” by Col. Frank McKetta former Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner
Mcclain Printing Co (June 2000)
:
Also see “The Report to Congress of the Activities and Operations of the Public Integrity Section of the United States Department of Justice”:
http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/pin/docs/arpt-2007.pdf

Did the Coatesville City Council just give us a Riverwalk in a deserted industrial brownfeild?

Did they shoot down the largest taxpayer in Coatesville again when he made a proposal to build in Coatesville?

In March of 2006 Carl Chetty of Chetty Builders was set to begin construction when he and 5 of his staff were at the Coatesville City Council meeting. Chetty Builders was on the agenda for Conditional and Final Approval of his plans for “Pennock Place”. A large scale model of the Chetty’s proposed 3rd Avenue and Lincoln Hwy building known as “Pennock Place” sat in the front of the crowded meeting.

What followed was one of what I would call moments that make the “bloc of four” City Council unique among American municipal governments. In my opinion the inexperienced city council led by their inexperienced and allegedly incompetent municipal councilor did not know what conditional and final approval was. Hint, they could have made a zoning variance for some extra parking places one of the conditions for final approval.

Following Andrew Lehr’s advice they tabled Chetty’s plans and forced the builder to toss out nearly a year of back and for the between City Council, RDA, Planning Commission and Zoning Commission. The development clock had run down and this was Chetty’s last chance before he would need to start the entire process over from the beginning.

The new Coatesville City Council and Coatesville City Government’s very first significant act in the redevelopment of Coatesville was to kill the chance of that redevelopment in the near future. Chetty and his staff were not permitted to make the presentation that the large scale model of “Pennock Place” was a part of. In my opinion they were treated in an abusive manner and practically thrown out of the meeting room.

No one in Coatesville or Chester County benefited from the Coatesville City Council’s actions that day. With one glaring exception; those in Chester County who benefit from the drug distribution business here were to flourish. A Federal Prosecutor once told me that; “Coatesville was ready to flip and then these new people came in”

Read an article about that Meeting of March 27, 2006 here:
http://www.box.net/shared/uuukr2f5j5



Back to Monday night’s meeting; the Coatesville City Council appeared to be more interested in coming to the point of adjournment than in hearing Chetty’s proposal. To the Credit of both Andrew Lehr and Harry Walker they were supportive of Chetty's proposal.


Hear what Carl Chetty said at the last Monday’s May 11, 2009 Coatesville City Council meeting here:
http://www.box.net/shared/0juszyu5nb

A link to the article Jen Miller wrote in today’s Daily Local News, “City council rejects flats plan” is here:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/05/13/news/srv0000005321961.txt


And what was this mysterious meeting that Ernie Campos alluded while discussing changes to minutes at the RDA meeting of July 17, “Mr. Pawlowski asked Mr. Campos if any one accompanied him to his meetings with the developer” Mr. Campos changed the minutes to add “prior to Mr. Campos being an RDA member”
Click here:
http://www.box.net/shared/6q2t2pt7xt

The minutes of the June 19, 2006 RDA meeting is here:
http://www.box.net/shared/k0cdcer6dx

When asked if she goes to PA 26 Rep Hennessey’s office Patsy Ray said, "I go there and I can go there any day of the week "

From the Coatesville City Council meeting of July 24, 2006

Linda Lavender is running for Municipal District Judge even though she works for the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania as Tim Hennessey’s Legislative assistant in Hennessey's Coatesville office.

In court, when her petition signitures were challenged; (she did not make any ballot) her answer to Judge Ott’s question as to “what is at the top of your pay check?” was “Commonwealth of Pennsylvania". Judicial candidates cannot hold a government job and run for election. Lavender is running for Judge anyway.

I guess she does not understand that in the extremely remote possibility of her winning she would be removed and the Governor would appoint.

Do you think she is being used to draw votes from Greg Hines?

Here she is advising the Coatesville City Council at the Monday May 11, 2009 meeting; another no- no for judicial candidates:

Patsy Ray speaking at the Monday May 11, 2009 Coatesville City Council meeting. The commotion in the background is the ranting of Kurt Schenk as he walked out of Monday’s Coatesville City Council meeting:

I believe that the blog post that both of them are speaking about is:

Sunday, May 10, 2009
WAS MOSAIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, LLC CREATED TO OWN THE RDA'S FLATS PROPERTY?
http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2009/05/was-mosaic-development-partners-llc.html

All the other people sitting at the table at the Coatesville City Council kept silent about Mosaic.

The Judicial Conduct Board of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
http://www.judicialconductboardofpa.org/ConductOfDistrictJudges.html#Rule3

The Code of Judicial Conduct
http://www.cjdpa.org/geninfo/djcodeconduct.pdf

Tuesday, May 12, 2009

October 22. 2007 The Coatesville Administration did not know that 200 police would march side by side into the City Council Meeting

From the Chester County Reporter:
"Five months ago the police department was a mess,’ said Schenk. Matthews was hired in April. Schenk said many of the police officers who departed didn't want to work for a black chief. ‘If that's the reason they left, they need to be gone,’ he said. Statements that angered District Attorney Joe Carroll.

‘The department was not a mess before Chief Matthews came here,’ shouted Carroll, pointing his finger at Schenk. And to say these officers left because of racism is outrageous.’ Schenk later retracted his statement regarding officers not wanting to work for a black chief, saying it was based on rumor.”

Joe Carroll is a very quiet spoken gentleman. He rarely raises his voice. Joe's hands shook as he said the words below. A recording of Kurt Schenk’s Comments and Joe Carroll's response at that meeting is below:

http://www.box.net/shared/tieit04ix8

An article in the Chester County Reporter is here:
http://chestercountyreporter.com/100policeturnout.html

Kurt Schenk was doing OK at last nights Coatesville City Council Meeting.

He was very reasonable and sensible. He got a little loud but was doing OK. Then suddenly a demon took possession of him and threw himself out of the room. Once out of the meeting and in the hall the demon continued to shout incomprehensively.
Listen here:
http://www.box.net/shared/6snfnq3hyu

Sunday, May 10, 2009

WAS MOSAIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS, LLC CREATED TO OWN THE RDA'S FLATS PROPERTY?

Michael T Whitlow's law office in Coatesville was and still is a sort of hot traffic spot for several city council members including Patsy Ray and Kareem Johnson.

Patsy Ray publicly stated at a city council meeting that she gets out of bed every morning at eleven thirty and drives to PA State Rep. Tim Hennessey's office in Coatesville. She stated that she spends the afternoon at Hennessey's Coatesville Office with her friends, Tim Hennessey's Legislative Assistant, Linda Lavender and Kareem Johnson’s sister; Lisa Johnson, Hennessey’s Administrative Assistant.

Lavender also had an alleged association with Whitlow. I have even witnessed Lavender and Michael Whitlow going in and out of her employer Rep. Tim Hennessey's office each carrying cardboard file boxes. I could not tell what was in the boxes.

Tim Hennessey's Legislative Assistant Linda Lavender also allegedly spent many days in Whitlow's office in Coatesville at 118 E Lincoln Highway.

Tim Hennessey's Legislative Assistant Linda Lavender also sat in at least one Executive Committee Meeting at City Council Meetings.

So we have at the very least an alleged person to person link between Tim Hennessey's office staff, at least two Coatesville city council members and Michael Whitlow.

There is also an alleged person to person business link between Michael Whitlow and Mosaic Development Partners, LLC's owner, Leslie Smallwood. Leslie Smallwood was disbarred in Pennsylvania and New Jersey for "knowingly misappropriating clients' trust funds in the amount of at least $139,500. Smallwood's co-council representing that unfortunate client was alleged to be Michael T Whitlow.

So allegedly, Smallwood and Whitlow had a business relationship well before the creation of Mosaic Development Partners, LLC on July 7, 2008.

Did Smallwood, Lehr, Walker, Johnson, Ray and Lavender know each other through Whitlow before Mosaic was created?

Mosaic Development Partners, LLC was created on July 7, 2008 at 4950 PARKSIDE AVE STE 506, PHILADELPHIA PA 19131 just two weeks before they made their pitch to develop the flats at the Coatesville RDA meeting on July 21, 2008.

Was Mosaic Development Partners, LLC created for the purpose of buying the "flats"?

Did Andrew Lehr or Harry Walker or Linda Lavender or Patsy Ray or Kareem Johnson have a hand in the creation of Mosaic?

Saturday, May 9, 2009

"BAD AND OUTRIGHT DISINFORMATION"

As Coatesville “bloc of four” member Kurt Schenk puts it in his broadcast email:
“There has been so much incorrect information and outright disinformation put out about the City in recent years that it can often be confusing to sort it all out. It is especially unfortunate when the main source of bad information is the county’s only daily newspaper, which should be a source that people can trust.”

Here is just one blatant example of what “bloc of four” member “The Magnificent Mr. Schenk” might call “bad information”. It is somewhat critical of his beloved Harry Walker.

The Daily Local (dailylocal.com), Serving Chester County, PA

"Fed up with city crime, merchant moving out
$2,300 in merchandise stolen from her store

Saturday, May 9, 2009

By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer

COATESVILLE — A business owner is looking to move her shop out of the city after someone burglarized it early Thursday morning.

"I give up. I give up trying to run a business in this town," said Stephanie Zook, who has owned Image is Everything here for three years…"
More at:
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/05/09/news/police/srv0000005298456.txt

MORE OF WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

When the plans to revitalize Coatesville were made; jobs for Coatesville residents were not forgotten:

Bart Blatstein and all other developers building in Coatesville RDA land were compelled by Coatesville Redevelopment Authority contract to hire qualified Coatesville residents first, then Coatesville School District residents, then Chester County residents and finally from any area. But the construction industry, especially the high rise building construction using Steelworkers Union workers, can be dangerous and demanding. It demands trained and skilled workers.

You can make demands for developers to hire Coatesville residents but if there are no residents that qualify for the jobs they will be filled by outside people.

Some Coatesville community activists, religious leaders and government representatives got together with a plan to train willing Coatesville residents for those jobs in a trade that they could carry with them all through their lives.

Coatesville activists Elwood Dixon and Bill Washington, Andrew Dinniman (then Chester County Commissioner), PA Career Link, The Laborer's District Council Education and Training School and former Coatesville City Manager Paul Janssen (sorry if I forgot anyone) formed and put in place an education and training program at the Laborer's District Council Education and Training facility in Exton, PA for Coatesville residents.

That education and training program has so far enrolled more than 200 Coatesville residents and residents from the Coatesville School District. Coatesville residents signed up and took preliminary testing at several sessions in the Hutchinson Church, on Chestnut St. in Coatesville.

Even drug users were not turned away. If you passed the written test and failed the drug test you could still enter the program by enrolling in a drug rehabilitation program. Upon completion those students will be and many are ready for employment as apprentice construction workers in various union trades.

Many Coatesville residents could have pointed out one of Bart Blatstein’s buildings and said I helped build that; could have.

WHAT COULD HAVE BEEN

It was Bart Blatstein that first realized the potential of the large tract of new undeveloped land in the center of Coatesville created by the brownfeilds that were then becoming available.

The assets of Coatesville are:

• A large tract of undeveloped land on one of busiest intersections in Western Chester County

• Easy access to major North and South and East and West Interstate Highways.

• A mid size airport with international capability just outside the city limits

• Coast to Coast Amtrak service at the Coatesville train station

• Much lower costs for property and lower construction costs than Philadelphia

• A small city of nearly 11,000 with the infrastructure already in place to accommodate a city of 20,000 residents

• Rolling bucolic countryside partly occupied by a group of extremely affluent people just outside of the city limits.

• Last but not least a city with a “sense of place” where you wake up in the morning look out of a window at the hills and homes and know exactly where you are. Something that Elizabeth Plater-Zyberk, Dean of the Miami School of Architecture said was “to die for”. See the “Coatesville Charrette Report and Urban Design Plan":
http://www.box.net/shared/4g292ny6nn


Bart Blatstein was the person who got the other developers thinking about Coatesville. He was the man whose interest in Coatesville inspired Baker Properties to purchase land in Coatesville right out from under another developer during the three days that he was getting funding together. And Baker sealed the deal sight unseen from New York City.

Bart Blatstein brought other developers to see Coatesville as a gold mine for development. The youth of Coatesville also saw possibilities for a future Coatesville as a place to go to instead of a place to get away from. But the downtrodden older residents of Coatesville saw no possibility of change and were even uncomfortable thinking about change. And maybe most importantly some of the more bigoted residents in nearby townships could not see any possibilities in what they considered a “black” city. They even had their zip codes changed so that Coatesville would not be a part of their address.

Plans for the revitalization of Coatesville once lined the meeting room at City Hall. As recently as a month ago, I overheard City Council Members at Coatesville City Council meetings talking about those plans for Coatesville drawn up by Bart Blatstein’s company; "Tower Investments". They talked about the crazy absurdity of something like that being built in a poor run down town like Coatesville and what a sham artist Bart Blatstein was. To this day the mention of Bart Blatstein among some members of the Coatesville City Council will bring derogatory comments for his “off the wall unrealistic plans for Coatesville”.

I remember how Bart Blatstein was pilloried with shouted cat calls by "bloc of four" supporters when he talked about his plans at Coatesville City Council meetings. I remember how Bart Blatstein was vilified and treated as a liar and fake by the "bloc of four" supporters. The shouted out mantra of the “bloc of four” supporters was; "IT WILL NEVER HAPPEN HERE".

It looks like the "bloc of four" came through on that promise.

They drove Bart Blatstein away from Coatesville.


Check out what could have been. Check out what Bart Blatstein did in a section of North Philly that was once much tougher than what we have in Coatesville:

"Friday, May 8, 2009
Piazza opens in N. Liberties
$100 million project creates a destination

Philadelphia Business Journal - by Natalie Kostelni Staff Writer

For nearly a decade, developer Bart Blatstein has coddled, envisioned, worked on and tweaked his bold plans for Northern Liberties. Now, at a cost of $100 million, he is completing one of the most integral parts of his vision for the Philadelphia neighborhood.

Called the Piazza at Schmidt’s, it is the second of three phases of Blatstein’s overall redevelopment plan for the area surrounding the former Schmidt’s Brewery at 2nd Street and Girard Avenue. There his company, Tower Investments, has assembled more than 100 parcels totaling 28 acres and invested a total of $150 million since he embarked on refashioning the neighborhood beginning in 2000.”

More at:
http://www.bizjournals.com/philadelphia/stories/2009/05/11/story1.html

Tower Investments website:
http://www.towerdev.com/

Friday, May 8, 2009

SMALLWOOD DISBARRED ATTORNEY SMALLWOOD MOSAIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

Do we want to put the future of the City of Coatesville in the hands of this person?

Are we going to let the Coatesville City Council do just that on Monday night?


Just in case anyone has any doubts that the disbarred Attorney Leslie Smallwood and the owner of Mosaic Development Partners is not one and the same person.
Follow the trail:

From the Daily Local News:
“During the meeting, Smallwood-Lewis and Reaves referenced big projects they previously worked on with people such as Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter. But those projects were not handled by Mosaic; the projects were done while at their previous employer, the Goldenberg Group.”
URL: http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/04/29/news/srv0000005215387.prt


"Leslie Smallwood
Director of Development
The Goldenberg Group
Updated
Q2/2007
Barack Obama
$1,000
1437 ACADEMY LN
Elkins Park PA"

From: http://fundrace.huffingtonpost.com/neighbors.php?type=emp&employer=The+Goldenberg+Group

MOSAIC DEVELOPMENT PARTNERS

"Leslie Smallwood-Lewis
Principal, Managing Member
BA, Psychology, Brown University/JD Villanova University
• Over 17 years of legal and real estate development expertise
• Acquired and developed highly-visible real estate projects in Philadelphia
• Knowledgeable in all aspects of Acquisitions, Entitlements, Development and Public Financing"
From Mosaic Website:
http://hstrial-greaves1.homestead.com/index.html


"LESLIE A. SMALLWOOD
Admitted: 1981; Elkins Park (Pennsylvania)
Disbarment - 176 N.J. 506 (2003)
Decided: 6/20/2003

APPEARANCES BEFORE SUPREME COURT
Richard J. Engelhardt for Attorney Ethics
Respondent failed to appear

The Supreme Court of New Jersey held that disbarment was the only appropriate discipline for an attorney who was disbarred in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania for knowingly misappropriating clients’ trust funds in the amount of at least $139,500."

From the Supreme Court of New Jersey:
http://www.judiciary.state.nj.us/oae/oae2004.pdf


From:
"U.S. Bank National Association,
F/K/A BANK NATIONAL ASSOCIATION TRUST
ACTING SOLELY IN ITS CAPACITY AS
TRUSTEE FOR EQCC HOME EQUITY LOAN TRUST
1999-1
C/O SELECT PORTFOLIO SERVICING,
INC. 3815 S. WEST TEMPLE
SALT LAKE CITY UT 814115-4412

PLANTIFF

VS.

LESLIE A. SMALLWOOD, A/K/A LESLIE
A. SMALLWOOD-ROBINSONS, A/K/A
LESLIE A.SMALLWOOD-ROBINSON,
A/K/A LESLIE ROBINSON
1437 ACADEMY LANE
ELKINS PARK, PA 19027

COURT OF COMMON PLEAS
PHILADELPHIS COUNTY

NO: SEPTEMBER TERM 2004 NO.1447"
From:
http://www.phillysheriff.com/3129/211/211-367.PDF


"The Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania
Attorney ID: 62764
Smallwood, Leslie A.
HISTORY
Suspended
DB No. Date Comments Opinions
69 DB 2001 05/14/2001 Emergency Temporary Suspension
Disbarred
DB No. Date Comments Opinions
69 DB 2001 06/13/2002 Disbarred on Consent"
http://www.padisciplinaryboard.org/pa_attorney_public.php?id=62764&attname=Smallwood%2C+Leslie+A.+&violations=0

Thursday, May 7, 2009

Whitlow and Smallwood

Was Coatesville attorney Michael Whitlow co-counsel on one of the cases which led Leslie Smallwood’s disbarment?

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Sunday, May 3, 2009

The “Fat Boy” sang, but it is far from over in Coatesville:

Richard Legree Jr. could have gotten more than 100 years. His sentence is 2 years (concurrent) incarceration and 8 years (concurrent) supervised release. Do you think that “Fat Boy” has special protection?


UNITED STATES DISTRICT COURT
EASTERN DISTRICT OF PENNSYLVANIA

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
V.
RICHARD LEGREE, JR

JUDGMENT IN A CRIMINAL CASE


CLICK HERE FOR THE JUDGMENT AND THE GOVERNMENT'S SENTENCING MEMORANDUM:

http://www.box.net/shared/disuv5gm2a