About John Pawlowski and Graffiti

From Graffitii

A few years ago John Pawlowski made all of us aware of the graffiti in Coatesville and surrounding communities. I think he did us a much bigger service than most people realize.
When Chief Matthews took over and Coatesville Police began to leave and it came down to one officer on duty for the entire City at any given time, the word got around that “business is good again” in Coatesville. I believe that gangs like MS-13 and Latin Kings and "Crips"took notice of the money making opportunities in Coatesville. I believe divergent gangs like the “Crips” and SUR-13 were trying to build a presence in Coatesville. The graffiti was escalating from local kids to national gangs.

From Graffitii

The East Fallowfield Police arrested 3 people with SUR-13 identifiers on January 5, 2008. SUR-13/Surenos is a Mexican derived gang. MS-13 is a much bloodier Salvadoran derived gang. MS-13 and SUR-13/Surenos are now linked and both can be considered MS-13. The SUR-13 gang members arrested by East Fallowfield Police may have been associated with the Maryland gangs.
See:
More signs of MS-13 gang found

Daily Local News January 7, 2008

From Graffitii

The ATF has an extensive investigation into gang members in Maryland that led to arrests:
MS-13 GANG LEADER PLEADS GUILTY TO RACKETEERING OFFENSES INCLUDING THE MURDER OF A WITNESS

Coatesville surprises graffiti-buster with an honor

By Kathleen Brady Shea

Inquirer Staff Writer

City celebrates John Pawlowski Day

Published: Thursday, November 25, 2010

By KATRINA DIX, Staff Writer

A lot has changed since the “Save our Farm” thing is over

A lot has changed since the “Save our Farm” thing is over and the “Bloc of Four” is gone.  Among all the municipal governments in Chester County Coatesville may now have what could be the most open government in the county. And Chester County may as a whole have the most open municipal governments in Pennsylvania. Even with the “Right to Know” laws many Commonwealth municipal governments do their business in secrecy. They only vote in public.

The attempted revitalization of Coatesville may seem dissimilar to building the Perkiomen Trail but I think there are parallels to both.

The Perkiomen Trail connects the Schuylkill River Trail  with Green Lane Park. You can take a bike ride or walk from Green Lane Park to the Art Museum in Philadelphia. We had Montgomery County Commissioner and District Attorney Mike Marino  spearheading the 11 year drive to build the Perkiomen Trail.

If you we among the people like me who helped to make the Perkiomen Trail a reality you may be familiar with the tactics of property rights groups. People who witnessed the activities of the Saha supporters at the Coatesville City Council meetings saw a mirror image of the harassing and threatening atmosphere that was created by property rights activists at public meetings concerning the Perkiomen Trail. Before the trail was built someone even allegedly strung wires along usable portions of the Perkiomen Trail to snag a horse back rider’s or bicyclist’s head.

Just as in Chester County we also had Skinheads (now called Keystone United) and KKK in Northwestern Montgomery County. I was a planning commissioner in Lower Fredrick Township but I did what I could to move a group of skinheads out of a townhouse development in Schwenksville that harassed the families living nearby. A present day resident told me that skinheads and KKK still have their “ceremonies” along the Perkiomen Creek. I think the Skinheads and KKK are not happy with people and State Troopers on the Perkiomen Trail near their “ceremony” areas. I also think the people that allegedly grow their own marijuana are not happy with the people and State Troopers on the Perkiomen Trail. I was already familiar with those kinds of issues when I moved back to Coatesville.

Some property owners along the Perkiomen Trail were allegedly growing their own and didn’t want more eyes on them. I believe a there was a somewhat parallel opposition to the Revitalization of Coatesville among the drug dealer community here in Coatesville. Just as in Phoenixville revitalization in Coatesville would move the drug dealers off the streets. If Coatesville attracted new businesses and grew its population back to 20,000 residents, those 8,000 new residents most likely would not have extended families in the area. The “newcomers” could not be easily intimated by the “don’t snitch” culture in Coatesville. Drugs would probably sold elsewhere but I think that revitalizing Coatesville would be a major blow to the drug business in Chester County. I believe that the USDoJ agrees.

At one of the first Coatesville City Council meetings that I came to I asked Mr. Saha a question about why he wasn’t negotiating with the Administration. I was immediately surrounded by a group of about 10 people shouting Communist at me. I saw almost the same thing at Perkiomen Trail meetings. I immediately started gathering information about extremists, the drug business, organized crime and public corruption in Chester County. From my time in Montgomery County I knew about what to look for I just needed who. 

At some of the meetings during the Janssen Administration we had 5 or more Coatesville Police, some in plain clothes, for security at Coatesville City Council meetings. 

As I see it the biggest change at the Coatesville City Council meetings is that City Council members and the general public no longer feel threatened. The extensive public participation at City Council meetings that you now see was a rare event during the Janssen Administration and “Bloc of Four” Walker Administration. I believe that Coatesville now has everything in place to move forward. 

Roymar Hall is back

If as the Daily Local News stated “About a third of the 24 units will be occupied by returning residents” maybe my neighbors walking their dogs by Roymar Hall won’t start complaining about being asked if they want to buy drugs again. But it is still owned by The Community, Youth and Women's Alliance so we’ll wait and see.

Roymar Hall reopens in Coatesville (video)

Published: Tuesday, November 30, 2010

I think this is the "Canary in the mine" story for our Republican Party Fox collaboration “journalism".

Accurate, truthful news is almost non-existent in most of what most people read, hear or watch.

 November 16, 2010

Too Good to Check

By THOMAS L. FRIEDMAN

"On Nov. 4, Anderson Cooper did the country a favor. He expertly deconstructed on his CNN show the bogus rumor that President Obama’s trip to Asia would cost $200 million a day. This was an important “story.” It underscored just how far ahead of his time Mark Twain was when he said a century before the Internet, “A lie can travel halfway around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes.” But it also showed that there is an antidote to malicious journalism — and that’s good journalism."

 Even local “news” on Fox can be a distorted version of what happened:

Where did the story about ramming and shooting come from?

Also see: “Media Giants: Who owns what?”

“You're the crack addicts of the world.”

Sometimes all the trees get in the way of seeing the forest. This is an outside the forest view:

There is an interesting comment on an article in “The Hill”; “Financial crisis cost households $17 trillion, Treasury official says” By Jay Heflin - 05/03/10 02:42 PM ET

"The country was not founded - nor did it outpace the rest of the world on the principle's you are espousing’ - RON KIRSCH

Actually it was founded on what we in Australia would call "a fair go".
Your system is far from fair now.
It was founded on a set of principles that are ignored now.
It outpaced the rest of the world because it was well managed. Zero debt, plentiful resources, money that held its value, and no expensive wars until WW2.
None of that is true today.
You're the crack addicts of the world. You bash countries for oil, you borrow money from everyone and never pay it back, and you've sold everything you had for the next feel good moment.

You're fast running out of feel good moments. I fear the US comedown is going to be globally devastating. There's nothing more scary than a crackhead on a comedown.”

BY MYNE on 11/27/2010 at 19:18

Big sound of the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah at the Eagle in Wanamaker’s or Macy’s

One of the John S. and James L, Knight Foundation’s “Random Acts of Culture”

Fantastic!

Opera Company of Philadelphia Rallies Over 650 Singers To Surprise Macy’s Shoppers With A Random Act of Culture

10-30-2010

“With the Opera Company of Philadelphia Chorus as a core, over 600 singers from area choirs, accompanied by the famed Wanamaker Organ – the world’s largest pipe organ – surprised shoppers at the Center City Philadelphia Macy’s with a spontaneous rendition of the Hallelujah chorus from Handel’s Messiah.  (Please see below for a full list of participating choruses!)”

In October of 2003 the City of Coatesville was a beneficiary of the Knight Program in Community Building. This document came out of the Charrette:

Knight Foundation in Community Building 2003 Charrette Report

More information is available on the City of Coatesville website here:

Knight Foundation in Community Building 

Shopping and safety

I believe that shopping malls try to keep thefts and assaults on customers from reaching the press; headlines about customers being robbed when the walk to their car in the mall parking lot are bad for business.

I believe that cars are stolen at the malls in the Delaware Valley at a similar rate to the number of cars stolen in the worst neighborhoods in Philadelphia. So park in a well lighted spot.

People who have spent their lives in the suburbs tend to not have as much “street smarts” as people who live in urban areas and walk a lot. The suburbanites don’t look at the people nearby and might not pick up that someone is following them with a plan to rob them in the parking lot. It’s the holiday season and in a crowd it’s harder to pick up that someone is following you.

Also keep in mind that there could be disgruntled security people who might look the other way when someone is robbed.

The malls do everything they can for your safety but the malls are a lucrative target for thieves. And the thieves do everything they can to work around mall security.

If you are a shopper who thinks you are safer at a suburban shopping mall then you are in downtown Coatesville it might just be your perception of safety.

Daily Local News

Crimefighting for the season

Published: Friday, November 26, 2010

Some people are going around Coatesville saying “we won.”

"Probation for legislative aide involved in illegal drug transaction

Coatesville leaders seek leniency for Lisa Johnson"

“Leaders”; Patsy Ray, Harry Walker and a disbarred attorney? Is the Daily Local News trying to make a joke about Coatesville? Is it “Amos and Andy Time” at the Daily Local News?

In Coatesville a shooting can go down in front of eight people and nobody saw a thing. I think its stuff like this that reinforces the belief that you’re better off being blind and deaf to what’s wrong.

When I go to the courthouse the people connected to the business in Coatesville know I was there before I get back home. What happens to a witness or a jury member?

Some people are going around Coatesville saying “we won.”

But who lost?

I talked to someone that was called a snitch and told that “we’re coming for you when you least expect it.” That’s one of the people who lost. 

The problem is that goat has already left his hoof prints in the rug.

I believe the petition presented to Coatesville City Council to put Coatesville City Manager Ted Reed on leave was sort of misplaced aggression. Like I said before I do not believe there was an actual conflict of interest in Mr. Reed helping Coatesville to get a rate reduction from the PUC. Mr. Reed’s expertise in water department management may have helped us get the best deal we could.

The new sewage treatment plant really does not involve the City of Coatesville. We have about 12,000 residents. We once had 20,000 residents and the old sewage treatment plant could have easily accommodated Coatesville’s population rebounding to 20,000. In other words Coatesville already had its share of the sewage treatment plant covered for maybe a decade.  

The sewage treatment plant is mostly for a once expected about 10,000 new housing starts in Valley Township and additional new homes in other municipalities. And then the worldwide mortgage derivative Ponzi scheme collapsed and we had nearly had a worldwide great depression.

There is still a probability that more housing will be built.  But if those new housing starts begin 10 or more years from now I think most of them will be in Coatesville or within close proximity to the train station.  

The reason I think most of the new development will be in Coatesville is, to put it in a bluntly, because in 10 years the price of gas will almost certainly be more than five dollars a gallon and may possibly be more than ten dollars a gallon. We will have electric cars but the lowest cost option will still be public transit. The days of cars, interstates and spread out suburban development are history.

I think Karl Chetty’s thinking that Coatesville could be a city of 100,000 is not farfetched. I think the six or more bedroom “trophy homes” on half acre lots certainly will be a relic of the past long before their intended life cycle is over. In other words I think the sewage treatment plant will be used to its capacity but not be used as it was originally intended.

But until the housing starts begin a smaller population is stuck with paying a bill designed to be spread over a much larger population.

All this is very hard to explain to the people who are stuck paying the bills. They are looking for a scapegoat. I think those people who signed the petition will look at last night’s Coatesville City Council meeting as an effort to sweep their petition under the rug. The problem is that goat has already left his hoof prints in the rug. We didn’t even start paying the increased bills. It’s a dangerous thing to do.

Read Karl Marking's latest blog post:

My Thoughts on Mr. Reed’s Petition Rebuttal

For more of what I wrote about the petition put "petition into the Google Search This Blog on Coatesville Dems blog

Mr. Pulver, “It has to happen, now or never.”

The “almost culmination” for the Marriott Hotel Project City of Coatesville Solicitor Mr. Carnes discussed the legal aspects of the resolution with Council. The settlement may take a few days to complete.

Representing Oliver Tyrone Pulver Corporation, Mr. Weiss- At - 2:38:

“I’m here with Don tonight and we’re finalizing the resolution and we’re anxious to move forward. We accept everything that’s in the resolution and tomorrow morning I will send John what I hope is our final draft of the 3 documents. The set aside money that will secure the $529,000 that comes from the Commonwealth’s grants and that money will be set aside to secure for the public improvements that we have to do. There’s a separate agreement with PennDOT that’s not included. And I was here a couple of weeks ago and we talked about the traffic light. And you were kind enough to adopt a resolution to make the application to PennDOT for the highway occupancy permit for the storm sewer improvements. And that has all been approved by PennDOT.”

“The reason that the settlement will take some period of time is these projects have a lot of moving parts. There is the Redevelopment Authority. There is Tax Increment Financing. It involves several taxing bodies. Everything that John mentioned here tonight. There are documents that have to be gone over by the County and the Commonwealth. So we were hoping to commence the settlement December 1^st but I found out tonight it’s going to be December 17^th. Once we have this resolution of Council and we finalize the documents with John than that’s a major segment of the project that will enable us to wrap up everything else.”

Mr. Don Pulver, “The settlement has to conclude by the 16^th thereabouts in order to lock the rate on the TIF bonds. That’s the end date that we have to hit or else we’re going to have a bust because we can’t get the tax exempt bond that we need for the TIF.”

Mr. Brazzle, “So when are we going plan to break ground now then. Did the date change to break ground?”

Mr. Pulver, “Yea, Well you see the contractor has to get organized down to the closing, go out and order all the raw materials for the plan. So that would take him as much as 5 weeks after the settlement before you get groundbreaking.”

Mr. Brazzle, “So a rough estimate, before March for ground breaking?”

Mr. Pulver, “O yes, O yes.”

Mr. Weiss, “And then Don, from the time that construction of the hotel begins, when is the approximate time when the hotel will be completed?”

Mr. Pulver, “About 13 or 14 months. That includes all of the furniture and fixtures kitchen equipment and all the stuff that goes into a hotel. All that stuff is over $2 million dollars worth. And that can’t really go in until after the construction is almost finished or it will ruin it.”

Mr. Simpson, “So then I guess we can assume that everything is in place for financing. Everything pretty much once this resolution is approved and we get the easements squared away. Nothing’s holding us back.”

Mr. Pulver, “Everything’s touch and go today. Everybody’s trying to stop us every inch of the way. But we refuse to be stopped.”

Mr. Weiss, “There is not anything about this project, from my experience, any different from any other project of this type. Where the Commonwealth participates and the investors are drawn to the project by the government’s support, including this City’s support. But again it’s complicated and as Don says its touch and go. But every building has been built that he’s been in this touch and go situation. So I don’t have any reason to think that this one won’t get done.”

Mr. Hamrick, “About a year and a half ago I heard you speak and you were like kind of optimistic. You didn’t know whether it was going to happen or not. So this whole thing has come a long ways.”

Mr. Weiss, “I’m always optimistic. I thought Michael Vick was going to score 60 points last night.”

Mr. Hamrick, “Over a year ago, it just seemed like; well we have 5 years to do this. I mean it could happen.”

Mr. Weiss, “No this is it.”

Mr. Pulver, “It has to happen, now or never.”

Mr. Simpson, “Now or never. The time is now.”

“I’m talking about money that you send over there and she takes in.”

Ingrid Jones has a law enforcement/criminal prosecution and litigation background. City Councilperson Ingrid Jones picked up that the records in Finance and Codes are not reconciled in the same business day. They are not reconciled until the next business day at the earliest. Before last Thursday none of the Coatesville City Council members were aware of that fact.

Ms. Jones, “Ms. Bjorhus, Excuse me, I’m not a mathematician but say he gives you a day’s work. Twenty five, whatever it is applications, how long do you think it would take you to add those figures yourself?” 

Ms. Bjorhus, “Ten minutes.”

Ms. Jones, “Ten minutes, OK and do you think in that time you could come up with the same figures he does? The same figures that you turned over there.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “The dollars.”

Ms. Jones, “Everybody stop, so maybe he should have a cutoff time, have his work done. Have a cutoff time by say 4 o’clock. You get the figures over there. You could have them done before the day is over.

Ms. Bjorhus, “Right, but I think where the problem is also coming in is, when the day is over, work is being entered into the system without the money being paid. But they’re starting the work on the permits.”

Mr. Molina, “We have to begin the process…There’s a fee assigned to the permit. OK, but they’re not issued until they’re paid. Now there may be a variance of ones that…have been tabulated because there’s still additional information coming in. But that variance isn’t a large variance.”

Ms. Jones, “I’m talking about money that you send over there and she takes in.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “The money, I don’t believe is an issue.” Yes, the moneys…

Ms. Jones, “O, it’s an issue.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “The money that comes over and goes into the GL, we’re doing everything at this point in time to confirm that the money is going into the GL. But I think that why, as I first understand it, that as Mr. Molina just said they start processing. They start working on the permit without taking in money. Those dollar figures are in the MyGov system.

Ms. Jones, “Well how many people’s hands would that money pass through? The money that he gets, when it comes to your office does it just pass through your hands or several hands?

Ms. Bjorhus, “It would go through whoever was the cashier there’s two cash stations.

Ms. Jones, “OK”

Ms. Bjorhus, “And then whoever batches out and then whoever confirms the batch out against the GL, so three people.”

Mr. Simpson, “I guess my point is that if you’re not reconciling and it’s matching every day there’s obviously an opportunity for that money to just disappear. And with what you’ve provided, the information that you’ve provided to the press last week, that would be one of the first places that I would look. And I’d try to get it settled and get to where… You went to the press and said there’s $160,000 that you think is missing somewhere.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “Well that was in the audit.”

Mr. Simpson, “But, so if the audit says there’s $160,000 and we don’t know where it’s at. And now you have an opportunity where these two aren’t matching. I would start there and say, well let’s get this fixed first. Because the longer we go the more opportunity there is for someone to abuse the system…I don’t know, maybe I’m making it too simplified.”

Mr. Hamrick, “You’re right Mr. President and we’re at the point, let’s fix the things that can be fixed now.”

 Ms. Bjorhus, “But right now…when we take in money at the window we reconcile to the batch. There’s a way that you go when you enter its three options; check, or credit card or cash. When we batch out we have how many cash, does the cash match? Yes. How many checks? Do the checks match? Yes.  Then we spot check to make sure that all the checks are identified. Credit cards, how many credit cards?

Mr. Simpson, “But is it matching his?

Mr. Hamrick, “It should match..”

Ms. Jones, “Does he sign off on it like, so it shows that you two have the same amount of money?

Ms. Bjorhus, “Mr. Molina should probably be about one quarter of the receipts we took in for the day. And no, we’re not provided with Mr. Molina’s receipts for the day. And additionally, Mr. Molina, if you ran his daily totals from his MyGov system. I think would always have more because no process without payment.”

Mr. Molina, “But that’s, we have to do that. That’s the only way we can begin the process.”

Mr. Simpson, “But at the end of the day you know what the actual cash transfer is.”

Mr. Molina, “We can make that distinction.”

Mr. Simpson, “You can make that adjustment. Let’s say you could have $1,500 in permits pending and out of that $1,500, because you started the process you actually took in cash that was $1000 that day.  You would be able to distinguish between the two. Correct?”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Simpson, “That you have $1,000 in cash and $1,500 pending.  So they’re going to get something for $1,500 so they should know that $500 is pending and $1,000 is cash because…"

Mr. Molina, “But they’re not picking that up.”

Mr. Reed, “They would only get $1,000.”

Mr. Simpson, “Which makes it even easier. Because you’re saying the numbers that you have here are actual cash that you’ve handled.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s right.” 

Mr. Simpson, “You may have another $20,000 in pending stuff that you haven’t even included in these numbers.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “But is that a distinction that you make today?”

Mr. Molina, “No, no that’s the way the system operates. We don’t make that distinction.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “You can take a look at it and say this is work in process and this is actually, this is what’s accrued.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct. Basically issued, there would be permits issued and we could generate a value.

Mr. Hamrick, “Yea, you could generate a value of what has been paid. You could tell us what has been paid.

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

There was a comment about my post on November 19th

Budget Workshop “We’ve got to find that money. Where’s it going, out the door?”

1 COMMENTS:

Anonymous said...

Nice work Jim - What a mess. Right hand doesn't know what the left hand is doing. Cavalier attitude about 'we'll get to it later' by the City yet the taxpayers are the ones who are getting screwed. Just amazing the amount of apathy in this town.

NOVEMBER 21, 2010 2:53 AM 

POST A COMMENT

This is a new Coatesville City Council. I believe that any possible “cavalier attitude” among the city staff is left over from the “Bloc of Four” council.  This new city council called for a forensic audit of the city’s finances:

A resolution to allow the Chester County District Attorney’s office in conjunction with the Federal Bureau of Investigation to immediately conduct a forensic audit of the City of Coatesville’s finance and reality transactions for the purpose of determining evidence of obstruction of justice, misdirection of funds, willful negligence and actions of criminal intent by the city administration and or council." Coatesville City Council Vice President Karl Marking at the January 4, 2010 reorganization meeting of the Coatesville City Council

The missing $162,000 figure allegedly shows up in both the forensic audit and the audit of the 2008 Budget that Thornton Barbacane will present on Monday evening.

Below is a part of the discussion at the Budget Workshop of Thursday November 18, 2010:

Mr. Simpson, “I guess my point is that if you’re not reconciling and it’s matching every day there’s obviously an opportunity for that money to just disappear. And with what you’ve provided, the information that you’ve provided to the press last week, I’d be one of the first places that I would look. And I’d try to get it settled and get to where… You went to the press and said there’s $160,000 that you think is missing somewhere.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “Well that was in the audit.”

Mr. Simpson, “So if the audit says there’s $160,000 and we don’t know where it’s at. And now you have an opportunity where these two aren’t matching. I would start there and say, well let’s get this fixed first. Because the longer we go the more opportunity there is for someone to abuse the system."

At the Coatesville City Council meeting of March 22, 2010 there was a discussion and vote for Action Item number 5. Receive and consider changes for installation and monthly charges for Vector Security Contract. 
At the time of the March 22^nd meeting the safe combination in the Finance Department had not been changed for 13 years.

You can listen to selected portions of the discussion of the Vector Security Contract here:

A transcription of the recording is here: 

Ms. Oxendine, “The one with the safe we put in a new pad."

Ms. Bjorhus “A new punch pad?"

Ms. Oxendine, “Right”

Ms. Bjorhus, “So is that swipe also?”

Ms. Oxendine, “No, you still have to punch numbers into the pad.”

Mr. Marking, ”One of the things that we were originally trying to alleviate was that very issue because you could give codes very easily to people and you can’t control or record accurately whose card accessed that. So I have concerns about that."

Mr. Simpson, “I thought we were going to have the card swipe on the safe.”

Mr. Oxendine, “Well with the pad you still have to put a number in the pad but you also have to have a combination to the safe. So it’s two. You have to have both to get in."

Mr. Simpson, “Again, like Mr. Marking had said; for somebody, it’s very easy to give somebody else, well here’s my code and we don’t know. Well, whereas if you have the swipe and your contact is the swipe then we know who was in there."

Ms. Bjorhus, “Everyone has Id punch pad. Everyone has their own punch pad code to get into the save.  I have mine."

Mr. Marking, “Yes, but…but if you gave your card to somebody and you say you gave your card to somebody you’re fired."

Ms, Bjorhus, “But if by punching 1234 to get in and there’s a problem then Vector is going to say it was, you know it’s the same thing whether it’s a still individually coded it’s still.”

Mr. Marking, “But you have a problem with the controls that are in those punch numbers and cards; if you give your card to somebody, we were agreeing that the updated policy such that if it’s your card then you’re on the hook for that. A pin number whether it’s six digits or whatever we also I thought realized that they could not be controlled tightly as we could."

Later in the discussion Mr. Marking said, “As the motion stands…I’m really familiar with this particular project. I’m OK with all of this, with this particular project. I’m OK with it as it is. I have concerns with the safe because it’s not quite up to speed the way we are.  I understand about you need the card to get into the Finance Department. The fact that the safe combination hasn’t been changed for 13 years is a concern. I think we have room for improvement.  I would personally feel confident in continuing as it is; do the tour and then switching. We kind of have a hole right now."


The entire Vector Security Action Item discussion is here:

There is a COATESVILLE CITY COUNCIL MEETING on Monday November 22, 2010

AGENDA CITY COUNCIL MEETING Regular Meeting Monday November 22, 2010

Ms. Pam Baker will present the 2008 Budget Audit at Monday’s Coatesville City Council Meeting

Budget Hearing was scheduled for Monday but was rescheduled and the date will be publicized.

There is also a Budget Workshop Meeting Scheduled for 6: pm Tuesday November 23, 2010

The last Budget Workshop meeting was a DOOZY see:

Budget Workshop “We’ve got to find that money. Where’s it going, out the door?”

Mayor of San Francisco Signs Innovative Open Data Legislation

I believe the City of Coatesville already has one of the most open local governments in Pennsylvania. From what I have seen in the recent past most local governments in Pennsylvania operate in secrecy. I think that in many areas townships or school boards only procedure open to the public is their vote on what they formulated in secrecy in “Executive Sessions”. For instance a resident may never know that the real reason a new middle school is located on the very edge of a school district where no one expected it and virtually all the students have a long bus ride is allegedly because the school board president lived nearby and wanted a short bus ride for her children. That kind of school board may in a few years be a relic of the past.

In a time when local newspapers are shutting down and investigative journalism with it on one side the possibilities for open government driven by ordinary citizens is exploding on the internet. That open government was led by President Obama’s Open Government Imitative. But once it started hang on.

"City and County of San Francisco Office of Mayor

Press Release

Mayor Newsom Signs Innovative Open Data Legislation New Ordinance Promotes Accountability & Transparency, Fosters Application Development by Private Sector

11/18/10- Mayor Gavin Newsom today signed a first-of-its-kind open data law requiring San Francisco’s City departments and agencies to post certain types of data sets to a publicly accessible portal at www.DataSF.org , codifying and cementing progress made under an executive directive in 2009. The open data ordinance passed the Board of Supervisors unanimously on Tuesday, and today Mayor Newsom invited new media and technology leaders to City Hall for a signing ceremony to celebrate this expansion of an important accountability measure for City government.

“San Francisco once again demonstrates what it means to be on the cutting edge of government openness and transparency,” said Mayor Newsom. “By making data sets publicly available, we’re forging valuable public-private partnerships with app developers and making City services easier to access for our residents.”

San Francisco’s open data policy builds on President Obama’s call for more open and transparent government.

“President Obama’s leadership in pressing for easier access to government data should be a wake-up call to elected officials around the country. Open data is quickly becoming the gold standard of accountability and transparency that all citizens will come to demand,” said Mayor Newsom. “I’m proud that here in San Francisco, we’re ahead of the curve on this important government 2.0 initiative.”

In 2009, Mayor Newsom issued an Open Data Executive Directive requiring City departments to make all non-confidential datasets under their authority available on DataSF.org, the city’s one stop web site for government data. Currently, there are about 180 data sets posted from 27 different departments. More than 50 applications have been created from the City’s data (including Routesy, SFPark, CrimeMapping and Mom Maps) and are featured in the DataSF App Showcase (datasf.org/showcase). There are dozens more in the pipeline, and the throughput will increase substantially with the enactment of this new law.

In an effort to foster more civic collaboration and connectivity with constituents, in 2009, the City launched a first of its kind service that allows citizens to access the City’s 311 Call Center through Twitter. Instead of making a phone call, members of the public can send a tweet to alert the city about a pothole, or simply find out about the City’s green initiatives. Earlier this year, the City launched the Open311 API, an effort to establish an international standard for 311 services. Not only do these apps work out of the box for San Francisco, but in Washington, D.C. and any other city that adopts Open311 API, all at no cost to taxpayers.

The new legislation establishes the City’s Open Data policy and requires City departments to make appropriate data available to the public and permanently ensures that future leaders of the San Francisco government will not close the door on opening government data."

CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO 

Budget Workshop “We’ve got to find that money. Where’s it going, out the door?”

Mr. Simpson, “I hate to say this, but since we know that there’s such a big discrepancy. It would be very easy, If nobody knows what’s going on, it would be very easy to, you know.  If nobody knows where did the money go?” 

The Codes Department software is not compatible with the finance software.

This is a slightly abbreviated transcription of the second half of Thursday evening’s Coatesville City Council’s budget hearing meeting:

Mr. Hamrick, “If the code is 33627 and they go over to the accounting side and pay the bill, that’s what it should be 36237. So that Mr. Molina’s group will get credited for it. It shouldn’t be a different number. Why are they different numbers?  It’s just like the coding for doctors; everyone has a separate code, for billing and all the way through finance. There shouldn’t be two different codes.”

Mr. Simpson, “It just gets extremely frustrating for us to hear the same things every year that my system doesn’t work with that system and this system doesn’t work with their system. We don’t know. We’re not sure. It’s not positive…"

Mr. Reed, “Mr. Molina I believe has been certified that we have in the budget for a new program that is compatible with the 4Gov finance program…We had a consultant that did come in and look at both sides and came to the conclusion that they are not compatible…"

Mr. Hamrick, “Finance will keep theirs.”

Mr. Simpson, “So Code will change theirs” (software).

Mr. Molina, “Codes will finally get its own… that is compatible..”

Mr. Hamrick, “So you’re projecting $65,000.”

Mr. Molina, “Well that’s what finance is projecting. I think we’re pretty close to that right now."

Mr. Simpson, “Ok so you’re good with that number $65,000.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Hamrick, “But I understand here it says year to date $15,200.

Mr. Molina, “No, two systems, just Roymar Hall  brought in $24,000.”

Later at 3:56 on this recording:

Mr. Reed, “Again this $32,000 that shows up for the year, I don’t think that number’s correct because we’re showing more in the Codes Office. They can print out a monthly report just like Finance does. Their numbers are higher than what Finance is.”

Mr. Simpson, “So let me ask you this then; If Finance is showing $32,000 and you’re showing that you collected…let’s say $60,000. Where’s that extra money go?”

Mr. Reed, “Gooood question.”

Mr. Molina, “Good question.”

Mr. Simpson, “It’s just out and nobody knows where it’s at.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “Ms. Proctor and I on two different occasions had records that didn’t match, they did not match. Ms. Proctor suggested that sometimes they hold them until the permits come in till all the licensed subcontractors and there’s that monthly delay where they put the money in right away and the Finance doesn’t get it until a month or two… (Mr. Molina, under his breath, “So they say.”) and we have been unable to reconcile the two records.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “That’s very enlightening, so what we’re really saying is, you’re the cash, he’s the accrual. That’s what this is so, like you guys are issuing these permits that are…”

Mr. Molina, “We don’t issue permits; we don’t issue permits until they’re paid. We may process them, but we don’t issue them until they’re paid. 

Mr. Simpson, “So once they’re paid, who do they pay?

Mr. Molina, “They pay Finance.”

Mr. Simpson, “Ok, So if you have a permit that’s $1000. Ok and it goes over to Finance. So you’re saying you have records indicating that let’s say you’re permits were $60,000 for the year."

Mr. Molina, “Right.”

Mr. Simpson, “Finance has records saying no it’s only $32,000. My question is, where’s the $28,000?” 

Mr. Molina, “We can show you the number of permits we issue and the value amount and that would give you a total accountability of what we brought in. And if you go into our office right now you may find only a handful of permits that have not been issued. All the rest have been issued."

Mr. Simpson, “I understand that, I understand that and we’re going by what you say you’ve actually issued.”

Mr. Molina, “Right”.

Mr. Simpson, “What you say you’ve actually issued is more than what Finance is saying they've collected.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Simpson, “But you don’t issue until it’s paid.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Simpson, “It’s being paid in Finance. I don’t care even if you have two systems that don’t talk to each other. They still got to be the same.”

Ms. Bjorhus, "I also would like to get to the point where we’re very, very close maybe not exact but very close.” 

Mr. Simpson, “Well, I’d like to get there soon.  To me it doesn’t take rocket science to figure it out. If you’re saying you got $60,000 and she’s saying you have $32,000 there’s $28,000 that we don’t know where it’s at.”

Mr. Molina, “Mr. Simpson, at least from my end I’m comfortable with my figures. I’m comfortable what my staff did.”

Mr. Simpson, “Because, you’re saying that you don’t document or issue until they get paid.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Molina, “We’re about $160,000 year to date; somewhere around there…We’re at about $170,000."

Mr. Simpson, “As far as those numbers that have been entered, we can’t really change them if he’s saying one thing and she’s saying another thing. You know what I’m saying?” We can’t adjust it because, if he’s saying he’s got $60,000, he’s got documentation, hypothetically $60,000 and she’s only showing $32,000. And it he’s got documentation for $60 we can’t say no let’s keep it at $32."

Mr. Hamrick, “But where’s the other money?”

Mr. Molina, “I don’t have the money.” 

Mr. Hamrick, "It’s like when somebody gets a permit, to do some work for their house… I went to Finance, I paid for it. You issued me my permit."

Mr. Molina, “And we record the amount.”

Mr. Hamrick, “And you recorded the amount. Where did my $25.00 go? That’s what I want to know. Where’d it go? Because it sure as hell didn’t get put into Finance.”

Mr. Simpson, “I hate to say this, but since we know that there’s such a big discrepancy. It would be very easy, If nobody knows what’s going on, it would be very easy to, you know.  If nobody knows where did the money go?”

Mr. Hamrick, “It could be going out the door for all we know.” 

Ms. Jones, “Or it’s a ghost.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “So what is it that you guys think you’ve collected this year?”

Mr. Molina, “Ms. Jorgenson, “I’ll be happy to give you a print out. We’re up to date and I believe it’s quite accurate. But I don’t think these figures do justice.”

 Mr. Simpson, “I guess my point is that if you’re not reconciling and it’s matching every day there’s obviously an opportunity for that money to just disappear. And with what you’ve provided, the information that you’ve provided to the press last week, I’d be one of the first places that I would look. And I’d try to get it settled and get to where… You went to the press and said there’s $160,000 that you think is missing somewhere.”

 

Mr. Hamrick, “It should be reconciled. His department and the cashier should reconcile."

Ms. Bjorhus explained that the two systems would not enable them to reconcile the Codes and cashier. It was too cumbersome and a very slow process.

Mr. Simpson, “So what are we doing now?” 

Ms. Bjorhus, “It’s the same old same old. They go to the Codes window they get the paperwork go to Finance, they pay, and they go back to Codes and get their paperwork."

Mr. Molina, “The process is not that unusual. That happens the same way in other municipalities.”

Mr. Hamrick, “I understand that. What I’m saying at the end of the day the cash window should reconcile with your department. For the trash fee, it should reconcile for that day’s business.” 

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Hamrick, “It cannot wait until tomorrow. It’s got to be done during the day’s business hours. It’s closing. It’s got to reconcile. If it doesn't…"

Mr. Simpson, “Then it’s a problem.”

Mr. Hamrick, “We’ve got to find that money. Where’s it going, out the door?”

Mr. Simpson, “I hate to say it but it seems like we have this cavalier attitude, it’s like, well we’re working to try and fix it. But you know what; you said earlier in the year, you tried to do it earlier in the year. Well it’s now November. We need a fix. Well it seems, Ms. Bjorhus, it’s between the Finance and the Codes and the Codes has their stuff and when it comes over to you it seems to disappear. So to me it seems like it’s on the Finance end of it. We need a solution and we need it now."

Mr. Simpson, “Is there like a time when that window shuts down before you leave at the end of the day?”

Mr. Molina, “It shuts down at 5 o’clock.” 

Mr. Simpson, “And what time do they leave in there?”

Mr. Molina, “The clerical staff leaves at 5 o’clock.”

Mr. Simpson, “OK, so when they’re done, technically at the end of the day, it doesn’t get reconciled until the following morning. It doesn’t get sent over to the Finance office. Correct?”

Ms. Bjorhus said that they close at 4:30 but a half hour is usually not enough time to process a batch and she processes it immediately the next day. There are also issues of waiting for checks to clear.

Ms. Jones, “Ms. Bjorhus, I’m not a mathematician but say he gives you a day’s work. Twenty five, whatever it is applications how long do you think it would take you to add those figures yourself?” 

Ms. Bjorhus, “Ten minutes.”

Ms. Jones, “Ten minutes, OK and do you think in that time you could come up with the same figures he does? The same figures that you turned over there.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “The dollars.”

Ms. Jones, “So maybe he should have a cutoff time, have his work done. Have a cutoff time by say 4 o’clock. You get the figures over there. You could have them done before the day is over… How many people’s hands does that money pass through?”

Ms. Bjorhus answer was three people.

Mr. Simpson, “I guess my point is that if you’re not reconciling and it’s matching every day there’s obviously an opportunity for that money to just disappear. And with what you’ve provided, the information that you’ve provided to the press last week, I’d be one of the first places that I would look. And I’d try to get it settled and get to where… You went to the press and said there’s $160,000 that you think is missing somewhere.”

Ms. Bjorhus, “Well that was in the audit.”

Mr. Simpson, “So if the audit says there’s $160,000 and we don’t know where it’s at. And now you have an opportunity where these two aren’t matching. I would start there and say, well let’s get this fixed first. Because the longer we go the more opportunity there is for someone to abuse the system."

Ms. Bjorhus, “And additionally, I think Mr. Molina if you ran the daily totals with his MyGov system. He I think would always have more because the process without payment.”

Mr. Molina, “But that’s, we have to do that. That’s the only way we can begin the process.”

Mr. Simpson, “But at the end of the day you know what the actual cash transfer is.”

Mr. Molina, “We can make that distinction.”

Mr. Simpson, “You can make that adjustment. Let’s say you could have $1,500 in permits pending and out of that $1,500, because you started the process you actually took in cash that was $1000 that day.  You would be able to distinguish between the two. Correct?”

Mr. Molina, “That’s correct.”

Mr. Simpson, “That you have $1,000 in cash and $1,500 pending.  So they’re going to get something for $1,500 so they should know that $500 is pending and $1,000 is cash because…"

Mr. Molina, “But they’re not picking that up.”

Mr. Reed, “They would only get $1,000.”

Mr. Simpson, “Which makes it even easier. Because you’re saying the numbers that you have here are actual cash that you’ve handled.”

Mr. Molina, “That’s right.” 

Mr. Simpson, “You may have another $20,000 in pending stuff that you haven’t included in these numbers.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “But is that a distinction that you make today?”

Mr. Molina, “No, no that’s the way the system operates. We don’t make that distinction.”

Ms. Jorgenson, “You can take a look at it and say this is work in process and this is actually, this is what’s accrued.”