Matt Baker’s post concerning Mosaic Development Partners

Matt did a very well researched summary of why Mosaic’s claims may be flawed.

“Put a fork in this one
Posted by MattBaker
Mar 08 2010
Hi Everyone,
Well attached for your review is the feasibility study presented to Greg Reaves of the Mosaic Development Partners from Pat Burns Owner of the Fresh Grocer. You’ll note the date of the study March 30th, 2009. Seems out dated right? Well as strange as that may be it’s the letter that was presented to the RDA a couple of weeks back in their February monthly meeting. So in one year’s time in essence nothing had changed from the original letter. One of the big parts of Mosaic’s deal was that they had a anchor tenant (Fresh Grocer) but needed Site Control in order to move forward. Well after reading this letter from Fresh Grocer it’s my opinion that they never had an anchor tenant because there were too many concerns from the Fresh Grocers side to address before they could commit.”

More with links to Fresh Grocer's letter to Mosaic and other documentation at Matt’s website:

http://bakerforcoatesville.com/2010/03/life-support/

Dec. 23rd Chetty Builders Flats meeting void and all actions at that meeting vacated.

A special meeting of the Coatesville City Council was held on December 23, 2009, 5:00 p.m. At that meeting, which lasted about 5 minutes, 4 members of City Council, 3 of whom are no longer in office voted to approve the sale of the North Flats Coatesville Redevelopment Authority property to Chetty Builders. City Council President Martin Eggleston was not president at that meeting. The meeting was called by the City Manager and chaired by Vice President Kareem Johnson.

At tonight's meeting the City Council said the December 23, 2009 meeting was not advertised in accordance with the requirements of the Sunshine Law, nor properly called by the presiding officer, City Council President Martin Eggleston, in violation of the City Charter.

Sunshine Law declares actions taken at an improperly advertised public meeting to be void. It also imposes penalties for an improperly advertised public meeting.

City Council declared the special meeting held by City Council on December 23, 2009 void and vacates all actions undertaken at that meeting.

City Council President Ed Simpson made it clear that the actions taken tonight are about the meeting and we don’t need to read into it anything else

Ms. Jorgenson’s flight was evidently delayed and she could not attend.

Approximately 25 residents were in attendance.

The legal document is here:

http://www.box.net/shared/5xlbejusp9

A recording of the meeting is here:

http://www.box.net/shared/mdxpd86fnc

Also see post "About Chetty deal meeting 'suspicious":

http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2010/01/about-chetty-deal-meeting-suspicious.html

Coatesville RDA meeting of Tuesday January 19, 2010-Matt Baker’s Blog

Just something to keep in mind; most of the current RDA members were installed by the bloc of four and Harry Walker. Some of the previous members were just not re-instated.

They didn't start with threats as with the Planning Commission. Just like me on the Planning Commission they found a clever way to remove them.

My Evening at the RDA Reorganization meeting - thoughts and comments
Posted by Matt Baker
Jan 21 2010

http://bakerforcoatesville.com/2010/01/my-evening-at-the-rda-reorganization-meeting-thoughts-and-comments/

Was Ernie Campos at Chetty Builders Headquarters in December of 2005?

Ernie Campos, He is adding a correction to the minutes of the RDA meeting of June 19, 2006:

Mr. Campos said, “Mr. Pawlowski asks Mr. Campos if any one accompanied him to a meeting with developers, da, da, da, da. That was clearly stated that was prior to Mr. Campos being an RDA member. “

When Mr. Campos spoke about a meeting with developers that occurred “prior to Mr. Campos being an RDA member” was he referring to an alleged meeting with Marc Hargraves at Chetty Headquarters in December of 2005? Did Andrew Lehr, Bob Saucier and Pat Sellers accompany Mr. Campos when he “met with a developer”? Was a sum of money discussed? Was Patsy Ray referred to as a “bag lady” at that alleged meeting?
Listen to Mr. Campos at the RDA meeting:

June 19, 2006 RDA meeting minutes:
“Mr. Pawlowski asked Mr. Campos if any one accompanied him to his meetings with the developer prior to his appointment on the Redevelopment Authority. Mr. Campos stated he met with them.”


John Pawlowski was not the only person to ask about Mr. Campos meeting with developers.
"Mr. Dixon asked Mr. Campos if he had met privately with the developers. Mr. Campos stated he had in an effort to understand their problems before his appointment."


Did the meeting with developers that Mr. Campos mentioned have anything to do with this?

The two important lines in Allen Davis’ article below are:

“acting on the advice of city Solicitor Andrew Lehr”
And; “I just hope they aren’t trying to strong arm us,”

“Coatesville council puts Chetty development on hold, by Allen Davis-Staff Writer 8:00 am., 28 March 06:

“The meeting had only begun when Council Member Patsy Ray moved to table a resolution that would have granted Chetty approval for Tower 1, a 60-unit condominium, to be built on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and East Lincoln Highway…
“I move that we table it…until we have more information, ‘said Ray.
Chetty, who was sitting in the audience, immediately stood up to address council, but was gaveled down by Council President Kareem Johnson. ‘Excuse me sir, but you will have to have a seat until we come to the public comment period, ‘said Johnson.
Council then voted 4 to 2 to table the project which had already won approval from the city’s Redevelopment Authority and the city’s Planning Commission. Afterwards, Chetty and several of his staff gathered up a model of Tower One covered in white plastic and left the meeting.
Johnson said he wanted to vote in favor of the project, but was acting on the advice of city Solicitor Andrew Lehr who said there were problems with some of the language in the resolution…Chetty, speaking to reporters in the parking lot outside of City Hall, said he has tried to communicate with council, ‘They don’t return our phone calls or answer our emails,’ he said.”
‘Our patience is wearing thin… I just hope they aren’t trying to strong arm us,’ said Chetty of the four new council members who took office. ‘We were all on the same page until the last election.”
ChesterCountyReporter.com:
http://www.box.net/shared/uuukr2f5j5

From the Daily Local News:
Council puts condo plan on hold
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2006/03/28/frontpage/16386544.txt

That decision to table Chetty Builders caused delays that led to the loss of financing for the Pennock Place building. The lot is still empty today.
Pay to play or extortion is a crime when money changes hands. I believe that it is also a crime when a threat is made, no money changes hands and the threat is later carried out for non-payment.

Hopefully, the FBI and Chester County District Attorney’s investigation will answer my questions. Who knows, maybe it's already on the pile.

I think that by now the FBI has more hooks to initiate a RICO investigation in Coatesville than a bass crankbait lure.

Council rejects layoffs after city sent notices
13 employees were told their last day would be Oct. 30
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
By DANIELLE LYNCH, Staff Writer
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/10/27/news/srv0000006702073.txt

Was the work visa for Donald McKensie? Is he back in the Islands waiting for his alleged kickbacks for additional consultant fees?

I think this comment by moondancer may be accurate:

May 15, 2009 7:52 PM
moondancer said...
MacKenzie, acting as stooge for Walker, yolked the city with software that is no better, maybe less than the existing program. The expensive part will be the high cost training and the "commissions" that will "kicked back" to the perps, uh I mean administrators. Walker never misses a chance to feather his nest at the cost of Coatesville.

Also see Resume kept out of public eye - COATESVILLE — City Manager Harry Walker refuses to release the resume of a consultant the city recently hired to work in the finance department.
Friday, October 10, 2008 3:00 AM EDT By DAN KRISTIE, Staff Writer
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2008/10/10/today%27s%20stories/20159306.prt

Back up to my last post concerning Amrit Lal and the approximately $110,000 owed to the City of Coatesville. The City of Coatesville has clear legal rights to that money. Did any money change hands between Lal and city officials?
http://www.aopc.org/OpPosting/CWealth/out/1416CD06_6-28-07.pdf

In the flats development;
Disbarred Attorney Leslie Smallwood of Mosaic Development Partners, LLC allegedly has long time connections to several people in the Coatesville area and possibly to several politically connected to Coatesville through now deceased attorney Michael T Whitlow. Whitlow was her partner in the court action for “knowingly misappropriating clients’ trust funds in the amount of at least $139,500” for which she was disbarred.
See
http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2009/05/smallwood-disbarred-attorney-smallwood.html

Why was Chetty Builders rejected the first time around? See About the hotel in Coatesville:
http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2009/08/about-hotel-in-coatesville.html

About the power plant in Coatesville:

I was informed that Walker and Lehr had allegedly been meeting for months before the RDA meeting with some power plant representatives at “The Whip Tavern” in Chester County. Al Baxter was alleged to be one other Chester County resident at those meetings. What I am hearing is that the power plant for the flats idea was allegedly years in the making. That it allegedly was proposed by, Walker, Lehr and Al Baxter about 4 years ago. In other words, long before Walker was brought in.
An excerpt from RDA meeting, February 19, 2008

Mr. Discullio, “Mr. Simpson, you are on City Council.”

Mr. Simpson, “Yes”

Mr. Discullio, “As you know, Mr. Walker wears two hats, being City Manager and RDA Director. I will say this, as far as negotiations with the power company; I was stunned to find out that the City Solicitor and Mr. Walker and had been talking to the power company and (RDA solicitor) Mr. O’Donnell was not invited to participate in that. That was eye opening to me”.

Mr. Simpson, “I will take that up with council because as far as I am concerned, I don’t think that the city.” Cut off by Coatesville City Solicitor Andrew Lehr from the audience

Mr. Lehr; “I never said that”

Mr. Discullio, “Excuse me Mr. Lehr; it is factual because you said it. I got it right from you.”

Walker, “I never talked to anybody from any power company, in my office”.

Mr. Discullio, “Mr. Lehr, told me, told me, that you and he had serious discussions with the power company.”

Campos, “What was the, the issue, the act of doing something or just bringing information up to up front and we don’t like the information, That’s what I’m trying to figure out. I know the negative aura about the power company but I don’t, I’m not supporting you know the action of any individuals or bringing stuff up forward, we don’t like it we reject it. It’s hard to say, you know”


You can listen to an excerpt from the RDA of February 19, 2008 here:
http://www.box.net/shared/bf6hzf5r3y


I think that by now the FBI has more hooks to initiate a RICO investigation in Coatesville than a bass crankbait lure. Only one hook needs to stick and the USDoJ using the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations Act can go back 10 years.

A lot of people will not go to a Coatesville City Council meeting.

I can understand why. I think it is a truly sordid display every second and fourth Monday of the month. It is hard to look at.

I go there to make sound recordings. Sometimes they are not careful and possible incriminating or at least revealing or good to know information will surface. I almost fell of my chair at the May 15, 2006 RDA meeting when after being asked if he had met privately with a builder involved in the redevelopment at his headquarters, Ernie Campos replied, “How did you (pause) I was not a public official at the time”. He could have just denied it.

Some people wonder aloud why Dick Saha goes to Coatesville City Council meetings. They think people will begin to blame him for Coatesville’s problems.

I don’t think Saha is a cause of Coatesville’s problems I think he is another victim of what could be called Coatesville’s special mix of con-men, extortionists, white nationalists and drug dealers. I believe they just played the Saha family.

(Unoffical) Coatesville City Council Agenda

I received this information concerning the Agenda for tonight’s Coatesville City Council Meeting. This is unofficial and tentative:

Coatesville City Council Agenda:
• Resignation request of Molina
• That 7 million dollar note has been extended but now the interest rate is 8% percent vs. 6%. Now under the current 6% percent note (that was due on 8/15) we used the 4% interest from the Trust Fund to make the total transaction at -2% net. With this new rate were up to -4%
• Walker to ask for 1.5 million in emergency funds
• New ordinance to align RDA and the City more closely.

More about the Coatesville Unity Committee

Solicitor's campaign link raises questions
Legal adviser responds he has supported all 7 members on Coatesville City Council
Sunday, June 21, 2009
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/06/21/news/srv0000005641236.txt

The links to the CUC’s campaign finance report filing and other information about the CUC are here:
http://coatesvilledems.blogspot.com/2009/06/is-coatesville-unity-committee-united.html

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

Whitlow and Smallwood

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