Coatesville City Manager Harry Walker terminated and Wayne (Ted) Reed hired as Interim City Manager

Coatesville City Council Meeting February 8, 2010

"We hereby resolve to terminate the Services of Harry Walker as City Manager. Whereas the City through its City Council has given notice of intent to take action to remove Mr. Walker from his position as City Manager on January 4, 2010 in accordance with Section 2-403 of City Charter. And whereas the City has determined that he is an employee at will and the City can terminate him for cause or no cause and whereas the City has determined that it has no further need for the services of Harry Walker as City Manager it hereby terminates the services effective immediately."

Vote was 5 yes 1 no. Ms. Jorgensen was the no vote.

The next Action Item was to hire Wayne (Ted) Reed as Interim City Manager:

"We resolve to approve the Contract to hire Wayne G. (Ted) Reed as Interim City Manager."

Vote was numinous to approve hiring Ted Reed as Interim City Manager.

A recording is here:

Commonwealth Warns City of Coatesville Administration in letter

I agree with City Councilperson Ed Simpson’s statements in this article.

I would go a further my criticism of Lehr and Walker. I believe the potential for criminal activity exists. But that is up to the USDoJ to ferret out.

State criticizes Coatesville in letter
Pennsylvania official outlines 11 of the city's problems as well as offering recommendations to move municipality forward
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer

http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/07/29/news/srv0000005966001.txt


A more clear copy of the letter is here:
http://www.box.net/shared/mh2q6tjhel



See Matt Baker's blog for more information:
http://bakerforcoatesville.com/matts-blog/

Richard Legree

I believe the real reason that led to Richard Legree Sr. leaving the Republican Party for the Democratic Party was that the Republican Party would not permit him to run for District Justice. They had someone else in mind. If not for that he might have died a Republican.

Richard had several jobs. He was a State Constable in Coatesville’s 3rd Ward. He was employed by the Laborers’-Employers Cooperation and Education Trust as an administrator. The Labor Union job took Richard all over the USA.

I didn’t like everything he did but like many others I enjoyed being around him. I think Richard Legree was a congenial person, that he had excellent salesmanship abilities. I believe that Richard had extremely good managerial abilities. They may not ever have been a more “connected” person than Richard Legree. I don’t believe that everything he did was legal. He had an alleged “retail” business and I believe that one key to solving some of our unsolved murders died with Richard Legree.

During the time that former Chief Matthews was Chief of Police in Coatesville I frequently saw Richard in conversation with City Manager Harry Walker. I believe that Richard Legree exerted what leverage he could over the Coatesville Police Department while Matthews was Chief.

You might ask why I am writing about a dead man. It is not so much because of Richard Legree’s official jobs but because of his alleged extra curricular activities. I believe that people have stepped up to fill in for some of Legree’s alleged extra curricular activities. I think there is a very strong possibility that they will “get caught”. I do not think they have the abilities of Richard Legree. I think he was an extraordinary man.

See, Constable Legree Sr. dies
A controversial figure in Coatesville political circles, he served as city councilman and Valley police officer
Monday, December 22, 2008 6:37 AM EST
Daily Local News
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2008/12/22/news/srv0000004329654.prt

AGENDA for Tonight's Coatesville City Countil Meeting, July 13, 2009

Part of the AGENDA for the Regular Meeting of the COATESVILLE CITY COUNCIL

Monday, July 13, 2009

The meeting begins at 7:30 pm.

“Presentation
1. Public Records Retention by municipalities in the State of Pennsylvania by Mr. Harry Walker.
2. Six months Finance Report by Mr. Harry Walker

Regular Action Items
1. Receive and consider a Resolution to dispose of certain records of the City of Coatesville in accordance with the Pennsylvania Municipal Records Schedules and Procedures for disposition of records adopted by the City Council on April 13, 2009.

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

3. Receive and consider a Resolution to formally accept Finial Report and the Recommendations to the City of Coatesville by Fairmont Capital Advisors Inc.”

See the entire AGENDA HERE:
http://www.box.net/shared/1j592r1b7a


IS THE PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF OPEN RECORDS RULING IN FAVOR OF MS. KATHLEEN BRADY SHEA OF THE PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER THE REASON FOR THE SUDDEN INTEREST IN THE "RIGHT TO KNOW LAW. And that the City of Coatesville must take steps to come into "immediate compliance" with The Right to Know Law.

FINAL DETERMINATION
IN THE MATTER OF: :
:
Ms. Kathleen Brady Shea, :
Complainant : Docket No.: AP 2009-0326
:
City of Coatesville, :
Respondent :

https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/fd/2009May/2009-0326_Shea-City_of_Coatesville_FD.pdf

Council nixes records purge
Published: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/06/23/news/srv0000005664309.txt

WHAT ARE THEY HIDING?

When the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily Local News ask for PUBLIC RECORDS they are routinely stonewalled by Walker and Lehr. Do you think that the extreme steps the Coatesville Administration takes to hide public information from the public means that what they are hiding is incriminating information?

PENNSYLVANIA OFFICE OF OPEN RECORDS

FINAL DETERMINATION
IN THE MATTER OF: :
:
Ms. Kathleen Brady Shea, :
Complainant : Docket No.: AP 2009-0326
:
City of Coatesville, :
Respondent :

https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/fd/2009May/2009-0326_Shea-City_of_Coatesville_FD.pdf

Council nixes records purge
Published: Tuesday, June 23, 2009
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer
http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2009/06/23/news/srv0000005664309.txt

Shred public records and then open public records for view NEW INFORMATION!

Has the Walker Administration hit a new low?

NEW:
The city is allegedly still stalling to provide the details around the money paid to the Gabriel Institute (listed on Walker’s resume as a former client) for the infamous police search.

Coatesville has allegedly been doggedly resisting the Inquirers efforts to find out how much citizens paid for a search that was basically ignored twice.


The first "Regular Action Item" in tonight's Coatesville City Council Meeting is:
Receive and consider a Resolution to dispose of certain records of the City of Coatesville in accordance with the City's Records Retention Policy.

Action item number 2 is:
Receive and consider a Resolution adopting the City of Coatesville Right-to-Know Policy for public records and taking other action with respect to the public records.

Ok, even to the casual observer it has the appearance of getting rid of public records that they do not want people to see.

Is the first resolution really to dispose of public records that could be used in a criminal trial? Is it an effort to hide public records from scrutiny?

I don't know but it looks shady.

Where are the US Attorneys and the US Marshalls when you need them?

The agenda is here:

http://www.box.net/shared/bq0047l166

I just want to add one more item the FINIAL DETERMINATION OF THE PENNSYVLANIA DEPARTMENT OF OPEN RECORDS. I think it is the reason for the action tonight.



https://www.dced.state.pa.us/public/oor/fd/2009May/2009-0326_Shea-City_of_Coatesville_FD.pdf

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

Is the COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE united with the Walker Administration?

The COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE is spending a lot of money on the campaigns of Patsy Ray, Kurt Schenk and Jarrell Brazzle.

Andrew Lehr, Eddy Scrivens and Harry Walker have worked together for a very long time. Walker, Lehr, Pat Sellers and Harry Walker were involved in the Scott School project that fell though.

Lehr, Walker and Scrivens also worked together in the Wilmington, DE area.

From the Daily Local News:

“Walker said he met (City Solicitor) Lehr several years ago through Ed Scrivens, a business associate from Wilmington.

‘He (Scrivens) asked me to come up to Coatesville and talk to city officials regarding economic development. I remember meeting with them in the council chambers, although I don’t remember whether it was council members or the city manager or members of the RDA,’ he said.

Walker said he made some suggestions regarding revitalization projects; specifically, he recalled talking about the concept of tax-increment financing, which the city has since adopted.

As the economic development director in Wilmington, he also worked with an organization called Phase V Community Development Corporation.

Scrivens and Lehr sit on the board of directors of Phase V, which was involved in converting an abandoned building into a charter school.

Walker worked with the company on the project, and later, after he left the city payroll, Phase V signed on as a client of Walker Marketing Group.

‘I don’t know Andrew Lehr well. Our relationship was about helping them get the school going,’ Walker said.

But that was not the only time Scrivens and Lehr worked with Walker.

The two served on the Coatesville Regional Development Corporation (CRDC), a nonprofit group that in 1999 sought to turn then-defunct Scott High School into a business and technology center.

Walker also reportedly worked on the project.

But it fell through after plans were delayed and the CRDC missed agreement deadlines.

Ultimately, the school district spent $22 million transforming the former Scott High School into Scott Middle School.”

The Daily Local News Article is HERE:

http://www.dailylocal.com/articles/2006/04/30/frontpage/16558811.txt

Are Lehr and Scrivens now working together for certain people running for the Coatesville City Council?

The Political Committee Registration Statement of the Coatesville Unity Committee has Eddy Scrivens as it’s Chairperson, and Raelyn Stonewall as its Treasurer. The person submitting the Registration Statement of the Coatesville Unity Committee is Andrew Lehr.

CHESTER COUNTY VOTER SERVICES RECORD OF THE COATESVILLE UNITY COMMITTEE REGISTRATION STATEMENT CAN BE FOUND HERE:
http://www.box.net/shared/1c8kx30af4

Read Eddy Scrivens’ own description of his relationship to Harry Walker and Andrew Lehr in the Minutes of the Coatesville City Council Meeting Monday, April 24, 2006:

Ed Scrivens, 133 Pennsylvania Avenue:

Mr. Scrivens spoke on behalf of Mr. Walker, a businessman, devoted father and an individual he has known for 14 years. What he’s read and heard about Mr. Walker is a debasement of his professionalism; Mr. Walker is overqualified for the position. Mr. Scrivens stated that Mr. Walker directed the economic development plan for the City of Wilmington under hostile conditions. Mr. Walker is for the little guy and elevates the lowest economic standard up to the highest.

He stated that Mr. Walker schooled Mr. Paul Janssen on TIF; he is a man with outstanding academic accolades. Mr. Scrivens stated that if the people want to turn the City around, hire Mr. Harry Walker tonight. Mr. Simpson asked Mr. Scrivens if he had submitted Mr. Walker’s name to Mr. Lehr for consideration. Mr. Scrivens replied, “I certainly did.”

Ed Scrivens, 133 Pennsylvania Avenue: Mr. Scrivens stated that revitalization starts with the little people. If you can’t elevate the standard of living and quality of life, the lesser people in your community, then you fail with community development and revitalization efforts. He mentioned the work of the Coatesville Redevelopment Corporation, and how the group was blocked by the then City Manager and the Economic Development Coordinator with the revitalization of Scott School. However, Harry Walker helped the Corporation to stop people from tearing it down. Mr. Scrivens spoke of what’s needed for regional economic development and community economic development. Mr. Simpson asked Mr. Scrivens if he were still associated with the Coatesville Redevelopment Corporation, and he replied yes. Mrs. Smith-Dowridge asked if Mr. Scrivens has any current development projects going on now. Mr. Scrivens said yes, they have other initiatives they’re exploring at this time. Mrs. Smith-Dowridge asked if they were working with any other municipalities, and Mr. Scrivens said their focus is only Coatesville. She asked if they did anything anywhere else, and Mr. Scrivens said not in Pennsylvania. They collaborated with a group in Delaware on refurbishing and bringing back into operation a 35,000 square foot school in the City of Wilmington. They worked with the Mr. Walker on the development of this project; Harry Walker is a financial wizard. Mr. Simpson asked if Mr. Lehr is on their Board of Directors. Mr. Scrivens said, absolutely, he was at the time and implored City Council to look out for the little guys.

The Minutes of the Coatesville City Council Meeting of Monday, April 24, 2006 can be found here:
http://www.coatesville.org/minutes/council/060424.pdf

The Coatesville Unity Committee is supporting candidates Patsy Ray, Kurt Schenk and Jarrell Brazzle.

Hundreds of hand cards "paid for by the Coatesville Unity Committee" for Patsy Ray, Kurt Schenk and Jarrell Brazzle were passed out on Election Day by people who were allegedly paid $200 each to hand them out.

You can see some of them here:

http://www.box.net/shared/k4og3tjxd6