In my opinion; if you are familiar with the Coatesville City Council, the top level management of Coatesville's city government, the actions of the "Coatesville Police Chief Matthews and the top level officers of the Coatesville Fire Department the seventy plus arsons in the last thirteen months or so could have been anticipated.
The Philadelphia Inquirer:
(Coatesville Fire Chief) "Johnson reported 295 in 2007, while union records show 733. When the union discovered the difference, it complained to city officials, but nothing was done, Poulson said. 'Fire-suppression services are in complete disarray,' Poulson said of Coatesville, adding, 'It's like the perfect storm for an arsonist.". Richard G. Poulson, is the attorney for the city's 13 paid part-time firefighters and four full-time firefighters.
More at:
http://www.phillymobile.com/topic/1180-Local%20News/articles/190914053
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Friday, March 27, 2009
What’s up with the Coatesville West End Fire Company?
“Coatesville firefighter hiring practices criticized”
“Firefighter union's attorney argues background checks would have revealed suspect's criminal past
Friday, March 27, 2009
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer
COATESVILLE — Just days after police arrested a city firefighter for allegedly setting houses on fire, city officials are facing criticism for Coatesville's employee hiring process.
Rick Poulson, attorney for the city's firefighter union, criticized the administration Thursday for hiring 37-year-old Robert Tracey Jr. as a paid firefighter just weeks before he was arrested in connection with two arson fires.
Poulson argues a proper background check should have kept the city from hiring Tracey, who has a criminal record. Additionally, Poulson said a background check should have kept the city from appointing Kevin Johnson to fire chief in 2006 due to his criminal record
”More at:
Coatesville firefighter hiring practices criticized
By JENNIFER MILLER, Staff Writer
POSTED: 03/27/09, 12:01 AM EDT | UPDATED: ON 03/27/2009
When District Attorney had a meeting with the West End Fire Company officers it was at the Washington Fire Company. Why wasn’t the meeting at the West End Company? Do they have something to hide?
The word on the street is that the West End Fire Company is what the black population here in Coatesville calls “Old Coatesville”.
Coatesville Fire Chief Kevin Johnson was still on parole when he was appointed Chief by the Coatesville City Council.
CLICK HERE FOR JOHNSONS COURT DOCUMENTS:
http://www.box.net/shared/r21tbc210e
PAID HIT ALLEGED
At Joe Carroll's community meeting last night in Coatesville, Joe said that we may read in the papers that Jeremiah bush AKA Hanif Murphy has been captured in Philadelphia. Bush is wanted for the murder of Jonas"Sonny"Suber at Suber"s home on Walnut Street in Coatesville on Saturday morning at 9 am, October 21, 2006.
Joe said that the murder is allegedly a "paid hit". It is alleged that the "hit" was ordered by someone in Coatesville.
Jonas "Sonny" Suber is a relative of Coatesville City Council person Kareem Johnson.
From Jeremiah Young Bush AKA Hanif Murphy
Joe said that the murder is allegedly a "paid hit". It is alleged that the "hit" was ordered by someone in Coatesville.
Jonas "Sonny" Suber is a relative of Coatesville City Council person Kareem Johnson.
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Below are two recordings from last nights Coatesville City Council Meeting.
Coatesville resident Keith Gargus addressed the Coatesville City Council at the Monday March 23, 2009 meeting during the “Citizen’s Comments” period.
Keith Gargus worked for a large corporation selling software to different levels of government mostly to Federal and also State and Cities.
Below is my transcription of the comments of Keith Gargus. I sometimes make mistakes in transcription so listen along:
CLICK HERE FOR A SOUND RECORDING:
http://www.box.net/shared/sg9h402fuq
I also attached a recording of The City of Coatesville’s Financial Consultant Donald McKensie. The City of Coatesville’s Financial Consultant is presenting February and January’s expense and quarterly budget and year to date budget. The other voice is that of Coatesville City Manager Harry G Walker. The city council members received a document to follow along. There were no questions asked.
CLICK HERE FOR A SOUND RECORDING:
http://www.box.net/shared/pozfd5qy5c
Keith Gargus worked for a large corporation selling software to different levels of government mostly to Federal and also State and Cities.
Below is my transcription of the comments of Keith Gargus. I sometimes make mistakes in transcription so listen along:
“It was common knowledge both on the government side and the sales side that three years software was an end-run against open bids and it was also a sucker play basically, usually unethical. I am not saying that happened here but no one has disproved it or explained how they came to the determination to pick this particular software and in particular, this particular deal.
Secondly:
It isn’t free because I think there is a number, either $8,700.00 or $7,800.00 for training. So it’s not free. And that same thing training; no one talked about who is getting trained, but I suspect that the consultants are being trained. And what happens when you train a consultant, he becomes a friend, he’s the person you work with. In essence he becomes indispensible and he becomes an employee. So whether you like it or not or you had any intention you are going to have a hard time getting rid of the person in a year.
Next:
One of the really uncertain things is the fact that you are not you are not going to enter the cities finances and full system simultaneously. What that’s going to do is basically everything is going to be in this new system. If you decide you don’t like it or you decide to go back to the old system you’re not going to be able to.
There are a lot of things that you need to consider here before you go very much further. If this system is not what you want. The other thing is, that disturbed me is he (Mr. McKensie) admitted or I think, one of the city council people brought it up; that the statements looked exactly like the old system from three years ago that we abandoned. Well it likely is the same system and again I’d welcome the administration to refute what I am saying.
The last thing that I want to say is: I am very disturbed about the fact that our financial consultant is making a financial consultant’s wage, what ever that is, and no one will tell us. But I suspect that after talking to current software people it’s probably the equivalent to about three quarters of a year salary. So you have to make the determination that do you want this guy at this consultant fee indefinitely while maintaining our financial officer to stay home at $80,000 or do you want .. And I welcome someone to refute me."
CLICK HERE FOR A SOUND RECORDING:
http://www.box.net/shared/sg9h402fuq
I also attached a recording of The City of Coatesville’s Financial Consultant Donald McKensie. The City of Coatesville’s Financial Consultant is presenting February and January’s expense and quarterly budget and year to date budget. The other voice is that of Coatesville City Manager Harry G Walker. The city council members received a document to follow along. There were no questions asked.
CLICK HERE FOR A SOUND RECORDING:
http://www.box.net/shared/pozfd5qy5c
Monday, March 23, 2009
There is one simple way to eliminate the source of about one half of the drug trafficking in the United States of America.
And that is legalizing marijuana.
I think that drug trafficking violence is now a real probability in any neighborhood; rich or poor, city or rural, in the United States of America.
The citizens of the USA are currently on the losing side of the “War on Drugs”. With less money on tap for the drug traffickers; the “battlefield” of the “War on Drugs” would be more even. And part of the tax revenue from the sale of marijuana could go to law enforcement.
The article below centers on the drug violence from Mexico. A large amount of the marijuana sold in the USA also comes from Canada.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/us/23border.html?hp
The correct question to ask is; are the heath problems and social problems associated with marijuana use worse than explosive growth in the health and social problems associated with gun violence, kidnapping, home invasion and beheading?
I think that drug trafficking violence is now a real probability in any neighborhood; rich or poor, city or rural, in the United States of America.
In my opinion law enforcement in the USA cannot keep ahead of the drug trafficking business. Since the United States of America is by far the largest user country on earth; legalizing marijuana would cut an entire product and revenue stream from that product from the worldwide drug trafficking industry.
The citizens of the USA are currently on the losing side of the “War on Drugs”. With less money on tap for the drug traffickers; the “battlefield” of the “War on Drugs” would be more even. And part of the tax revenue from the sale of marijuana could go to law enforcement.
There are hundreds of millions of dollars available for bribing. I would be highly suspect of any politician that opposes legalizing marijuana.
The article below centers on the drug violence from Mexico. A large amount of the marijuana sold in the USA also comes from Canada.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/us/23border.html?hp
Friday, March 20, 2009
In Chester County Court- challenges to the petitions of several Magistrate Judge Candidates for Coatesville District Court 15-1-03.
Those candidates were Gabe Milanese, James Clark and Linda Lavender.
It was accepted by both sides that Gabe Milanese lost on the Democratic side and he may also lose on the Republican side. Only one disputed vote will disqualify Gabe on the Republican side. Gabe's attorney, Eric Brown is the Chair of Republican Area 14.
Mr. Brown put voters on the stand as witnesses. It may not be uncommon to do so, but I felt extremely uncomfortable at seeing voters on the witness stand. The voters signed both Greg Hines and Gabe Milanese’s petitions. The voters all signed Greg Hines’ petition first. They were questioned by Eric Brown as to whose petition they were signing. They all said that they did not know whose petition it was. That went well until someone replied that they did not know whose petition they were signing and their signature was one of the first names on the petition with Greg Hines name right there at the top. They were all asked by Eric Brown which one of the petitions that they really wanted their vote to go to. Not to be on the ballot, but their vote. They all said Gabe Milanese. It seemed to me that it was almost like the voters were on trial. I don’t think that voters should be asked to do things like this except in extreme circumstances.
Democratic Attorney John S Carnes presented the challenges to the petitions and the majority of those challenges held up. Eric Brown was not sorrowful, so will see what Wednesday brings.
I thought that Democratic Attorney John Carnes presented overwhelming evidence including several court documents and Clark’s drivers license that Magistrate Judge candidate James Clark lives in Thorndale. Clark had two relatives that claimed he lived at the address in Coatesville’s Second Ward that he listed on his petition. Clark said that even though a court document from October has Thorndale as his residence and driver’s license residence as Thorndale, he lives in Coatesville.
I understood Clark to have said that his driver’s license and his court documents residence is really his business address and his real residence is in Coatesville. Hmmm.
Even at the place he said he lives in Coatesville, he was only there a few months. State Law says that candidates for Magistrate Judge need to reside at least a year at the residence on the ballot. The proceedings concerning James Clark were a little confusing to me but I believe that one of Clark’s relatives who is a Republican collected most of his signatures on both Republican and Democratic sides. Clark might not be not be on the ticket for multiple reasons.
I wondered why Andrew Lehr was sitting right in front of me in the first spectator row. I found out when Lehr conferred with Clark and a woman named as his daughter, Shaina London in the hallway. Is Clark a spoiler to Greg Hines? If so why would Lehr support Greg Milanese? Lehr left when Clarks hearing was over.
Linda Lavender is a special case. Lavender says that she does not work for Tim Hennessey but works for the Republican Caucus of the Legislature. When Lavender was asked by Judge Ott what she does at Representative Tim Hennessey’s office in Coatesville, she told Judge Ott that Hennessey’s constituents come to Tim Hennessey’s office in Coatesville with their problems and she tries to help them. She said that her paycheck says “Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” on it. It’s my guess that since she is still working as Tim Hennessey's legislative assistant Lavender is by Commonwealth Law ineligible to run.
But that's not all: Lavender as a Republican collected most of the signatures for both parties. All the Democratic signatures she collected could be disqualified. She also did not have enough good signatures on the Democratic side, regardless of the other issues. So I think that we can assume that she didn't make the Democratic ballot. Linda disputes the State Law that Republican candidates cannot collect Democratic Signatures. Judge Ott suggested that Lavender can appeal the law if she wishes to.
On the Republican side Lavender has 96 good ones and 5 that are still disputed and will be checked at Voter Services on Monday. Linda had a little over 150 Republican and 150 Democratic signatures so reading off all the disputed signatures (well over 100) took a while.
Linda brought her about 6 foot 6 inch 300 lb. Uncle, Ronald London for support. London was wearing a black leather jacket and leather trousers
Linda said that she would ask Tim Hennessey to write a letter to Judge Ott saying that it's OK for Commonwealth employees to run for Magistrate Judge. Got to see this letter.
The results of all this could be that Democrat Greg Hines will be the only candidate on both the Democratic and Republican Ballots this spring.
We will know the almost final results by Wednesday.
Like I said before; some people will appreciate a Magistrate Judge in Coatesville who knows and follows the Law. I believe that Gregory Hines will be that Magistrate Judge.
It was accepted by both sides that Gabe Milanese lost on the Democratic side and he may also lose on the Republican side. Only one disputed vote will disqualify Gabe on the Republican side. Gabe's attorney, Eric Brown is the Chair of Republican Area 14.
Mr. Brown put voters on the stand as witnesses. It may not be uncommon to do so, but I felt extremely uncomfortable at seeing voters on the witness stand. The voters signed both Greg Hines and Gabe Milanese’s petitions. The voters all signed Greg Hines’ petition first. They were questioned by Eric Brown as to whose petition they were signing. They all said that they did not know whose petition it was. That went well until someone replied that they did not know whose petition they were signing and their signature was one of the first names on the petition with Greg Hines name right there at the top. They were all asked by Eric Brown which one of the petitions that they really wanted their vote to go to. Not to be on the ballot, but their vote. They all said Gabe Milanese. It seemed to me that it was almost like the voters were on trial. I don’t think that voters should be asked to do things like this except in extreme circumstances.
Democratic Attorney John S Carnes presented the challenges to the petitions and the majority of those challenges held up. Eric Brown was not sorrowful, so will see what Wednesday brings.
I thought that Democratic Attorney John Carnes presented overwhelming evidence including several court documents and Clark’s drivers license that Magistrate Judge candidate James Clark lives in Thorndale. Clark had two relatives that claimed he lived at the address in Coatesville’s Second Ward that he listed on his petition. Clark said that even though a court document from October has Thorndale as his residence and driver’s license residence as Thorndale, he lives in Coatesville.
I understood Clark to have said that his driver’s license and his court documents residence is really his business address and his real residence is in Coatesville. Hmmm.
Even at the place he said he lives in Coatesville, he was only there a few months. State Law says that candidates for Magistrate Judge need to reside at least a year at the residence on the ballot. The proceedings concerning James Clark were a little confusing to me but I believe that one of Clark’s relatives who is a Republican collected most of his signatures on both Republican and Democratic sides. Clark might not be not be on the ticket for multiple reasons.
I wondered why Andrew Lehr was sitting right in front of me in the first spectator row. I found out when Lehr conferred with Clark and a woman named as his daughter, Shaina London in the hallway. Is Clark a spoiler to Greg Hines? If so why would Lehr support Greg Milanese? Lehr left when Clarks hearing was over.
Linda Lavender is a special case. Lavender says that she does not work for Tim Hennessey but works for the Republican Caucus of the Legislature. When Lavender was asked by Judge Ott what she does at Representative Tim Hennessey’s office in Coatesville, she told Judge Ott that Hennessey’s constituents come to Tim Hennessey’s office in Coatesville with their problems and she tries to help them. She said that her paycheck says “Legislature of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania” on it. It’s my guess that since she is still working as Tim Hennessey's legislative assistant Lavender is by Commonwealth Law ineligible to run.
But that's not all: Lavender as a Republican collected most of the signatures for both parties. All the Democratic signatures she collected could be disqualified. She also did not have enough good signatures on the Democratic side, regardless of the other issues. So I think that we can assume that she didn't make the Democratic ballot. Linda disputes the State Law that Republican candidates cannot collect Democratic Signatures. Judge Ott suggested that Lavender can appeal the law if she wishes to.
On the Republican side Lavender has 96 good ones and 5 that are still disputed and will be checked at Voter Services on Monday. Linda had a little over 150 Republican and 150 Democratic signatures so reading off all the disputed signatures (well over 100) took a while.
Linda brought her about 6 foot 6 inch 300 lb. Uncle, Ronald London for support. London was wearing a black leather jacket and leather trousers
Linda said that she would ask Tim Hennessey to write a letter to Judge Ott saying that it's OK for Commonwealth employees to run for Magistrate Judge. Got to see this letter.
The results of all this could be that Democrat Greg Hines will be the only candidate on both the Democratic and Republican Ballots this spring.
We will know the almost final results by Wednesday.
Like I said before; some people will appreciate a Magistrate Judge in Coatesville who knows and follows the Law. I believe that Gregory Hines will be that Magistrate Judge.
Thursday, March 19, 2009
Interesting Courtroom Political Stuff
Ingrid W Jones and Patricia Ray will be on the Democratic Ballot for Coatesville’s Second Ward City Councilperson. In Judge Pamela Ott’s Courtroom today it was determined that Falaq Lucas had 8 good signatures for Coatesville City Councilperson Second Ward. Ten or more signatures are required. There are no Republicans running in Coatesville’s Second Ward.
There are more of petitions for insufficient signatures tomorrow, Friday, March 20, 2009. The really interesting political courtroom stuff concerns the race for Magistrate Judge in Coatesville District Court 15-1-03. Those hearings are:
• At I PM Gabe Milanese - R
• At 2 PM James Clark - D
• At 3 PM Linda Lavender - R
Linda Lavender is State Rep. Tim Hennessey’s Legislative Assistant.
If all goes well, Democrat Greg Hines may be the only person on both Republican and Democratic Ballots.
I think that the Republicans might be out in full force to support their endorsed candidate; Gabe Milanese. I think that Milanese could, just barely, make it on the Republican side of the Ballot.
The only person that I am aware of that took and passed the test for Magistrate Judge is Greg Hines. He passed the first time.
Some people will appreciate a Magistrate Judge in Coatesville who knows and follows the Law. I believe that Gregory Hines will be that Magistrate Judge.
There are more of petitions for insufficient signatures tomorrow, Friday, March 20, 2009. The really interesting political courtroom stuff concerns the race for Magistrate Judge in Coatesville District Court 15-1-03. Those hearings are:
• At I PM Gabe Milanese - R
• At 2 PM James Clark - D
• At 3 PM Linda Lavender - R
Linda Lavender is State Rep. Tim Hennessey’s Legislative Assistant.
If all goes well, Democrat Greg Hines may be the only person on both Republican and Democratic Ballots.
I think that the Republicans might be out in full force to support their endorsed candidate; Gabe Milanese. I think that Milanese could, just barely, make it on the Republican side of the Ballot.
The only person that I am aware of that took and passed the test for Magistrate Judge is Greg Hines. He passed the first time.
Some people will appreciate a Magistrate Judge in Coatesville who knows and follows the Law. I believe that Gregory Hines will be that Magistrate Judge.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)