Saturday, April 05, 2014

Documents indicate Joplin Progress Committee leaders tried to derail ethics investigation

It would have been easy for this to get buried in the mountain of evidence that was released Friday concerning Osage Beach lawyer Tom Loraine's ethics investigation.

For a brief time during her November 13 interview with Loraine, Joplin Mayor Melodee Colbert-Kean talked about a meeting with two men in her office shortly after the City Council had given the go-ahead for the investigation.

That meeting was held around the end of October or the first of November with former U. S. Bank President Clifford Wert and Rebuild Joplin Chairman Jarrod Hogan. "At first, all I knew it was Jarrod Hogan," the mayor said. "I didn't know it would be Clifford, also. until he got there. And they asked me what I should be as a mayor and leader- everybody throws that one out.

"On Mr. Scearce (City Councilman Bill Scearce) what the issue was and why are we wasting the city's money with this investigation when Mr. Scearce should just do the right thing.And I was like- what are you talking about? What's your think of the right thing." Their insinuation was that Scearce, whose connection or lack of connection with a bookie operation taking place in a building he owned, was one of the topics to be investigated, should resign.

According to Ms. Colbert-Keen, Wert said, "I want to be able to trust my city leaders."

What the mayor did not know at that point was that Clifford Wert is not a resident of the city of Joplin. He lives in Webb City.

He is, in fact, along with Hogan, the people who started the Joplin Progress Committee, which has as its one of its goals allowing Joplin city and Joplin R-8 administrators to do their jobs with the city council and the school board keeping their distance.

Missouri Ethics Commission documents show the Joplin Progress Committee, which has poured money into the campaigns of those who are opposing the council members who voted to fire City Manager Mark Rohr and who have shown more skepticism toward the plans of master developer David Wallace of Wallace-Bajjali, was created October 31. The group's treasurer is Wert, while Hogan serves as deputy treasurer.

What is hard to understand is why Wert and Hogan would find it so important for Scearce to resign to stop an investigation. Is it possible that it was actually the investigation of City Councilman Mike Woolston that they wanted stopped- an investigation that quickly led to dealings with Rohr and Wallace-Bajjali?

I have a feeling the investigating is far from over.


16 comments:

Anonymous said...

I hope the investigating is far from over.

Anonymous said...

It's not the illuminati we should fear it's the Joplin Progress Committee. It's Joplin version of the New World Order.

Anonymous said...

someone should contact Mike Pence and ask him his opinions. Maybe you should contact him Randy. He is the person who keeps pushing for these people like Woolston and who supported Rohr and Pence is on the Joplin Progress Committee website. And I am sick and tired of him "politicking" at the Joplim Famliy Y and passing out flyers in support of people who may be corrupt but I do not know for sure. pence just seems to be slippery and who stays in the background and supports Woolston who needs to resign per the Lorraine report.

Anonymous said...

ityarThis is becoming a bigger and bigger problem all over (people trying to buy elections). And it definitely shows at both the state and national levels as we have more and more do nothing politicians in office doing absolutely nothing in the way of addressing the problems in our state and country. Now we see this same insanity being implemented in local elections. I hope Joplin is above this and it shows on election day.

Anonymous said...

and how about Mayor Colbert-Kean and the "loan" from the Chamber of Commerce to help open her business? Without City funding the Chamber would never have been able to afford to do that one....

Anonymous said...

It's time to bring in the FBI. As crooked as everyone involved appears, There is something deeper they are trying to hide, perhaps the misuse of FEMA funds.

Anonymous said...

I am very disappointed in Mr Wert for behaving in such a shady manner. I thought he was above that, but with so much money involved, the temptation was too much for him to resist. Another image shattered.

Anonymous said...

I agree with an earlier comment, some outside investigation would be nice. I don't feel like there are many on the inside that are trustworthy at this point.

david humphreys said...

Good job Randy. Thank you.

Anonymous said...

Well, well, well, we knew little Cliffy Wert was in the mix somehow. I'm sorry the other kids took your lunch money as a child, Clifford, and that you never amounted to more than you did, but the least you can do if you want so desperately to be relevant by meddling is to live in the same town.

Anonymous said...

Keep digging Randy. Wert's a water boy for the real interests behind W-B and the JPC. By himself he's a nobody. There's plenty more to be unearthed. Don't forget the large construction company that stands to gain from its relationship with W-B. It all ties together.

patty said...

I totally agree about wert and pence and I'm going to address this with Cookie on Monday at the Y--yes for Wert to be asking questions of our mayor is NOHB-- very nervy You and Mary Schallic should stay in CJ

Anonymous said...

I totally agree about wert and pence and I'm going to address this with Cookie on Monday at the Y--yes for Wert to be asking questions of our mayor is NOHB-- very nervy You and Mary Schallic should stay in CJ

Anonymous said...

I totally agree about wert and pence and I'm going to address this with Cookie on Monday at the Y--yes for Wert to be asking questions of our mayor is NOHB-- very nervy You and Mary Schallic should stay in CJ

Anonymous said...

Corruption is the norm in Joplin, not the exception, since the tornado for sure, and before it, also, but not with as much to work with before. The JPC's only goal is to continue that corruption so the money-handlers can continue to line their own pockets from the schools to the Wallace-Bajjalli debacle. I say we don't give them the privilege any longer. We need an audit of the schools and the city so we can see who is profiting off the miser of others and then take those corrupt people to court.

Anonymous said...

As has been said before, the JPC has many, many members who don't live in the city of Joplin, so their interest here is purely monetary. They are in this committee to make sure the money keeps coming their way. One of them is a campaign manager for a board candidate who didn't pay his school tax until the courts made him. Both the manager and the candidate are on the board of Bright Futures, another money maker for some people. Yeah, this committe, they're really interested in progress, alright. Their own.