Mike Woolston, this all started by you trying to embarrass me by accusing me of ethics violations during a budget meeting of an event that was almost 25 years old. I was not even on the council at that time.
You knew about the interview of me by the FBI when you were Mayor because of a meeting with the former City Manager and the former Police Chief, but did not see fit to bring it up until I was elected to a position of leadership on this Council.
Later Dr. Rosenberg asked that your real estates practices be a part of the investigation and you agreed to it.
This Council after taking proposals voted UNANIMOUSLY to hire Mr. Loraine of Osage Beach to conduct the investigation of you and me.
I was totally cleared by the investigation and by the Chief Supervisor of the FBI in Kansas City.
The investigator recommended that you either sever your relationship with a company you were acting as an agent for that was buying land to be sold to the Joplin Redevelopment Corporation or Resign for the Council. To my knowledge you have done neither.
On the question of Mr. Rohr's "sticky note", and it being proof that he leaked information to the Joplin Globe. The individual that found the "sticky note", swore under oath that she found it in a public place on the 2nd floor of this building. No one has come forth to dispute that fact.
We are here tonight to decide if certain pages in the investigator's report should made public under a judge's order.
An order that I believe, based on my experience, in the personnel business is flawed, but it is his order and I am going to vote to release it.
Mr. Rohr could have saved the City and the Joplin Globe the expenses of the law suit by releasing the pages to the public. If in his words "the pages are full of lies, half-truths and a misrepresentation of the facts". WHY DID HE NOT RELEASE THE PAGES?
The Joplin Globe has chosen to place on the front page of the paper, each time the City refuses, a large banner headline and lengthy story, of the refusal. But when Mr. Rohr states he refuses to release the pages, that story was on page 6A, and it took a magnifying glass to find it.
The Joplin Globe has taken sides in this situation and printed many nasty things about me based on unfounded statements that Mr. Rohr has made. Such as exposing more things about me and the FBI interview.
Many Council members are now trying to discredit the Investigator and his report, simply because they do not agree with the findings.
I have been involved with the City of Joplin since 1968, 46 years, as an employee, board or commission member, or City Council member. And for the first time there is an organized effort to BUY an election. I hope the citizens of Joplin are smart enough to see that and reject it.
We are here now to vote on a closed session to discuss the infamous "9" pages, plus a letter from Mr. Loraine dated March 5, 2014. I hope all Council members vote to have all discussions in open session, so the citizens can fairly judge us. I have a fear that by going into closed session it will appear we have something to hide. I plan to vote not to go into closed session, and urge all my fellow Council members to also vote to have the discussions open, as they should be.
Amen Bill. And thank you for standing firm. The report exposed Rohr, Wallace Bajjali, and a few other unsavory conflicts of interest on the council. But you,B enjie Rosenberg and Jack Golden hung in there. And Melodee finally saw it for what it was.Good job. Thank you for your courage despite the attacks from people in the "establishment".
ReplyDeleteThanks Judge Mouton for doing the right thing!
ReplyDeleteA Missouri Ethics Commission complaint against Woolston is in order.
ReplyDeleteAn FBI investigation is what called for. Unless the Governor calls for a full investigation we the people will never know the truth. I don't have any faith in the atty general if sending a letter is all he does. I don't call that looking in to the matter.
ReplyDeletethanks Bill--you stood true to your convictions despite the lies and the liars-- You five--Benjie, Jack Golden, Trisha, and Melody saved Joplin from manipulative tyrant.
ReplyDeletethanks Bill--for your courage to stay true to your convictions despite lies, liars, and a manipulative tyrant
ReplyDeleteThis same group is trying to BUY THE SCHOOL BOARD TOO!!!! Please, voters, do not let them do this. Our children cannot continue to pay the price of this self-serving, greedy, manipulative bunch of people. The Huff-supported candidates, Flowers, McGrew, Banwart, and Steele, have been selected to continue things AS THEY ARE. This isn't because things are good, because the district is broke, teachers are fleeing the town again, academics are struggling worse than ever, and now we hear they can't even cover their checks to businesses. They have used a lot of money somewhere, but it wasn't to the benefit of the children. If that was what concerned them they would have fired Huff a long time ago.
ReplyDeleteThere is more meanness in the Board race than ever before, driven mostly by Flowers and Landis, and it's because the Huff candidates and Huff have so much to hide and keep covered up. It's time to not only stand up to the JPC on the council, it's time to turn over the Board, too. Let's get the truth of what's happened in that district and get the kids and teachers back to the real business of school, Carol Stark and the JPC be damned. What I hear from parents and teachers is alarming. This can't go on another year.
Please name the five who voted out Rohr. I am still trying to decide who I'm voting for, but I think that some of them have earned my vote. Also please list any candidates who are concerned about the direction that Joplin schools are headed. Thanks
ReplyDeleteYou better believe they're buying the election, for the council and the school board, both. Both received millions of dollars to be used for "improvements" and "recovery." It's more like self-promotion and greed. Turn out all of those connected with Huff and those exposed in the Loraine report. Why can't we have an investigation like this for the schools? I'd chip in. Maybe parents should go together and hire an investigator. Looks like no one in the government, who we pay to oversee our schools, has the balls to stand up to Huffy boy. That's pathetic. He's not that tough. He cries every five minutes.
ReplyDeleteThe five who voted to fire Mark Rohr were Mayor Melodee Dolbert Kean, Jack Golden, Benjamin Rosenberg, Bill Scearce, and Trisha Raney. As for the board candidates, I will note that that an unethical use of taxpayer facilities took place the first day of filing to make sure that Jeff Flowers, Shawn McGrew, Randy Steele, and Lynda Banwart were the first four on the ballot, in that order. The other candidates, none of whom have such close connections to the C. J. Huff Administration, are Debbie Fort, David Guilford, and Jeff Koch.
ReplyDelete6:42--
ReplyDeleteI've heard that Flowers and Landis are using their spouses in the schools as spies and that Landis is always in the grade schools telling teachers how they better vote. I hope that isn't true, but nothing about those two would surprise me. It's dirty politics at its worst with this board election, and that indicates that they've got a personal agenda to perpetuate or hide. Unfortunately for them, even lowly teachers get a private vote, and they'll be using that right this time, but not for those who have helped to make their work lives miserable.
The Globe has been on a seek-and-destroy mission against Bill Scearce and repeatedly focused on a years-old incident for which there were no charges filed. Yet, The Globe has been on a champion-Mark-Rohr-mission and ignored virtually any negative timely, pertinent allegations against him. Why?
ReplyDeleteThank you, Randy Turner, for publishing news.
Convince me of who are the least corrupt candidates running for the Joplin City Council. And since nobody is running against Gary Shaw is there a candidate who didn't file in time but is running as a write in?
ReplyDeleteWhy is the council wanting to amended the salary to one hundred dollars per month for each council member while serving on the Joplin City council? Are they going to save the tax payers anything this way? Are they (the council) going to benefit? Why the change?
ReplyDeleteDavid Humphreys is right!! I think he should run for city council!!
ReplyDeleteI agree with Mr. Humphreys. And I'm sick of Mike Pence with the Joplin Progess Committee pushing Woolston and the "establishment" and passing out flyers at the Y when I just try to go get a work out.
ReplyDeleteThe ones who voted to keep Rohr and especially Mike Woolston will not be getting my vote. Im with Raney, Colbert Kean, Scearce!
ReplyDeleteHas anyone gone to the Joplin Progressive Committee website?
ReplyDeleteWow
Jane Cage wrote beautiful words, especially the value section. Unfortunately the testimony of Council under oath and the intimidation of the Mayor show actions matter so much more than frilly website promotion techniques.
Theres nothing progressive about that group. Trying to buy the election seems right. I just hope Joplin people have heard the truth and not bought into Ansons lies.
ReplyDelete