Recently, KOAM's Jordan Aubey broke the story about the $5 million loan Wallace-Bajjali had received from Springfield trucking company Prime, a loan that was also signed by former Joplin City Manager Mark Rohr and a representative of the Joplin Redevelopment Corporation.
Aubey's report indicated that the city might be on the hook for all of part of the $5 million.
The Globe, relying on famed legal expert Mayor Michael Seibert, followed the next day with an article indicating that when Joplin cut its ties with Wallace-Bajjali, it also severed its responsibility for the Prime loan.
Earlier this week, KOAM's Aubey struck again, this time with a report that included an interview with Prime's attorney, who indicated that the trucking company might sue the city.
So naturally, the Globe responded with a page one article in today's edition, in which reporter Debby Woodin covered the ground Aubey covered as far as the possibility that Prime might become involved in some of Joplin's projects to get a return for its loan. Of course, there is no mention of any possibility of a lawsuit.
The lesson to be learned for those who are wanting to see news in the Joplin Globe- give Jordan Aubey a call. If he does a report, you can be sure the Globe will have something in a day or two.
This Jordan Aubey seems like a reporter after your own heart Randy
ReplyDeleteIsn't sad that the official TV channels that serve Joplin (KSNF/KODE) can't match the caliber of news reporting like Pittsburg's KOAM TV.
ReplyDeleteRandy nice reporting! You posted the $5 million loan agreement to Wallace Bajalli recently which I have read a few times. It has 3 signatures Rohr the JRC President and Attorney Head. Nobody from Wallace Bajalli even signed the agreement that gave them $5 million. How could Prime or the city be so incompetent?
ReplyDeleteRandy nice reporting! You posted the $5 million loan agreement to Wallace Bajalli recently which I have read a few times. It has 3 signatures Rohr the JRC President and Attorney Head. Nobody from Wallace Bajalli even signed the agreement that gave them $5 million. How could Prime or the city be so incompetent?
ReplyDeleteWhere is anything that says Wallace Bajalli borrowed the money? It looks like Prime was smart in only listing the City of Joplin as borrower.
ReplyDeleteWe borrowed it and unfortunately we need to step up and figure how to pay it back without being the city Prime built.
1:56, the city didn't borrow the money from Prime. WB borrowed it from Prime and pledged the financial rights to their projects as collateral.
ReplyDelete7:42, because the master developer agreement was signed by the city, they also needed to consent to the collateral assignment as part of their contract with WB.