Has anyone else noticed that the moment there is any critical attention of Wayne Cauthen or the Manager's Office that all of sudden the Falling Star reveals or creates some bombshell that totally detracts attention away from Cauthen? It has been disgusting enough that they have absolutely refused to be critical of Cauthen for over four years while he has systematically dismantled the organization but it is really starting to look fishy.
A $20 million shortfall isn't a story? Cauthen's frequent temper tantrums aren't a story? The fact that most basic services are worse than they have ever been, isn't a story? Cauthen raising several thousand dollars for Al Brooks campaign isn't a story? Over $17 million to consultants (mostly Denver) with no accountability isn't a story? Cauthen's prior relationships with those same Denver consultants isn't a story? No bid contracts aren't a story? The collapse of the Purchasing Department isn't a story? How about Public Works? Cauthen's favorites receiving exorbitant raises (30%) isn't a story? LT absolutely escaping any discipline isn't a story? LT assigned by Cauthen as Acting isn't a story? The fact that audits have been held up for months by Cauthen isn't a story?
The next time there is any negative attention toward Cauthen, watch carefully for the Falling Star to come to his defense.
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7 comments:
You are right; the Star should be doing investigative reporting but they run into the same think that you and the Not Ready For Prime Buzz folks run into. The people with the smoking guns will not come forth. If nobody is going to provide them with concrete, tangible, documentation what do we want them to do? They're not clairvoyant. If you don't trust the Star people, then go to someone else. They tell children who are abused to keep telling people until you find the person that can help you. Those with the evidence in their hot little hands need to provide it - if they don't trust the blogs and they don't trust the Star, then go to th FBI or whomever - but go with some evidence not just your say so.
there so much on the take in city hall you cant trust the internal city auditor whats his name green something he only goes after the people that wc wants out. no wonder the morale is low
We're still waiting for perfect output. Let's hope we see it Wednesday at Finance and Audit. Be watching City Hallers...I've heard rumors that it will be very informative. Of course, WC's already buried about half the people who dealt with it to begin with. The bodies are piling up for WC, but there's still nine people who think he's just a great guy!
Has any one NOT noticed that the Falling Star has been in Cauthen's corner from day 1? The Star published a "Performance Audit" of Funkhouser. Why don't we prepare a "Performance Audit" of WC for the Star to publish? Let's address the following items:
1. The city's financial imbalance and $20 million decline in the general fund balance. Will the city's credit rating decline when the budget is released? I think you can count on it.
2. The amount of the city's debt payments for the next 5 years and the amount of tax incentives that will be given to developers -- will there be ANY fund balance left? Why was there no strategy or plan for this development instead of blindly approving every project that came forward? Why was there no city staff review of the proposals instead of accepting the developers' and EDC's (hand picked by Barnes to do her will) projections? Why was there no economic development policy in place before the city starting forking out all these millions (now up to $50 million or more a year). Why did the city need to pay EDC and the TIF Commission all those millions for their "services"?
3. How about WC's recruiting practices? Pre-selecting who gets the job; upgrading jobs for his favorite incumbents; changing job descriptions to get his favorites into high paying positions, dictating that all hires be African-American (with a few minor exceptions), all his Denverite cronies getting posh jobs; "special" raises for "special" favorites, etc.
4. And contracting practices? No bid contracts; hiring Denverite friends to manage contracts; outrageous pricing; steering contracts to pre-selected minority firms or forcing vendors to "partner" with minority businesses who are simply collecting a fee for no work; etc.
5. His judgment? Appointing LT to the ACM position,allowing her to resign intead of terminating her, leaving her in charge during her last week? Letting CIMO staff sit idle because he has no plan for what to do now that the projects have dried up? Even the employees in CIMO are bothered about collecting pay checks and not doing any work.
6. And finally -- what has WC done to improve race relations in KC -- instead of using the race card to create controversy in an effort to avoid scrutiny of his performance? Hasn't he basically "bought" the black community by throwing their leaders city favors -- but not really doing anything to improve the neighborhoods or city East side? Isn't he using his race to avoid being held accountable? Furthering racial discord, rather than striving for equality and fairness?
I'm sure you and your readers can add on to this list
There are smoking guns in the "Performance Audit - City Manager Needs to Strengthen
RFP Contracting Practices" rolled out today.
http://www.kcmo.org/auditor/07-08audits/CopierRFP07.pdf
I invite those in the know to assist with interpreting it for our readers as it appears we have a timid auditor's report and a timid F&A Committee's review, both reluctant to overtly tell it like it is.
Clearly the MBE WBE goal program was converted into a quota mandate program. It appears WC, the Councilman and the suspended Manager's Office official yoked together to deliver the bounty to their preferred, hand-picked, local, MBE vendor? Nothing surprising to most city employees, I suspect. Once WC had his hand-picked buddy put in place over the "program", quotas were the rule for all vendor contracts of the type familiar to employees in my department.
Certainly lawsuits could result causing the program to be thrown out as has occurred in other governmental bodies. How about it Vendors???? you that have been intimidated and mandated to provide MBE WBE subcontracts when your services do not require subcontracts but you had to artificially segment widgets or services to comply with the quota program?
It appears many employee rules and regulations were broken. Will those rules be enforced? Will the tyrant, the elected official, and the department director/division head demanding illegal contracting practices suffer any consequences for their actions?
It appears there are 3, maybe 4 men, minimum, that should lose their jobs. WC at the top of the list. District 5 should be looking for a replacement council representative. And the suspended Manager's office high official should not experience freedom for 3-5, minimum.
Falling Star, are you going to give Wayne Cauthen a bye on this one, too? Oh, that's right, he's Kay Barnes' hand-picked golden boy... and you're backing Barnes for the congressional seat! So don't look for anything negative about Wayne in your bird-cage liner, right?
What a waste of trees!!! Can we get a real newspaper in this town?
I think WC may have overplayed it this time. I'm not sure he counted on the SCLC making such fools of themselves with their KC boycott. I think KC as a whole will see them for what they are - race-baiting fools and WC will be right there with them.
Audit: More cost accountability needed with KC capital improvements management office
http://www.kansascity.com/news/local/story/446447.html
Is the Falling Star protecting WC or did the Auditor not look deep enough? Where did FS bury this article?
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