Friday, December 16, 2011

Louisville Ky MSD, Audits and Indictments?

Sometimes you have to take credit where it is due because no one else will give it to you. Yep pretty egotistical statement and in this case I will be a pretty egotistical guy. Thanks to Kentucky Open Records Laws we can find out a lot more than we ever have.

For years now we at LNP have been reporting on the fallacies of MSD, including the shenanigans of Attorney Larry Zielke, the incompetency of Director Bud Shardein, and a whole host of other issues. Today we are vindicated.

Why would I say that? For the last year or so the CJ, and others, have been finally reporting somewhat on the problems at MSD yet they were silent throughout the years in many case in order to protect the former regime leader in Jerry Abramson.

There can be no doubt about that now as the problems at MSD have been talked about for years in the public domain by yours truly. Why were other media outlets ignoring these problems when Jerry was in charge? While I thank Crit Luallen for finally doing a complete audit, why would she wait until the end of her term to do so when info was provided long ago about MSD and an audit requested by yours truly as well?

While there certainly are many questions to be asked, and accountability for all who helped hide this to protect the Democratic mafia with Abramson, it is indeed a great day to finally be proven right so thanks to Crit and her Department.

You can read the findings here from Crit’s office.

Mayor Greg Fisher announced at Noon today that Bud Shardein will be replaced as Director immediately. Unfortunately, though I agree with ridding Shardein 100%, the direction he is taking is suspect.

For starters, allowing Shardein to remain in any capacity until the spring is wrong. He has proven to be a dismal failure, a liar, and a thief. You don’t reward that behavior by allowing him to stay on so he can pad retirement.

You fire him immediately and deal with it. To allow him even so much as an advisory role is an insult to each of us who have been screwed by wrongful rate increases and faulty management.

Fischer also announced that three long-serving board members — chairman Arnold Celentano, Doyle Stacy and Jerome Clark — will shortly retire from the board as soon as replacements are found. Fischer asked them to stay until replacements can be appointed to maintain a level of institutional knowledge during the interim. There are eight board members, four of whom have been appointed by Fischer and have served fewer than six months.

Good to see Doyle Stacy being replaced as he was nothing more than a political hack appointment to appease the UAW for his work gaining an endorsement of Jerry Abramson in 2006. His work in that fiasco was rewarded so good riddance.

Another interesting twist to the story?

Greg Heitzman, Water Company president, will also assume the title of executive director of MSD starting immediately. Heitzman will be a loaned executive to help lead MSD during its transition toward compliance with the audit findings as well as a possible new business structure. Current executive director Bud Schardein, a 28 year MSD veteran, announced today that he will retire in the spring but will remain with the agency in an advisory role until then to help ensure a smooth transition.

I have problems with Heitzman being interim for MSD. Why? Because I believe that the Louisville Water Company is the second biggest scam against us ratepayers.

LWC is 100% owned and operated by the City of Louisville itself. Its purpose is to provide us with safe affordable drinking water. Period.

So why then can LWC continue to raise rates and post a profit that goes straight into the Louisville General Fund?

Is this not a form of illegal taxation since the Government owns it? Making a profit by raising rates is exactly one of the same scams MSD has been employing. Using a government agency for profit is, well, not exactly acceptable is it?

Greg Fisher you need a new Board Chairman? I volunteer. In the meantime.

There are a lot more questions to be asked and answered in the short-term but today, after years of railing against the illegalities of MSD, is as good a day as any to sit back, reflect on the fight, and say……

I told you so.


Listen daily from 7-8pm at The Ed Springston Show. Also visit Louisville Politics for more details and in depth coverage of local political and news issues.

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Ed Springston

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