John Flood and Code enforcement again....

This story just will not go away. I am deluged with so many calls since I posted the original story that it is hard to sort through so much information. I thank each of you for getting involved and sharing your experiences. I am continually disgusted with just how bad this one Department is. If this one is so bad I can see other Departments probably are as well and I will get to them soon. I promise.

From anonymous sources I am being told more of the story and how John Flood and Code enforcement really is.

Let's go back a bit shall we?

Prior to merger those inspectors with IPL sent out what were known as a "friendly" notice reminder when someone was in violation. For example if grass was too high a notice was sent to a violator and they were essentially asked to correct the problems in a certain time frame with no repercussions if they did. Many inspectors just actually talked to the people and explained the situation asking them to help get in compliance to avoid repercussions. Working together was a great service to the people. A service we need more of not less.

In many cases some of these folks were elderly, or disabled, or had some other reason they could not comply. Know what some IPL officers did? They would actually load up their own lawn mowers, or whatever they needed, and assist those in need by doing the work for them. On their own time and out of their own pocket.

How is that for helping your community? Pretty good I would say.

Most of the IPL inspectors I have spoken with cannot stand the new gestapo way of doing business. They were proud of their work before and now live in fear of being hurt or killed doing their job. They now get written up or suspended if they do not meet the illegal quotas given them by John Flood. It is now all about money and not a better community. There are reports of at least 2 robberies and one carjacking of IPL officers apparently in retaliation for doing their jobs.

Of course this has never been mentioned in the media. Just one more reason you will only see these type stories online at outlets like this one.

Since merger and convicted felon John Flood came on board times have indeed changed. It was Flood's idea to stop using these letters and cite offenders automatically with Bill Schreck's approval to do so. This created an immediate disconnect between those in the IPL office and the community at large. Of course no one in this administration has ever cared about the people in this City. The IPL officers fought this change as they felt it would not allow due process for those in violation. I agree with their assessment.

This created an opportunity for Flood to use the power of the office for personal gain.

According to my sources for starters, during his wife MaDonna's Metro Council race, John Flood decided to harass those who opposed MaDonna by using his IPL position to issue citations and fines as a payback for not supporting her. Many businesses on Preston Highway became targets simply for not backing his wife.

Abuse of office? You bet.

Additionally when folks got sick of being abused on Preston Highway, and he was worried publicity was starting to mount, Flood decided to move on to the South end including the Southwest areas for further abuse and more money. He found willing partners in 14Th District Metro Councilman Bob Henderson and IPL inspector Michael Baugh. The Southwest has been abused through the IPL office for sometime now as I have made aware many times. This was surely a way to take the heat off for harassment of one particular area.

The old switcharoo.

Funnily enough the East and West Ends do not seem to have this type of problem. Why is that?

According to one source it is because Flood has stated he could care less about the West End further stating that he doesn't even know where Market street is. A joke? Perhaps but a telling one considering.

A source who happened to witness one example of Flood's abuse concerned a property on Lower Hunters Trace. A few signs were put out on Lower Hunters at a business there and John Flood personally decided to move them saying they were in violation. He chose to go on property and physically make changes without the owner's approval. That in itself is a violation of his office and powers. In the old days you would talk to the owner and ask them to move them.

Not anymore.

Flood decided he had the right to go take the signs down and when the business owner confronted him to ask him what he was doing John Flood's response?

"Get back in the store you camel jockey."

According to multiple sources this would not be the first racial slur nor the last by John Flood. Matter of fact it is told by more than one person that John Flood is as prejudiced as it gets and uses racial slurs as a common practice.

Even further abuse is being told to me by sources as well.

If you are a friend of John or MaDonna's no worries. I have been told John has pulled many cases out of court that concerned friends of his in violation and discarded the citations.

John was sworn into IPL on or about July 14, 2004 according to these same sources. He had full access to everything including Courtnet to see what violators were being brought into court so it would be easy to see how he could have cases pulled. Since that time he has lost that privilege I am told but no worries.

Sources say that his wife got MaDonna's friend Beth Bishop a job and now she works across the hall and allows John access to Courtnet. Great huh?

Also according to sources the reason BullDog cafe has so many problems with IPL is because of a friend of John's who uses John and that friendship to harass them. Reportedly because he does not like the type music they play or their patrons.

One more thing to add.

One other source claims that the Assistant Director Robert Kerstorfer is also double dipping as is Bill Schreck from our taxpayer money. He retired and was out 30 days before coming back to the same job with full retirement pay and his regular pay.

Illegal here folks.

Keep the phone calls coming folks at every level for every office of government. I thank you for them all.

It is time we gained accountability.

(502)742-8519
myviewmatters@aol.com