MAYOR "I DO WHAT I WANT AND YOU CAN'T STOP ME" ABRAMSON LATEST FIASCO

This really should come as no surprise but check this video out from FOX41:

Anyone surprised? No one I know for sure. Former Deputy Mayor Rick Johnstone has been rehired to oversee the federal stimulus money Louisville is set to receive. According to Abramson he has been working as a volunteer since his retirement 3 and 1/2 months ago. Sure and I have swampland for sale in the Arizona desert.

In the meantime, according to Abramson, this money has already created 1000 jobs and thousands more to follow. Will he give us a list upon request of the 1000 jobs that have been created to date? Are these full time jobs or temporary jobs as most know they will be.

Abramson forces a hiring freeze down the throats of every department citing a budget "crisis," that has yet to be proven true to most of us, and then as predicted rehires a "retired" insider friend of his to do a job that we should be able to do within the confines of existing employees.

Typical arrogance of this Mayor. The list of insiders and favorable treatment in jobs etc have hurt us more than most can imagine. More and more we continue getting stories of people not being qualified , think Kim Bunton and the Crit LuAllen report at this point, and when someone retires they don't really retire they double dip.

There is no doubt that Johnstone knows the players and can "hit the ground running." Heck he either appointed the players or was involved in getting them appointed in the first place. Cronyism at its finest.

This was a done deal before he retired in my opinion as is the case with most who get "rehired" at taxpayer expense.For those who will insist it was the right thing to do and Johnstone is only doing it out of the goodness of his heart I must ask this: Why change the terms then?

Jerry says this job is too important to be trusted to a volunteer. But if so then why has it not been that important for the last 3 and a 1/2 months Johnstone has been doing it and taking credit for creating 1000 jobs. Johnstone has been volunteering for this long. If it was too important to trust to a volunteer then why would we trust Johnstone he is a volunteer after all correct?

So which is it Mr. Mayor. Volunteers are not good enough even though they have been with you for years but they are certainly good enough when you give them $94,000? I fail to see what the difference is.

Did Johnstone get immediately smarter and better because he got $94,000 of taxpayer money, in addition to his retirement, at the expense of ALL others who have had to sacrifice because of your budget "crisis?"

Paradox huh? Nah just typical Abramson spin. Stand firm Kelly Downard most of us agree with you.

So here is a solution for you Mr. Mayor. If Johnstone is so important, even though he apparently wasn't good enough when "volunteering" based on your comments, then perhaps you should split the difference.

Pay him a total of $94,000 less his retirement pay. Seems that would be a valid answer so he does a better job not volunteering.

Stay tuned folks. It is time to start showing the links of all the players in Metro hierarchy to Abramson and cronyism. We will begin linking them all for your review soon. From Fawn Lakes in the Housing partnership to the Louisville leadership community and all points beyond, including the Federal Reserve of St Louis Louisville Branch, cronyism pays and it pays well when in the Abramson regime.

More to come...........

CLEARING THE AIR

Some people seem to take offense when I point out the obvious garbage that goes on with Metro Government. Of course most of those same people are the ones I gripe about. Ah but alas I stray.

I have been accused of being anti government, anti Louisville, stupid, crazy, an idiot, and well you get the gist. Hey if you cannot stand the heat stay out of the kitchen I say. Problem is I like my kitchen so I will be there for quite awhile. So let's clear the air a bit on a few things perhaps it will make some people sleep better but probably not.

In no way shape or form am I anti government. In fact quite the opposite. Our government is very necessary to our daily lives to be anti government would be a nut job in my opinion. With that being said let me explain this. Our government should be about giving people a hand up when necessary then get the heck out of the way. Unfortunately our government has adopted the policy of give the people a handout and then tell them what to do with it.

I am anti government as we now have it. The people in office seem to think there primary job is to take care of themselves at our expense. I have challenged the status quo on so many things throughout this blog, and I will continue to do so when there asinine way of doing business hurts the people they are elected to represent.

This does not mean, however, that I have some sort of personal bias against many employees who are caught in the crossfire. One of my latest articles Louisville News and Politics: ZONING: ARE YOU SERIOUS? actually surprised me a bit from the responses I received. One sentence in the article concerning IPL inspector Frank Glavinski set off a few phone calls in his defense.

Essentially while outlining a continuing problem with IPL and the Leo's in that article I was trying to show how when you get targeted that the leadership at IPL will start checking any and everything you own for problems. The Leo's have had inspections at their home and business and everything in between and in my opinion it all started with John Flood the convicted felon who led IPL.

I mentioned Mr. Glavinski in passing as the inspector who was smoking a cigarette when Mrs. Leo answered the door. It was unprofessional in my opinion. This one sentence caused a few phone calls to me in Mr. Glavinski's defense. In fact, I gave out my personal cell number to one caller and asked them to feel free to give it to Mr. Glavinski.

Well I am glad they followed through because I had a nice 25 minute conversation with Mr. Glavinski and I have checked some open records on him. I referred to Mr. Glavinski in the comment section of the article above as one of the good guys who just made one mistake. In fact he even said it was unprofessional to be smoking while on the property.

But more importantly I also have on record a couple of letters from residents thanking Mr. Glavinski for his courteous, professional way of helping them get in compliance with zoning issues. And that folks is the positive stuff we should be working together to achieve.

Mr. Glavinski was very courteous, and very helpful in explaining some of the day to day things the inspectors must put up with in order to do their job. In fact he regularly stands up against some things he feels violate the context of the job he was hired to do.

My rants and stories are not intended to be against the individuals who are forced to do their job, from bad cronyism management in the Abramson machine, but I am dedicated to outing the leadership, and those like Michael Baugh, who abuse the authority and the trust we put in them.

I must say thanks to Mr. Glavinski for his dedication and sincerity in his job. Seriously. As I have stated numerous times I do know some inspectors personally but I do not use their name because I want no retribution against them. In this case I feel it important to let people know at least with one name and face, with permission, that indeed there are those who truly do care.

So for those like Frank Glavinski I say thanks and please keep up the good work. For all the others. I most certainly will keep up the good work outing you.

Anyone have any stories good or bad to share? Write me I would love to talk about it.

CONWAY FOR SENATE?

This falls into the category of Kentucky's worst kept secret. Conway announces bid for U.S. Senate courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal . Like anyone did not know Conway would announce his intent for the Senate seat. Oh well on with the rant.

I have to admit I have been a fan of Conway's in the past. I saw him as a young eager guy who could and would willingly help make changes for the better for all of us. I saw him as someone who would do the right thing and work diligently for we the people. I felt he would work to insure the integrity in elected officials, would help work towards tougher crime laws, and would make our Cities throughout the Commonwealth beetr communities for we the people.

As of now I am rethinking that process. Is Jack Conway the same guy I had hopes in previously? Has he now become the one thing I feared? Is he now just another political hack with ambitions that are bigger than he can or will handle?

I honestly do not know. On one hand I like some of the things AG Conway has tried to tackle. His work on computer safety and the internet in regards to children are but one example. A tough stance on prisons and prisoners are yet another. I am not impressed with a lot of other things though.

AG Conway has been sent evidence and asked to investigate a few noteworthy things on our behalf in Louisville. Noteworthy to mention are MSD, or the conflict of interests between Abramson and the DDC, or the whole King fiasco I have outlined many times on this site. These were snet by me and the Metro Council jumped on board the DDC complaint a few days later. Considering the Metro Council also has some of the same concerns I do you would think it would be a relevant investigation to have. I have seen no evidence to date of any investigation even being considered much less being done.

These things are important overall to maintain the integrity of the electoral process, the spending of our public dollars, and the accountability of elected positions. Not to mention getting involved with streamlining transparency or making it easier to obtain open records for our review.

These are just some of the issues I feel are important. If we cannot get integrity into these how would I trust him in the Senate to do anything better. Considering that most of these issues involve prominent Kentucky Democrats has Conway become just another part of the machine that believes in party first people second?

Many believe so and that is part of the problem. Conway has impressed me in the past, no small feat I assure you, but he has also left me feeling like he just isn't willing to do the hard work necessary to fulfill that promising "young Jack" I once saw.

Take care of home first then show me what you can do beyond that.

Sadly, these questions go unanswered for many of us today. But I do have to say this much.

Anyone could be better IMO than Bunning or Mongiardo.

Just saying.

ZONING: ARE YOU SERIOUS?

Correction: The article below reflects two changes. Mark Speed was not the inspector who showed up at the Leo's home and blew smoke in their face. That inspector was Frank Glavenski. The article has been changed to reflect that. Also, the change to Michael Baugh was made after the Leo's contacted the Mayor and the Governor about the IPL problems. My apologies to Mr. Speed for the error. One other thing of note. Flood was removing signs about liquor sales etc. The people who owned the business next door, close friends of Rick Blackwell, were angry at the competition.

Okay okay. Yes I know I spend a lot of time writing about zoning and IPL but really they are so incompetent that it is too easy sometimes. Take today's Courier article for example in regards to JAVANON and Ali Ahmadi 'Illegal' building prompts warning courier-journal.com The Courier-Journal.

A warning? Are you serious? This guy has been warned before and still built a building illegally due to the incompetence of the good old Board of Zoning. Of course this only reinforces what many of us already know.

There are two ways of doing business with Board of Zoning. One for insiders and another for everyone else.

Take this story into account. As you may recall a previous story I did about John Flood Louisville News and Politics: John Flood and Code enforcement again.... citing his arrogance and abuse of powers, as well as, his propensity for using racial slurs.

The business used for this story is located on Lower Hunter's Trace between Dixie and Sky Blue. For those in the area it is a small strip building with a liquor store in front and a haircutting business called The Edge owned by Jennifer Leo.

During the election season last year Mrs. Leo had signs on her property advertising beer sales etc. She was well within her rights to do so but apparently Rick Blackwell took offense when contacted by his friends of the business next door and Flood was the hammer. John Flood showed up at 8 pm on a Friday Night with his muscle, or wife, MaDonna Flood in tow to remove the signs. When confronted by the liquor store owner asking what he was doing, the owner was told "get back in the store you camel jockey."

Gee no surer sign that Flood was up to no good and in the wrong. But just in case some of you may wonder how he was wrong remember this. Flood had the right to issue a citation and give the owner's 30 days to comply or refute the citation before ANYTHING could be done to remove the signs.

Obviously Flood chose to ignore the regulations he was in charge of enforcing. More interesting is why would Flood be in the PRP area off duty, with his wife MaDonna who represents Okolona area, removing signs of opponents of Rick Blackwell? The answer is obvious. Politics at its worst. Blackwell did not like the signs being there and the machine thug took care of it for him.

The problem did not end there. Since this started the Leo's have been harassed at home, at their business, and on any property that they own. IPL inspector Frank Glavenski showed up at their home one night and when Mrs. Leo opened the door proceeded to blow smoke in her face from his cigarette. Yep real professional. He supposedly was there demanding that they move a trailer off their property. Only problem is it was a single axle trailer and allowed by IPL own rules.

Another example of abuse? Derby City Ink, a tattoo shop located in the strip building, was forced to move when IPL cited a zoning problem. They used the excuse that the building was zoned C-1 and therefore a tattoo shop was not allowed.

Straightforward right? The problem is that the shop was in existence for 1 and a half years AFTER being approved by Zoning AND passing all health department requirements. Gee real coincidental that they were forced to move costing the Leo's rental income on their property AFTER the Leo's were found supporting opposing candidates.

Yep I know some will label me a wing nut, or a conspiracy theorist, for this side. So be it. But all the problems started when Flood and his wife decided to illegally do a favor? for a sitting Metro Council member.

If it walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, chances are it is a duck. Know what I mean?

They were accused of running a business out of their home because the trailer is used to transport signage in relation to a business they do own called Leo and Sons Sign Co. There are no customers that come to their home for any business whatsoever. Why would they? The Leo's own commercial property for their businesses and do not need to run one from their home.

Another example of inspector's harassing people that follow the regulations.

Leo and Son's signs do commercial work for businesses around the City including a most recent example with Tuscany Restaurants. According to IPL own regs a new sign is required to have a permit pulled to do any work.

A sign face change, not changing the sign but the wording on it only, does not. Inspector Mark Speed decided to issue a stop work order against Tuscany restaurants for some violations they had concerns with. Fair enough.

Unfortunately, Mark Speed decided that the stop work order should include the FACE change being done by Leo and Son' s sign company as well thus he violated his own regs.

Not fair.

When Mark Speed was called by Mr. Leo his response was pathetic at best. He told Mr. Leo that "today is the first day you will work by the book" then hung up on him. When Mr. Leo called back Speed hung up on him again.

If we are using this example of a face change to issue a stop work order then we must shut down every gasoline business in town, and any busines who advertises on one of their own signs, including schools that adevrtise sports events etc.

They all do face changes daily by updating prices, announcing the next sale, or letting you know when Friday night's high school game is.

Apparently Speed does not know the rules he tries to enforce or has the same God complex notorious in Flood and Michael Baugh. There was one positive from all of this though. When there was an established personality conflict between Speed and the Leo's they asisgned another inspector to the case. Michael Baugh. This change was made AFTER the Leo's wrote the Governor and the Mayor about their problems with IPL.

When Baugh was asked why he was inspecting their properties, since he was assigned to another area, they were informed that he was specially assigned to them only.

Gee I would feel so much better.

Mr. Leo followed up with a call to Allen Porter, Speed's boss, and was told he would look into the matter. Of course Porter then sided with Speed against the evidence in their own regs citing that Mr. Leo was right.

When Bill Schreck was called, as the next step in the process, Schreck stated there was no stop work order. Problem is Mr. Leo has a copy of the stop work order including his sign face change that requires no permit.

Confused yet? Wish I was. The bottom line is a simple one. In our free society elections matter. Do not support anyone but an incumbent or the incompetents will send a goon squad to harass you. They apparently rely on this intimidation tactic to keep their elected job. This is not our free Democratic society at its best.

Funnily enough, if you work for the City like Ahmadi does you can build a building in plain sight and be ignored until it is done against the same zoning folks who continue the idiocy as outlined over and over again throughout this blog. I mean why not? Get away with it and get a "warning." Pathetic as usual but not unexpected form this group of incompetents.

Honestly how can you build a building this size in plain sight and be ignored until it is completed? It defies any rational thought process doesn't it?

Tear JAVANON down. Send a message that what is good for one is good for another. Please do not use the same old "but what about the kids" argument. If anyone was worried about the kids this would not have been done this way. It would have been done correctly in the first place.

Fire Ahmadi. He is part of the cancer that permeates the good people, and businesses, who are trying to do their job honestly in this City. He is not above the law. How many chances do you get to do the same thing wrong and illegally? Fire Schreck since he is the figure head used by Abramson then cut the head off the figure.

Remember if we continue to allow the incompetency to run amok we are all only one yard sign away from harassment.

Your thoughts?