I think I have heard it all now. The SouthPass developers tried to stiff the city by giving a quit claim deed for the park land in the middle of their property and near the leaking landfill. Kit Williams, our elected City Attorney who is paid more than $100,000 a year, says he is "fine-tuning" the deed and "working on details of the deed with developers" to make sure it reflects promises both sides made in the sweetheart contract he approved and Dan Coody and John Nock signed in 2004.
Williams goes on in an article in today's Northwest Arkansas Times to lament what a difficult time this is for SouthPass developers. "But, once we begin developing the park, the land around it is going to be extremely desirable, and it won’t be so difficult for SouthPass to sell to people who want to live there and have businesses there,” he said, adding “The first major development is going to be building soccer fields.” That probably explains why the City Parks and Recreation capital development plan for the next five years gives almost all of its budget to SouthPass and ignores the community parks and the needs of low income neighborhoods.
Drafting a warranty deed is not a difficult process, Kit. You can download the form online and paste in the legal description from the survey that the City has already paid for. Quit making excuses for the developers, and do your job for the taxpayers. Better still, go back to private practice and let the developers start paying you for looking after their interests.
Lioneld Jordan said before he was elected that he wanted 4 "green" parks, one in each quadrant of the City. He also made some muffled noises about opposing SouthPass (which we tend to forget he helped vote in, initially, a few years ago). How does his attitude toward this problem differ from Dan Coody's? And why are we rushing to put in a public facility to assist speculators? This is part of the problem not part of the solution.
ReplyDeleteYou're missing something important.
ReplyDeleteThe residents that use the Asbell soccer fields now won't be able to in just a few years. The University wants the land back.
When there is a trail connecting Southpass with that neighborhood, something like Scull Creek, it will be a popular park.
We also tend to forget that Lioneld was Chair of the street committee when the bond issue was passed with the original, mega-crappy Garland design. Why give Coody all the blame for that one when Lioneld deserves half of it for failing to do his part?
ReplyDeleteAss-powdering again, Jonah?
Sooo...any comment on Lioneld choosing the wife of his chief campaign strategist to be his $75,000 per year "communication director"? any history lesson on this strategist (Stephen Smith) engineering the rise of Lioneld Jordan from union organizer to mayor in a few short years? Aye, there's a story, I think....
ReplyDeleteThe scandal is in the policies not in the people. The policy should be no more growth, no new car lanes, no more irremediable destruction of agricultural, prairie, and forest land. We need teachers, we need the arts (any schools here with orchestras and choirs as in Argentina's "sistemo"? -- there used to be), GPs and health care works, better health clinics for all etc. But PC frivolities are easier and they'd be fine if they weren't so destructive and so expensive.
ReplyDeleteWell, as I read the qualifications of Rep. Smith in yesterday's newspaper article announcing her selection, I couldn't help thinking how amazingly qualified she is for this specific position. I think she will perform in this job as she has as a Representative, with enthusiasm and smarts.
ReplyDeleteI am with you Moondog. While it doth seem that any new administration just brings with it a new set of cronies (with notable exceptions duly pointed out by Jonah-- Mr. Bourdreaux & Ms. Edmonston come to mind)
ReplyDeletemy experience of Ms. Smith, Esq. is that she brings alot of competence and accountability (actually answering e-mails personally for gosh sakes!) to her job.
And now we know where to send our FOI's.
I hope that Kit Williams runs for reelection, then we can hold him accountable for his performance or lack thereof. It also will be very interesting to see his campaign contribution reports.
ReplyDeleteHow long do campaign contribution reports stay on file?
ReplyDeleteAre you saying that Kit Williams doesn't represent the City? you think he's acting counter to the wishes of the mayor and the mayor's team?
ReplyDeleteKit Williams is an elected official. He doesn't work for or answer to the Mayor or the City Council. Whether he represents the City or has his own agenda, that would depend on who you talk to.
ReplyDeleteC'mon people: Jonah has given the tip of the iceberg here:
ReplyDeletecheck the hyperlink at the end of the Post.
Technically Mr. Williams is sworn to not advocate for anyone but the City.
He has decided that keeping the City from being sued is job number one. It is just that in this case it was all bluster and no mustard behind it. In other words, I think it is obvious that getting the project thru before the new administration came in was the priority--threat of the City getting sued was the "by any means necessary" quickest way to accomplish this.
Not to mention the principals, Messrs. Williams and Alexander are both attorneys & prob. had it all worked out in advance.
I was at that meeting. Alderperson Allen asked "Why are we here?" in the context of the Council being coerced by Williams into a 'yes' vote.
It might have been interesting to see what the AR Supreme's Ofc. of Professional Conduct had to say about all this.
But, hey, we have a new Mayor and Mr. Petty, so what me worry?
The city is running a huge budget deficit during this economic downturn so instead of holding the line on spending and making budget cuts, Mayor Jordan hires the State Rep. wife of one of his top campaign managers. Anyone who thinks that does not reek of cronyism is too much of a Coody hater to see it. What of Coody had done something like that? I like Lindsley, but to say she did not do it for the fluffy pay is naive.
ReplyDeleteWhy not post something about the Lying Queen, our new gal from Texas who fired Dick Johnson with his 4 state championships last year.
ReplyDeleteWhat did he do? It's a PUBLIC school, so someone should be forced to say it. Where is the gutless local media? The papers said she held an "inquiry." Someone should ask what it was about for God's sake. Why did no one ask Dick Johnson about this at his press conference? The millage hike election was already in trouble, but it's in real trouble now and will not pass.
The more explaining Miss Vicki trys to do, the more the smell rises from this sophomoric cover-up. The way things are going, the school admin. will keep trying to cover-up while the weeks roll by, right up until their big defeat at the polls, because voters don't like secrets and lies, and voters aren't stupid.
ReplyDeleteI disagree that this will drag out. They are going to have to clear this up no later than Tuesday with a full coming-clean of exactly why Johnson was forced out, or else face certain election defeat. A cloud of suspicion is the last thing they can afford.
ReplyDeleteI really hope some Council members will step up and ask what the hell our Mayor is doing hiring a new position during a 2 million dollar budget deficit!!!
ReplyDeleteWHAT THE FUCK LIONELD?
Dear 8:04. Was it time for your pill several hours ago?
ReplyDeleteThe position has been open for 7 months. FOI requests pour in. Administrations need such a staff person. Unlike bogus airport managers, etc...
Thanks 8:15, if it had to be somebody, this voter would take Ms. Smith any day of the week.
ReplyDeleteThink...if we only had the $63 MILLION DOLLARS that Coody's bungling incompetence cost the taxpayers, hiring someone like Ms. Smith wouldn't be an issue. WHAT THE FUCK DAN&DEB?
ReplyDeleteDr. Susan Thomas, Ph.D. was paid the same salary in that same slot in the Coody administration. I would say the city traded up.
ReplyDeleteEven now, I still shiver, seeing once again the dreaded phrase:
ReplyDelete"Dr. Susan Thomas, Ph.D."
Is anyone considering running for City Attorney against Kit Williams? Anyone who would be open to a draft?
ReplyDeleteDraft John Borrows.
ReplyDeleteThere are any number of capable attorneys who could handle the job, and Williams has handed them a long list of campaign issues.
ReplyDeleteFollow the money, folks.
ReplyDeleteWhatever happened to the proposal to audit the A $ P commission -- as in Little Rock? Along with the Parks $ Rec budget and planning for the "regional sports complex" at Southpass? Neither seems to have been monitored closely over the past two City administrations.
How about M. Leflar for City Attorney. Charles Kester. One of the Smiths.
ReplyDeleteAny of those would be great!!!
ReplyDeleteTerry Jones would be a good City Attorney.
ReplyDelete