Thursday, September 4, 2014

Council votes to issue subpoenas; Kopka grills Wiltshire


KOPKA
The City Council voted, by a count of 6-3, to allow President Rodney Wiltshire to issue subpoenas in the ongoing investigation into demolitions on King Street and at the King Fuels site and the administration’s oversight of the Code Department.
The ordinance was passed without discussion, but Councilwoman Lynn Kopka, D-At Large, asked some pointed questions of Wiltshire at the Finance Committee meeting prior to the regular meeting. She, along with Councilmembers Erin Sullivan-Teta, D-At Large and Gary Galuski, D-District 6, voted against the ordinance.
Kopka asked how much money it was costing – mainly for the stenographer to make a record of the five public hearings - and where the money was coming from since the Council budget is already “in the red.” Wiltshire said he didn’t know. And Kopka said “I can tell you it’s over $5,000.”
“Where is the funding to pay these bills?” Kopka asked.
“We’ll have to move some money from the general fund,” Wiltshire said.
WIlTSHIRE
“So you saying the Executive Branch will be transferring the money to our budget,” Kopka said with a hint of sarcasm, alluding to the expectation that Wiltshire will subpoena Mayor Lou Rosamilia, Deputy Mayor Pete Ryan and Corporation Council Ian Silverman.
“It’s our duty to perform the responsibility as a Council and performing these hearing is something that is our right and something the citizens deserve,” Wiltshire said. “You can’t put a cost on that.”
“In other words we don’t have the funds,” Kopka fired back.   
She later asked about other agencies that are looking into the demolition projects – like the FBI, the state Department of Labor, and Department of Environmental Conservation and the Environmental Protection Agency. Wiltshire wouldn’t verify any of them, but said there are other agencies taking a look.
ROSAMILIA
“Those outside agencies have far more experience … why is the city Council continuing our own investigation?” Kopka asked.
“Our investigation is for processes and procedures that occur within city government, which is within our purview,” Wiltshire said. “The investigations that the other agencies may or not be performing are criminal in nature. And we are not conducting criminal investigations.”
“Can you verify that they are conducting criminal investigations?” Kopka asked.
 “I will not verify that at this time,” Wiltshire answered.
“In July you told us met with the FBI, can you tell us details of that meeting?” Kopka asked.
“I can tell you it occurred,” Wiltshire said.
“What other state or federal agencies have you met with?” Kopka said.
“I’m not going to answer that,” Wiltshire said.
“And who initiated the meetings?” Kopka asked.
KING STREET DEMO
“The unverified agencies initiated them,” Wiltshire said before asking if anyone else had any questions.
A Sept. 18 deadline to issue the subpoenas was also approved, adding a week to the deadline in the initial ordinance that failed to pass at a special meeting because there were only five votes in favor. Since it was introduced the same night it needed six votes and Councilwoman Anastasia Robertson, D-District 2, was absent. She joined Wiltshire and Councilmembers Jim Gordon, R-District 1, Dean Bodnar, R-District 3, Bob Doherty, D-District 4 and Ken Zalewski, D-District 5.
It remains unclear when the Council will call the next hearing.
GARRETT
In previous hearings a number of city employees testified without having been issued a subpoena thanks to a deal Rosamilia struck with Wiltshire. They include Fire Chief Tom Garrett, Planning Commissioner Bill Dunne and his assistant Andrew Kreshick. Others who testified include Don Boyajian, the owner of the now demolished King Street property, officials from the companies who performed the demolition and former City Engineer Russ Reeves, who resigned amidst the controversy.
At issue is why the emergency demolition of the King Street buildings occurred while Reeves was on vacation, and why demolition crews failed to follow engineering instructions while they knocked buildings down there. Asbestos was not abated on King Street and the adjacent Bomber’s was allowed to remain open during the demo. Asbestos was also found scattered around the King Fuels site.
The Code Department came under fire when 51 Third St. was shuttered for not having a Certificate of Occupancy while the building was being used as a meeting place for people planning to protest allegations of police brutality during the Kokopellis melee. The building had been occupied for about a decade prior.  

 

 

38 comments:

  1. Rodney is the dictionary definition of ego run wild.

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  2. Obviously Cat Women wants to cover up this diabolical scheme perpetrated by a few. Trying to right a wrong and obvious procedures that circumvented labor laws, environmental laws and disingenuous in nature is the proper path. People are tired of political hacks breaking laws and lining their pockets and their friends. This was done on a lower level in government. I highly doubt that the mayor did this or his deputy. Calling it an emergency to circumvent proper containment and handling of hazardous materials is a crime and anyone in a position of authority doing such an act deserves to be prosecuted. Rodney is doing the right thing.

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    1. Name the laws they broke. Bet you can't.

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    2. You " highly doubt Lou or his DEPUTY did this"? You're absolutely clueless.

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  3. If we don't have money to find out a criminal act, I guess we should just give up all of our investigations! Are you nuts, you need to expose a problem not bury it for political purposes. The Mayor will come voluntarily, let him. He must have nothing to hide. Trojans are sick of these political puppets, go feed your cats.

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  4. Subpoena Wade, its his guy that did it!

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    1. Did what. What laws did the administration break?

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    2. Hey moron,

      I thought that the post was pretty clear that the council hearings are not about criminality, but the things that have compromised public safety. Believe me, The feds will take care of the criminal bit

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    3. Taking down a building without a proper asbestos survey, this was nomemergency. This was a gift and discount to the Fire Chiefs Lawyer. Thats the law that was broke. It wouldn't happen for an ordinary non conected building order. I would say fraud, labor law, violation of oath, not being a lawyer I really can't pin it down to just one.

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    4. Cat scratch fever!

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    5. Hey @5:35, this is the moron. So what procedures were violated then? It was a private demo. Any issues are on the owner or contractor. And I can tell you the Feds ain't looking at jack. Rodney is a big f***ing liar.

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    6. And @ 8:54, what discount? You know this how? Because one of the village idiots playing council member told you? Rodney is so far down the path to nowhere that he will never find his way back. BTW, Boyajian isn't Garret's lawyer. Pay attention, why don't you.

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    7. Again, moron

      Once the city declares incident command it is no longer a private demolition. you are thick

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    8. You need to brush up on DOL law. No such thing as incident command. Exception granted only to fire chief and only in the event of a fire. Check code rule 56. I think even someone as uninformed as you will understand it. If you are so concerned, look into the dozens of similar demos by Russ Reeves, who always quoted incident command and did not have the standing. That's the real smoking gun here. He utilized authority he did not have and gave the work to favored contracts who remembered him at Christmas.

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    9. You sound very angry and scared.

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    10. Is that you andrew kreshik?

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    11. 4:14 are you sweating? Must be one of the guilty ones!

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    12. Not sweating. This just makes no sense. More like wishful thinking by some.

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  5. I do hope that after all is said and done we get the right answers and the right solution to the way things are and have been handled in the city. It's a shame that the view of the city has changed so quickly from a growing community to a community with internal problems in leadership,possible corruption,and no trust in the city leaders.

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  6. Rodney thinks the Administration is going to transfer money to him to investigate itself? Snap out of it. Rodney your a tiny political fish in a mud puddle. I was at last nights meeting. What a disgrace. Enjoy it now Rod you won't be President or Mayor after next year. By the way Robertson is a disgrace and should resign.

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    1. 9:12 well said. I am one of many people who voted for wiltshire last time but not anymore. He will be lucky to get re elected let alone top vote getter.

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  7. I am not sure why
    Gary and Lynn keep on voting against the subpoenas. The council is not looking into fraud with regard to unemployment benefits.

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  8. You're rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic, Rod. Who cares about asbestos when we're all going to get shot and killed in the street. Get a clue man!

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    1. Actually, the only difference between
      the recent wave of violence and the illegal building demolition is that the the guns will kill you faster; asbestos, because of its carcinogenic properties, takes a bitcommon longer. However, both problems share a common progenitor-- the incompetence, insularity and indifference of this administration.

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    2. So who was exposed to asbestos? You're an expert somehow?

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  9. Maybe Rodney can fund the investigation himself out of his campaign account. Because that's what this farce is: a political stunt.

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  10. September 5, 2014 at 10:37 AM


    Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha !~~!

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    1. The zba said no uncle lugg nutt. The state attorney says no uncle lugg nutt. When will u get it. Te state of Florida also says no. To bobby uncle lugg nut cox

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    2. Rich crist will school you if you mess with vandenburghs lugg nuts again

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  11. Things are so bad in the Burgh that I think all football and later basketball games should be played afternoons for the public safety. much easier for the police to keep things under control.

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  12. Quite the show from bob last night. First the warrant turning himself in to pd. now he gets removed from podium by the pd. what class these coxes have

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    1. What's classy about a council representative baiting and physically threatening a resident during a council meeting? Don't they have rules? He should be thrown out, not Cox.

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  13. Jim don't worry you wont be on Council next go round and you will never be Mayor
    Jim the people in that room Thursday night picked up on my vibes they all realize how corrupt you are and especially how Corrupt your Daddy Vito is
    and Harry's Done put a fork in him

    Fraudulent Absentee ballots too may to count

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    Replies
    1. PLEASE Jim Gordon run for mayor. That will be so fucking comical.

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    2. He'd be better than Lou, well, Bob Cox would be better than Lou.

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