I’ve been chasing this lead for a week but it was the following email that best tells the story:
The sub-grant agreements from DMR to the Mississippi Gulf Fishing Banks, Inc., specifically require compliance with the State Personal Board Contracts regulations requiring bidding and comparable pricing – much like the contracts with Elizabeth Rooks-Barber required.
A couple of sub-grantee agreements were posted documents at Sunherald. Page 417 of the 2008 Artificial Reef Project EDRP, Katrina Money of the publically posted documents is the applicable sub-grant agreement with MGFB, Inc. Section 8.27 of that agreement requires compliance with State Personnel Contract Review Board rules.
Mike Irwin Holmes, the owner/operator of Mike Holmes Construction, is Kerwin Cuevas’ brother-in-law (Kerwin’s wife’s brother).
And my new pen pal was kind enough to provide a link establishing the Brother in law relationship. I invariably do a supplemental Google search of my own on tips and lo and behold Holmes turns up connected to KEBAWK Response Technologies which certainly worked the oil spill. He is listed as a partner to KEBAWK so what we have here is a brother in law deal with a side partnership (once removed).
Worth noting is the MGFB contracts with Mike Holmes Construction LLC since December 2011 are technically a nullity since Mike Holmes Construction LLC was administratively dissolved by the Mississippi Secretary of State’s office back in December, 2011.
Since this is a brother in law deal we gotta drill down a bit on another Special Purpose Entity acting the part of middleman to what appears to be specious activity:
Even more curious is why DMR used MGFB for the reef building work. DMR has the permits to build the reefs. The posted records show that all MGFB did was act as a conduit to forward Mike Holmes and Matthews Marine’s invoices to DMR for payment.
Here is one page of many in the Sun Herald document dump that deals with Kerwin Cuevas and Mike Holmes. Click the pic to nab the PDF via the Sun Herald:
This is what makes them such insidious crooks. They find a middle man – knowing or not – to pass the money through. Makes it harder to follow the trail and understand the accounting.
http://www.mgfb.com/docs/MGFB_Bid_Specs_2013.pdf
doubleu doubleu doubleu emm gee eff bee slash docs slash EMM GEE EFF BEE underscore BEE eye dee underscore ess pee eye cee ess underscore two zero one three dot pee dee eff
The chaotic feedback loop has been established and I have an analysis from the highest levels of the DMR/CMR. I want to make sure Slabbed has this right so a second post is in order. I will say the gang at Bolton denies DMR has the permitting though that is a difference without a distinction from a money following standpoint. The question is whether my tip that these contracts were steered is accurate. RFP’s link above is a major clue on that point.
I will say the gang at Bolton denies DMR has the permitting
Hmmm
http://opc.deq.state.ms.us/get_doc.aspx?dt=finalp&id=550557
It looks like someone is trying to throw Cuevas under the bus to cover their own butts….better look higher fellas….Cuevas just did as he was told. The trough suckers that are responsible are on the sidelines trying to stir up dissention and draw attention to anyone they can. Questions to ask yourselves….
1. How did an uneducated individual get hired at an Agency like the DMR as a “Chief of Staff” and allowed to give orders since Walker came in? Why was he allowed to be in charge of the Tidelands money with no education? Why is he being paid a high salary and given an unmarked State-owned vehicle to drive with no education or qualifications? Who put him in that position and how is he getting all of these wetlands deals approved without others joining in and helping him out?
Cuevas is small potatoes that just happens to be in the wrong place at the wrong time…same thing with Jewel….and they are easy targets to draw the blame off of the real dogs.
Better yet….get the Legislators of this State to kill the whistleblower law and let the people at the DMR talk…then you will get some answers….plenty of them.
You’re talking about the puppet masters. DMR employees talking?? I’m all for it in fact. Slabbed specializes in interviewing janitors and others in low places but in this case I’d make an exception and talk with anyone on or off record, anonymity guaranteed. 😉
I think I can safely speak for the gang at the Sun Herald on that as well.
Doug,
Don’t let the New marina in St. Martin slip by you.
May be nothing.
This one?
http://www.sunherald.com/2013/03/04/4506694/planning-department-oks-st-martin.html
Letters from Bill Walker, former director of the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources, and State Sen. Tommy Gollott were sent to the county in support of Ladnier’s Harbor.
Yes.Is Tommy Gollott related to Richard Gollott?
You know it.
I have emailed Dany Guice for comment. So far mums the word.
Oh yes all the gollotts are involved Leslie Gollott married to Wally Gollott was indicted now as for Richard Gollot commissioner Gollott that is check out the big ice machine on top of his factory that was meant to supply the fisherman with ice after Katrina guess he and billy boy worked a deal.
Eye-Spy and inside operators will be in sleep mode for awhile………….
The St.Martin marina property should be of interest.Walker dictated that Danos use this location which is zoned residential.After complaints were filed with Jackson County Planning an attempt was made to shut the operation down but politics prevailed.The boats were moved there from a commercial/industrial area.Who is behind this? Danos is the new United States Envir.Services.Why would Walker and Big Tommy get involved?
Why indeed.Betcha Michele Coats knows.
Yes, it appears the Gollots are cousins http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2010/06/13/95802/with-oilspill-the-resilience-of.html
State Sen. Tommy Gollott said his main concern is for the Back Bay of Biloxi and other Coast bays, areas he says must be protected from oil.
?You can go down to the Bay by Oak Street right now and take a scoop net and scoop up small, juvenile shrimp,? Gollott said. ?That?s where they are right now.?
Gollott?s cousin, Richard Gollott, runs Golden Gulf Coast Packing Co. and represents the commercial seafood industry on the Commission on Marine Resources. He said the oil in Louisiana waters, even if Mississippi were to be spared serious fouling, will have some impact on Mississippi?s seafood industry and fisheries.
The property in St.Martin is being used as an industrial marine site.Someone told the contractors to use this site.They moved the boats and equipment at someones direction and what goes on is very secretive.I know someone who works from this location and he does not even he knows who is who.He said no one knows what to expect. !8 wheelers arrive an are unloaded.Is this another example of the DMR-DEQ no-bid contracting? Many think it is.
Will the length and breath of this scandal ever hit bottom? How many lengths of rope will it take to plumb the depths of the influence of corrupt people who felt entitled to our tax dollars? It may take years to indict all the guilty parties. Conspiracy…its running like rain water all through each and every deal the Walker clan has touched. Yet some folks are angry we could ever find fault with them…Bless their hearts.
Been over a day and I still have not heard back from Danny Guice. My tipster has sent in more information and permitting is not clear cut. I will say the notion that Holmes Construction possesses some sort of superior specialized skill in loading a trackhoe on a barge and push/towing the sucker out to the reefs is bullsh!t.