Tag: Gwen Bollote

I’ve had a couple of readers suggest I apply…

Actually the annual audit the parish pays for should identify all the major internal control problems in the Parish’s financial system so the latest news the Parish is looking to hire a CPA firm to do what their auditor should already be doing strikes me as a bit of a waste. And besides the Legislative auditor made clear in their report the source of the problems with the internal controls system as it related to the Jefferson Parish Performing Arts Center derived from management overrides of existing policies and procedures, including Cynthia Lee Sheng’s council mate Elton Lagasse pushing thru a bogus change order via Tim Whitmer that included a huge delay claim.

That said it helps to have a CFO with some sack and both the Waste Management lawsuit and the Performing Arts fiasco clearly indicated Gwen Bolotte was a highly paid doormat. It was an open secret that John Young was looking to upgrade the position and he got his way as Bolotte has taken it to the house.

We’ll keep an eye out on this.

sop

Modular News generated on demand: Waste Management and the Parish are still holding hands…..

Folks monitoring a PACER docket is sometimes an interesting exercise in compare and contrast. For example earlier this week Paul Rioux at the T-P wrote a PACER based story on the latest newsworthy developments on the Parish’s suit against Waste Management. The long and short of it is both parties want the July 11 trial postponed as their mutual love and affection continues to grow. But there was something in Rioux’s story that bothered me to the point where I pondered the subject matter over the past couple of days before writing a post on the topic. Two sentences in two paragraphs in fact:

Young’s administration had not responded by Tuesday evening to a request for information on how much the suit has cost the parish. Margie Seemann, vice chairwoman of Citizens for Good Government, said the parish’s response to her recent public records request pegs the legal bill at $250,000.

Seemann has repeatedly urged the parish to drop the suit and cancel the River Birch contract. But parish officials have said they are continuing the suit in hopes of obtaining a court order declaring the River Birch deal null and void.

I’ve been around the block long enough to know a journalistic dig when I see one. Continue reading “Modular News generated on demand: Waste Management and the Parish are still holding hands…..”

Telemachus lends context to the now infamous Dutchie Connick memo and enables Slabbed to roll out Ron Maestri. Part 1, important background information.

Folks, if there has been one piece of information disclosed to us that has survived the test of time to this point, it is that multiple Jefferson Parish politicians have personal stakes in seeing River Birch succeed.  This factoid was disclosed to Nowdy and I very early on in this unfolding saga and was reinforced by the John Alario / Dan Robin litigation with River Birch that we ran across and reported on in March 2010.  To make a further connection, one straight into Jim Letten’s office, we must first begin with Telemachus’ comment left yesterday on my last major post on Waste Management which placed the Dutchie Connick memo into context.

To further set things up I think we all need to understand the Dutchie Connick Memo is evidence that has come to light because of the Parish’s suit against Waste Management and comes straight from the “Dutchie file” kept by Waste Management.  What’s new is that coupled with the depositions we recently published, we can now see the River Birch scheme was hatched way back in 2004. If I were a betting man, I’d lay money that Jennifer Sneed Heebe knew when she ran for re-election in 2007 she would not finish the term. She wasn’t the only one either IMHO and that is where Telemachus hits pay dirt for us by bringing in the name of the now interim tax assessor, Ron Maestri. Before we get to Ron let’s start with Telemachus:

Have we thought about this memo enough?

Why is Dutchie important?
Why?

He had been a campaign manager for DA Connick and had faced off vs Chehardy – no love lost there.

October 2004 – the first putsch to install River Birch, from the 10.13.04 TP: Continue reading “Telemachus lends context to the now infamous Dutchie Connick memo and enables Slabbed to roll out Ron Maestri. Part 1, important background information.”

Let’s drop another Waste Management nuke as Slabbed presents Gwen Bolotte and Dutchie Connick in Putting in the Fix

April 6, 2004

I received a phone call from Tim Whitmer on my cell  At his request, I called Mr. Whitmer back from a land line. Mr. Whitmer informed me that Jefferson Parish President Aaron Broussard had meet with representatives of River Birch Landfill to discuss the Jefferson Parish landfill. Mr. Whitmer further advised that Mr. Broussard was not happy with the way Waste Management treated Bobby Bourgeois and River Birch was a good partner and known in the community. Mr. Whitmer further informed me that Mr. Broussard was inclined to retain the services of River Birch Landfill to operate the Jefferson Parish landfill. Mr. Whitmer further informed me that Mr. Broussard discussed with representatives of River Birch your role with Waste Management. Mr. Whitmer stated that Mr. Broussard wanted me to understand that River Birch was willing to retain my services in a similar capacity that I presently serve with Waste Management.

But it gets even better than the above memo from Dutchie Connick as we also have the entirety of Gwen Bolotte’s depo, all 266 pages.

Happy hunting to all and be sure to post away the most damning parts in comments.  This upcoming public meeting on River Birch promises to be a hum dinger!

sop

Walt Bennetti brings the last Slabb O’Leak to life….

Fat City???  Grande Grande GRANDE, nudge, nudge, wink, wink! Even Lil’ piece was on the guest list.

Walt lends context to the emails over at Click Jefferson in a must read post.

My Gabby cousin  tells me the earlier email inboxes have a treasure trove of goodies too!

sop