May 6, 2009
Glad I ate my wheaties today, seems that Mr. McCall’s firm, Convent Capital, is included on a list of intermediaries, known as placement agents, that released by the comptroller’s (with a p) office today.
I guess we’ll sit back and see how this one plays out…I bet I’m having a better day than Carl and Pat!
May 6, 2009
Seems that Mr. Cuomo has taken more than a shine to our friend Patricia Lynch. She may be moving permanently to that little office down in Panama City.
Here ya have it…seems that state investigators have subpoenaed records involving Pat Lynch’s close ties to Assembly Speaker Sheldon Silver. Finally!
Seems that some of Ms. Lynch’s clients may have been getting some nice deals. Subpoenaed records involve, Cablevision/Madison Square Garden, Disney, City of Yonkers, Destiny USA, First Albany, Port of Albany (You knew that would be on the list! stop laughing!), Accenture, Long Island Power Authority, Erie County, InsCap, M/A Com-Tyco, Macquarie, Markstone and M&T Bank.
Although Ms. Lynch can’t personally be reached for comment, her office doesn’t seem to be too worried…geesh…I would be! Oh yeah, you’ve always got the Panama City thing.
February 22, 2009
Finally…we see! Now, I’ve awakened to some pretty interesting headlines this last year and, for the most part, the headline usually told the story. Not so for this morning’s port story. It had all that glitters…Mr. Lyons out did himself.
Seems that some dirty dealings have been going on at the port….NO! Say it ain’t so, Jerr!! Seems that Clough Harber…generous warchest donor and awardee of countless city contracts may not have competed fairly. Duh….
Auditors also questioned engineering contracts on the Corning Preserve project. Clough Harbor & Associates, a regular contributor to Jennings’ campaign war chest, and many other elected officials, was awarded the $245,000 contract even though the firm did not meet the selection criteria and was not the lowest bidder, according to the state audit.
Some of the contractors hired for the Corning Preserve job also have City Hall connections, including Hudson River Construction, which uses laborers from Local 190, a union whose leaders have had strong political and personal ties to Jennings.
Seems there may have been some questionable dealings involving the corning preserve and the pedestrian bridge (gotta love that pedi bridge…just keeps getting prettier and prettier.)
The little-noticed state audit, released in 2006, questioned whether the port’s board of commissioners overstepped its authority when the commissioners agreed in 2002 to spearhead the development of a riverfront park at the Corning Preserve, and an adjoining $6.15 million pedestrian bridge that connected the park with downtown.
Port officials objected to some of the audit’s findings but say they embraced others and tightened policies and security as a result.”The board took very seriously the state audit and its recommendations … and made significant changes,” said Robert F. Cross, chairman of the port’s board of directors.
Still, on key points, Cross and other port officials disagreed with comptroller, including a conclusion the port had no authority to build the elaborate Corning Preserve park.The $11 million project was paid largely with a federal grant. But the port is paying $300,000 annually over 30 years in a deal to lease the preserve property, which is a mile north of the port, from the Albany Local Development Corporation.
”However, the port realizes no direct benefits from the Corning Preserve project, as no port facilities were constructed with the bond funds and no revenue will be realized by the port as a result of the project,” the comptroller’s report noted. ”We therefore question whether it was appropriate for the Port to participate in this project.”
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Our favorite lobbyist, one of the top political contributers in the state with offices in Panama, Patricia Lynch is even mentioned (she must have a good PR rep, she seems to be getting a lot of press lately.)
Another no-bid contract, which has been renewed annually at $50,000 since 2001, was to hire Patricia Lynch Associates of Albany as the port’s lobbying firm. In 2002 the firm hired Jennings’ son, Gerald, who remained employed there for about five years
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There’s a land deal and a fix for avoiding layoffs (this is a little beyond mismanagement.)
The same year the Corning Preserve project was launched, the port commission inked a land deal with Albany that a City Hall insider said was largely designed to help the city avoid layoffs in a time of fiscal stress. That year, 2002, the commission purchased 100 acres of city property inside the port’s boundaries for $3 million. There was no appraisal of the property.
”We question whether the port needed to purchase this land,” the comptroller’s report said. ”We also note that, since four of the five commissioners on the port’s board of directors represent the city of Albany and are nominated by the mayor … it is difficult for land sales between the port and the city of Albany to be true arm’s length transactions.”
Then there’s the hiring of city employee….
In 2003, the commission hired a former Albany detective as their $50,000-a-year security director. Timothy Murphy, who died in 2005, had spent the last years of his police career as the mayor’s personal driver, bodyguard and close friend. The audit questioned the circumstances of Murphy’s hiring, and noted Murphy was afforded a $25,000 Jeep Cherokee, which was not purchased under state contract, and a cell phone. No restrictions on personal use were placed on the vehicle or phone, the comptroller found.
Like I said, something for everyone.
So, us folks that have always known that the mayor didn’t really have “new clothes,” are not surprised at all by this information…in fact, we’re awaiting the next article to hit the paper, I’m wondering how Jerr’s supporters are going to blow off today’s article. Maybe the same brush of the hand…”get over it” crap that is always spewed from city hall.
I’ll tell ya what it’s going to take…it’s going to take all his “supporters” and their families…and the unions to go down with him. Mr. Lyons knocked down a few today but these types of investigations into snakepits like Albany don’t stop…they keep peeling away at the onion. Enjoy…
Albany Citizen One 