Sunday, June 29, 2014

CCR 06-29-14: Blowing in the Wind

the   Controversial  Committee   Report
“We don’t raise sacred cows...we just butcher them.”


     If it’s of any interest at all, staff of the CCR is not a cubicle-filled office of snitches.  Therefore, the following is just the CCR staff performing its civic duty to protect and inform the citizenry.  Right?   

     Just in case you were wondering, the rather toxic and odiferous aroma wafting from Irving city hall last week was not the old shingle manufacturing plant.  And for this reason, staff of the CCR contacted the EPA to determine if the aroma had anything to do with the city council, led by QueenB VD and her Pet Rocks, approving the Blown Whistle Stop project for a proposed Farmer’s Market/Food Truck/Beer Garden.  

     The one caveat in the vote for the project, on land the city owns, is current council member Oscar Ward is a vested partner (Ward, Randle and Mapes) in Blown Whistle Stop!  Stop right there...we’ve already checked Webster’s for the definition of ‘conflict.’  However, Ward was not in the council chamber when the vote was taken...which he shouldn’t be.

     (Note: The Mother Superior of Flying Harpies should have her flock maintain a 2,000 ft. circling pattern until released by QueenB VD for attack regarding this report.)

     Hard to believe, isn’t it?  While Pet Rock Ward can spout and claim “me no conflict, me no vote,” the citizenry will view all of this differently...as well they should.  Why?  Even though Ward is not supposed to sit in any meetings, participate in any discussions with city staff or council members, and purposefully avoid public remarks concerning Blown Whistle Stop, he will reap any and all tangible benefits (that’s CCR speak for MONEY) this homely little venture will accrue to his partnership.  Talk about having your cake and eating it too.  (And we all know how the queen likes for the peons to eat their cake.) This action by the queen and the Pet Rocks (sans Ward’s vote) certainly trips the wire and rings the bell for the suspension-of-disbelief by the councilagain.

     Ward is either an astute businessman to allow his two partners to negotiate all dealings with the city, or his clandestine meetings outside public view with his partners or others will suffice to ensure any capitalization he might have in the partnership is protected and unencumbered. 

     Many may not remember, but the partners (sans Ward) of the Blown Whistle Stop project were significant contributors, backers and pimps for the queen’s re-election efforts and Ward’s campaign.  While Ward now intones “no conflict” for his actions, the queen will release her standard verbal chloroform-mantra...contributions to her campaign (financial and in-kind) “do not influence” her support or vote on issues.  Of course, this might be hard to discern as the queen has yet to file an “after election” campaign finance report!

     To make the atmosphere even more toxic around city hall, the queen and Pet Rocks -- before granting an exclusive MOU to the Blown Whistle Stop partners -- approved a “settlement” agreement with Ward’s partners.  Why?  What was settled?  As there was never a law suit filed against the city by the partners, inquiring minds want to know what was actually settled.  Of course, the queen and Pet Rocks conferred in executive session (sans Ward) to discuss this “settlement.”

     Unfortunately, city hall moles, who have abandoned their tunnels due to the toxicity of the air and ground around council chambers, have not surfaced to relate how easy it was for the Pet Rocks to capitulate and move the queen’s agenda forward once the “settlement” was on the docket.

     As usual, bleating supporters -- for the queen and Pet Rock’s decision to approve this calamity of governmental action for the three partners -- believe all of this is acceptable and doesn’t smell.  Really?  If this is the case, then the only issue left to explore is: ‘Crony Capitalism.’  Apparently, crony capitalism is alive and well in Irving, Texas.  Hell, crony capitalism is more than alive and well...it’s thriving and flourishing(Sorry, the CCR does not usually condone vulgar language in its reports, but sometimes an exception must be made.)  

     With QueenB VD and her Pet Rock collection, one can assume crony capitalism will blossom for the next three years.  

     (Please do not, at this time, utter the queen’s re-election mantra: Transparency, Competitive alternatives and Ethics...that’s starting to smell, too.  In addition to any other conditions (NPD, AHD and SEM?*) the queen might suffer from, willful blindness to citizen needs for responsible representation and governmental actions should be added to the list.)

     For the record, QueenB VD already has a good start with her “me” efforts by virtue of her chosen developer for the Texas Stadium site.  What with OliverMcMillan possibly pledging undying fealty to the queen by ensuring a Tennis Center remains in the final design stage of the project, the queen is set for all possible photo ops.  (Hines Reality should also be included in this listing of her “me” escapades.)

     Finally, while the EPA is investigating the stench from the Blown Whistle Stop vote at city hall, staff of the CCR also requested the the EPA provide a soil analysis on the site for the Entertainment Center.  At this same meeting, QueenB VD put on her “Perry Mason” hat, which looked remarkably like Seuss’ “The Cat in the Hat” head wear, to ‘practice’ a bit of law.  In doing so, she managed to turn 180° from all her re-election blather of supporting ARK and the Entertainment Center project.

     Attempting to redefine how “it relates” with the same zeal as Bill Clinton providing new usage for the word “is,” the queen’s actions almost threw the largest monkey wrench in the project since ARK took command of this floundering issue.  Why?  The queen has gone through the political motions of feigning acceptance of the project, but has never really been a fan of ARK, or Noah for that matter.  And this is probably due to her wanting to choose a developer for the Entertainment Center she could control.  Mainly, one recommended by her primary Las Colinas supporters and contributors?

     Luckily, a majority of the council removed her “cloak of invisibility” and approved the ARK item on the agenda.  (Watch for dirt to fly on this project fairly soon!)  

     As soon as all the soil and air test are completed on city hall and the Entertainment Center areas by the EPA, the CCR will issue a report which should confirm our suspicions as to the cause.  In the meantime, citizens should heed the following warnings being issued for Irving: Don’t drink the water.  Don’t breathe the air.  And certainly: Don’t mention any of this to QueenB VD!  

     This poor urchin of diminished leadership abilities is still suffering from her inability to have the “me/my-way” on the ARK vote last week.      

……………………….Mark Holbrook


Note: NPD (Narcissistic Personality Disorder ), AHD (Aloof, Haughty, Dismissive), and SEM (Selective Elected Memory, as “diagnosed”by a very astute reader of CCR reports.)