"In China, the delicate and lively goldfish is revered as a
symbol of wealth & good fortune - in fact, its Chinese name - jin-yu - sounds like "gold in abundance." Traditionally, eight yellow and one black goldfish are placed
in an aquarium to attract money. But having a school of our little guys in
the house couldn't hurt."
Words below were taken from FW Weekly Article written in June 2007.
"From 1996 to 2005, the city received HOME allocations to build low-income affordable housing totaling more than $41.3 million but spent only about $29.6 million. The report also said that two nonprofits the city has been dealing with do not meet HUD guidelines — and the city not only has been ordered to immediately cease funding those two organizations but will also be required to pay back the money already granted to them.
HUD recently forced the city to set aside $1.45 million that may have to be used to pay back federal funds misspent between 1999 and 2004. The figure is based on a 2003 HUD audit that found discrepancies in the way the city housing department had accounted for federal dollars on projects such as the Mercado commercial development on the North Side and the Evans-Rosedale redevelopment project on the East Side. Both projects have cost millions, and neither has delivered the promised commercial and residential redevelopment of the surrounding low-income areas.
Because of housing projects, jump-started with federal funds, that are now being foreclosed on by banks. They include the Victory Arts apartments on Hemphill Street ($287,000), Women’s Second Chance transitional housing project ($61,000), and the Rolling Hills/Glen Eden housing development off Riverside Drive ($253,628.) The city housing department was also cited in the reports for failing to diligently oversee its contractors, failing to keep proper accounting records, and failing to follow HUD rules regarding the use of government funds that passed through its coffers from 1992 to 2006. "
http://www.fwweekly.com/content.asp?article=6093
1997 - 2005 Ralph McCloud, City Council Rep, District 8
Kathleen Hicks, Aide to Ralph McCloud (for about 8 of those years)
2005 - present Kathleen Hicks, City Council Rep, District 8
Talk about needed CHANGE. How about it?! Vote Suzette Watkins, City Council, District 8
http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/
Two projects mentioned were Victory Art Center (Southside) & Texas Housing & Economic Resource project (Southeast D8). Problem? Defunct/bankrupt projects, corrupt politicians, poor planning, oh and Affordable Housing requirements not met. And our politicians wonder why we question their decisions & honesty?
Below is a great example of why we should pay closer attention to what they do, what they say, how they vote, etc. It's time to bring some tax payer watchdogs to the City Council table in Ft. Worth, Texas. Elect Suzette for Council http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/ .
Donate here: http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/donate.html
Here's the explanation according to CFW:
COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 12/16/2008 DATE: 12/16/2008
REFERENCE NO.: G-16403LOG NAME:17 ESCROW AMEND
CODE: G
TYPE: NON-CONSENT
PUBLIC HEARING: NO
SUBJECT: Authorize Use of Funds from the Custodial Account Established by the Custodial Agreement with Wells Fargo, N.A., for Resolution of Audit Findings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Authorize use of funds from the Custodial Account created by a Custodial Agreement executed with Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., on August 7, 2007, City Secretary Contract No. 35607, to resolve any and all audit findings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development;
2. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to execute any related legal documents with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development and Wells Fargo, N.A., regarding payments to resolve audit findings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development; and
3. Authorize the City Manager or his designee to release funds from the custodial account up to the amount of $1,452,675.00 to resolve audit findings from the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development.
DISCUSSION:
In 2004, the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) conducted a financial management review of the City’s grant-funded programs. This review resulted in an audit finding with questioned costs of $1,452,675.00 which could not immediately be resolved. As a result the City retained the services of the accounting firm Weaver Tidwell to complete an investigation and reconciliation of these questioned costs. To resolve the outstanding HUD findings, City Council in May 2007, (M&C G-15737) authorized creation of a custodial account at Wells Fargo Bank, N.A., in the amount of the questioned costs. These funds were to be held until HUD had reviewed the results of the Weaver Tidwell reconciliation at which time any costs that were deemed ineligible would be returned to the City’s Line of Credit for HUD grants. HUD has completed its review and to date has authorized the City to draw $266,190.00 of the $1.4 million in questioned costs. The overall repayment could be up to $440,731.00.Subsequent to the 2004 review HUD conducted an Affordable Housing monitoring review in February 2007, and a Comprehensive Monitoring Review in March 2007. These reviews resulted in findings of which certain ones can only be resolved through repayment of funds to the City’s Line of Credit for grant funding. Therefore, staff is recommending that the funds in the Custodial Account be used for resolution for all HUD findings.
FISCAL INFORMATION/CERTIFICATION:
The Financial Management Services Director certifies that funds are available in the custodial account established at Wells Fargo, N.A., for the purposes stated above.
TO Fund/Account/Centers
FROM Fund/Account/Centers
GG01 106000 0000000
$1,452,675.00
Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Tom Higgins (6140)
Originating Department Head: Jay Chapa (6192)
Additional Information Contact: Jerome Walker (7537) Barbara Asbury (7331)
http://www.fortworthgov.org/council_packet/mc_review.asp?ID=10897&councildate=12/16/2008
http://www.fortworthgov.org/
We want solutions, not excuses Ms. Hicks. Local paper here in Ft. Worth quotes my opponent as saying that she has worked on issues such as homelessness & gas drilling but that it requires "cooperation" from the County, State & Federal levels. Who's not cooperating? Perhaps my opponent is treating them the same way she treated me when I would walk into her office for a meeting. She would lambast you with several people in the room that you didn't know would be there, come in with a defensive, arrogant attitude, not give you eye contact when talking, and acting as if her time was so very limited and that she was really "above" this level of communication and didn't have the time nor real desire to discuss root causes and solutions of concerns. Out of 5 to 6 meetings I had with her, I found one to be somewhat productive....another waste of tax payer's dollars.
http://www.star-telegram.com/804/story/1105265.html
For the record. I have never served on any of Hicks' committees.
I've noticed that when one speaks up (or out) against unaffordable spending by our elected officials, you may get hit with, "But undocumented people are humans too, the poor are people too, the homeless drug addicts are people too, the homeless drunks are people too, the irresponsible parents are people too, the pregnant teenagers are people too, the drug addicted incapable parents are people too, the child abusers are people too, irresponsible pet owners are people too, police officers, Executives, criminals, politicians, and the list goes on and on.
I say, ABSOLUTELY.....ALL THE MORE REASON TO HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE. All the more reason to start electing newbies to positions of decision making for your tax dollars, start electing people who actually are seated for the right reasons:
- care for people
- love of the City
- respect of the American dollar and hard work
Taxpayers are people too and our governments aren't running our businesses in a fiscally viable manner.
I say we start bringing some business sense to your investment in the community. We start bringing some new ideas, energy and commitment to tackling the money sucking issues affecting our pocketbooks. Elect me to Ft. Worth's City Council in May 2009 and you'll hear a vocal advocate for holding ourselves accountable to the City's shareholders.....you, the taxpayer!
http://www.suzetteforcouncil.com/
www.meetup.com/suzette-watkins
"A government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have."
Thomas Jefferson
If you look close enough at local politics here in Ft. Worth, Texas, ask questions and listen, you will hear that the money came from "a Federal grant, The City, The State, a Federal Grant, grant money." At the same time you will hear, "they've lost their front yards to eminent domain, gas companies, the government, they lost their small business due to eminent domain for big business development, etc." If you turn on your TV, you'll hear all about our elected officials using hard earned tax dollars to BAIL OUT big businesses. Webs are surely getting more tangled in our governments. What are the taxpayers doing? My hopes are that they are paying closer attention to how their elected officials are voting, what they are saying and how they are using their power. We the taxpayers are the judges! Judgements are delivered via our vote. Make sure you are paying attention, make sure you vote.
At the disposal stations, they charge a lot more $$ for disposal of flow back water due to the hazardous chemicals and such. When our municipalities speak of "salt water," they don't distinguish between "flow back" and "produced" water from the well. What are we doing here in our local governments? Who is paying attention? Who is making the money and to who's expense? Get involved in your local governments and watch your back!
"Drilling for natural gas hasn't started in Lewisville yet, but the city is taking action to protect itself. Inside city hall Monday night, council members voted 3 to 2 in favor of a resolution similar to one passed in Dish, Texas. The Mayor of Dish said he drafted it after pipeline companies "tore up his city."
"There's so many unknowns about this gas drilling. People are still very very concerned about it," said Lewisville Mayor Gene Carey.
http://cbs11tv.com/local/Pipeline.Placement.Control.2.877664.html
Please feel free to correct me if I am wrong, but isn't Ft. Worth on the map because of oil & gas? Why wouldn't Ft. Worth "do the right thing" from the beginning and protect this beautiful, charming City and it's taxpayers? Some say it's because we the people signed leases, some say our City Council has indeed protected us by bringing $$ to some, some say it's because our Mayor has most, if not all, of our City Council members under his powerful thumb and they are scared to speak up for fear of losing their political careers. Good for Lewisville's City Council, they are doing the right thing and thinking ahead......planning, analyzing...you know those sorts of things that a City normally does for big ticket items that affect their taxpayers.
