Ignatius

6 hours ago, Bon said:

So, am I understanding this right.. the PGC has to go through private property to get to the public property?? The hunting clubs do not want to grant permission to the PGC for some reason.

Not directed to you Ignatius 😉

i, personally, would not want to piss off the PGC to much. I’ve done enough of that by naming the bears & elk that have appeared in our yard. 😁 They have more power then the PSP do. My family has always let them go through their property to get them to where they are needed.

The properties are bordered by McGeorge Road, Laurel Run Road and probably several other.  Both clubs are privately owned.  The game animals are not, and club members are subject to the same game laws as all others are.

If one were to hunt on state grounds that are adjacent to these clubs and wound an animal, club members would not permit you to try to retrieve said animal.  In the not-too-distant past, the larger club actually patrolled their borders on horseback.  

Both clubs are privately owned, however, the issue is the game/animals are in public domain and not the club’s property.

48 minutes ago, disgruntled said:

The way I understand this, auditors are only able to review what they are presented with.  If those accounts were "secret" those statements were not given to auditors.  

It's been milling around and talked about in small circles, but there is a video available on multiple platforms called, "All the Queen's Horses" about a similar event in another small town USA.  If I remember correctly she was able to steal more than $50 million before she was caught.    

I don't disagree with what you're saying, however, the same auditor did the city and the local United Way.  I find it incredulous to believe donations to the latter were in cash, so there has to be a paper trail of donations.  As far as Waste Management, I'm curious as to who the "payee" was on the checks and further, whose name was the receiving checking account titled to.  Could those payments (from Waste Management) have originally been set-up in a purely altruistic manner and titled for "DuBois Days"?  Anything is possible!

Final thoughts:  my opinion is, if the indicted are proven guilty, then those involved were only a few.  With more than a few, keeping a "secret" becomes infinitely harder, if not impossible.  Finally, what were the first allegations and who was the accusing party?

29 minutes ago, L8RG8R said:

Waste management can do whatever they want with their money as they are a private entity.  As for what the city did with that money is not on them.  I really doubt they have any other information to give on how the city used the money they gave back.  I would also assume that many of the "brass" of the city had some knowings on what was going on. Personally, I feel the only way to move forward may be a clean sweep of all departments.  Out with the old and in with the new.  Everything from city manager, redevelopment, police, etc.  

Waste Management is a publicly traded company (NYSE).  I reserve any further comments, pending release of factual information.

20 minutes ago, Keyser Soze said:

I do not understand why council thought it was a good idea not to place the Waste Management payments in a city account.

The payment of entertainment for community days with cash seemed stupid too. (The solicitor approved of this)

Where did the money come from for the annual year end bonuses to highly paid employees????

Is the budget balanced because excess money is being transferred from water/sewage fund?  

My feelings are that whenever the council needed more revenue they just sent a sewage surcharge/ rate increase to Sandy Township.

 

The devil is in the details!  How were items presented to the council or were steps taken to consolidate decision making into a select few (if so, why?)?  One would have to believe that with the severity of a federal case, anyone in the know would start 'fessing up.  I would also believe that Waste Management is not going to give cover to the city.

8 hours ago, Keyser Soze said:

Waste management money:  

As alleged, beginning as early as 2008, Suplizio and Shaffer used the city’s tax identification number to establish secret bank accounts into which they diverted city money, including approximately $60,000 in annual administrative fees from the city’s waste management contract. During the alleged conspiracy, Suplizio and Shaffer made large cash withdrawals from these unaudited accounts, wrote checks to themselves and others, and obtained cashier’s checks with themselves listed as payees—totaling more than $350,000. The defendants also allegedly spent more than $450,000 from the accounts toward payments on Suplizio’s personal credit card, which he used to pay for personal vacations, utility bills for his residence, department store purchases, and jewelry store purchases, among other personal expenses.

“Herm Suplizio allegedly funneled city money into secret bank accounts that he and Shaffer controlled and that he could use for his personal benefit, including hundreds of thousands of dollars in personal credit card payments,” United States Attorney Eric G. Olshan said. “Our communities entrust public officials like Suplizio with tremendous authority, and when that trust is violated—as is alleged here—this office and our federal and state law enforcement partners will hold them accountable to the fullest extent of the law.”

I certainly hope that outside auditors of the local government are scrutinized.  Those here that are familiar with this process understand that a number of steps are involved before financial statements are produced, including recommendations to the local government, contact with outside vendors and steps even as far as refusing to produce statements.  

Much damage has already been done to this area and if convicted, the public must demand full disclosure of everyone involved.  There are parties on the peripheral that may not have done anything illegal (assuming a conviction), but they certainly should have known something was not right.  If the indicted are found guilty, I certainly hope the city pursues a civil trial to claw back identified money (this is in addition to criminal penalties).

If convicted, everyone that had a part, needs hung, including the waste company that made the pay-offs.

Until all facts are known and proven in a court of law, my opinion remains neutral.  Let the accused face the accuser.  Don’t let hyperbole destroy the city or the consolidation.

1 hour ago, fedup said:

I know my old stomping grounds are in good hands with you being there. 

It would be nice if your hopes come true concerning this mess but I don't hold much hope in things being handled correctly because of what I posted is what has been shown to me way too many times and it's getting worse instead of better. 

The more I read about it, the more I smell stench coming from many directions.

I do wish you all good luck on seeing the correct outcome.

 

With all the hyperbole, there will not be a soft landing for anyone.

Good to see you Fed!  Your former stomping grounds are just coming into the best time of the year!

I don’t disagree with what you’ve written, except we do not yet know the truth.  Is it the PA AG?  Is it they who made the allegations that triggered the grand jury (now there is a perfectly balanced system?).  Is the entire DuBois city government, including every employee and associated outside groups, corrupt (Absurd to even think or type).

As I’ve said, I would like to hear/understand what the AG is alleging.  Let Herm face his accuser and defend himself.  Let our system play out.

1 hour ago, Keyser Soze said:

If DuBois had a different solicitor the recommendation would be to fire the city manager without pay.  

But we don’t and there remains a legally enforceable employment contract.

I, for one, would like to see the cards the AG is holding in her hand.

First, I am not defending or condemning Herm, the council, the mayor, the solicitor or any of them.  

All must remember there is a legally enforceable contract governing Herm's employment and must remember citizens in this country are innocent until proven guilty.  

My politics are the polar opposite of his, but he is honest.  I think it would be a mistake to take a seat now until some of the current theatrics end.

4 hours ago, L8RG8R said:

On the level of Pittsburgh attorneys?  Please explain. 

Capabilities, knowledge of the law along with accounting.  

9 minutes ago, BillyC said:

OK. Why her and not Pat or Elliot?

Elliot’s an attorney and on the level of Pittsburgh attorneys.

2 hours ago, jaman said:

The funniest quote of this article is that Judge Paul Cherry had to recuse himself. NO JOKE! Thanks to his sister. His career in most probably is done too. Mom and Dad rolling in the grave.

His cousin and Paul is one of the best judges the county has had.

I would like to see the judicial process play out.  All accused need to face their accusers.  This whole area is mired down with an "Animal House" style double secret probation, where no one understands exactly what is going on and have been told even less.  The "concerned citizens" need to show their face.   The DuBois city government needs to quit acting as if they have something to hide.

Incidentally, as a DuBois resident, I voted for consolidation.  

What were the pro/con statistics of consolidation voting in Treasure Lake?

I am not fan of the project however, I do have a few suggestions to make what was done more palatable:  first, there are too many disconnected/not similar textures.  Perhaps what was painted on the center wall, could be painted on the bottom and top walls, to give similarity of color?

Next, I do not see how a waterfall fits into that location!  Isn't there supposed to be a stream feeding the falls and catching the water at the other end?  Anyways, maybe to make a bit less fake/contrived, moss or lichen can be encouraged to grow on the rocks?  Maybe a huge vat of plain yogurt could be spread to encourage that growth (I know, it may or may not work)?

The sign at the top?  Just plain out of place!

I do not want to defend nor condemn anyone until the forensic accounting & judicial process has played out.  A majority of voters from both municipalities have endorsed the merger and what has been alleged should not affect the final outcome, though it may determine how it occurs.

I believe the name should be "City of DuBois", but I also believe districts should be adopted, such as "Sandy District" and "Treasure Lake District".  

Some here should be old enough to recall the school district merger of DuBois, Sandy, Sykesville, etc., and how it was facilitated by having the surrounding towns retain identity through the elementary schools.  That merger is now approaching 60 years past and many of the firebrands for and against are now arguing about in their afterlife.  My point is our area cannot be short-sighted about what has allegedly occurred.  That die has been cast and there is nothing that can change facts.  Work on improving what we can, but do not ignore the past or let the past have undo influence on our future.

First, all walls need to be same color.  Second, the waterfall does not fit with the walls, or the location (looks completely unnatural/contrived).  Third, the pavilion is a nice touch in that location, and you do have a nice view of the town from that perspective.  The sign?  no comment!

Will be re-opening and managed by “Dr. Dolittle”.

I don't want to get involved in the pettiness of discussing if biden is competent or not, but to me, it is entirely plausible that our military preferred not to shoot it down, so as to gain time to assess the balloon's intelligence gathering methods.

Please note, I am not a biden fan or apologist.

I am a Republican, and though I am not considering leaving the party, I wish that voters would curtail blindly lining up behind either party.  The two-party system was established as a means of "checks and balances", forgoing this system will lead us into a socialistic state.