Saturday, December 31, 2011
HAPPY NEW YEAR 2012
THE BANNED BRIDGETT BROWN VIDEO REVISITED
The below video of the June 12, 2007 debate over Bridgett Brown's legal representation of the City of Alexandria, Louisiana, which the City Council banned from rebroadcast on Channel 4, is seen here:
Everything that Mayor Jacques Roy, City Attorney Chuck Johnson, and contract attorney Trey Gist said about Bridgett was absolutely true,
Bridgett could not be suing the City, through her intervention into its Cleco fraud lawsuit, while at the same time providing the Council with representation.
Second, it is up to the City Attorney, unless instructed by the Council to act in another fashion, to use his best judgment on what legal position is to be taken in City legal matters. I tried to keep my clients informed wherever possible, but we lawyers are not required to teach our clients law school lessons in a litigation each step along the way. For example, in a personal injury case, we do not have to inform a client of every pleading that we file, every communication we have with opposing council and the judge, every doctor's report that we receive, or of every consultation that we have with an expert. These are things that we learn how to do through our education and experience and the intended result of the client that the client wishes is supposed to be our ultimate goal.
Third, it is the sole prerogative of the City Attorney to determine who will represent the City and for how long under the provisions of the Alexandria City Charter.
But I also agree with the Council that they should get to meet with their attorneys and be told everything which wasn't kept a secret from them by orders of the federal court.
Why wouldn't the Council be kept up to date by their own attorneys?
The testimony and evidence presented at the still pending attorney fee disputes between Brown, Sharp and Davidson against the City, allegedly showed that Mayor Roy instructed the City's attorneys not to discuss the case with the Council. It also showed, allegedly, that Jacques felt as if the Cleco case was his personal case and not the Council's or ours.
Another possible explanation is that Jacques didn't want it known that he had represented E.M.S., one of the City's Cleco consultants, when he drafted the amendment of its contract with the City. In my opinion, Jacques committed perjury when he took the witness stand recently in federal court.
Hopefully, this will give you some better insight into the still undecided attorney fee cases from the Cleco litigation.
Everything that Mayor Jacques Roy, City Attorney Chuck Johnson, and contract attorney Trey Gist said about Bridgett was absolutely true,
Bridgett could not be suing the City, through her intervention into its Cleco fraud lawsuit, while at the same time providing the Council with representation.
Second, it is up to the City Attorney, unless instructed by the Council to act in another fashion, to use his best judgment on what legal position is to be taken in City legal matters. I tried to keep my clients informed wherever possible, but we lawyers are not required to teach our clients law school lessons in a litigation each step along the way. For example, in a personal injury case, we do not have to inform a client of every pleading that we file, every communication we have with opposing council and the judge, every doctor's report that we receive, or of every consultation that we have with an expert. These are things that we learn how to do through our education and experience and the intended result of the client that the client wishes is supposed to be our ultimate goal.
Third, it is the sole prerogative of the City Attorney to determine who will represent the City and for how long under the provisions of the Alexandria City Charter.
But I also agree with the Council that they should get to meet with their attorneys and be told everything which wasn't kept a secret from them by orders of the federal court.
Why wouldn't the Council be kept up to date by their own attorneys?
The testimony and evidence presented at the still pending attorney fee disputes between Brown, Sharp and Davidson against the City, allegedly showed that Mayor Roy instructed the City's attorneys not to discuss the case with the Council. It also showed, allegedly, that Jacques felt as if the Cleco case was his personal case and not the Council's or ours.
Another possible explanation is that Jacques didn't want it known that he had represented E.M.S., one of the City's Cleco consultants, when he drafted the amendment of its contract with the City. In my opinion, Jacques committed perjury when he took the witness stand recently in federal court.
Hopefully, this will give you some better insight into the still undecided attorney fee cases from the Cleco litigation.
See Also:
FINDINGS OF FACT IN THE CLECO ATTORNEY FEES CASES VERSUS THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA and the posts linked thereunder
&
FOR THE LOVE OF MONEY
Just follow the money and perhaps you will
find out why Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy
comes up with some of what many of us consider
to be screwball ideas.
JACQUES WISHES YOU A HAPPY NEW YEAR TOMORROW
Jacques wishes you a Happy New Year tomorrow
and remember to put out your smokes at midnight
in Alexandria
DRAINAGE IN MONROE
"Monroe Mayor Jamie Mayo said drainage issues within the city have been a major challenge over the past several years, but city officials plan to tackle a number of projects in 2012 that should help prevent flooding." (See: "Monroe looks to drainage").
"The city of Monroe plans to spend millions on several drainage projects in 2012 as part of its focus to improve citywide flooding issues during times of heavy rain." id. "The city plans to spend $2.3 million in 2012 on drainage improvement projects with $800,000 provided by capital infrastructure funding and $1.5 million from a federal mitigation grant." id.
This brings up several interesting questions concerning Alexandria's flooding during rain storms and its drainage issues.
Why can't Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy implement the drainage solutions recommended by engineer Frank Willis several years ago?
Why can't Alexandria get a federal grant to relieve our drainage problems?
Yet we have indebted ourselves to $40 million for Jacques' CRAPS programs which will all be under water. Listen to what Mayor Roy said in February, 2010 about the use of SPARC funds for levee repairs HERE. Have you heard about any levee repairs yet? Other than cleaning out a few ditches and some minor drainage fixes, what has Alexandria done toward the drainage solutions recommended by Frank Willis?
NOW THAT THE WATER IS RISING, JACQUES WILL TAKE OFF ON HIS RIVERBOAT
"The city of Monroe plans to spend millions on several drainage projects in 2012 as part of its focus to improve citywide flooding issues during times of heavy rain." id. "The city plans to spend $2.3 million in 2012 on drainage improvement projects with $800,000 provided by capital infrastructure funding and $1.5 million from a federal mitigation grant." id.
Why can't Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy implement the drainage solutions recommended by engineer Frank Willis several years ago?
Why can't Alexandria get a federal grant to relieve our drainage problems?
Yet we have indebted ourselves to $40 million for Jacques' CRAPS programs which will all be under water. Listen to what Mayor Roy said in February, 2010 about the use of SPARC funds for levee repairs HERE. Have you heard about any levee repairs yet? Other than cleaning out a few ditches and some minor drainage fixes, what has Alexandria done toward the drainage solutions recommended by Frank Willis?
See Also:
RAPIDES PARISH POLICE JURY SAYS TO HELL WITH OUR DRAINAGE AND VOTES TO USE UDAG FUNDS FOR JACQUES' LEVEE REPAIRS and the posts linked thereunder
PRES. OBAMA'S WEEKLY ADDRESS FOR DECEMBER 31, 2011
President Obama tells the American people that, by joining together, we can move past the tough debates and help to create jobs and grow the economy in the new year.
See Also:
Obama's Weekly Address on this blog
Friday, December 30, 2011
JACQUES STEPPED IN WHAT?
Jacques dances to the Cotton Eyed Joe and guess what
he stepped in?
BULLSHIT from his own mouth.
E.M.S. IS IN NO WAY AT FAULT
I disagree with some commenters on this blog that David Pugh and his Energy Management Services (E.M.S.) were in anyway in cahoots with Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy in its settlement with him.
I was involved somewhat in the EMS settlement with the City of Alexandria and I know for a fact that the following is true.
David Pugh entered into a contract with Sam Sansing, both former Cleco employees, and David formed EMS.
EMS then brought the allegations of fraud committed by Cleco against the City of Alexandria to the City and was hired by the Mayor Randolph administration. EMS collected documents from Cleco tending to prove its fraud, met with the Council and consulted with the City during its entire litigation with Cleco.
EMS originally had a 59% contingency fee contract with the City but later reduced it to 20%.
For their efforts, Pugh and Sansing were both sued by Cleco. Pugh retained the law firm of Johnson and Siebeneicher to represent him and EMS. Sansing retained Chris Roy, Sr. to represent him.
As was often the case at that time, Chris, Sr. turned over the representation of Sansing to Jacques Roy who was not yet mayor. Jacques took it upon himself to draft the amended EMS contract with the City of Alexandria without the participation of the firm of Johnson and Siebeneicher. Some time after this, Jacques was elected mayor of Alexandria.
When Jacques settled with Cleco, he not only didn't pay the contingency fee attorneys that worked on the case (Brown, Sharp and Davidson) he also refused to pay EMS one red cent.
As a result of that nonpayment, EMS sued the City of Alexandria for the enforcement of its contract. In the meantime, David Pugh lost his two restaurants, had to file bankruptcy, and had to go to work for the Louisiana Department of Transportation.
Only after Alexandria fought EMS's claims in court and several days of mediation did the parties agree upon a settlement of $3.75 million which is far less than what EMS contracted for. The days that the City Council was to vote on the settlement, one of the contingency fee attorneys obtained a temporary restraining order prohibiting the payment to EMS. That TRO remains in effect to this day.
So as you can see, there is absolutely no proof that the settlement between EMS and the City of Alexandria was entered into by any contrivances on the parties' parts. I would appreciate it if some would stop implying that there was without any proof.
I was involved somewhat in the EMS settlement with the City of Alexandria and I know for a fact that the following is true.
David Pugh entered into a contract with Sam Sansing, both former Cleco employees, and David formed EMS.
EMS then brought the allegations of fraud committed by Cleco against the City of Alexandria to the City and was hired by the Mayor Randolph administration. EMS collected documents from Cleco tending to prove its fraud, met with the Council and consulted with the City during its entire litigation with Cleco.
EMS originally had a 59% contingency fee contract with the City but later reduced it to 20%.
For their efforts, Pugh and Sansing were both sued by Cleco. Pugh retained the law firm of Johnson and Siebeneicher to represent him and EMS. Sansing retained Chris Roy, Sr. to represent him.
As was often the case at that time, Chris, Sr. turned over the representation of Sansing to Jacques Roy who was not yet mayor. Jacques took it upon himself to draft the amended EMS contract with the City of Alexandria without the participation of the firm of Johnson and Siebeneicher. Some time after this, Jacques was elected mayor of Alexandria.
When Jacques settled with Cleco, he not only didn't pay the contingency fee attorneys that worked on the case (Brown, Sharp and Davidson) he also refused to pay EMS one red cent.
As a result of that nonpayment, EMS sued the City of Alexandria for the enforcement of its contract. In the meantime, David Pugh lost his two restaurants, had to file bankruptcy, and had to go to work for the Louisiana Department of Transportation.
Only after Alexandria fought EMS's claims in court and several days of mediation did the parties agree upon a settlement of $3.75 million which is far less than what EMS contracted for. The days that the City Council was to vote on the settlement, one of the contingency fee attorneys obtained a temporary restraining order prohibiting the payment to EMS. That TRO remains in effect to this day.
So as you can see, there is absolutely no proof that the settlement between EMS and the City of Alexandria was entered into by any contrivances on the parties' parts. I would appreciate it if some would stop implying that there was without any proof.
See Also:
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SUDDENLINK & HOAK REACH AN AGREEMENT
This announcement appeared at 2:15 p.m. on Suddenlink's website at "Suddenlink and Hoak Reach Agreement":
"In the last two months, we have completed new contracts covering more than 100 local TV stations". (See: "Status of Local TV Station Contracts"). "Some negotiations are still in progress." id.
"In the last two months, we have completed new contracts covering more than 100 local TV stations". (See: "Status of Local TV Station Contracts"). "Some negotiations are still in progress." id.
No word on if Suddenlink or Hoak media blinked first, or if the reached their agreement in between what Suddenlink is paying now and the 200% increase that Hoak wanted.
See Also:
&
ACCORDING TO SUDDENLINK, HOAK IS THE BAD GUY and the posts linked thereunder
KALB & MUST CARRY
The subjects of this post are twofold. First is Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy's relationship with KALB TV and second is the FCC's must carry regulations.
JACQUES ROY
I predict that Mayor Roy will renew his TV shows on Channel 4 if Suddenlink cable and Hoak Media, the owner of KALB TV, do not come to terms by December 31, 2011.
If Suddenlink will no longer carry Hoak Media's TV stations, due to Hoak's requesting a 200% fee increase, where else will Jacques get to feed us his version of the news if not for KALB regurgitating whatever Jacques wants us to hear as it has done in the past.
Thank God for Jacques' still having the Clown Talk to do his bidding.
See Also:
&
ACCORDING TO SUDDENLINK, HOAK IS THE BAD GUY and the posts linked thereunder
"MUST CARRY" REGULATIONS
As a commenter wrote on this blog, ""Must-carry" is a thing of the past." But nothing could be further from the truth. "Must carry" remains alive and well.
"Must carry" rules, as they apply to local programming, are found for cable companies in the 1992 Cable Television Protection and Competition Act and the U.S. Supreme Court decision of TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC., et al. v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION et al. of 1994.
As explained on the current Federal Communications Commission (F.C.C.) website, "If the broadcast station asserts its must-carry rights, the broadcaster cannot demand compensation from the cable operator". (See: "Cable Carriage of Broadcast Stations"). But the broadcast stations, Hoak Media for example, can elect to go under a retransmitting commercial television agreement whereby local commercial and noncommercial television broadcast stations may require a cable operator that serves the same market as the broadcaster to carry its signal for a fee. id. Apparently, Hoak Media has made a "retransmission consent" election. id.
If a cable operator and a local television station do not reach a deal:
"Until the cable operator and the television station reach an agreement, the cable operator is prohibited from carrying that station's signal. Once an agreement is reached, the station can be put back on the cable system immediately. In addition, every three years broadcast stations must decide whether to demand carriage on local cable systems without receiving compensation or elect to negotiate a retransmission consent agreement. The initial election between must-carry or retransmission consent was made on June 17, 1993 and was effective on October 6, 1993. All subsequent elections occur every three years." id."Generally, the FCC is not authorized to participate in discussions between television stations and cable systems regarding retransmission consent agreements." id.
Hopefully, this clears this up.
E.P.A. WILL FORCE CHANGES UPON SWEPCO
New regulations from the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will force capital investments at SWEPCO power plants that will increase rates as much as 25 percent by 2015, Southwestern Electric Power Company (SWEPCO) officials said. (See: "SWEPCO: EPA regulations will raise customers' bills").
The new EPA rules, added to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, seek to limit mercury, arsenic and other carcinogens emitted through coal-fired powerplants' smokestacks. id.
"SWEPCO cannot raise rates based on cost increases without the permission of the Louisiana Public Service Commission." id. The LPSC does not have jurisdiction over power supply agreements with municipalities.
SWEPCO serves the residents in Caddo, DeSoto, Grant, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Vernon and Winn parishes. (See: "SWEPCO Finalizes Purchase Of VEMCO – Lower Rates For VEMCO Customers Begin In October").
What will this mean for the parishes, including Rapides, who get their power from Cleco, which has at least one coal-fired power plant?
Also, what could this mean for the City of Alexandria's alleged future savings that Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and Cleco promised us that we haven't got and our future power supply agreement with Cleco?
The new EPA rules, added to the 1990 Clean Air Act Amendments, seek to limit mercury, arsenic and other carcinogens emitted through coal-fired powerplants' smokestacks. id.
"SWEPCO cannot raise rates based on cost increases without the permission of the Louisiana Public Service Commission." id. The LPSC does not have jurisdiction over power supply agreements with municipalities.
SWEPCO serves the residents in Caddo, DeSoto, Grant, Natchitoches, Red River, Sabine, Vernon and Winn parishes. (See: "SWEPCO Finalizes Purchase Of VEMCO – Lower Rates For VEMCO Customers Begin In October").
What will this mean for the parishes, including Rapides, who get their power from Cleco, which has at least one coal-fired power plant?
See Also:
UPGRADES TO ALEXANDRIA'S POWER PLANT? and the posts linked thereunder
JIM BROWN: "NEW YEAR THOUGHTS FROM THE BAYOU STATE"
Thursday, December 29, 2011
MAYBE MAKE OTHER PLANS TO VIEW KALB TV
Whether you have to get a satellite subscription, buy an antenna, or, if Suddenlink pays Hoak's request for that 200% fee increase and, pay higher cable bills once those increased costs are passed on to you, it will cost you more money.
See Also:
ACCORDING TO SUDDENLINK, HOAK IS THE BAD GUY and the posts linked thereunder
ACCORDING TO SUDDENLINK, HOAK IS THE BAD GUY
According to Suddenlink, Hoak Media, the owner of KALB, wants a 200% increase in its contract amount. (See: "UPDATED: Hoak TV Stations").
Suddenlink further wrote that "in the last two months, we have negotiated new contracts with more than 60 other companies representing more than 100 other TV stations. None of them have asked for increases on the scale that Hoak is demanding." id.
Suddenlink ask us viewers of Hoak TV stations and "Ask them to be reasonable in their demands and, at the very least, to consider extending their current contract with Suddenlink until a new one can be signed". id.
Besides Hoak owning KALB and CBS Channel 2 in Alexandria, it also owns KNOE-TV and KAQY-TV in Monroe.
If this is true, we have nobody to blame if we lose our local channels on December 31, 2011 but Hoak Media.
If this is also true, Hoak Media, if it doesn't at least temporarily extend its current contract with Suddenlink, by means of bluffing, runs the possibility of losing many viewers or at least costing those that stay with it more money. If Hoak wins in its demands, no doubt basic cable costs will go up.
The question is will Suddenlink lose subscribers or will Hoak lose its viewing audience and advertisers. Civic mindedness and care about us viewers will decide this issue.
Suddenlink further wrote that "in the last two months, we have negotiated new contracts with more than 60 other companies representing more than 100 other TV stations. None of them have asked for increases on the scale that Hoak is demanding." id.
Suddenlink ask us viewers of Hoak TV stations and "Ask them to be reasonable in their demands and, at the very least, to consider extending their current contract with Suddenlink until a new one can be signed". id.
Besides Hoak owning KALB and CBS Channel 2 in Alexandria, it also owns KNOE-TV and KAQY-TV in Monroe.
If this is also true, Hoak Media, if it doesn't at least temporarily extend its current contract with Suddenlink, by means of bluffing, runs the possibility of losing many viewers or at least costing those that stay with it more money. If Hoak wins in its demands, no doubt basic cable costs will go up.
The question is will Suddenlink lose subscribers or will Hoak lose its viewing audience and advertisers. Civic mindedness and care about us viewers will decide this issue.
See Also:
&
MONROE'S BEAUTIFICATION PROJECTS DENIED FUNDING
The state may have denied grant funding to pay for Monroe's phase 7 of the Louisville Avenue Scenic Beautification project because no work has yet to begin on phase 1. (See: "Beautification much too slow").
"For phase 7, the city had requested $1.84 million to provide sidewalk landscaping and lighting from Kansas Lane, Central Avenue to Monroe Regional Airport", and "was planned to include crepe myrtles, river birch and Asian jasmine, with a sprinkler system added to irrigate the trees". id.
On his SPARC (CRAPS) plans for Alexandria, Mayor Jacques Roy wrote:
Of course you could consider that the voters approved of his CRAPS plans, even though that was never voted upon and only 23% of the registered voters reelected Mayor Roy.
I wish someone would show me a single permanent job, other than construction and engineering, that has been created since CRAPS began in 2009.
As to quality of life for the distressed parts of town, other than the parks which were used to bribe the City Council into supporting CRAPS or the disconnected sidewalk in front of Councilman Chuck Fowler's print shop and the porno store on Masonic Drive, there has been no improvement in the quality of life in those areas. What do us citizens who do not live in the distressed areas get for the $40 million in bond money us and our descendants will have to repay?
The Masonic Drive CRAPS improvements are meant to satisfy Clifford Moller, the Executive Director of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority (GAEDA) and who is perhaps the only Black Muslim Republican in Alexandria, for his old empty Cavallier Motel property.
Perhaps these are the reasons why Alexandria has been unable to leverage between $12 million and $18 million in state and federal funds which didn't reach the original the $30 million mark that had been planned for CRAPS and makes CRAPS fall about $12 million short of its original bragged upon $96 million.
"For phase 7, the city had requested $1.84 million to provide sidewalk landscaping and lighting from Kansas Lane, Central Avenue to Monroe Regional Airport", and "was planned to include crepe myrtles, river birch and Asian jasmine, with a sprinkler system added to irrigate the trees". id.
On his SPARC (CRAPS) plans for Alexandria, Mayor Jacques Roy wrote:
"Jacques Roy’s SPARC program creating redevelopment corridors is bringing millions of dollars to distressed parts of Alexandria by investing in infrastructure. These targeted public investments allow the private sector to do what it does best: create good paying jobs while improving the quality of life for all citizens. The SPARC program will pay dividends throughout the entire city for many years to come, without raising taxes. As promised when he ran four years ago, Mayor Roy created the most significant economic development initiative in the City’s history. That program has been forcefully adopted by citizens by the affirmative vote of support." (See: "Creating Jobs, Growing the Economy and Investing in Infrastructure).
I wish someone would show me a single permanent job, other than construction and engineering, that has been created since CRAPS began in 2009.
As to quality of life for the distressed parts of town, other than the parks which were used to bribe the City Council into supporting CRAPS or the disconnected sidewalk in front of Councilman Chuck Fowler's print shop and the porno store on Masonic Drive, there has been no improvement in the quality of life in those areas. What do us citizens who do not live in the distressed areas get for the $40 million in bond money us and our descendants will have to repay?
The Masonic Drive CRAPS improvements are meant to satisfy Clifford Moller, the Executive Director of the Greater Alexandria Economic Development Authority (GAEDA) and who is perhaps the only Black Muslim Republican in Alexandria, for his old empty Cavallier Motel property.
Perhaps these are the reasons why Alexandria has been unable to leverage between $12 million and $18 million in state and federal funds which didn't reach the original the $30 million mark that had been planned for CRAPS and makes CRAPS fall about $12 million short of its original bragged upon $96 million.
See Also:
BLACK STUDENTS ARE MORE LIKELY TO BE DISCIPLINED THAN WHITES
"Across the Washington area, black students are suspended and expelled two to five times as often as white students, creating disparities in discipline that experts say reflect a growing national problem." (See: "In Washington area, African American students suspended and expelled two to five times as often as whites"). In Alexandria, Virginia, "black students were nearly six times as likely to be suspended as their white peers". id.
"The problems extend beyond the Washington area to school districts across the country and are among a host of concerns about school discipline that sparked a joint effort by the U.S. Justice and Education departments in July to look into reforms." id.
Some of the causes for this are a disproportionate number of black students live below the poverty line or with a single parent, factors that affect disciplinary patterns, unintended bias, unequal access to highly effective teachers and differences in school leadership styles. id.
Nearly 6 percent of black students were suspended or expelled from school last year, compared with 1.2 percent of white students, but that gap remains even as suspensions are down since 2006 across all racial groups. id. "71 percent of suspensions for insubordination, a relatively rare offense in the county, were handed out to black students." id.
"In interviews, many school officials noted successes in reducing overall suspensions during the past several years and cited cultural-sensitivity training and positive-behavior initiatives that are more proactive about discipline." id.
This type of unequal treatment, primarily in Avoyelles Parish Louisiana, has regularly been reported upon by Tony Brown on his Eyes Open radio talk show.
"The problems extend beyond the Washington area to school districts across the country and are among a host of concerns about school discipline that sparked a joint effort by the U.S. Justice and Education departments in July to look into reforms." id.
Some of the causes for this are a disproportionate number of black students live below the poverty line or with a single parent, factors that affect disciplinary patterns, unintended bias, unequal access to highly effective teachers and differences in school leadership styles. id.
Nearly 6 percent of black students were suspended or expelled from school last year, compared with 1.2 percent of white students, but that gap remains even as suspensions are down since 2006 across all racial groups. id. "71 percent of suspensions for insubordination, a relatively rare offense in the county, were handed out to black students." id.
"In interviews, many school officials noted successes in reducing overall suspensions during the past several years and cited cultural-sensitivity training and positive-behavior initiatives that are more proactive about discipline." id.
This type of unequal treatment, primarily in Avoyelles Parish Louisiana, has regularly been reported upon by Tony Brown on his Eyes Open radio talk show.
STATUS OF NEGOTIATIONS BETWEEN SUDDENLINK & HOAK MEDIA
The status of the negotiations between Suddenlink and Hoak Media was announced by KALB station manager Michele Godard as can be seen in the following video:
The Hoak Media affiliates affected are KALB and its sister station local Channel 2 and KNOE-TV and KAQY-TV in Monroe.
As Michele said, negotiations do not look good for the December 31, 2011 deadline. She also explained that Hoak wishes its viewers would either buy an antenna or would pay a monthly fee to a satellite provider to view these stations.
Suddenlink cable company has to pay Hoak for the rights to its copyrighted broadcasts. The satellite providers also must also pay the local providers to have them transmitted through their networks. (See: "Programming").
"Must carry" rules, as they apply to local programming, are found for cable companies in the 1992 Cable Television Protection and Competition Act and the U.S. Supreme Court decision of TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC., et al. v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION et al. of 1994.
But, as I have previously written, most advertising dollars come to Hoak and not to Suddenlink. Suddenlink primarily makes its money off of subscriptions. So what will happen to Hoak if its viewers decrease and its advertisers look elsewhere?
To get the true story on which side is right, we need to hear if Hoak is going up on its copyrighted programming or if Suddenlink wants to pay less.
The Hoak Media affiliates affected are KALB and its sister station local Channel 2 and KNOE-TV and KAQY-TV in Monroe.
As Michele said, negotiations do not look good for the December 31, 2011 deadline. She also explained that Hoak wishes its viewers would either buy an antenna or would pay a monthly fee to a satellite provider to view these stations.
Suddenlink cable company has to pay Hoak for the rights to its copyrighted broadcasts. The satellite providers also must also pay the local providers to have them transmitted through their networks. (See: "Programming").
"Must carry" rules, as they apply to local programming, are found for cable companies in the 1992 Cable Television Protection and Competition Act and the U.S. Supreme Court decision of TURNER BROADCASTING SYSTEM, INC., et al. v. FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION et al. of 1994.
But, as I have previously written, most advertising dollars come to Hoak and not to Suddenlink. Suddenlink primarily makes its money off of subscriptions. So what will happen to Hoak if its viewers decrease and its advertisers look elsewhere?
To get the true story on which side is right, we need to hear if Hoak is going up on its copyrighted programming or if Suddenlink wants to pay less.
Wednesday, December 28, 2011
JACQUES & JERRY PAY HOMAGE TO HARRY SILVER
Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy & Alexandria City
Councilman Jerry Jones, Jr. attend Hanukkah services
for homage to Council President Harry Silver on
December 27, 2011.
See Also:
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FREDDY CONTINUES TO ATTACK LC
Freddy, who has an undergraduate degree in Theology from Rice University and is a first year law student at Southern Methodist University (S.M.U.), is for homosexuality, abortion, and evolution. In short, he is for some of the main principles that Louisiana College (L.C.) is against.
Also, LC is a known center for conservative thought, something that Freddy is opposed to.
LC doesn't have such fine traditions and activities as at Rice such as Baker 13 (is a tradition in which students run around campus wearing nothing but shoes and shaving cream at 10 p.m. on the 13th of each month), the Beer Bike Race (is a combination intramural bicycle race and drinking competition), and Valhalla and Willy's Pub which are two fine drinking establishments on the Rice campus. (See: "Rice University"). You will not find anything like these at a Christian institution like Louisiana College.
Also, Freddy, and others, like to call Dr. Joe Aguillard, the President of Louisiana College, names for eating a worm. But they are so intent on tearing the man down and LC to boot that they don't listen to the message of Dr. Aguillard with his eating the worm being a metaphor. See this video and pay attention to what he says, which Freddy and his followers are apparently incapable to do:
Freddy's fellow blogger, Danny Slayter, admits that he graduated elsewhere after being disciplined for missing too many of LC's chapel services.
LC is a private Baptist College. Those that attend LC and go on to graduate from there do so because that is what they wish. If Louisiana College is too conservative Christian for you to go there, then you are free not to do so. But why make fun of and try to destroy LC for those that do wish to go there?
I've also got some news for Freddy. Dr. Aguillard and the LC Board of Trustees are no more likely to resign just because Freddy says so that Alexandria City Councilman Jonathan Goins, Rapides Parish Police Juryman Steve Coco, or myself. Freddy may think that those threats make good reading for his left-wing liberal blog readers, but they have no effect upon the people that he threatens.
See Also:
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HUEY P. LONG TO MOVE and the posts linked thereunder
WILL JACQUES GET SACKED?
Will Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy set us a new record,
or will he get sacked and penalized for intentional grounding?
WILL HARRY BE AS WISE AS A RABBI?
Let us hope that Alexandria City Council President
Harry Silver
will be as wise as a Jewish rabbi
HARRY SILVER'S OPERATION UPBEAT
Watch this under a minute video here:
In announcing his Operation Upbeat, Mr. Silver mentioned communication with the administration (that means the mayor and his staff), the City Council and us the viewing audience.
We can only hope that their will be some communication between the mayor and the public which wasn't had in the past like when he refused to allow Gayle Underwood and Sandra Bright speak at one of his TV shows and he refused to answer questions that he himself had solicited about the Cleco settlement.
We can only hope that there will be more communication between Mayor Jacques Roy, the City Council and us citizens of Alexandria. Let us also hope that there will be more transparency forthcoming from the mayor about the City's business. After all, the City's business is our business.
As a side note. I had absolutely no objections to Mayor Roy and Councilman Jones attending a service at the Jewish congregation last week ("DID JACQUES ATTEND HANUKKAH SERVICES?"). What I objected to was the mayor and the Councilman only attended to pay political homage to Harry Silver.
I am not offended by any City official attending religious service at any house of worship no matter the denomination or religious beliefs. But I wonder just how many religious services that these men, including Mr. Silver, ever attended outside of their own faiths for religious reasons and not for political ones.
Tuesday, December 27, 2011
COLLEGIALITY
Of course, what that lawyer was talking about was a car wreck that occurred due to a faulty red light. Needless to say, he left the jurors scratching their heads wondering what he had just told them.
That story reminds me of Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy and his fondness for using big words that few of his listeners understand.
The Town Talk used the big word "collegiality" in its December 4, 2011 editorial about Jacques' vow to get along with the City Council ("TOWN TALK CALL FOR A TRUCE BETWEEN THE MAYOR AND THE COUNCIL"). Collegiality means "the cooperative relationship of colleagues".
Well Jacques either wrote that editorial himself or he liked the word so much that he used it as his own at the special meeting of the City Council on December 22, 2011.
The tendency for using big words using long when short ones would be better is called Sesquipedalian Loquaciousness. It is also known as "gross verbosity". id. Verbosity means "using or containing a great and usually an excessive number of words".
Jacques Roy is known statewide for being a motor mouth or verbose ("SOME INTERESTING TIDBITS FROM THE LOUISIANA SENATE YESTERDAY").
Many people think that they sound smarter when they use big words but the truth of the matter is that smart communicators use words that (a) they understand and (b) their readers are likely to understand. (See: "Big Words Make You Sound Smart, Don’t They?"). Communication is the process by which meaning is created and exchanged and if the person who reads your writing or listens to you doesn’t understand what you are trying to say, no communication occurs. id. "In order to communicate effectively, you have to use language properly, and you have to use language that people are likely to understand." id.
The end result is that Mayor Jacques Roy doesn't know how to communicate effectively.
DREW BREES BREAKS PASSING RECORD LAST NIGHT
"In the post-game press conference, New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees talks about the special moment when he broke Dan Marino's all-time passing record, and how much it was a 'team record,' not an individual record." (See: "New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees reflects upon breaking Dan Marino's passing record").
LAFAYETTE MOVES TO NATURAL GAS TO FUEL VEHICLES
The Lafayette City-Parish government is pushing government and industry to develop natural gas as an alternative vehicle fuel that is touted as a cleaner burning and cheaper than gasoline. (See: "Lafayette moving toward natural gas to fuel vehicles").
"Two public fueling stations for natural gas-powered vehicles are set to open next year as part of initiatives that include new buses and converting at least 40 city-parish vehicles to run on the fuel." id.
Natural gas is on average about 30 percent cheaper than diesel or gasoline. id.
"City-parish government has received more than $2.5 million in federal grants and state appropriations for natural gas initiatives, most of which has gone toward the $1.7 million fueling station" and the "City-parish government has been approved for an additional $750,000 in federal funds for the conversion of another 65 government vehicles to run on natural gas". id.
I wonder why our know it all Mayor Jacques Roy of Alexandria hasn't thought of this yet?
Maybe he is too busy building monuments to himself and helping cronies make a buck with his downtown hotels, the Cleco settlement, and his CRAPS (SPARC) plans to actually help us people of Alexandria out?
"Two public fueling stations for natural gas-powered vehicles are set to open next year as part of initiatives that include new buses and converting at least 40 city-parish vehicles to run on the fuel." id.
Natural gas is on average about 30 percent cheaper than diesel or gasoline. id.
"City-parish government has received more than $2.5 million in federal grants and state appropriations for natural gas initiatives, most of which has gone toward the $1.7 million fueling station" and the "City-parish government has been approved for an additional $750,000 in federal funds for the conversion of another 65 government vehicles to run on natural gas". id.
Maybe he is too busy building monuments to himself and helping cronies make a buck with his downtown hotels, the Cleco settlement, and his CRAPS (SPARC) plans to actually help us people of Alexandria out?
See Also:
BALL MAYOR JONATHAN DEAN
"The people need to know what's going on in their town," said Dean, who created a Facebook page earlier this month for the Town of Ball." id. "Being the 21st century, we want to interact with our citizens as much as we can." id.
"His office is currently preparing to submit the budget for next year, and beginning at the end of the first quarter next year, citizens will get a chance to see quarterly reports of the city's budget" and indications from his experience have shown that people want to know how the city uses their tax money." id. "For instance, one of the most common questions at Nov. 21's regular council meeting regarding the approval of pay raises for town employees had to do with whether the city could afford such raises." id.
Let us hope not, otherwise Dean will end up in the federal pen like Roy with the feds trying to seize the cash value of his life insurance policy. ("Feds want to tap former Ball mayor's insurance policy for restitution").
"I planned to be a full-time mayor" said Dean who left his position as a credit manager with Crest Industries in Pineville to take office. id.
If only Alexandria could have a mayor like Dean.
Although our City Charter requires our mayor, Jacques Roy, to be a full time mayor, Jacques holds at least three (3) different jobs.
Wow, what concepts Dean has that Jacques doesn't.
Pay raises for employees, true transparency, letting the people know how their money is being spent, a real full time mayor, and town hall meetings where citizens can ask questions instead of Jacques' TV shows where only the local news media and his staff are allowed to speak.
Monday, December 26, 2011
ANOTHER BALD FACED LIE BY MAYOR JACQUES ROY
Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said on KSYL Radio on on May 8, 2009, "If the judgment is valid, the appeal process has run, the City pays its judgments".
Listen to Mayor Roy HERE
Then, on on December 13, 2011, Mayor Roy told the City Council this:
Unfortunately, Jacques outright lied to us.
The City of Alexandria did not pay the judgment rendered against it in Richard Heath case. What happened to the moral requirement that they City had to pay the judgment rendered against it in that case? To date, that judgment still has not been paid since 2009. ("THANKS TO THE CITY OF ALEXANDRIA LOUISIANA NO LONGER HAS AN ENFORCEABLE PUBLIC RECORDS LAW").
You can also see in that video that Jacques said that the City hires actuaries to determine how much claims that are made against the City of Alexandria are really worth.
But in actuality, adjusters for Risk Management or the contract attorneys hires by the City make that determination. In most cases, plaintiff attorneys usually settle for or win a sum greater than that estimated by the City's people. Also, in personal injury cases, it is not permitted that a Louisiana attorney can even state an amount in his lawsuit.
Our mayor just cannot tell the truth when he opens his mouth.
You can also see in that video that Jacques said that the City hires actuaries to determine how much claims that are made against the City of Alexandria are really worth.
But in actuality, adjusters for Risk Management or the contract attorneys hires by the City make that determination. In most cases, plaintiff attorneys usually settle for or win a sum greater than that estimated by the City's people. Also, in personal injury cases, it is not permitted that a Louisiana attorney can even state an amount in his lawsuit.
Our mayor just cannot tell the truth when he opens his mouth.
CITY OF MONROE LEGAL EXPENSES
Legal expenses in the City of Monroe, Louisiana are handed out to some legal firms just like they are here in Alexandria.
"City attorney Nanci Summersgill estimated costs for outside legal services since 2000 have totaled about $600,000." (See: "Legal costs hard to estimate").
Alexandria has spent well over that amount for legal fees to outside law firms even though Monroe is a larger city.
One such example is that the Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell law firm of Alexandria was paid $497,525 since fiscal year 2007 by the City of Monroe. id. As you will recall, the Gold firm is one of the largest of the City of Alexandria's legal fees also.
"City attorney Nanci Summersgill estimated costs for outside legal services since 2000 have totaled about $600,000." (See: "Legal costs hard to estimate").
Alexandria has spent well over that amount for legal fees to outside law firms even though Monroe is a larger city.
One such example is that the Gold, Weems, Bruser, Sues & Rundell law firm of Alexandria was paid $497,525 since fiscal year 2007 by the City of Monroe. id. As you will recall, the Gold firm is one of the largest of the City of Alexandria's legal fees also.
See Also:
JACQUES LOSES ANOTHER ONE IN THE TIFFANY SANDERS CASE and the posts linked thereunder
&
ALLOCATING THE CITY'S ATTORNEY FEES and the posts linked thereunder
DID JACQUES ATTEND HANUKKAH SERVICES?
The Catholic, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy, attended Larry Love's Black Baptist church on Hudson Blvd. during his 2010 reelection bid. I hear that after Jacques won reelection, he stopped going to Love's church and returned to his Catholic faith.
Well, I heard that Jacques attended the Hannukkah ceremonies at the Congregation Gemiluth Chassodim Jewish house of worship last week.That was no doubt to pay homage to Alexandria City Council President Harry Silver who is a member of that congregation.
I also heard that the newly appointed over the wishes of the people of District 3, Councilman Jerry Jones, Jr., attended along with Jacques. No doubt Jerry went to thank Jacques and Harry for his sham appointment onto the City Council.
I guess that this just goes to show that a politician's religious beliefs fall in behind his political motivations if this is true.
I guess that this just goes to show that a politician's religious beliefs fall in behind his political motivations if this is true.
FOOD STAMPS IN 2011 & 2012
Before you get too giddy over the announcement of more jobs coming into Louisiana, keep in mind the poverty that exists in this state which requires food stamps.
"Food stamp use has been on the rise in Louisiana for the past five years -- and remains on track to grow further in the 2011-12 budget year, according to statistics provided by the state Department of Children and Family Services." (See: "More Louisiana families turning to food stamps").
"State social service workers say recipients include older residents unable to pay increased costs for medication, underemployed people not able to get jobs in their field of study, and families in which people are working but have seen incomes drop." id.
Louisiana remains among the top users of the federally funded food stamps program with more than 19 percent of the state's 4.5 million residents receive SNAP benefits -- a level found in only a handful of other states, including Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and West Virginia. id. By comparison, about 15 percent of people nationwide rely on food stamps, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture while more than 46 million people nationwide receive the food aid. id.
"Louisiana has an average of more than 876,000 people on food stamps each month, with the average household receiving $312.32 on their benefits card, which can be swiped at stores like a debit card." id. "The state paid out nearly $1.4 billion in food stamp aid during the last budget year, and is on track to top that this year." id.
"Food stamp use has been on the rise in Louisiana for the past five years -- and remains on track to grow further in the 2011-12 budget year, according to statistics provided by the state Department of Children and Family Services." (See: "More Louisiana families turning to food stamps").
"State social service workers say recipients include older residents unable to pay increased costs for medication, underemployed people not able to get jobs in their field of study, and families in which people are working but have seen incomes drop." id.
Louisiana remains among the top users of the federally funded food stamps program with more than 19 percent of the state's 4.5 million residents receive SNAP benefits -- a level found in only a handful of other states, including Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and West Virginia. id. By comparison, about 15 percent of people nationwide rely on food stamps, according to the latest data from the U.S. Department of Agriculture while more than 46 million people nationwide receive the food aid. id.
"Louisiana has an average of more than 876,000 people on food stamps each month, with the average household receiving $312.32 on their benefits card, which can be swiped at stores like a debit card." id. "The state paid out nearly $1.4 billion in food stamp aid during the last budget year, and is on track to top that this year." id.
JIM BROWN: "LOUISIANA PROPERTY OWNERS FACE ANOTHER STATE CREATED FINANCIAL DISASTER!"
Sunday, December 25, 2011
Saturday, December 24, 2011
MAGIC CHRISTMAS LIGHTS IN ALEXANDRIA 2011
Watch this video of the Christmas lights of Walter and Jackie Monkhouse of Alexandria, Louisiana that was done by KALB TV.
You can see more at Magic Christmas.
The Monkhouses live just across the street from former Alexandria Chief of Police Glen Beard and Mr. Monkhouse is the former step-father of current police chief Loren Lampert.
You can see more at Magic Christmas.
The Monkhouses live just across the street from former Alexandria Chief of Police Glen Beard and Mr. Monkhouse is the former step-father of current police chief Loren Lampert.
WHO IS COUNCILMAN JERRY JONES?
Mr. Ford went on to write that:
" When Jonathan D. Goins resigned from the council, several names were mentioned as possible candidates (Von Jennings, Jessie Turner, Emile Hurts) to possibly replace him, but nowhere was there any mention or conversation taking place among residents who live in the neighborhoods that fall within the boundaries of District 3 about someone named Jerry Jones Jr. He was, and is, relatively unknown to residents of the district he now will be representing. Yet, with no one knowing him and no mention of his name, he somehow (I would really like to know how) quietly became a candidate to fill the remainder of Mr. Goins' term in office." id."When something stinks, it stinks, and Jones' selection as councilman stinks to "high heaven" Ford wrote. id.
It is clear to all observers that the City Council's vote, split 3 to 3 among Blacks and Whites, with the tie being broken by Mayor Jacques Roy was a set-up deal for the mayor to get who he wanted to fill resigned Councilman Jonathan Goins' District 3 seat.
I agree completely with Mr. Ford.
The person selected for the Council member from District 3 should have been someone that the people of District 3 wanted, not the mayor.
See Also:
SUDDENLINK MIGHT NOT CARRY KALB OR ITS CBS AFFILIATE
"The contract between Suddenlink of St. Louis, Mo., and Hoak Media Corp. of Dallas, Texas, will expire Dec. 31. Hoak Media owns KALB-TV, the Alexandria area's NBC affiliate, and NALB-TV, the area's CBS affiliate." (See: "Talks in 11th hour for cable provider, owner of Alexandria NBC affiliate").
The contract negotiation between Hoak Media and Suddenlink also affect Hoak's stations of KAQY and KNOE in Monroe. (See: "Hoak Media Stations: KALB, KAQY, KNOE").
Suddenlink wrote that "if we can’t establish a new contract by Dec. 31, we will ask Hoak Media for an extension of the current contract, until a new one is in place". id.
Hoak Media wrote that:
Is Hoak trying to get more money out of Suddenlink, or is Suddenlink trying to pay less?
If the cable company and Hoak do not reach an agreement before December 31st, we TV watchers will ultimately lose out. Sure we can still get these local stations via satellite or an antenna, but that will cost many of these local station viewers more money. The real winners will be the satellite companies and the stores that sell antennas.
Suddenlink could also lose if subscribers begin to cancel, and Hoak could lose if advertisers begin to dwindle.
The contract negotiation between Hoak Media and Suddenlink also affect Hoak's stations of KAQY and KNOE in Monroe. (See: "Hoak Media Stations: KALB, KAQY, KNOE").
Suddenlink wrote that "if we can’t establish a new contract by Dec. 31, we will ask Hoak Media for an extension of the current contract, until a new one is in place". id.
Hoak Media wrote that:
"•The carriage terms we offered Suddenlink are consistent with what other operators pay broadcasters across the country, and reflects fair compensation for our programming. •Our offer is below what Suddenlink pays for other cable networks with viewership far lower than that of KNOE-CBS and KAQY-ABC. •Our offer to Suddenlink is consistent with agreements we have already reached with other cable operators in the market who recognize the value of the programming offered by our two stations. •KNOE-TV and KAQY-TV carriage agreement with Suddenlink expires on December 31, 2011. Both sides have been working hard to negotiate a new agreement." (See: "Attention Suddenlink customers:").But what we do not know is what are the details of these negotiations.
Is Hoak trying to get more money out of Suddenlink, or is Suddenlink trying to pay less?
If the cable company and Hoak do not reach an agreement before December 31st, we TV watchers will ultimately lose out. Sure we can still get these local stations via satellite or an antenna, but that will cost many of these local station viewers more money. The real winners will be the satellite companies and the stores that sell antennas.
Suddenlink could also lose if subscribers begin to cancel, and Hoak could lose if advertisers begin to dwindle.
Friday, December 23, 2011
SPECIAL CITY ALEXANDRIA COUNCIL MEETING ON NEW DISTRICTS AND THE CALL CENTER
Yesterday, on December 22, 2011, there was a special meeting of the Alexandria City Council. Besides voting to keep the Alexander Fulton Hotel open, the Council also "unanimously approved a plan for remapping council districts and voted to allow the Roy administration to seek businesses to bring into the call center office space formerly occupied by StarTek". (See: "Alexandria council OKs repairs to downtown hotel, approves district maps").
"As for the council district remapping, members heard a presentation from attorney Trey Gist and John Miller, executive director for the Rapides Area Planning Commission." id. The re-mapping still has to be cleared by the U.S. Justice Department.
See the map of the new districts here:
Jacques to us yesterday that any eventual lease would be less that the current going rates for a commercial lease of the City owned Jake's building to attract those jobs. But I have to ask myself, why can't the numerous already existing businesses in Alexandria receive a City subsidized lease?
"As for the council district remapping, members heard a presentation from attorney Trey Gist and John Miller, executive director for the Rapides Area Planning Commission." id. The re-mapping still has to be cleared by the U.S. Justice Department.
See the map of the new districts here:
(Click on Photo to Enlarge)
Concerning the empty call center at the old Jake's building, Alexandria Mayor Jacques Roy said a resolution would give his administration the ability to go out and try to make a deal that could bring 300 to 400 jobs to Alexandria. id. "Roy pointed out that the city does not "have a landed deal" just yet." id.
I have mixed feelings about this deal.
Also, the building is empty now because StarTek, the last call center that was located there. As you will recall, StarTek had entered into an economic development agreement with the City of Alexandria and the State of Louisiana, whereby the City gave Startek a lease of the Power Center, put up $2.3 million and a $1.2 million state grant, in exchange for StarTek providing a certain number of jobs (about 400). But even back then the City of Alexandria had stars in its eyes because StarTek had about 100 fewer jobs that it had promised, and StarTek was sought a one-year extension on their agreement and even had the audacity not to show up and beg the Council for that extension but sent the now deceased Elton Pody of the Chamber of Commerce. StarTek finally closed its operations here in 2010. (See: "ALEXANDRIA FALLS PREY TO THE STARTEK SCAM" and the post linked thereunder).
See this video:
SPECIAL ALEXANDRIA CITY COUNCIL MEETING ON THE DOWNTOWN HOTELS OF 12-22-2011
The Council gave Jacques the authority to keep the Fulton open, despite its being a money pit drain on the City, to renew the management contract with Noble past its termination on December 31, 2011 for six(6) months, with another one of Jacques' bogus milestones for Noble to prove financial responsibility in three(3) months. I call it a bogus milestone date because we have seen Jacques waive them in the past with the former "global deal" with H.I.P (Hospitality Initiative Partnership).
You will recall that the City is the landlord over the Fulton Hotel, owns the adjoining Riverfront Convention Center, and Bob Dean privately owns the Hotel Bentley, all three of which are adjoined and linked next to City Hall.
Jacques' presentation gave us an excellent historical overview of the Fulton and the Riverfront Center from the UDAG grant to build the Fulton on some expropriated property of the City's in the early 1980's, the state paying for the Riverfront in the early 1990's, and the bankruptcy proceeding brought by Raj Patel and his N.R. Group on the Fulton. Jacques then explained how Fred Rosenfeld was first appointed by Capital One and the bankruptcy court to manage the Fulton and was then hired to manage it by the City of Alexandria in 2008. Then we entered into the City's first management agreement with Noble before moving on into Jacques' ill-fated "global deal" with H.I.P. in 2009. When we entered into the management contract with H.I.P. we entered into the Downtown Hotels Initiative (D.H.I.) afer which the City claims to have incurred no more operating expenses for the Fulton. After the H.I.P. deal fell through, we entered our second and current management contract with Noble.
But Jacques told the Council yesterday several things which I have questions about.
Jacques said that we were "100%" victorious in the bankruptcy suit involving Capital One and that the $2 million previously budgeted will pay off all of the claims against the Fulton. But that doesn't ring true since we are still in bankruptcy court over the Fulton after it was remanded to that court by Judge Drell in the federal district court. Besides the over a dozen labor and materialmen's liens filed against the Fulton, we also face the $3,081,916.52 Capital One claims a security interest over. (See: "MORE BANKRUPTCY NEWS ON THE ALEXANDER FULTON THAT JACQUES ISN'T BRAGGING ABOUT" and the posts linked therein and thereunder).
Fred Rosenfeld said on KSYL radio that nobody in the hotel business was impressed with Jacques "global deal".
Jacques also told us that he was recommend the Noble deal for the Fulton because if it fell through we could always fall back upon Bob Dean's scaled down version of the "global deal". Jacques said that Dean's deal wasn't the favorite one because he planned on outsourcing many of the services in the Fulton. This is despite a 2010 trade publication that wrote that outsourcing hotel restaurants is the way of the future ("Hotel Restaurant Solutions - Turning a Headache into an Opportunity"). Where would we be if we didn't have third party outsourcing contracts, that could be enforced by the principals, in any business including governments.
Jacques also didn't mention any of the negotiations with Dean. ("RUMORS FROM THE STREET ON JACQUES' DOWNTOWN HOTELS GLOBAL DEAL" and "BATON ROUGE AREA FOUNDATION").
Jacques also said yesterday that he wasn't in favor of a TIF for the Hotel Bentley because it would compete with the Fulton. Well I can't see how there would be anymore competition since Jacques recognizes that the Bentley is privately owned anyway. Besides, a T.I.F. would not cost the City anything and we already have a concern interested in the Bentley if it has a T.I.F. ("JOHN SCHNEINDER ON EYES OPEN ON MAY 16, 2011" and "DOWNTOWN HOTEL TAX & A TIF DISTRICT").
Jacques told the Council yesterday that their vote also allows the city to proceed with needed capital improvements at the Fulton -- repairing the HVAC system, the roof and the elevators. Roy said the repairs, for which monies already are allotted, could cost between $600,000 and $900,000. (See: "Alexandria City Council OKs Alexander Fulton Hotel operations, new district maps"). He also said that shuttering the hotel could devalue it as much as 50 percent, and "the city still would be responsible for things like climate control, security, the protection of hotel assets and weatherization even if Fulton wasn't operating". id.
But I blame the Council for not looking at another alternative other that Jacques' pie-in-the-sky hopes for the Fulton. We could get out of the Fulton by a lease purchase agreement to be sold in December 2012 when we get clear title to the land. We would save millions by not paying off the Fulton's bankruptcy claims, further legal expenses, and operational cost and capital repairs. ("WHAT'S TO BE DONE WITH THE FULTON?").
See the video below:
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