Engel Cleared In Ethics Investigation into Per Diems

    Bronx Congressman Eliot Engel has been cleared of ethics charges over per diem travel payments after the House ethics committee ended its investigation into the matter. 

     The investigation dealt with the way that Engel and five other lawmakers spent federal travel funds while visiting foreign countries. A Wall Street Journal report last year uncovered how some members of Congress used daily cash stipends even though many of their costs were picked up by foreign governments and U.S. embassies, leaving lawmakers with leftover funds.  Leftover per-diem money was often used for shopping or to cover spouses' travel expenses and there are no rules about members of Congress returning leftover travel funds.

    According to a report on the matter, "the Committee concludes that there is insufficient evidence to determine with any degree of certainty that any one of the Members were provided an amount of per diem that was not necessary for their respective trips."

COMPTROLLER CALLS “TIME-OUT” ON $286 MILLION CONTRACT
Requests City Hall Review of Technology Project to Prevent “CityTime 2”

    New York City Comptroller John C. Liu today called on Mayor Michael Bloomberg to immediately review the Emergency Communications Transformation Program (ECTP) as part of the comprehensive evaluation of technology projects as charged to Deputy Mayor Stephen Goldsmith by the Mayor, in the wake of the CityTime scandal.

    Comptroller Liu’s office rejected a $286 million contract request from the Department of Information Technology and Telecommunications (DoITT) for the ECTP project. The cost of the project has mushroomed from the $380 million initial budget to now $666 million, without discernable changes in the scope of ECTP. 

    In a letter to Mayor Bloomberg, Comptroller Liu cited the rejection as an “opportunity to gain synergy from Deputy Mayor Goldsmith’s efforts to make sure that additional measures or safety nets are installed to prevent waste and fraud.” Of particular concern is that the bulk of the contract is allotted to unspecified ‘time and expense’ costs.  This type of vague budgeting formula allows outside consultants to bill on an hourly basis and collect exorbitant fees, as in the case of the CityTime project.

    Comptroller Liu continued, “The ECTP is an important project that has been initiated for the purpose of improving public safety for New Yorkers.  It’s all the more important that it gets done on a timely basis and within our means.”

    In May, Comptroller Liu released a report outlining the problems associated with large IT projects undertaken by the City.  Comptroller Liu’s report provided a number of recommendations to ensure better oversight of IT projects.  The report is available at:

    http://comptroller.nyc.gov/bureaus/audit/audits_2010/05-13-10_FS10-136S.shtm 

   

Background:

    In April of 2005, the City projected the cost of establishing two unified (FDNY, NYPD, FDNY-EMS) 911 emergency call center systems, one in Brooklyn and a second redundant backup system in the Bronx at $380 million. The contract was awarded to Hewlett-Packard. Six years later, the Brooklyn Center is still not fully operational and one year behind schedule. 

    The Emergency Communications Transformation Program was troubled by findings of poor management and less than satisfactory oversight by the original vendor, which necessitated a second Request for Proposals to be released for the Bronx facility. 

    In late November, DoITT submitted a $286 million contract to the Comptroller’s Office to hire Northrop Grumman to begin work on establishing the Bronx call center system.  As part of Comptroller Liu’s due diligence in reviewing DoITT’s submission, serious red flags emerged, and a request for a full analysis of the cost estimate was issued.  DoITT provided the Comptroller’s Office with additional documentation, but it was not sufficient to answer significant outstanding questions. Last week, Comptroller Liu rejected the contract.

   

   The Book on Joel Klein-By The New York Post

First this disclaimer- The New York Post is owned by News Corp. Joel Klein's new employer.

Here is the link to the online version of the Post story    http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/the_book_on_klein_oCcyTgh9cTYkRReDQXGb8H

    This article appeared in the December 31, 2010 New York Post on page 12. In the print copy (not part of the on-line version) there were six major events that was done by Joel Klein listed next to their dates (in a box below Joel Klein's picture).

1-Dec. 11, 2002 Creates Leadership Academy, a public/private partnership to train future principals.

2-Aug. 20, 2003 Creates position of parent coordinator at each school to improve parent engagement.

3-March 15, 2004 Tougher promotion standards approved for third-graders amid controversy: later extended through eighth grade.

4-April 11, 2006 Announces plan to rate schools with A-through-F letter grades, with serious repercussions for failing schools.

5-Jan. 29, 2007 Cuts and changes bus routes, disrupting the lives of thousands and causes an uproar.

6-May 30, 2007 Announces increases in testing- to five times a year in third through eighth grades, four times a year in high schools. 

We say that is all that The New York Post can write about Joel Klein's eight and a half year tenure, and we would like to refute all six items as a parent leader that served on the Chancellor's Parent Advisory Council when Joel Klein came in as chancellor.

#1- District 10 had a similar program in effect before Joel Klein came in, that was copied and the name changed. District 10 was a low performing district at the time Joel Klein came in, and remains a low performing district eight and a half years later.

#2- Chancellor Klein came to CPAC to see what ideas we had on this position of parent coordinator. CPAC wanted the chancellor to have trained social workers who could help parents with the needs and problems that they may have. Then Deputy Mayor Ed Skylar appearing on NY1's Inside City Hall proclaimed that principals are to busy to deal with parents, and that is why the position of parent coordinator was created. Still to this day there is no job description of the position, it is the discretion of the principal. Parent involvement drastically decreased every year that Joel Klein stayed as chancellor to its lowest point when he resigned.

#3- What was left out was that the changing of the promotion standards did not occur at the beginning of the school year as it should have, but in the middle of the school year causing problems for many.

#4- Failing schools always suffered serious consequences, such as corrective action plans to improve them before a closure program went into effect. The A-through-F school grading worked so well to get Mayor Bloomberg re-elected in 2009, that in 2010 schools received their correct grading with most dropping one, two, or three letters.

#5- This speaks for itself, but did not relay the true story of children being picked up and dropped off far from where they were previously. This happens again not at the start of the school year, but in the middle of the school year.

#6- As we have seen this year, the increase of testing has not helped as true test scores have moved no better in the Klein years than before the Klein years. 

    We must add that we wonder why the last major event of Joel Klein was listed as May 30, 2007. Just what has Joel Klein done in the past three and a half years? Maybe that was why he resigned. God save the children from the Black Plague.

Youth Got Talent Show: Stirring up the Gifts. 

    This letter is written on behalf of the youth of Gethsemane Baptist Church, as a request for your support in an upcoming fundraiser event entitled Youth Got Talent Show: Stirring up the Gifts.  Proceeds will go towards the church’s youth services. We need your support to spread the word about the event, and hopefully to attend (and participate – if eligible). Participants will be selected from auditions.

The event is scheduled to take place Saturday, May 21, 2011: Show time 1:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.  and Gallery 12:00 Noon – 1:00 P.M. (display of art work in lobby). Location is CS 211 at 1919 Prospect Ave Bx, NY 10460 (b/w Tremont Ave & Elsmere Ave).  Admission is $5.00 for persons not participating in stage performance: tickets sold in advance and at door. Prizes of 1^st, 2^nd, & 3^rd place will be awarded for performances selected by the judges.

The Talent Show activity is a follow-up to the Risk Reduction/Prevention Strategies identified during Gethsemane Baptist Church’s Social Action Ministry meetings and workshops presented year 2010.   It is to be an opportunity for all youth (ages 5 – 25 y/o) in the community to use their imagination, competitive edge, energy, talent, and time for a structured public presentation of their gifts, talents and abilities- in a safe, entertaining and professional manner.  

The desired outcome of the event is the morale and self esteem of participants/attendees will be elevated to encourage them to make healthier choices for a positive lifestyle: to minimize and/or eliminate risks that can lead them to truancy, hospitalizations, institutionalizations, and the likes.

The Youth Got Talent Show: Stirring up the Gifts is also purposed to challenge Gethsemane’s youth and young adults to collaborate with their peers and older members, to cultivate their spiritual gifts; and to embrace leadership roles to organize and bring special events to pass. 

Contact Carrie Taft, YGT Show Committee Chairperson (917) 226-7960 ctaft1500@aol.com for more information.

 

 

Plans for Cross County Federal Savings Bank to Open in Van Nest Section of the Bronx

    State Senator Jeff Klein  will be joined by Bronx Borough President Ruben Diaz, Jr. and Cross County Bank President Anthony Milone to announce the start of construction for a Cross County Federal Savings Bank in Van Nest. The new bank will be the first personal banking institution located in Van Nest in more than fifteen years.

     The Press Conference announcing construction of new Cross County Federal Savings Bank featuring  State Senator Jeff Klein, Bronx Borough President Tuben Diaz Jr., Cross County Bank President Anthony Milone and community leaders will take place on,

    MONDAY, JANUARY 3^RD AT  NOON       

    791 Morris Park Avenue, BRONX 
 

It Appears Even Speaker Quinn Was Unhappy With the City's Response to the Blizzard

    NYC Council Speaker Christine Quinn is promising to hold oversight hearings on Jan. 10 to look into the city’s response to the Blizzard of 2010.

    “Yesterday, Members of the Council encountered the true spirit of New York in every corner of the five boroughs as neighbors helped one another overcome the difficulties brought on by the elements. “Council Members also encountered justified anger throughout their districts as New Yorkers were stranded on trains and buses, forced to suffer with a backlog in response to emergencies. New York’s Strongest, the men and women of the Sanitation Department, do an amazing job day in and day out and we are grateful for their service. That said, by all accounts, the collective storm response was not anywhere near up to the standards New Yorkers are accustomed to.

    “This is unacceptable.

    “New Yorkers have serious questions about the City’s snow emergency policy and response. We in the Council will seek forward looking answers on behalf of our constituents.  Therefore, the Council will convene oversight hearings on January 10th at 1pm to examine questions surrounding the City’s response to yesterday’s blizzard.

    “This hearing acknowledges the reality that many New Yorkers are experiencing, that something went wrong. We will conduct a constructive fact finding effort with the goal of preventingit from happening again. As we convene this hearing we must be mindful that the events of the last two days are a stark reminder of the need to protect core public services from potentially life-threatening budget reductions.”‬

    (This comes to us from our friends at State of the Politics Blog)

Some Woes From the Blizzard.

    New York State Senator Reverend Ruben Diaz joins his Senate Colleague Carl Kruger’s rebuke of Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s ineffective handling of the blizzard that has hit New York. 

    “It is absurd to know that ambulances and emergency vehicles have been unable to navigate through unplowed streets of New York City.  Days before this storm hit we all knew it was coming.  No one even put chains on the tires of city buses, sanitation trucks or ambulances in preparation for the storm. Senator Kruger rightly pointed out that 'Forecasters predicted this blizzard days in advance. There was clearly insufficient planning, and New Yorkers are paying too steep a price. Someone has to be accountable.' 

    I also read MSNBC anchor Keith Olbermann’s twitter: 'NYC littered with w/abanonded City buses and Bloomberg is bitching about people not shoveling their sidewalks. Condescension personified.' What kind of Mayor do we have?

    Mayor Michael Bloomberg actually chuckled at a press conference today that the world is not coming to an end. Maybe the Mayor’s world isn’t. And maybe the shows on Broadway will go on, but there are New Yorkers who rely upon City services that tax dollars are supposed to provide, and some of their lives have been put at risk because of him.

    I have said it before and will say it again, Mayor Michael Bloomberg needs to be held accountable.”

    Here  are a few pictures of Bronx buses stuck in snow.

Sexually Explicit Book of Poems in Brooklyn Elementary School Reported on by WCBS T.V.

    We saw this story on WCBS T.V. on Christmas Eve reported by Marsha Krammer, and had to pass it on to you. The link is at the end of the story to see the video replay.

    The Urban Poetry book called "Atrccia" written by poetry teacher Tylibah Washington has come under fire from parents at Brooklyn's PS 279 in Canarsie. While some of the poems were about people such as Rosa Parks, there was also a poem of how former President Bush loves war so much that he got an erection. Another poem called "Supa Dupa" is about a prostitute performing sex acts (which WCBS had to block out some of the words). Still another talks about addiction to pain killers in a very positive way.

    Councilman Charles Barrons (who happens to be Ms. Washington's godfather) said that the writer is reworking the book to be age appropriate for 10-11 year olds that the writer teaches. 60 of the original books were distributed to fifth grade children at PS 279, and 16 were returned to the school by parents.

    When asked by Ms.Krammer if he had any comment about the book, Mayor Bloomberg asked who wrote it. When Ms. Krammer said that it was the goddaughter of Councilman Charles Barrons, Mayor Bloomberg then asked if Ms. Krammer had any other questions as he left her.

    Here is the link  http://newyork.cbslocal.com/category/news/  then go to the video news section on the right. You may have to click on the past videos to the right until this story cones up.