Another month has passed and once again it has been a very interesting education of your thoughts and concerns. Thank you to all that have posted and we look forward to hearing more of your comments.If you are confused about how to post on the blog or feel more comfortable e-mailing me your comments and concerns, please do so and we will post it for you.
E-mail: dustin.mcintyre@yahoo.com
Dustin McIntyre, Gateway News and www.gatewaynews.org
263 comments:
«Oldest ‹Older 201 – 263 of 263Anybody else waste their time at the Ward Two meeting last night at Second Creek? Could the city staff in Commerce City be anymore of a joke? Economic Development Director Brittany Morris is "so angry" at Walmart? REALLY!!!!!!! Please next November when we have the opportunity to get the majority of the clowns that sit on city clowncil OFF, please people get out and consider running for office and do not miss voting. Our city is going downhill at such a rapid rate there may be no hope in the future and then what do we do with our houses, just walk away.
Weak Mayor - Strong City manager was created specifically to help prevent nepotism, back room deals and good old boys clubs. Yap, definition of Commerce City to a tee. NOT!!!
to anonymous who was asking if Flannery and Natale were thumbing their noses to the citizens of Commerce City, no, it would be their middle fingers.
Well, well, well, the good active citizens of Bell, California never gave up and their entire city council, mayor and city manager were ARRESTED. We should be so blessed to have that happen here in Commerce City. Oh and on a positive note, many higher state level officials will be new after the November elections and thank you Channel 9, everyone in the state knows about Commerce City and the fraud and corruption. Maybe your time is up. Steal all you can as fast as you can and get all those trips in quick so you can share all the details with your new cell mates.
Gateway, is it really true that the City of Commerce City fessed up at the Ward meeting that Walmart is definately NOT coming? Is it also true that Walmart never did pick up permits? Wasn't this lie the subject of Mayor Natale's State of the City speech? What is going on here?
Gateway, don't miss the boat, start a new section on the effectiveness of the Commerce city Communication. Ask them how much the ward 2 meeting cost per attendee.
Take in the facts of the cost of the ROBO calls, the direct mailer and the space they used in city lights/City News. I think you will find the amount outreagoues.
Don't worry everyone I will give my soulition so I will not be label as "negative"
Want people to go to a city ward wide meeting? Slip a notice in the water bill, already being mailed out anyhow. Also is very simple and cheap.
There you go, HAVE FUN. can't wait to read some of the comments.
ps - Doug Darr endorsement does take away from the discussion. But I would like it you would all support him as Adams County Sheriff. He has and will continue to do a good job.
Water Bill meeting notice is a good idea. I say just post it on facebook.
What happened about Walmart? I wasn't able to get to the Ward meeting. How many people showed up?
Walmart is having some issues pulling the trigger on the northern range store. A city crafted letter is suppose to help with them making their decision.
P.S. - Darr and Hansen are two I am voting for.
Dustin,
can you get the letter to walmart from Commerce City.
Dustin, also find out if the walmart incentives have run out. It was something around 2 million in incentives.
What did the City letter to Walmart say?
I am waiting for a response from Commerce City
Good Morning Jim,
I am getting a few requests for the Commerce City letter that was sent to
Walmart regarding the store on 104th. Can this be sent to me?
Dustie, www.gatewaynews.org
you city manager fans should enjoy this:
http://redtape.msnbc.com/2010/09/in-bell-calif-residents-of-the-relatively-poor-mostly-hispanic-city-staged-a-near-riot-after-discovering-that-their-city.html
Was anyone at the Ward meeting who could tell us just what Britant Morris said about Walmart not coming to Commerce City? How can we find out if the permits were really pulled?
RE: Wal-Mart letter
Only a portion of a Wal-Mart letter was read to the citizens. It is a well written, professional correspondence that is appropriate.
Nothing more, Nothing less.
Clarification From Commerce City about Walmart and Timeline.
In response to your e-mail regarding the Walmart permit application, I hope this will clarify/answer your question.
According to our building/permitting division, there is an expiration date on the building permit after it has been issued. Once the permit has been granted, the permit requires that work begin within 180 days.
Walmart applied for a building permit on May 5 2010, as was stated in the State of the City address, but a building permit has not been issued. (This step in the process may take up to 180 days, and an extension may be allowed if needed).
The city has reviewed the Walmart application and sent its comment letter to them on May 15. The city has not received anything from Walmart since then.
I hope this helps. Let me know if you need anything else.
the email from the city just makes the walmart situation confusing.
I read it as no permits have been issued, because the city is waiting for wal-mart to respond to the comment letter from the city?
Has the tax incentives expired?
We need to fully review the Strong-Mayor form of city management and put this question on the next ballot. We have used the City Manager Form for these past 40 years with little success. However, our city has doubled in population in ten years and this current City Manager- City Council Form has problems of trust with CC voters. When City management no longer has the trust of the majority of voters, it is time for change in city policy and structure. City Council can pass anything by a majority vote of 4 to 5 members. Using a Strong-Mayor Form of management, the Mayor and City Manager share decision making and are more equally represented by the voters as well as more accountable to said voters.
Our 2007, City Council made poor decisions on Housing for our city manager, but, our 2009, City Council literally handed taxpayer's money to CM Flannery with no real justification. In our next upcoming elections, we need to vote every member that voted for this handout, out of office. As CC voters, we need to do whatever is needed to make justice happen here in CC as they did in Bell, CA. If, that means writing letters to Adams Co. District Attorney or picketing outside Flannery's house. We can not let city council get away with this just because they can! Flannery can pay any amount of money on that house at any time. He could have paid $144,000 in Rent in three years.
It no longer matters, if, the CM goes to Germany or the Moon, the CC voters have lost all confidence in Flannery's financial intergrity to manage city money. Flannery's viability is gone in CC. We can not believe anything he does when he hides behind misguided contracts. He should be able to find another job with his sterling Resume that is more suited to his qualifications. He already has $72,000 relocation expense.
I am with you Estelle
SAME OLD QUESTION:
WHY DID THE CITY MANAGER GET $72,000 IN CASH OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY FOR A SUPPOSED LOSS ON A HOUSE IN ARIZONA THAT HE SOLD FOR A PROFIT AND FOR A HOUSE IN REUNION THAT HE HAS NOT BOUGHT YET OR GOTTEN A MORTGAGE ON OR PAID A DIME ON? THERE WERE NO LOSSES SO WHY WAS HE GIVEN THIS MONEY???????
I think the letter to Wal-Mart from Commerce City is protected by the under negotiations part of the sunshine law.
I would love to see the citizens get involve in local politics to the point where they could change the charter.
But, what I do not want to see is a change in the charter because of one incident. It is not the city managers fault that he is in the contract he is in. This is the deal of the current city council.
Change the charter for the right reasons. Not because of one small incident.
There is logic behind the city manager-council format.
It gives the city the advantage of having someone with advanced degrees that specialize in high end local government. Education that is in the masters and some doctorate levels.
Mr. Flannery has advanced degrees in this specialized areas.
The city manager/council format is a win win for not only the council, the the city as a whole.
to PRO CITY
I respect your opinion, but Advance Degrees maybe not what we need.
Maybe a person from the area that has a strong background in business would be a change in pace that we need at this point in the city's current predicament.
Wes,
Thats sounds like your interested in running next year?
The arguments for Flannery going to Germany are absurd and fly in the face of good judgement. With the current lousy economic conditions of Commerce City, the sense of entitlement Mayor Natlae and the city manager show are beyond reason.
Commerce City letter to Wal-Mart... City Requests written response from Wal-Mart in 10 days.
http://tinyurl.com/294jtbn 3
GREAT GATEWAY, so did Wal-mart respond?
re: walmart letter,
so that would make the 10 day deadline to be on Sept. 18th. Did walmart give the city a response?
any "official response from walmart.
I don't think we can strong arm them into coming? can we?
Gateway News responds to Commerce City regarding Wal-Mart letter request:
Hi Ross,
Thank you so much for sending me this letter. In the letter Walmart was given 10 days to respond. That time is up. Did they respond? If not, what is the next step that the city is going to take? If they did, can we please have a copy of their response?
Thank you so much and have a great day!
Kathy
After you see the letter, you can really determine that the city manager of Commerce City has his heart into what is best for Commerce City.
I know this is not the popular belief, but I really see his sincerity in betterment of the city as a whole.
I urge you all to stay positive and lets continue to move the city forward.
HEY COMMERCE CITY!
I just read the walmart letter. So how does it feel when you are just ignored!
I have a question for you all that have been ignored for months.
WHY DID THE CITY MANAGER GET $72,000 IN CASH OF THE TAXPAYERS MONEY FOR A SUPPOSED LOSS ON A HOUSE IN ARIZONA THAT HE SOLD FOR A PROFIT AND FOR A HOUSE IN REUNION THAT HE HAS NOT BOUGHT YET OR GOTTEN A MORTGAGE ON OR PAID A DIME ON? THERE WERE NO LOSSES SO WHY WAS HE GIVEN THIS MONEY???????
I guess what goes around comes around.
the letter to Wal-Mart is professional crafted with just the right amount of firmness. I am impressed.
Dont worry City Manager will bring back a German walmart, and we always have the chance of a chinese walmart coming.
your all so negative
FYI - City Managers should have related education and in some cases advanced degrees depending on the undergraduate degree, but experience in running a City is the most important. Unfortunately Flannery has neither, he has an undergrad in geopraphy and was an assistant county administrator or so he says he was, I think that could be questioned or debated. None of his assistants have much experience or related degrees either, sort of the problem here, many of the Department Directors or managers have far more experience and related education or advanced degrees.
The letter from CM Flannery to Walmart is not "nothing more, nothing less" as Pro City said. It shows that Walmart is not even communicating with city officials at all any more and that the city issued an ultimatium if they don't begin building. This is an incredibly serious matter. I wonder what they think of Flannery going off to Germany and Natale to China at this critical juncture.
Very funny, Archer.
I can't seem to get the Walmart letter site. Gateway, can you please print it so I can read it?
Response from Commerce City about the 10 day request for a response.
Hi Kathy,
We have not yet received any response from Wal-mart regarding the city’s letter.
Ross
So I think this letter to walmart from Commerce has done more damage with relationship building?
At Gerald Flannery's job interview, May 29, 2007, he gave his highest educational degree as a Bachelor of Science in Georaphy/Urban Planning. Flannery lists no other special degrees. At that time, he was a public lobbyist for Coconino County with ten years of urban experience. In that interview, he calls himself "a person of integrity and high ethical standards" and that he'd "prefer to retire debt as soon as possible." How does a man of such high standards receive $345,760 in salary; $88,400 profit on Flagstaff, AZ home; $72,000 relocation expense that totals $506,160 or 1/2 million dollars in three years of employment with CC and steadfastly refuses to pay a dime on a house purchased by CC taxpayers, so that, his family can live in comfort here in CC? This appears totally out of character compared to who he said he was or represented himself to be. A man of character would have stopped this game of contract extentions and declared his financial responsibility for his living arrangements while waiting for the loan to purchase the house. Anyone can put a name on a house deed but without some "good faith" payment that person has no real right to live there. Why didn't Flannery honor his word from the beginning? Flannery did not have to sign any of those extentions and could have set the record straight at any time. When he sold his Flagstaff, Az house, why not put that money towards the new one unless he did not want council to find out he sold it for a profit , Oct. 5, 2009, until he received that relocation expense money that same week, Oct.1, 2009. The Flagstaff house was under contract to sell for $305,000 on Sept. 5, 2009. How does a man who has high ethical standards continue to live in a city house for free? He could rent another house or pay rent on this house until his mortgage is paid in full. No matter what CM Flannery does at this point, he has no real future here in CC. As soon as, the city council members that are protecting him are voted out of office, the voters will want a real man of integrity.
A few thoughts:
1. The issue with Walmart is serious. Instead of Germany, why did Flannery not fly to Walmart's corporate headquarters and meet with them? Why didn't both Flannery and Natale go down there? Far better use of CC time and money but certainly less for their egos.
2. Flannery was the only candidate without a minimum of a master's degree and limited experience. Would a corporation choose someone with no master's and limited experience to handle a budget of $50M with complex problems- no way. So why was he chosen and why are we keeping him?
3. Estelle made a good point. No one was forcing Flannery to sign the contract.
4. Flannery can seal the deal with council($72000) but not with Walmart- looks self serving to me!!
A walmart could be pushed to complete vertical in 8 to 10 months. If all would go well.
I think Mr. Flannery does have advance degrees. I will post the facts after I verify.
I hope our “representatives” see that the people do care and the repulsion caused by our city council, city manager and the way they’ve been doing business. This paradigm should be the catalyst for change? Had the city manager been an elected official that individual would have been forced to resign or recalled from office. Now we have a city government who’s lost the confidence of the people. Could Wal-mart be waiting until after the elections? Let’s face it, things “can” get worse.
Question we should really ask ourselves: Where are the checks and balances with council decisions that take place behind the scenes?
C_City Voter
The letter to Walmart was the most unprofessional, uneducated, arrogant thing I have read in a long time and I work in a law office, if that means anything. Good grief, the grammar in the first paragraph is not even correct. Well now we have to hope that Walmart is not so angry that they close their store in the southern part of the city. Can someone please WAKE UP on city council and fire this Flannery guy before he does anymore damage? Please the citizens are begging you now, what else do we have to do? Tell us please because we will do anything to get rid of this idiot and take our city back. Doesn't matter what it costs to buy out his stupid contract, we need to mitigate damages. No one in their right mind would have threatened WALMART!!!
can the procity bloggers please take a reality check. you sound more ignorant every day. what you say used to be laughable, but the comment about the walmart letter is more than sad, it is ignorant to the point of being dangerous. just stop already. we know you LOVE FLANNERY. so go send him flowers or something but stop trying to defend the indefensible. we are not stupid out here in cyberspace.
Pro City - don't come back and tell us about an advanced degree for Flannery is from some joke of a school or on line program from some institution like University of Phoenix - as anybody with a real education knows that would be a joke and should not be taken seriously
I think that Flannery sold his Ariz. house on Oct. 1st and it was recorded on Oct. 5.
I think that everyone really wishes Mr. Flannery well. They just want him to pay for his house.
And where is Commerce City?
http://cml.org/info/cities/state.aspx
Oh my.... I am sure Walmart is on the edge of their corporate seats upset about Commerce City.
We are such small potatoes to them. They have very poor sales in both of their new northern stores (Broomfield and Thornton) bet they are focused on how to get those to pick up, not where CC's city manager and mayor are!!
I must say I am overwhelmed and impressed, with the number of people with such outstanding knowledge of business that direct the city from this blog!!
Mr. Flannery has a BS from ASU in Geography (urban planning)
Certificate of CE from Univ. of AZ in leadership
Certificate in the Arizona ED course from Univ. of AZ
Advanced courses in planning, city management and various seminars by ASU, city of Phoenix, Mohave cty, APA, ICMA, Univ. of Wisconsin's Engineering School
40 hours of Supervisors Academy & Total Quality Management
so you basically saying that our city manager only really has a BS?
And we are paying him how much?
PRO CITY: Thanks for the information, you are good for some things.
When a city is trying to persuade a store like Wal Mart to come back to it, the last thing we want to do is threaten to take 2 million dollars of incentives away. Let's rewrite the contract! I agree, the last thing we need is to be sending letters, e-mail, phone calls and setting deadlines. We need to go to the head office in person and discuss their concerns as they must have many. I believe the number one worry on their list is the customer base in Reunion. So, lets send some business people from Reunion to talk to them. Something has them worried, what is it? I was told that the Walmart store in CC has the highest sales in the entire state. Wouldn't that be a good recommendation?
Any college graduate has a long string of seminars and certifications that we use to build our Resume and make us look better to an employer in fact, Teachers must continue to train as long as they teach. I have twenty years of seminars and certifications that I finally just left off of my resume because it was too confusing. These seminars take a few hours (2 to 8.) and certifications are easily obtained with a few classes. Remember that all of these seminars are not graded. A Master's degree is just that. It means that you have met College standards at a level of mastery with a grade of B or better.
cc city manager gets 170K plus, free house for years. the lowest rate on a house loan in history, the car payment that he is obviously just pocketing now and all he has is a BA?
DAMN that guy hit the JACK POT
Great Stuff. More and More voting citizens are getting more and more knowledgeable.
Look for major changes next year.
to pro city,
I am impressed how much you seem to know about the detail workings of Commerce City, why don't you run for council?
I just read the Commerce City letter to Wal-Mart. I live in River Run and we too have been waiting a long time for a store. I am disappointed that only the Reunion residents were mentioned.
So I guess the final word on walmart is to wait and see
City income is down by millions. CSAPs are hurting badly in core city. No delevopment in north. Commerce City has no where to go but up.
Gateway please post in October too. Thank you.
Until CC gets another zip code which clearly delineates the northern enclave, we'll always be weighed down by perceptions such as: trashy neighborhoods, poor performing school districts caused by illegal immigration influxes, quarreling city leadership, (thanks to media coverage of NASCAR, city manager and others).
We need to fix our image problems and stop ignoring them. Why are we printing in spanish? Why are we not enforcing our city laws governing rental properties? Why are we not enforcing the laws governing vehicles? We need to get rid of those who won’t address the issues plaguing our city. Please everyone, we need to make some serious changes in November or get serious about breaking away from CC.
C_City Voter
I wanted to see the September edition of the Commerce City News online and it is a press release about the PD sub station in the North. Where is the City News?
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