The Roundup

• Merry Christmas From the Folks at the Death Notices

  Dec 27th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  On Christmas Day, Saturday, December 25th, 2004, the solemnity of the Death Notices was interrupted.

• Taxes Due on Site of Suspicious 2002 OIC Fire

  Dec 20th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  On March 10, 2002, a five-alarm fire destroyed the plant of Opportunities Pallet Recycling and Manufacturing Co, Inc.

• Race For Governor is On!

  Dec 13th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Well, it is official

• City Hall Redo

  Dec 6th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Minority hiring goal set.

• Broadband News – Thanks for Nothing

  Nov 29th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Access to the Wi-Fi zones requires a $19.95 per month membership in SBC DSL.

• In-House Election Commission Good Idea?

  Nov 22nd, 2004 by Michael Horne

  It is more of an internal workgroup,” Pat Curley said.

• More OIC – George Connections

  Nov 15th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Although the Gary George – OIC-GM connections are well documented, particularly those that have led to the convictions of George, Mark Sostarich and Carl Gee, recently-released audit information and other source documents indicate that perhaps the OIC-George connection needs to be further investigated. Nobody is accusing anybody of wrongdoing, but perhaps investigators should dig a little deeper into the dealings of George and those connected with him, if only to remove any hint of suspicion from settling on the mantle of the innocent. Take, for instance, the relationship between Todd Robert Murphy, OIC-GM and Gary George. Murphy was recently relieved of his Public Relations contract with OIC-GM, and was replaced by Martin Schreiber and Associates. The recent audit of the OIC-GM accounts indicated that payments made by OIC-GM to TRM Marketing Consultants, Murphy’s firm, were “unallowable expenses,” according to Paul Steiber of the State of Wisconsin. His review included two months during which Murphy received $4,000 per month from OIC-GM. Was this a “cushy consulting job,” as Leon Todd has suggested? Todd said the Murphy-planted cover story about OIC-GM that appeared in the Shepherd Express (and, interestingly, in newspapers in the African-American community) was “not enough” to save him his job. According to the audit, OIC-GM was not authorized to hire a public relations consultant with W2 funds. The Ethics Board did not have a complete accounting of the amount of money Murphy’s firm was paid over the years. The board was investigating “direct” payments, and Murphy’s were considered “indirect.” According to John Becker of the Ethics Board, the payments to Todd Robert Murphy’s firm “were not something we focused on.” Nor has the board “seen any checks,” from OIC-GM to Murphy, he said. One wonders if the State of Wisconsin Ethics Board should have done a better job reviewing its own documents, for the Statements of Economic Interests filed by George for the years 1999-2001 show that George received more than $1,000 per year from Murphy’s firm. It would be interesting to know how much exactly per year Murphy sent to George, and what he got in exchange. George also reported receiving funds from Petrie and Stocking, the firm that employed Mark Sostarich, who gave George kickbacks from OIC funds. George also received money from Coleman & Williams, Ltd., an accounting firm. Coleman & Williams also received money from OIC – to conduct an audit of the OIC books. Isn’t it odd that an accounting firm that received money from OIC-GM would also, coincidentally, be sending more than $1,000 per year to George, who was systematically swindling OIC-GM out of money, with the connivance of Carl Gee, the group’s director, and Mark Sostarich, the Petrie and Stocking lawyer? Bill Coleman, of the accounting firm, said the relationship was quite innocent, and that he had hired Gary George to do unspecified legal work for his firm. Since many aspects of attorney-client relationships are privileged, we’ll have to take his word for it. Still, workers at the Ethics Board, the United […]

• Belling’s Blunders

  Nov 8th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Belling finally issued a non-snide apology for his comments.

• Mequon Turns Voter Away

  Nov 1st, 2004 by Michael Horne

  The City of Mequon told a local man who tried to register and vote at City Hall last week that he was “too late.”

• Voting With The Mayor

  Oct 25th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Mayor Barrett’s office announced Monday that he would vote at City Hall at 1 p.m. Tuesday.

• Jim Glynn Dead at 64

  Oct 18th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  I had no idea it would be this soon.

• Crisses Averted

  Oct 11th, 2004 by Michael Horne

  Barrett and Walker Announce Plan for Ballots in Milwaukee