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"Following the path of least resistance is what makes rivers and men crooked."
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This publication is dedicated to & maintained by those of us who really care about this city. We are many --- (and growing stronger with more people joining our ranks everyday). We are the nameless , faceless city, county, state, federal, and corporate taxpaying citizens & workers who are sick of the good ole boy system here in Houston, Texas --We were born on 7-30-1999. We are --- married & single-male & female, maintenance worker to Deputy Directors. We are the faceless civil servants who year after year do our job. We are the one's who see the hard earned tax $$s of the citizens in this area used & abused and given away to enrich a few greedy people with each new administration. Our hobbies include: Watching our backs---as we try to bring you the truth of what is happening in Houston, and getting the REAL information out to the public.
We are empowered, and empowering you the reader, the little guy like us to say NO! No more! IF each and everyone of one of you out there, send us just $10 we can beat them at their own much better funded game ... please take the time & do so now. The stories that are coming in are well worth the effort. You will see the results right here, please , send us a donation. Nothing is too small. $1 dollar will buy 10 pages worth of a document from the City, $5 will buy a ream of paper for printing out our website for those occasions we have speaking engagements, $30 will buy a tank of gas for traveling to and from council meetings and meetings with snitches ...parking costs... WE NEED YOU ... This is your page ..... help us with it...P.O. Box 55423 Houston, Texas 77255 713-722-9258
A SMALL ANNOUNCEMENT HERE, ABOUT A BIG PROBLEM....THIS SATURDAY, MAY 13TH, 2000, THERE WILL BE A MEETING HELD AT THE PACE UNION HALL OUT IN PASADENA, CONCERNING THE SAFETY & ENVIRONMENTAL RECORD OF PHILLIPS PETROLEUM & THE CROWN REFINERY, ALONG WITH OTHER PLANTS LOCATED IN THE AREA. HOUSNITCH IS GLAD TO SEE THAT OUR HISPANIC ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES HAVE TAKEN THE LEAD ON THIS AND ARE ORGANIZING & WILL PARTICIPATE IN THE EVENT. ALONG WITH THE LABOR COUNCIL FOR LATIN AMERICAN ADVANCEMENT, STATE SENATOR MARIO GALLEGOS, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JESSICA FARRAR, STATE REPRESENTATIVE DORA OLIVO, STATE REPRESENTATIVE JOE E. MORENO,& STATE REPRESENTATIVE RICK NORIEGA WILL ALL BE IN ATTENDANCE AT THIS MOST IMPORTANT BRIEFING. HOUSNITCH URGES ALL IT'S READERS TO ATTEND THIS BRIEFING. REGARDLESS OF YOUR ETHNICITY OR BACKGROUND...... IT IS TIME WE STEPPED UP AND CALLED FOR BETTER TANK EMISSIONS TESTING, AT THESE PLANTS, THAT WE STOPPED GRANDFATHERING IN THESE BIG COMPANIES AND HOLD THEM TO A STANDARD THAT WILL ALLOW US & OUR CHILDREN TO BREATH CLEANER AIR. REFRESHMENTS WILL BE SERVED, AND WE NEED YOUR ATTENDANCE. IT ISN'T US THE LITTLE GUYS OUT HERE MOWING OUR LAWNS THAT ARE CAUSING ALL THE AIR POLLUTION, AND IT'S TIME WE BECAME EMPOWERED & HELD THE TRUE CULPRITS ACCOUNTABLE. IT WILL TAKE MANY OF US RAISING A UNITED VOICE TO MAKE THIS ADMINISTRATION AND THESE CORPORATE POLLUTERS UNDERSTAND WE MEAN BUSINESS. I WILL LOOK FOR YOU ALL ON SATURDAY AT 9 AM FOR REGISTRATION AT THE PACE UNION HALL, 704 E. PASADENA FREEWAY (HIGHWAY 225-EXIT SHAVER)
FOR MORE INFORMATION CALL 713-861-2244
(All letters and e-mail correspondence become
the property of HOUSNITCH and
housnitch.com. Unless otherwise expressly requested, we are entitled to publish
all such correspondence. We reserve the right to edit letters for length and
clarity, and for content that might get us sued, or to withhold their
publication. Views expressed do not necessarily reflect those of our editors or
sponsors.)
Subj: HILDA GARZA SCOTT
Date: 5/9/00 7:26:47 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
What is the deal with this Mayor? YOU have proven time after time that Hilda Garza Scott is a sleaze. That she has violated city ordinances, and state laws, and from the OIG, to the Ethics Committee to the DA you have proven time after time that she is a liability to our city government. WHY DOES this man who is our Mayor continue to keep her at 611 Walker? As a duly elected pct chair I stand with you HOUSNITCH. I can no longer ask my people to vote for nor back this administration. This Mayor says he is a democrat, and God help me I helped in both his campaigns. But I will not help in a third. I am forwarding your site to all of my constituents, and to other pct chairs. Between us, we can have an impact in the next city election, at least where our next Mayor is concerned, and in the selection of our at large councilmembers. Housnitch aren't you also a Dem. pct chair? I have personally set forth a goal of reaching 40,000 voters with your site & the information it contains, Please publish this letter calling for others, Democrat & Republican to join us. You are right Housnitch, evil can only triumph if good men and women sit back & do nothing. This is our city, and our leaders be damned, it's time we the voters took it back. That this man would continue to support this woman, makes me suspicious of his whole administration, and if our party backs him just because he says he is a democrat, in the face of all this blatant corruption & wrong doing, then perhaps it is time we took back our party & elected new leaders ALL THE WAY DOWN THE LINE. Keep up the good work HouSnitch, my e-mails are flying! (oh, by the way, I am Hispanic, and the Mayor needs us to win ANYTHING...he needs a wakeup call, because I intend to with hold my support & urge my voters to do the same on ANY ISSUE he wants backed, until he cleans up that mess at PW&E. HILDA GARZA SCOTT NEEDS TO GO!)
God Bless you and the 1st amendment, keep us informed and I'll push for more involvement on the grass roots level! Keep up the good work.
Subj: HILDA GARZA-SCOTT
Date: 4/24/00 12:44:55 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
There is a rumor floating around that the Mayor wants to appoint a Hispanic as the new Public Works Director. My conclusion is that he wants to do this because he is losing white voters and wants to tap other sources to make up for it.
He can't get any more black or white voters than he already has; and the Asian community is too small to make a big difference. This leaves only the Hispanics.
The politicians always come to our community, and 40 years after civil
rights...the Barrio is still the Barrio.
I am doing my part to make sure that everyone knows that Hilda does not have the support of the Hispanic community or the Hispanc professionals.
You need to make the Mayor aware, through Housnitch, of the large contingent of Hispanic voters that you have registered to vote and advise him that you will get these people to vote against him
.
Subj: rambling thoughts
Date: 5/6/00 10:52:13 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Talked to some politically active African-American employees at Public Works yesterday. It seems that Hilda is lobbying them to help her get the PWE Director's job.
They were relieved to find out that Hilda does not have the support of the Hispanic engineering community or the Hispanic voting public.
They say that she is very concerned about her image and her lack of support and in particular was asking them how to stop HOUSNITCH from reporting on her misdeeds.
I think reporting her to the Board of Engineers went a long way in
eventually getting her removed
Tell the Mayor about the Hispanic leaders that are backing this website. Tell him about how Hilda is not popular with Hispanic Engineers. If the Mayor is not saavy enough to realize that it can actually happen, possibly one of his advisors will see that it can actually happen.
Anyway, just some rambling thoughts of mine.
Subj: Hilda Garza Scott
Date: 5/2/00 1:48:27 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Just make sure that you don't let Hilda off the hook. I was going
through the Board of Engineers disciplinary actions, and there were a lot of people disciplined for a lot less than what Hilda
has done. It's on the web site for the State Board. Just go in there and browse around
.Surprisingly enough, there are other local engineers that have been disciplined for other matters
.Smaller infractions, but what surprises me is that the Board is imposing some stiff financial fines
.Anyway, I think you stated your case very well against Hilda and I think that you proved that there was a conflict of interest. I see at the very minimum a fine,
and a suspension. Hopefully there will be a license revocation. Bibler's
comments is one of the strong points in your argument. We also need for Tatro and Keller to
continue to press the issue. Just stay on it and don't let off the rudder otherwise she will be screwing everybody over one more time.
The mayor has a mess on his hands
Hasta La Vista Baby
Subj: floods plains
Date: 4/29/00 10:27:22 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
Reply-to:
To: housnitch@aol.com
FEMA audits the city's flood management program and issues a report (SFA) - the report must be signed off on by the person in charge of
flood management, the Deputy Director (Hilda Scott), the Director and
the Mayor - in that order. Flood insurance rates are, in large part, determined by the results of this audit.
This year the audit was so good that anyone living in the flood plains in Houston would receive a $50.00 discount on their flood insurance (if
they carry it), and make it much more affordable for people living
around the bayous.
Hilda refuses, for reasons she won't explain, to sign the audit. This means that there are at least 30,000 tax paying citizens of Houston who
cannot get the discount - and untold numbers of other citizens for whom such a discount would mean the difference between having flood insurance
and not.
There is no good reason for Hilda not to sign off on the audit - other than sheer ignorance which is costing taxpayers millions of dollars.
Go figure.
Subj: interesting...
Date: 5/1/00 10:36:43 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
Reply-to:
To: housnitch@aol.com
hey there,
Heard from a reliable source (not the usual suspects) that Tuesday will be a very interesting day for Mr. Litke and Wednesday will be equally
interesting for Ms. Scott.
Also heard that Ms. Scott wonders why you went from picking on SBISD to picking on her. Is it true? Do you pick on her? Why, oh why, would
you do that?
MY, MY, MY, I do like the tone of all of those letters. .. but forget the
thought of anyone advising the Mayor to make the RIGHT decision...(even though
30,000 homeowners receiving a rebate/discount would be a nice PR chance for
him).....he doesn't have that kind of advisors around him.. I like the idea of
sending our site to pct chairs of BOTH parties. IF you have e-mail addresses
please forward them to us...if you'd prefer not to....at least forward our site
& let YOUR pct chair, know what's going on. And ask them to pass it on, etc
etc etc. As one who was involved in many of the past city elections, and
especially the last one....I can personally attest to the power of the internet
in this area. Candidates, that we personally endorsed won, in direct proportion
to the # of voters we reached with our personal recommendations using the net
& our e-mail address base. Housnitch cannot officially endorse or support
ANY candidate. But no where does it say that we can't give you the facts so you
can decide who NOT to vote for! (personally, as a pct chair, who works many
different pcts out here in my area, I can just about guarantee between 10,000 to
14,000 voters...Nice touch reader!) Litke is on vacation...or that's the
official word, we hear he won't be back from it anytime soon...Hilda....has
instituted a bunker mentality, and dynamite is going to be needed to blow her
out. She has begun her own investigation of Housnitch. (her contacts are calling
to advise me of her efforts) She is questioning HOUSNITCH'S resume....Jeesh, the
dying gasps are hard to listen to!
Subj: And then there were none
Date: 5/9/00 1:35:43 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
There have been 4 acting assistant directors in the bs department, all males, 2 white, 1 black, 1 asian. The pendulum of progress, according to ms
Monique, swung further to left this week when it was announced the 2 white males would no longer serve as acting assistant directors. They have been
deemed to be not worthy and therefore demoted back to their old jobs. Word is that the decree that went out was that these positions need to be filled
by "registered" architects. Trouble is, both of the acting assistant directors are registered architects. It is ironic that the 2 remaining, and
soon to be confirmed assistant directors, have less than stellar careers with the city, much less than stellar. ms
Monique has problems with certain people, it would appear, perhaps because of gender, perhaps because of
color. the irony is, there are so few employees of ANY GENDER or COLOR who respect, much less like her. It is a shame someone can come into a work
situation, ignorant of what's going on, and make wholesale changes that have a direct, and often times negative affect on people's lives. Civil
Service/the personnel department has become nothing more than a political arm of the mayor's office. We can only hope that the old saying is true:
you reap what you sew. Your time will come, too, ms Monique, and for the good of the city, we hope it is soon.
So do we here at Housnitch...she's spent way over monies set aside for this BS department already! (what appropriate letters to use for this garbage over there!)
Subj: Re: (Thank You HOUSNITCH)
Date: 4/30/00 8:15:40 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Good work its about time someone has taken the lead to stop the corruption in the
city. Next I would like for you to talk to us in the Aviation Department. The Human
Resources Manager moving personnel around without posting the job, but when employees file complaints against the Dept. they are black listed by the Department and have no chance of progression within the organization.
I would like to also tell you about a $250,000 humidifier purchased by the Technical
Services Dept. headed by Diana Hoffman that is the white elephant for the Dept.
This piece of equipment is not used and has become a waste of tax payer money. The humidifier is located in the Technical Service Warehouse and all the employees are well aware of this
disgraceful purchase.
There is another piece of photo equipment cost $24,000 that has been stored for over 10 years because again Diana Hoffman purchased the wrong item.
There is more and we will get together as soon as I have pictures and more information on the Aviation Dept. I am a tax payer and find it
difficult to have employees not living in my city speeding our money as if it was a open pocket book.
Also would you believe that the newly appointed Airport Manager wants to have less
Spanish signs at the airport he is also part of the good old boy system Tom
Barllett who has grown in the airport and has the same old mentality about minority
employees. The Airport top management is filled with Bigotry and corruption. They
do not want minorities to fill key positions and make every effort to prevent promotions of good outstanding minority. Good example is Ms. Allen who was just
denied a Superintendent position even though she has a good record no problem in the past, management found a way to disqualify her from the position and promoted a white male with only 2 years in the position of Asst. Supt. while Ms. Allen had over 15 years in the same job the only thing that
was changing was the title because she would be performing the same work.
Ms. Diana Hoffman should be our next review. This employee has become a Deputy Director with only a High School
Diploma can you believe that she is
also the employee that has caused over 70% of the employees to resign or file complaints because of her
mismanagement and disrespect for minority employees.
I have more employees that want to talk to you but have no access to e-mail. As soon as we find a way for them to contact you I will come forward with them
Thanks for your efforts to clean up the city government and I will help you in any
way to bring order to our city government.
We have heard that there is to be a promotion in the airport system. He is a black male, who was accused & found guilty (so we were told by a councilmember), by the OIG's office, of sexually harassing female & at least ONE male employee. We took a transcript of the taping we made catching him making these sexually harassing statements, well, Richard Vacar in his infinite LACK of wisdom, is now promoting him...and he's right back to performing EPE'S on the employees who reported him...(no one got higher than a 2.26)....such arrogance! Such stupidity.....we're waiting on those pictures darlin, and we'll talk to anyone that wants to talk.
Subj: Request for copy of Ethic Commission complaint
Date: 5/9/00 4:26:32 AM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Housnitch:
I could not find a copy of your early January complaint to Texas Ethic Commission, EC complaint SC-200101. Could you e-mail or fax a copy to me.
Check out our archives baby....Housnitch 35
Subj: e-one
Date: 5/3/00 10:04:14 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
please remove my e-mail address before posting.
The mechanic sent from e-one to fix the bad trucks explained the situation. It is the frame extensions that are cracked due to a
manufacturing defect. They used a thinner metal only 1/4 of an inch!
This was not the designed thickness. He said they went to a thinner metals because they
couldn't fit all the parts from the truck. Even after they used 1/4 inch metal they still
couldn't fit it so they shaved the metal thinner! He was sent to fix the e-ones by putting another 1/4 inch shaved
metal extension in replacement of the cracked ones. I asked won't they just crack again? He said yes and that he told his engineers about
this. They said they know, just put them on anyway. It is obvious that e-one is just trying to get through
their warranty so they wont have to worry about it.
I also heard that the fire dept is accepting the trucks with flaws knowing that they
don't meet the contract spec's
signed,
worried about
safety
Subj: mayor how?
Date: 5/3/00 10:08:00 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
do not post my return email.
How can the mayor appoint a fire chief who was investigated months before by IA for
assault for throwing equipment at a civilian employee at
a 411 fire just a few months before?
Subj: radio broadcast
Date: 4/30/00 10:33:46 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
Reply-to:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Hey Lady,
You were great on the radio tonight! And you get our vote for best politcal one-liner!
When you were asked what the Mayor was going to do about the fire engines you
said, "We don't know - no one has told him yet what he's going to do." That had us rolling on the floor laughing till we were crying!
Doesn't that say it all in a nutshell? Good work!
me ;-}
Subj: E-One Fire Trucks
Date: 5/09/00 12:20:12 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
The Houston Fire Department's purchase and acceptance of E-One Fire Trucks ,
which apparently do not meet the City's minimum specifications, may violate
certain State Laws pertaining to Public Trust.
It is even more compounded if the Fire Department passed over another
manufacturer's Fire Truck due to the Houston Fire Department's preference for E-One, or any violation of the State Law or non-compliance with the
City's bid/RFP language which may give the City the latitude to work with a
low bid/proposer but refused to do so. If so, the Fire Chief may have placed the City at great risk of Law Suit by the other manufacturer.
Based on the number of Fire Trucks which the Fire Department has purchased an unknown millions of
dollars worth of equipment which does not meet the City's minimum
specifications. This should be the Mayor's main concern and he should protecting the public trust of not only those that voted for him, but those
who didn't vote at all.
Any law firm, especially in Houston, under the Open Public Records Act, can obtain a copy of the bid/RFP document, specifications, manufacturer
responses, and any documentation pertaining to the review and award of the
Fire Department's contract to the manufacturer of the E-Ones and all complaints filed with the City's Inspector General's Office or the Fire
Department's Internal Affairs Office involving the E-Ones.
The information, once analyzed may disclose reasonable cause for the manufacturer which was passed over, if one exist, to file a law suit against
the City.
The Council governing the City needs to be proactive. A Public Integrity Review
Board Hearing needs to be requested with the board looking into the acquisitioning of and acceptance of the problems which exist in the Fire
Department and with the E-One Fire Trucks.
This will identify to the Council who is responsible and who to hold accountable if a multi-million dollar law suit is filed against the City.
In addition, and based on the review, if laws of the State have been violated, the Council needs to ensure that maximum punishment be applied
regardless of the guilty party(s) high position and power.
Because of the lack of action within our City Government, corruption may exist here in Houston. Look at what just happened to the former Governor of
the State of Louisiana.
Darlins, this administration baffles the mind.....NO ONE can possibly REALLY be this stupid....but I guess, obviously they are.
Subj: Thanks
Date: 5/2/00 11:16:10 PM Central Daylight Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Brenda,
Thank you for being there. You are supported very much and every time someone speak about they read Housnitch
& can they get a copy of what you are enlightening our community about. I will personally be soliciting donations to keep this forum going. Mine donation is coming.
The following is the message I have sent to our City Leaders:
As a representative of us taxpayers, hopefully, you and the other council members can collectively come together to root out the blatant disregard on how our money is spent. Silence speaks volume. Does every official have to become corrupt once they have been given the position of power. Your message to us during your campaign was that you wanted to be the representative that made a difference for the community as a whole. To not address the issues that are being raised on the Housnitch Forum referencing the Public Works Department borders on asinine. I implore you, to please investigate these allegations and if they are deemed to be correct, take action immediately. Enough already.
Sincerely,
A concerned Citizen.
Thank you for all you do & I applaud your efforts....take them to the ballot box next election & take 5 like minded friends with you!
Listen to us on KPFT 90.1 FM...every Sunday evening, 7pm. Get your weekly Snitch report on air!
Have a good week darlins...Tell em what you think!.....
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