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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
"you have come to see us dance for you,
and dance for you we shall,
but the dance that we will share with you,
is a part that we will choose.
our dance will be filled with our inner passion,
fulfilling our expectations alone.
and if this dance isn't pleasing to you,
then you must find a dance of your own
HOUSNITCH, has a friend, who , because of health reasons, is having to market her commercial property for sale. We volunteered to help with advertising the sale...check it out guys, it's a GREAT location, and a beautiful piece of property in the Rice Military Area.
In delegating authority, we do not give our public servants the right to decide what is good for the people to know and what is not good for the people to know.
The Clayton
Library, Center for Genealogical Research
Darlins! Like TEXAS cockroaches running for cover when the kitchen light comes on at 3 a.m. you should have seen the skirts flying, and the heels clicking last week when Dame Barbara came down from her lofty perch at Central Library to see what the hell was going on at The Clayton Library. When HPD Police officers came to verify certain allegations concerning Margie Harris and the Clayton Library Friends, you would have thought the cockroaches were on their backs little legs peddling air to flip back over and get away.
Here's the complaint that we have filed with the OIG:
THE STATE OF TEXAS
THE COUNTY OF HARRIS
AFFIDAVIT
BEFORE ME, the undersigned authority, personally appeared(*&^%$, who first being duly sworn, deposes and says:
My name is(*&^%$. My business address is(*&^%$, Houston, Texas, 770*&. I have completed years of school and have (*&^%$#@ with the English language. My DOB is 00/00/00, and my Texas Drivers License )(*&^%$# My Home Phone number is 713-(*&^%^%$
I have been informed that under the Penal Code of the State of Texas, Section 37.02:
A person commits the offense of Perjury if, with the intent to deceive and with knowledge of the statement’s meaning; a person makes a false statement under oath or swears to the truth of a false statement previously made; and the statement is required or authorized by law to be made under oath.
I am submitting this affidavit for the purpose of filing a complaint regarding donated funds to the Friends of Clayton Library, which are not being used as dedicated. On May 21, 2002, my family set up memorial fund account requesting all donations in the memory of my wife who passed away. At the time of her death, we requested that all donations to go to the Friends of Clayton Library, which is charitable organization set within the IRS code for education and charitable purposes for the enrichment of the resources and facilities of Clayton Library Center for Genealogical Research, a unit of the Houston Public Library. These donations are supposed to be used as directed by the fund ((*&^%$#@! Memorial). She specifically directed that the priority was to buy indexes only such as marriage, divorce, deed, births/deaths, taxes, etc. My complaint is that these funds are not being used as specified. Ms. Margie Harris, city of Houston employee, is a manager of the Clayton Library and a non-voting Director of the Friends of Clayton Library. As director of the Friends of Clayton Library, Ms. Harris has final approval over all purchases and donations made by the organization. In addition, the Friends of Clayton Library maintain an office in the Clayton Library (5300 Caroline) with no occupancy or lease agreement with the city of Houston, nor does the organization have an indemnity excluding the city from liability as should be required.
I have made several requests concerning the method in which the donations are being used. I was told by Mr. David Singleton (former President until January 2004) that "He was God. I have no bosses to tell me what to do and can do what I want with the money." When this information was presented to Mr. Robert de Berardinis (Director), chairman of the accusation committee, he told my family "He did not give a fuck what the bitch wanted that once he got the money he could spend the money any God Damn way he wanted."
2.Margie Harris and Ms. Barbara Gubbins (city employee) were informed of these issues and have taken no action. I question as to how Ms. Harris can authorize dedicated money to be used for purchases other than what the donated money was intended. The bylaws for the organization specifically state that the organization shall keep record of all donation to the Friends and submit a list of such to the President for proper acknowledgement; and shall notify the President of cash gifts restricted for a certain item or purpose that the President can apply the gift as the donor wishes.
I have knowledge that Margie Harris, Mr. Singleton and Mr. Berardinis are attempting to use dedicated money from a prominent family foundation to be used for purchases other than their specified intended use. I am requesting the Office of Inspector General to investigate Ms. Harris’s involvement with this organization pertaining to the issues listed above. Ms. Margie Harris should a least have a moral obligation to see that these funds are used as specified by the fund and the by laws of the Friends of Clayton Library. I am also providing supporting documentation and a time line chronology of the events leading up to this complaint.
____________________________
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO, before me, by the said(*&^%$#, on this the 7th-day of May, 2004, A.D., to certify which witness my hand and seal of office.
____________________________
Notary Public in and for the State of Texas
WAIT UNTIL THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE COMES ASKING QUESTIONS....( they have this nice little division over there that does nothing but monitor and investigate 501 (c) (3), charities, foundations etc.) WE'VE GIVEN THEM AN INVITATION FOR AN INVESTIGATION ALSO! (Let's see what "GOD" has to say to them!)
Oh yeah...Margie...telling Clayton Library workers and volunteers to not speak to the complainant or his family members, and to immediately report to you any and all conversation they try to engage others in is called "CREATING A HOSTILE WORK ENVIRONMENT" and could be seen as retaliation for someone doing what is their right to do.
The 1st amendment didn't die because YOU are a librarian!
And while we're at it Darlins...can someone please tell me why The City of Houston has failed to maintain the property left to them by the Clayton Family?
The City accepted this property from The Clayton Family, and the property has been allowed to fall into such a sad state of disrepair under Margie Harris that the carriage house is completely closed and the Clayton House's second floor is so unstable that no one can go inside because it is so dangerous. IF HouSnitch was a Clayton family member...I'd ask for my gifts back...land and all.
The "FRIENDS" say they have raised $1.55 million since 1994...why hasn't the property been cared for, maintained? Why hasn't the City taken care of their property? IF this were a private property....City Inspectors would be all over it!!!!!
NOW THERE'S A MESS!
May 25th, 2004- HouSnitch at Council:
I’d like to commend this Council, and you Mayor White, for the way you have handled the Pension deficient.
You have had to make some very hard decisions…not necessarily popular ones either…but they were the right ones to make.
I’m here today to ask you to make another hard decision….
Last Sunday, Chronicle Feature writer, Rick Casey said:
I wasn't at the pension table
I'm not saying I expect to be at the table, but I do expect for someone who represents me to be at the table.
Sure, the mayor had representatives and was supposed to protect my interests.
But unfortunately Mayor Lee Brown accepted outrageously optimistic numbers produced by an actuarial firm that worked for the pension board and ignored a cautionary warning from state officials.
The negotiating table had all the people sitting on one side, similar to the pension board. A budget analyst whose job was to cost out the proposals was told to stay away.
We know everything he said is true….Because of that, I am here today to ask each of you to make another hard decision and ask that you please support our call for a complete investigation of the HMEPS.
You have copies of Original complaints, that were hand delivered to The OIG, Public Integrity Division, of the Harris County District Attys Office, and the Criminal Investigative Division of the Internal Revenue Service and copies of the receipt of said complaint.
We need to know if Towers Perrin is our "ARTHUR ANDERSON"….Who was OUR Ken Lay, Jeff Skilling etal?
The people have a right to know…WHO KNEW WHAT….WHEN THEY KNEW IT…AND WHY THEY DIDN’T TELL.
NOT only do I ask you to support this investigation, I also urge each and everyone of you to make available to the OIG, any tools or resources that they may need to fully investigate this matter.
Chief Wong is new to his position, but he, and the men and women in this division are all seasoned, experienced investigative personnel.
It’s a hard decision I’m asking you to make…but that’s what you all get paid to do…
THE STATE OF TEXAS
THE COUNTY OF HARRIS
AFFIDAVIT
A person commits the offense of Perjury if, with the intent to deceive and with knowledge of the statement's meaning; a person makes a false statement under oath or swears to the truth of a false statement previously made; and the statement is required or authorized by law to be made under oath.
According to the information listed on the Houston Municipal Employees'
Pension System (HMEPS) web site, in concert with local media news reports, over
the next 18 years the fund will be $1.9 billion short of meeting currently
defined pensioners' benefits. I believe that most of this deficiency is the
result of one or more changes in levels of benefits, and vesting requirements
proposed and enacted during the administration of Mayor Lee P. Brown. It is my
understanding that the HMEPS Board and other City employees, in conjunction with
the HMEPS actuarial valuation agent, Towers Perrin, advised the Mayor and City
Council regarding how such changes would affect the City's contributions to the
System.
I further believe that certain current and former City of Houston employees
acted in concert with state legislators to pass an amendment to the State
Constitution which, if accepted by the voters of the State of Texas, would
permanently prevent the city from downward adjusting of pension benefits as
necessary to
assure the continued viability of the various pension systems. That legislation
was included on a September 2003 ballot as Proposition 15.
I believe that certain information was deliberately withheld from , or
misrepresented to, City Council members, and other elected officials in an
effort to assure the acceptance of the aforementioned pension plan changes. I
also believe that some current and former City employees acted in concert to
withhold from the public, accurate information regarding the fiscal health of
the HMEPS, thereby preventing voters from making an informed decision concerning
Proposition 15 in September of 2003.
I also believe that any such subterfuge regarding the System's health, and the
impact of the constitutional amendment was to continue until expiration of the
"opt-out" period as allowed by the amendment.
Based on this information, I am calling for a full investigation of City of
Houston employees and individuals involved with this issue, not limited to, but
including the following:
Fred Holmes ...retired City of Houston Employee
Roderick Newman...City of Houston Employee (allegedly spent
$3000+ of pension board money on a trip to Hawaii).
Louis C. Mckinney...City of Houston Employee
Sherry L. Mose .....City of Houston Employee
Lee Pipes...a.k.a. Marvin L. Pipes City of Houston Employee
Barbara Chelette - former city of Houston employee now Board
Trustee
Lonnie Vara ...City of Houston Employee...Director of Human
resources...
Phil Schepps ....City of Houston Employee...
David L. Long ....Retired City of Houston Employee, present
Executive Director of HMEPS
Anthony Hall, former City Attorney, working with Cary
Grace, (former city lobbyist who reported directly to Mr. Hall), spent the better part of
the 2003 legislative session working with legislators, pushing for the passage
of the bill that led to the September vote-approving Proposition #15 pertaining
to the pension fund and it's benefits.
Lee P. Brown, former City of Houston Mayor
Don Hollingsworth, former Executive Assistant to Mayor Brown
Al Haines, former Director of Finance & Administration
I believe these and other individuals failed in their fiduciary responsibility
to maintain the financial health of the pension fund; and to accurately assess
the state of the pension fund, which prevented the general voting public and
city employees from making an informed decision concerning Proposition #15
In addition, their fiduciary responsibility is called into question when you
consider the numerous excessive expenses of board members and executive director
(David L Long) in the form of out of town and out of country trips and bonuses
of questionable nature.
(I have provided some documents in support of this allegation to be included in
this investigation.)
In short, I believe that the board of directors and involved individuals were
aware of the financial instability of HMEPS and withheld such information from
the general voting public and city employees deliberately I further believe that
the pension board directors and involved individuals had a fiduciary duty to be
forthright regarding the financial instability of HMEPS and to be more frugal
concerning their expenses, considering the 1.9 billion dollar shortfall.
I am requesting that the Office
of Inspector General; and Harris County District Attorney's Office; and the
Criminal Investigative Division of the Internal Revenue Service conduct a full
investigation into this matter and determine if there have been any violations
of the City's policy, procedure, or state or federal laws.
SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN TO, before me, by the said Brenda K. Flores,
on this the 21st-day of May, 2004, A.D., to certify which witness my hand and
seal of office.
LET'S LOOK AT THAT TRIP LIST OF 
(CLICK ON THE ICONS DARLINS)
And just for good measure...let's take a look at this timeline
of events:
WE HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW....WHO KNEW WHAT...WHEN THEY KNEW IT...AND WHY DIDN'T THEY TELL!!!
THANK GOD, THE OIG, AND THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY, AND THE CRIMINAL INVESTIGATIVE DIVISION OF THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE THINKS WE SHOULD KNOW THESE THINGS TOO!
The IRS has a special division for investigating Boards, pensions retirement funds......can't wait to see how it works.
AND ALL YOU PENSIONERS....YOU HAVE ELECTIONS IN JUNE...3 MEMBERS TERMS ARE UP...I'D FIND BETTER REPRESENTATION IF I WAS YA'LL! YOU DON'T VOTE, THEN YOU GET WHAT EVER THESE PEOPLE DECIDE TO GIVE YOU. I'D ALSO CUT DOWN ON THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS TRIPS....5 TIMES TO VEGAS/ 4 TO THE BAHAMAS? 74 TRIPS ALL TOGETHER...46 OF THEM FOR EDUCATION?...WHAT KIND OF EDUCATION? "HOW TO LOSE $1.9 BILLION DOLLARS"????
"Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety. Nor are they likely to end up with either."- Benjamin Franklin
One of the penalties for refusing to participate in politics is that you end up being governed by your inferiors."-Plato
2041 Marnel Rd.
Houston, Texas 77055-1444
713-722-9258
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"Government is not reason, it is not eloquence, it is force; like fire, a troublesome servant and a fearful master. Never for a moment should it be left to irresponsible action."
-George Washington
