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HOUSNITCH WILL BE SPEAKING ON KPFT RADIO THIS THURSDAY EVENING, 9:00 PM ON 90.1 FM...JANUARY 27TH, 2000 GIVE US A LISTEN!!!
This publication is dedicated & 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 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. This publication is our collective voice.
THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN & WOMEN TO DO NOTHING....ONE BRAVE MAN OR WOMAN MAKES A MAJORITY
"The ultimate test of a man is not where he stands on positions of comfort and convenience but where he stands on positions of challenge and controversy. So on some questions cowardice asks, 'Is a position safe?' Expediency asks, 'Is the position politic?' Vanity asks, 'Is the position popular?' But conscience asks, 'Is the position RIGHT?'" -- Dr. Martin Luther King
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Speak Out: Letters Page Click
<~ on this ( We hear the Mayor is really upset about the letter we got
concerning the police officers pay. He called for Chief Bradford to
immediately find the leak...Mayor! You don't have a LEAK....you have a
SIEVE!!! and HOUSNITCH'S bucket is catching all of it!!!)
CITY LEADERS FIGHT AMONGST EACH OTHER ... TAXPAYER LOSES
Houston Chronicle
Editorial Comment
Dec. 8, 1999, 7:37PM
WILLFUL BLINDNESS: City Ethics Committee needs to show some initiative
Dec. 10, 1999, 8:43PM
Walkout symbolizes council's rift with mayor
By MATT SCHWARTZ
Copyright 1999 Houston Chronicle
Despite a walkout by five City Council members on Wednesday, Mayor Lee Brown ultimately won the vote to spend $52 million over five years to privatize airport parking operations.....
"His (Brown's) view of inclusiveness is, `If you agree with me, you will be included; if you disagree with me, you won't be included,' "....."There has to be some sincere demonstration on the part of the mayor that he wants to work with council members, because in the end, he's responsible,"
Gifts to council members probed
Insurance contractor for city sends premium Christmas presents
By MATT SCHWARTZ
Copyright 2000 Houston Chronicle
.......The Inspector General's office was alerted to the gifts by the office of Councilman Rob Todd......When staff members called Thursday morning to say that a package from Hassan had arrived, Todd instructed them to call the Inspector General.
Jan. 18, 2000, 6:00PM
Editorial: City officials should beware of contractors bearing gifts
The city of Houston's ethics code optimistically requires that all officials conduct themselves "so as to give no occasion for distrust of their integrity."
Then Friday before last, Council member Bell, called the Chronicle on Council member Todd because Council member Todd accepted a gift of a trip to Cancun for he & his wife & he didn't declare it..
Jan. 21, 2000, 4:29PM
Editorial: Councilman Todd, city learns, inhabits a glass house
Houston City Councilman Rob Todd was right to expose a city insurance contractor who sent expensive gifts to council members and other officials at City Hall. The gifts were improper and probably
illegal.......... Councilman Chris Bell, one of those struck by the stone Todd hurled, pointed out that Todd is not without sin, having accepted a trip to Cancun for himself and his wife from a group of Houston contractors.
On Wednesday, January 19th, HOUSNITCH addressed Mayor & City council concerning the layoff of 37 city workers who are being displaced by the parking Contract (AFTER MAYOR SAID NO ONE WOULD BE DISPLACED), But while at council, waiting for her chance to speak, Housnitch heard a commotion in the hall outside council chambers...there to my surprise, Don Hollingsworth, one of the Mayor's Senior Advisors was verbally going after Andy Kahn, Mayor's victim's assistance...by the way...one of the VERY few people in this Mayor's administration who actually knows & does his job....Mr. Hollingsworth then turned his verbal wrath on Lauri Fickman...Public Information Officer...attempts to reach Mr. Hollingsworth were futile....he never returned Housnitch's calls....but for the Mayor's staff to be dressed down IN PUBLIC...(and there were citizens passing all around) is shameful to say the least. Mr. Hollingsworth needs to display a greater degree of professionalism. Attempts to speak with Mr. Kahn & Ms. Fickman also proved futile. (we did learn that Ms. Fickman took off the following Thursday, because she was so traumatized by this encounter) It is this snitch's opinion that NO ONE has the Mayor's administration, or the taxpayers best interest at heart. Which is really symbolized by the way everyone is fighting for his /her turf/territory and the City be damned....This would have NEVER transpired under Lanier...these type of single-minded people would have been OUT...QUICKLY....you were on the Mayor's agenda...or you were gone!!!! (But then again, this Mayor's agenda aside from giving away the city to his friends isn't really all that clear)
WILL THE REAL JEW DON BONEY JR....PLEASE STAND UP?????
(MUST BE HARD HAVING TO BE ONE MAN FOR THE ANGLO PRESS & ANOTHER FOR THE AFRICAN AMERICAN PRESS...DO YOU SOMETIMES GET CONFUSED JUGGLING THOSE PERSONALITIES? JUST WHICH ONE IS THE REAL JEW DON?)
Jan. 21, 2000, 6:44PM
Letting bygones be bygones
HOUSTONCHRONICLE
HOUSTON journalist Ed Wendt, arrested in 1998 for trespassing in City Hall, has received a lot of attention during his recovery from a liver transplant at St. Luke's Hospital this past week....... He recently filed suit, claiming Brown and Boney conspired to arrest him falsely because they were angry at his articles criticizing their policies......... Since receiving a liver transplant, he has received a ton of cards, mail and baskets of goodies, but among them two especially stand out -- get well cards from, yep, you guessed it, Mayor Lee Brown and Jew Don Boney. ......
Jew Don speaks at Acres Home Chamber's Luncheon
"I've grown brother and hope to keep on growing"
By Roy Douglas Malonson
African-American News&Issues
.......Comparing Houston's strong mayoral government to that of Chicago, Boney explained the importance of electing City Councilmembers who can work with Mayor Brown in the best interest of "all of Houston," which has to include minority communities. He attacked the city's divisive media, e.g., a Black newspaper he referred to as "The Backward Times," with the zeal of the Baptist preacher he is. Although Boney didn't belabor the point he also mentioned another supposedly "leading Black" publication whose ace reporter is a white conservative, who recently started his own ultraconservative newspaper ..........Beulah Shepard, the chamber's matriarch, led the amen's as Boney explained the insanity of depending on mainstream media for information, when it clearly has demonstrated that issues benefiting minority communities are not a priority
Jew Don's reference to "The Backward Times" really shows us what a divisive man our Mayor Pro Tem is. In a city as diverse as Houston...under a Mayor who portends to be "FOR ALL HOUSTONIANS" do we need our second in command stirring up the African American community with such miss-statements? ...also why be a hypocrite and send a get well card to Ed Wendt...of the "FORWARD TIMES"?...Bygones, be bygones?...our Mayor Pro tem forgets that he represents more than just African Americans in his district. Housnitch was privileged to speak with Mr. Wendt concerning this matter...here is his reply:
Subj: Message from Ed
Date: 1/23/00 10:39:07 PM Central Standard Time
From: Wendted
To: HOUSNITCH
Brenda,
A reporter friend got me the article. Here's my official quote for you:
I am truly hurt -- especially considering the fact that Jew Don and I were once such good friends -- before his rise to power.
I hope this is not a pattern and that Mr. Boney will not try to destroy our city along racial lines.
My doctor's have ordered me to fully concentrate on my recovery from liver cancer
and the liver transplant. I am having some complications and pray that what is indicated by the
article about Mr. Boney and the media is not a continued pattern of persecution
that led to my lawsuit only days before I received the transplant.
I hope, in the name of God, that Mr. Boney was misquoted and that his heart has more room for love and racial justice for all. We need diversity, not panAfricanism, panEuropeanism, or anything else, in our city and nation.
Perhaps he will provide a tape recording of his persecution and the full session.
I would like to hear Mr. Boney's explanation before I second-quess him, but am hurt, and alarmed by the allegations in the article -- in light of the article in The Houston Chronicle about
"bygones being bygones."
This is my statement if you need one. Clean it up cause I am on strong pain medication and not up to par in writing and typing.
ED WENDT
Editor's note....didn't have to clean any of it up.....even ill you're the best Get well Ed.....get well, our prayers are with you, and your family.
WHY DO YOU KEEP ON LYING TO US MAYOR????......THIS TIME WE HAVE THE DOCUMENTS TO PROVE YOU & YOUR MINIONS WRONG
Dec. 10, 1999, 8:43PM
Walkout symbolizes council's rift with mayor
By MATT SCHWARTZ
Copyright 1999 Houston Chronicle
Despite a walkout by five City Council members on Wednesday, Mayor Lee Brown ultimately won the vote to spend $52 million over five years to privatize airport parking
operations........
On Wednesday, January 19th, HOUSNITCH addressed council
concerning the layoff of 37 city workers who are being displaced by the parking
Contract (AFTER MAYOR SAID NO ONE WOULD BE DISPLACED) ..Mr.
Richard Vacar, (Director of Aviation) was present at council when HOUSNITCH
asked Mayor if he lied...or was his promise that no one would be displaced just
not being held up by his staff...Mr Vacar & Ms.Delores Rodgers informed that
Mayor that indeed 37 people were being laid off to accommodate staff from the
parking contract...but Ms Rodgers & Mr. Vacar assured the Mayor only persons
with an average Employee Personal Evaluation...BELOW 3.00 were being laid
off...(5.00 is above expectation....and 3 is average)....ONLY persons below 3,
Mayor was assured were being laid off....NOT SO Mayor.....click
here to see documents...this worker has had only 2 EPEs done...will have
completed 2 years next month...the average is 3.00.....and this isn't the only
one....just an example of how serious your people ignore your Mayoral dictates.
Did you know that the Supervisor that writes these EPE's is under investigation
by the OIG ?....Failure to file sexual harassment complaints....fraudulently
changing a government document...here...we have a copy of that document too...
And while we're at it Mayor....IF you don't believe us here
at HOUSNITCH....read this departments own inter office memo concerning how bad
things are over there......
A recent inundation of Complaints to the office of the OIG.....see it up there Mayor?... You have 3 male supervisors charged with sexual harassment ...another is an assistant Director ....charges of changing government reports & creating false records...and the funny thing is...the people who are being let go Mayor....they are complainants in these investigations NOT the perpetrators of these crimes ....2 have gone to EEOC ...on recommendation of the OIG....This morning Housnitch turned over to your Senior Advisor Carol Alvarado...an audio tape that one of the complainants made of two supervisors...one uttering such profanities concerning his & his son's participation in a local all nude bar...that it made even Housnitch (who everyone knows can stand toe to toe with any sailor) feel like I needed to wash out my ears..... The only Female Hispanic supervisor in Building services...former marine...6 years with city...EPE's always 4.6....4.7-----4.8...now has EPE's from this supervisor that read 2.75.....and this was only AFTER she did her job & documented reported sexual harassment from her employees.
FIX IT MAYOR
HOUSNITCH needs $500 (we have $402.00) for incorporation papers (Gracias Senor)......we also need another $2000.00 for a legal fund.....WE have no intention of just telling you what's going on.....we intend to use legal recourse if we can raise the funds .....unfortunately donations right now are not deductible ....but after incorporation they will be.....YOUR money will be spent WISELY....and you will see the results... not only here but in more traditional news outlets also .....Please help us become even more effective..... Housnitch @ P.O. Box 55423, Houston, TX 77255 We know our readers aren't wealthy....but every little bit helps......Thanks guys...
Be well DARLINS...Tell 'em what you think........ya'll know we do.........