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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 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.
"Our community must be the sources of their own strength -- politically, economically , intellectually and culturally in the struggle for human rights and dignity. Community . . . is home and it is power." -- Malcolm X, 1964
THE ONLY THING NECESSARY FOR EVIL TO TRIUMPH IS FOR GOOD MEN & WOMEN TO DO NOTHING.
ONE BRAVE MAN OR WOMAN MAKES A MAJORITY
(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.)
We're gonna let ya'll talk this week...We have some major stories still under investigation ... but we promise it'll be good when we do get it up!
Subj: PGAL "Bottles"
Date: 2/11/00 7:18:56 AM Central Standard Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
According to PGAL's Admin. Assistant/Human Resource Person/Office Manager (there are more titles to her name, just can't remember them all. I wonder which one she uses on her business cards) "Pecan Pies" were handed
out at Christmas by PGAL. PGAL did receive quite a few bottles of their own though.
Subj: PW&E Utility Division
Date: 2/10/00 4:14:57 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
The Utility Division of PW&E has seen the morale of the employees hit an
all-time low. It seems that James Millage, the "Acting Assistant Director" is not concerned about the employees and it is obvious he doesn't know what
he is doing. He is just sitting on his thumbs collecting a bigger paycheck.
Without leadership, it's obvious how the work orders have been stacking up.
We have the highest count of work orders and memos that we've ever seen. No one seems to be doing anything about it. We hope that Jerry King brings
someone qualified and a proven leader to straighten this mess out. I'm writing to you because some of us are getting fed up, and are seeing our
friends leave the City. These employees are very good and are disgusted with the current management. It has gotten so bad, that some of our best
people are leaving without having a job to go to.
Darlin....don't hold your breath, NO ONE in this
Administration seems to know what they are doing, least of all Jerry
King.... since he doesn't have e-mail...why don't you readers start
calling his office with your comments? Let us know what happens.......
713.837.0030 
Subj: first time reader
Date: 2/11/00 9:11:51 AM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
good job,lets get back to good old HONEST government.we have had enough of New York style of crooked back scratching.
New York , California, Texas...hell the back scratching needs to stop period
Subj: City Council
Date: 1/31/00 8:45:03 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Isn't there some obscure City of Houston law that says that once the population goes over a certain number, that would mean two more additional city council seats must be created for the City of Houston?
Could you please give us the specifics?
Yes, but it really isn't all that obscure darlin...here it is...and some politicos are already scrambling to get themselves positioned to have the power to decide WHERE those boundaries will be. Also we hear that certain of our "so called" leaders aren't really pushing for a FULL COUNT in this CENSUS YEAR...and we further feel the contract to promote the Census isn't being handled that well by, Mr. Borochoff, Mr. Allyn & Mr. Campos (boy if that's not a trio of stooges to rival the one at P W & E!)......We believe their complete lack of knowledge (we get the feeling they really don't know what they're doing) will leave some minorities undercounted & underrepresented ....UNDER COUNTED means UNDER FUNDED and as fast as this administration wastes tax money we need all of it we can get Thank God the City had someone smart enough to hire Ms. Anna Nunez for the Census office....now THERE is a competent, educated, well spoken person....(we don't think they will let her last too long...she makes them all look really bad, and she's not politically connected, doesn't owe anyone any favors, so of course we believe they will try to steal her work as their own, and eventually get rid of her) Hang in there Ms Nunez.....there are others just like you all throughout the City, who just want to be left alone to do their job & be effective: here's the code darlins.....
ARTICLE V. OFFICERS AND ELECTIONS
Sec. 1.Governing Body.
The governing body of the City of Houston, Texas, shall be the City Council. The City Council shall be composed of the Mayor and the number of Council Members hereinafter prescribed. (Added by amendment August 15, 1942; amended May 29, 1951, August 11, 1979)
Sec. 2.Council Members.
For terms of office for Council Members commencing in 1980, and continuing until such time as the number of Council Members is increased as provided below, there shall be fourteen Council Members designated as follows:
District Council Members
Council Member, District A
Council Member, District B
Council Member, District C
Council Member, District D
Council Member, District E
Council Member, District F
Council Member, District G
Council Member, District H
Council Member, District I
At-Large Council Members
Council Member, At-Large Position 1
Council Member, At-Large Position 2
Council Member, At-Large Position 3
Council Member, At-Large Position 4
Council Member, At-Large Position 5
If, upon any determination of the population of the City pursuant to this Charter, such population is determined to be 2,100,000 persons or more, then the number of Council Members for the regular terms next commencing and continuing thereafter shall increase from fourteen to sixteen. The two additional members shall be District Council Members designated as follows:
Council Member, District J
Council Member, District K
The number of Council Members shall not be decreased, notwithstanding any decrease in population.
All references in this Charter to "Councilmen," "Commissioners" or "Aldermen" shall be construed to be references to "Council Members," and all references in this Charter to a "Councilman" shall be construed to be references to a "Council Member." The "members" of the City Council shall include the Mayor and all Council Members, each of whom shall be a "member" thereof. (Added by amendment August 11, 1979)
BETTER PUSH FOR A FULL COUNT READERS!!!!!!!
Subj: Another slick brown maneuver?
Date: 2/8/00 7:08:17 AM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Mayor Brown spent months searching for a director for the new Building
Services Department, a spin-off from PW&E, with no takers. Finally, in
December, Council confirmed Ms. Monique L. McGilbra for the $100,000+ post after many qualified candidates turned it down. Maybe all that money wasn't
enough? or was it just a coincidence that the City of Houston Legal Department got a new hire in December too, - - only Don McGilbra - her
husband! Part of the deal? Who knows, but it smells like another "Brown" deal.
Does this man NEVER stop?....THIS NEEDS TO BE ADDRESSED ... NEPOTISM is against ALL laws...city, state, & federal... (see what we mean readers?...this stuff just keeps pouring out)...Do any of you council members know that you voted on a "package deal"?
The new Boss over there doesn't seem too popular.....here's another letter on her:
Subj: Crackin' the Whip
Date: 2/6/00 9:42:35 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
All employees were anxious to meet the new director of the BS department week before last. There were some interesting developments during these meetings. Seems that Ms. McGilbra likes to use the term "crack the whip". This doesn't sit well with those employees of African decent, this type of language harkens back to the days of slavery. Strange language from someone who should know better or maybe she knows exactly what she is saying.
Speaking of these meetings, it was rather strange to hear the new boss openly praise Dixie Mullins, going so far as to say she was trying to convenience her to stay on the job. Then, less than 2 weeks later, Ms. McG calls Dixie into her office and FIRES her, using some very nasty, ugly language. A very poor parting gift for an employee who was planning to leave anyway (Dixie had gotten the message she was no longer wanted). Perhaps after Ms. McG gets through cracking the whip, she gets out the lynching rope! This type of behavior doesn't bode well for other employees. Does she really believe she can fire people at her discretion?! Another sign of things to come is Ms. McG's tendency to talk down to people, yell a people, anytime, anyplace, even in front of a crowd. Does she feel so insecure about her position that she has to let everyone know "I'm the DIRECTOR! And don't you forget it!"
Is it just impossible for this mayor to hire competent people?
Maybe the B in the BS department will stand for "bitch"!!!
Naw...the Mayor can't do ANYTHING COMPETENT....except give away money......and that BS......we KNOW it stands for BULL S**T
and another on her new Royal Highness........
Subj: Tacky
Date: 2/3/00 6:59:48 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Word at city hall is that one of the first priorities of the new directress
of building services, ms Monique McGibra, was to get her husband a job.
This she did when he went to work in the legal department in december (he is an attorney). Between the two of them their annual income from the city's
trough should be around $175,000.00. Looks like we have a new dynasty in
the works.
Am I the only one who thinks this is not only inappropriate but downright
tacky?!
NO! We think this whole administration is tacky!
Subj: Support from a cohort
Date: 2/7/00 10:33:06 PM Central Standard Time
From: fauquiernews@starpower.net (FauquierNews)
To: housnitch@aol.com
I was in our county office today and browsed through the January issue of
"Governing" magazine. They had an article on citizen websites and mentioned yours. I checked it out and you are tops! I started a minor citizen effort
here this past December after a gentleman donated a computer and friends chipped in with operating expenses. I think we citizen
web-publishers face the same hurdles all across America: citizen apathy, bureaucrats' incompetence
and greed, government secrecy, cover-ups, unwillingness of newspapers to do
research into the nitty-gritty of government activities. We feel alone,
unappreciated and outgunned. But think what we would face if we didn't have the internet. I have added a link in my front page
http:/www.fauquiernews.com to your site. Please check out the Hanover Web link on my page. This is a valiant one-woman effort outside Richmond,
Virginia. She has been my inspiration. I am still a computer neophyte but
with FrontPage 98 I hope to be doing better-looking work soon. Jim Borland.
Editor, FauquierNews.com
Thanks for the encouragement ...and ya'lls sites are great! Nice to know other citizens are as fed up as we are....Check out their sites guys...That Hanover page makes us envious of your web page building skills....(so much to do so little time to do it)
Subj: City of Houston Terms
Date: 2/8/00 4:08:59 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH
Dictionary of City of Houston Business and Commercial Terms
(What's Said and What It REALLY Means)
"A number of different approaches are being tried."
( We are still grasping at straws.)
"Customer satisfaction upon delivery is assured."
(We are so far behind schedule the customer should be happy just to get it delivered.)
"Test results were extremely gratifying."
(We were so surprised that the stupid thing worked.)
"The entire concept will have to be abandoned."
(The only person who understood the thing, quit.)
"We'll look into it."
(Forget it! We have enough problems for now.)
"Please read and initial."
(Let's spread the responsibility around for the mistakes.)
"All new!"
(Parts not interchangeable with the previous design.)
"Rugged."
(Too heavy to lift!)
"Lightweight."
(Lighter than rugged.)
"Years of development."
(One finally worked.)
"Energy saving."
(When the power switch is off.)
"Low maintenance."
(Impossible to fix if broken.)
TRUE...SO TRUE
Subj: Mayor's Fincancial Mismanagement
Date: 2/4/00 9:57:23 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
You all are doing a great job. I support you because you stand for the truth. You chase a lot of cases of city mismanagement and possible theft at high levels. That takes a lot of courage, determination and money.
Money is what I am writing about, because like so many other city employees, especially at a management level, I see so much waste of money. And, please do not think that the elected Controller and the people there are any better. I have first-hand knowledge to the fact that they don't do that well and waste a lot of money.
Back to money! My concern has to do with this administration's unbelievable ability to run the fourth largest city in the nation and not have a budget surplus, but a actually deficit for the last two fiscal years. This current fiscal year (FY2000) is a joke! The F&A director had to resign because someone had to take the fall. Doesn't anyone know how to run the business of the city without running into the ground? Several council members are asking questions, and they should be; they should call for an outside independent audit. This would help disclose all the things Housnitch writes about the most.
The worst was when the city's "elected" officials voted to give themselves pay raises, even though they knew they didn't have enough money to go around for the "hired" help. The "elected" officials gave themselves 3.6% pay raises, effective January 2nd. They indicated that "their" special "well-earned" raises are tied to district judges' raises. That's nice. "Elected" judges and other officials like voting, especially when they vote themselves higher pay raises than the people who elected them into office, and work for them.
Further, the city's "elected" officials stated that they could not give the full employee force their hard earned 2% pay raises until February. Why February? No rocket science. By February property taxes are supposed to be fully paid. City employees have to go seven-plus months without the pay raise that was part of the approved city budget, which went into effect July 1, 1999. LAST CENTURY!
Can one imagine "elected" officials who would want the elected post, but not the money? Especially little raises? True leaders, including the City Controller, who has been projecting a deeper deficit, would say "no thank you" to the raise, especially one higher than for regular employees. The same kind of leader would have waited until the employees got their pay raise. Seems only fair and like good manners. The highest level of leadership would say "No Thank You" to any pay raise and let the employees have one.
Thank you,
Truth
WE HEAR YA DARLIN....WE HEAR YA
Subj: Atser Engineering
Date: 1/29/00 10:45:11 AM Central Standard Time
From:
To: housnitch@aol.com
Concerning your article on sidewalks inspected by Atser Engineering does
not surprise me. what do you expect from a firm that is totally incompetent, has incompetent
employees , starting from it's president on down to the inspectors. The firm until one year ago was basically
a testing labortory. Lab inspectors do not have the formal construction background to manage
technical projects as do personnel involved in construction management. Atser has never managed or had experience managing any type of construction
projects. In fact the only reason Atser was hired was because the firms president gave major campaign contributions to the Mayor during the previous
election and personally new Mr. Hoe prior to appointment to Assistant Deputy director of Street and Bridge for the COH. The Project managers at
Atser do not have any construction experience, do not know COH specifications and have the highest turn over rate of employees for city
consultants hired. In fact since Atser has been in charge of the Street and Bridge program under Assistant Director Mr. Hoe and Mr. Lum there has been a
100 % turn over rate of inspectors as well as project managers and program directors within the one yr Atser has served as a consultants for the city.
Atser is being paid $2 million / yr to manage not only sidewalk projects, but more technical projects involving total street reconstruction projects
including storm sewer and street and asphalt overlays. If you think the sidewalk projects are bad maybe some of your readers will or can
investigate their street and bridge projects where millions upon millions of dollars are being mismanaged by this
incompetent consultant. i would like to know why in fact was this consultant hired with out no previous experience
in construction management when there are so many local firms who have the experience and proven track record to do so. An wait i heard that Atser is
also a consultant for the upcoming airport improvement projects worth $400 million, where the firm will supply construction inspection as well. I urge
coh personnel involved to investigate and possibly audit their projects where i assure you, you will find mismanagement of millions of
public dollars and mismanagement of construction projects.
Darlin...seems like ANYBODY & EVERYBODY who gave Lee
Brown money has gotten it back 3 & 4 fold...and NONE of them are
competent......
Subj: another retiree wants to be added!
Date: 1/26/00 8:11:21 PM Central Standard Time
From:
To: HOUSNITCH@aol.com
you ever heard of the bard? used to be in the old city hall or annex years ago.
printed a sheet at irregular intervals and kept the city employees informed of all the doodah! you sound like his successor-keep up the great work.
retired from it and glad of it
Any old timers out there who can remember the "BARD"....maybe even have a copy of his work....HouSnitch sure would like to see it...
THE ULTIMATE TEST OF A MAN/WOMAN IS NOT WHERE THEY STAND 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.(well, readers...is what we're doing RIGHT?)
"I'm for truth no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who is for or against it. I'm for whoever and whatever benefits humanity as a whole." -- Malcolm X, 1965
Tell em what you think darlins...