Again we have been lied to and deceived by Motown and this time the City Of Vandalia has tried to cover it up. First of all we should thank the Leader Union for the article in the Jan. 14th newspaper with its investigative story about Motown and the check. If it wasn't for the Illinois Freedom Of Information Act and the Leader Union using it to request a copy of the bounced check, you and I would still be in the dark about Motown's latest antics. The City has known about the bad check since Dec. 11, 2009, four days after Bardwell presented it to the City Council with two closed meetings to discuss it.

Our elected and hired officials are in their offices to run the day by day operations and obligations of the city and act as representatives of its citizens needs and concerns when voting on such issues as ordinances and money being spent without having personal motives for the outcome of the vote. Using closed sessions to hide Motown's bounced check from the public until our elected and hired officials can figure a way to cover their "you know what" is deceitful and should not be tolerated. You can see from the Leader Union article that city officials were not prepared and in this writers mind, have lame excuses. Let's analyze some of the remarks our city officials and Motown representatives presented to the Leader Union;

1. Emmett Traylor, representative of Motown, stated that even though the check was returned being stamped "not sufficient funds", this was not the case. It was returned because of not being properly authorized.

Not sufficient funds stamped on the check means there is a reason for dishonoring or returning a check to its depositor, because the amount available in check-writer's (drawer's) account is less than the check's amount. Usually both the depositor and the drawer of the returned check have to pay a penalty to their respective banks.

In the Leader Union article, it is stated that Bardwell did not have authorization to write the check until the extension agreement was approved by the city and and also approved by the Motown project shareholders. This check has been owed to the city for months and should have had nothing to do with an agreement of the extension. This check should have been authorized long before any extension was discussed. I was at the council meeting and from what I saw, Bardwell used this check to influence the extension vote.

2. Givens said she talked to a Bank Of America representative where the check was issued and was told the account requires $250,000.00 balance and used the "not sufficient funds" stamp on a majority of returned checks. He also told her the account could have been frozen for some other reason.

Most checks returned from any bank are for "not sufficient funds", "account closed" or "stop payment". This check not being authorized and with at least $250,000.00 in the account should have been returned with a "stop payment" stamp or something similar. If the account has been frozen, I would think you would get a "not sufficient funds" stamp because the money has been frozen and can not be withdrawn.

3. Givens said she has been in regular contact with Bardwell and he assured her that he is working with shareholders to get authorization to write the check but some shareholders have been traveling over the holidays.

Again, this check should have been authorized before any extension agreement and he is making more excuses to pospone progress on the project.

I have heard time and time again that the citizens of Vandalia would not spend any money for this project. Seems we have been deceived because to date Vandalia has spent $102,628.18. This amount does not count the wages and expenditures of work our hired employees have done on the project.

I like this; City officials say if the project does not become a reality, Vandalia will benefit from some of the preparatory work done for the project. Givens said the city learned lessons of what goes into a business district. Pretty expensive lessons that the taxpayer has to burden.

She goes on to say that the city now has an appraisal on the 120 acres of land Motown plans to build on. Again, pretty expensive appraisal don't you think?

She also says the traffic study could be used for all other projects. This traffic study is geared for a huge complex which has a huge amount of traffic being on the roads. I am sure any other type of industry would not require such expensive roads.

It has always been my belief that Kenneth Bardwell is chairman and CEO of Motown Technology. He being in charge of the corporation should have some knowledge of the workings of a corporation and the aquiring of funds for the project. This is the second time they have "jumped the gun", with the first not having a feasibility study which is required for state funds and investor funds, and now the bounced check. From what has happened in the last year you would think we are discussing hundreds of millions of dollars with a bunch of people who have no idea of what they are doing. Or maybe they have some other motive?

This time I am hoping that our city leaders finally learn this lesson. IF IT IS TO GOOD TO BE TRUE, DON'T DO IT!! This lesson though will come from a great expense to the taxpayer which our city funds these ridiculous projects!!

The council in September approved rate increases of 7.19 percent for water and 2.19 percent for sewer. Those increases mirrored increases in production costs for the previous 12 months.

From the Vandalia Municipal Code: Rates shall be the amount produced by multiplying the existing rates by the percentage increase (carried out two decimal places) in system expenses determined by the following calculation which shall be based upon the audit of the previous fiscal year as prepared by the certified public accountant who shall have been retained by the city to prepare the audit for such fiscal year.

The September increase was done in accordance with the Municipal Code because it was done by the retained certified public accountant and the rate increase was because of increases in production costs from the previous 12 months.

Now Morani’s recommendation is to add an additional 8.57-percent increase in water rates, saying that the increase is needed to help a financially tight water and sewer fund. This rate increase looks as though it is not from an official audit but from the City Administrator and not from increased production costs but from the State not paying their water bill.

This rate increase does not follow the Vandalia Municipal Code, so how can it be legal? Why have a Municipal Code, when it seems not to be followed? The City needs to find a different way to offset the State not paying its water bill.

About not using low bid contracts. In October, the council approved the $250,006 bid of Precise Construction for the extension of sanitary sewer on West Main Street. That bid was the third lowest received by the city; Haire Plumbing and Heating of Okawville bid $190,193.60 and Furlong Construction of Kell bid $246,821.60. A difference of $59,812.40 between the lowest bid and awarded bid.

The Vandalia Municipal Code states;

Contracts over $10,000.00,

By a contract let to the lowest responsible bidder after advertising for bids, in the manner hereinafter prescribed, except that any such contract may be entered into by proper officers without advertising for bids, if authorized by a vote of two thirds of all the Aldermen elected.

The code says "lowest responsible bidder". The lowest bidder, Haire Plumbing and Heating of Okaville has been around since the 1970's and has done work on Federal, State, and Local government projects. So I would say this company is a responsible bidder.

So again, the City did not follow the Vandalia Municipal Code of giving the contract to the lowest responsible bidder.

So again, why have a Municipal Code when it is not followed.

Another thing in question is the sports complex. The citizens of Vandalia were led to believe no money was being spent on this venture. This was broadcast over the radio and in the newspaper. An excuse for the $17,500.00 road study was that we needed it anyway. The only way we would need such a road study would be for a project such as the sports complex where hundreds of vechicles would be using the roadway at the same time. With lawyer fees and the road study, Bardwell owes us over $50,000.00.

This is where the City should have thought about the word "responsible". We will see if any money exchanges hands Monday when Bardwell supposedly is making an appearance.

So let's show the City we are concerned about being broke and come to next Monday's City Council meeting, 7:00pm at City Hall, and help solve this problem.

Taken from VandaliaRadio.com

There will be no layoffs or furlough days for City of Vandalia employees at this time. But, there will be some budget cuts and some fee increases, as the city looks to catch up with some lagging revenue numbers. City Administrator Jimmy Morani laid out the situation to the Personnel, Finance and Insurance committee last night, saying that the city has to look down the road for this fiscal year, which runs until the end of May. And, Morani says the current trends show they need to make some cuts.

Morani presented the committee members with a list of revenue revisions for each department, telling the committee there were no recommended layoffs in the cuts he was recommending, only the trimming of non-essential items, at this time.

Morani made budget reduction recommendations on each department. Some of them included the delay of the new building at the cemetery until next fiscal year, when the city figures to receive the funding from the state. Under Economic Development, Moranis recommendations included eliminating the funding for the Vandalia Main Street program, totaling 7500-dollars, for the remainder of this fiscal year. The budget reductions also included not replacing the retiring full time mechanic at the City Garage, who will retire in January. The Committee approved the cuts proposed by Morani. After that, the committee looked at other issues, including discussing the option of furlough days or layoffs. And, also looking at the potential of an increase in water rates, to offset the revenue issues in the water department. After a closed session, the committee made the recommendation to the city council to not implement any layoffs or furlough days at this time. The Committee did recommend an increase in the citys water rates by 8.57 percent, beginning in January. That increase would raise an additional 33-thousand-dollars for the last third of the fiscal year. Mayor Rick Gottman told those in attendance that the city is committed to doing all they can to avoid any employee layoffs.

Last nights meeting was prompted after work done by Morani showed that revenues were down, across the board, for the city of Vandalia during the current fiscal year.