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If you would like D. Michael Collins to speak at your organization, please call
419-381-2404
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| Mike's Position on Selected Issues |
City's Dept. of Neighborhoods' awarding of rehab contracts
When Toledo City Councilman D. Michael Collins asserted in November that council should investigate potential foul play within the neighborhoods department, he felt his appeal was dismissed as "political grandstanding."... He said if he had found anything that warranted a criminal investigation, he would have gone to the prosecutor. He gave his research to the media instead of Mayor Mike Bell's administration because he didn't think he would be taken seriously. Also, reviewing various documents had made him lose trust that the administration would investigate.
"How do you justify the termination of two people [Ms. Bond and Mr. Badik] when the major actors were able to salvage their employment?" he [Collins] asked.
Councilman D. Michael Collins, a former Toledo police detective, said he wasn't surprised by the firings and hoped federal authorities would continue to investigate.
Councilman D. Michael Collins, who learned of the audit's details Friday, said he expects further revelations to emerge soon.
Councilman Collins said he was not surprised by the developments."My hope is that the investigation will result in honesty and transparency in [the] neighborhoods [department]," he said. "I feel confident that if a proper investigation occurs, the outcomes -- while painful -- will prove in the end to be necessary."
Councilman Collins, who obtained the recordings from the contractor, said the messages reinforce his call for an outside investigation. But the city officials continued to deny the likelihood of wrongdoing!
"The original voice-mail message purports to be a directive by a subordinate from the director, Kattie Bond, to convey to the contractor he must recant his statement to The Blade or go to the ABC Channel 13," he said. "In light of the fact that a member of the Bell administration has been named, it fortifies for me my position that a complete investigation should be conducted with an outside professional law enforcement agency."
Ms. Sorgenfrei, Mayor Mike Bell's spokesman, said the administration can only investigate matters that are brought to its attention."Unfortunately, we have not received the info directly to act on it," she said. "It's been passed to us secondhand. We can only investigate the problems we know about. Now that we have it, we are investigating."During a Wednesday council hearing on the issues, Mr. Bell said his administration would make several changes to the neighborhood department's bidding process to improve the "perception of fairness," but administration officials emphasized that the changes don't necessarily mean wrongdoing has occurred. The mayor also said the administration would conduct a 45-day review of the department and report back to council.
Bell wants to improve the perception of fairness??? What about ensuring actual fairness?
The Bell administration recommended several changes to the city's neighborhoods department's method of awarding federally funded housing rehabilitation contracts during a Toledo City Council hearing Wednesday but emphasized the proposals don't necessarily mean wrongdoing has occurred...."Through this review, we have been able to identify some areas where we can improve our ability to give the perception of fairness," the mayor said.
Collins calls for probe; Mayor expresses lack of concern!
Toledo Mayor Mike Bell said Tuesday he would look into what the city's neighborhoods department can do better after a Blade Investigation highlighted a number of irregularities and allegations of favoritism in the department's federally funded housing rehabilitation programs.But the mayor stopped short of calling for an investigation.
"Are there some things we can improve to make it better?" he said. "That's all I'm concerned about. Complaints don't necessarily mean somebody did something wrong. It just means that somebody might be upset. In an economy that's similar to this, anybody that doesn't get something, somebody's going to be mad. That's the way I look at it.
"Councilman Michael Collins... said there needs to be a probe into the city's housing programs. He criticized the mayor's response and said he plans to call for an outside investigation."I believe the article in today's paper creates reasonable suspicion that contracts have been inappropriately handled and the administration appears to be stonewalling a fair and impartial independent investigation of the business practices in our department of neighborhoods."
City denies any wrongdoing!
City housing officials refused to answer questions about the roofing program. Jen Sorgenfrei, Mayor Mike Bell's spokesman, issued a statement Monday stating: "The city categorically denies all accusations and/or insinuations of wrong-doing you have leveled through your questions. The form of your questions presupposes wrong-doing, and therefore, since there is no wrong-doing, the questions cannot be answered."
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Southwyck
Southwyck remains the most important economic development challenge that our city faces. To lose this area to stagnation and blight will compromise our future. I am in contact with the owner management company on a regular basis and have committed that when a decision to go forward is made by the private sector, I will do all in my power to assure success.
The City of Toledo acquiring North Towne
Toledo City Council narrowly approved a deal Tuesday that allows the Bell administration to acquire the dilapidated North Toledo property and tear it down. The agreement passed 7-5. Councilmen D. Michael Collins, Joe McNamara, Adam Martinez, Tom Waniewski, and George Sarantou voted against the measure.
Councilman D. Michael Collins said he agrees other options should be explored, principally allowing the current owners to lose the property through foreclosure and the court system.
Unlike the Southwyck site, which remains in private hands, North Towne would become the city's responsibility, putting it on the hook for thousands of dollars in annual maintenance costs.
Selling/Leasing the Ohio Turnpike
I believe the Ohio Turnpike is the economic corridor for all of northern Ohio, and must remain owned and operated by the public sector.
Collins provides a Guest Editorial.
Mike's explains his position against leasing or selling the Turnpike in an OpEd.
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Test the sludge from the Waste Water Treatment Plant
Collins Guest Column: Why would the administration refuse to seek confirmation that the practice of placing Class B biosolids on Facility 3 is safe and has no negative environmental issues? Since the Bell administration feels this is a safe Class B biosolids process, why not confirm their belief with an independent professional evaluation?
The practice has raised alarm bells for Councilman D. Michael Collins, who has argued for weeks that the contaminants from the sludge could potentially leak from Facility 3 into Lake Erie. Toledo's wastewater plant treats the sludge to remove most pathogens, but traces of contaminants such as E. coli and algae-causing phosphorus still remain."I think the people who got hurt today were the citizens of Toledo and those who value our environment with respect to the western basin of Lake Erie," Mr. Collins said after the vote.
Money for street repairs versus Promenade Park improvements
Councilman D. Michael Collins said during a committee hearing on the issue. " ...I don't think we can move on this at this time. There are too many unknowns."
Collins said street improvements are a pressing need and should come first.
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