Vancouver Washington Corruption Log

Use your voice, blog with us!

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Sun, 11 Jan 2009 01:57:00 +0000

The The Vancouver Washington Corruption Log is looking for bloggers. Are you ready to tell your story? Have a line of information that isn't making it's way to the papers and TV?

Use your voice and blog with us!

If you are interested please send an email: goldiedavich@gmail.com

I will then send you an invite to blog.

Happy New Year!

image from toothpastformdinner.com

Rumor Has It: Federal Judges Believe City of Vancouver Involved In Conspiracy

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Fisher) — Sat, 01 Nov 2008 14:06:00 +0000

During the recent Sharma vs City of Vancouver lawsuit, Vancouver City officials repeatedly claimed that the city does not practice in inappropriate actions such as discrimination and retaliation.

Rumor has it ...

Rolando Henandez was a former City of Vancouver employee. He was a victim of a race based harassment where the city did not take his complaint seriously. He filed a lawsuit locally, but the City Attorney's Office made a motion to dismiss, with requests to prevent important statements entered as evidence.

The case was dismissed.

On April 14, 2008, the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a local lawsuit. In favor of the victim, Rolando Hernandez. In the 11 pg reversal, it states, "The evidence, viewed in the light most favorable to Hernandez, goes to show that a conspiracy existed between Tanninen and the city to cover up the investigation of race-based hostility." Words from Federal Judges. (Mark Tanninen was Hernandez's supervisor)

This ruling, less than 7 months ago and prior to the Sharma settlement, makes it evident that corruption, like cover ups within the city, are being recognized at the Federal level.

Here is the link to the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals Website...

Please read this powerful reversal of the Federal Judges and give us your opinion.

Sam Fisher

America's Vancouver Ted Gathe and Joshephine Townsend Scewed Up

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 10:33:00 +0000

Firing Lying
As calls for investigation into a Vancouver cop’s firing mount, so does evidence the city screwed up.
BY NIGEL JAQUISS | Willamette Week
October 29th, 2008

The city of Vancouver, Wash., had good reason to disregard the complaint that led to Officer Navin Sharma’s firing—and to the city ultimately paying Sharma a $1.65 million wrongful discharge settlement.

As federal officials ponder a recent call by Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard and police union officials for an investigation into Sharma’s firing (see “Good Cop, Mad Cop,” WW, July 30, 2008), abundant evidence that the process was deeply flawed is already part of the court record.

The big flaw dates back to Feb. 16, 2005, when court records show, longtime Vancouver City Attorney Ted Gathe drafted a letter of termination for the city’s chief prosecuting attorney, Josephine Townsend.

“I have met with you on several occasions to discuss my concerns regarding your performance,” Gathe wrote Townsend in a letter that began “re: Termination of Employment.” “Throughout your employment in the position of Chief Prosecuting Attorney, I have felt the need to repeatedly counsel you on this subject.”

Gathe’s letter detailed several concerns. But the most damning, contained in his handwritten notes, are two judges’ doubts about Townsend’s “truthfulness.” Gathe says Townsend resigned rather than be fired.

Townsend then entered private practice and in February 2006 complained to Gathe’s office about drunken-driving tickets written by Sharma.

When she was working for the city, Townsend had worked closely with Sharma, helping him improve the effectiveness of his ticket-writing. Now she wanted to use what she knew about Sharma against him.

Gathe’s office passed the complaint to VPD internal affairs whose investigation consisted of interviews with Sharma and two Washington State Patrol DUII experts, who found nothing seriously wrong with Sharma’s tickets. None of the more than two dozen Vancouver police officers who approved Sharma’s tickets was interviewed.

The court record shows Gathe’s subordinates were involved at every step of the process that followed: reviewing the investigation and helping write his termination letter.

Even more remarkably, those subordinates asked the Clark County District Attorney’s Office to consider charging Sharma with felonies for what even his superiors acknowledge were unintentional cut-and-paste errors. They then effectively ended Sharma’s law enforcement career by sending out so-called “Brady notices” to 90 members of the Clark County bar, informing them that Sharma could no longer be trusted to testify truthfully in court.

So, put another way, Gathe oversaw the destruction of Sharma’s nine-year career based on the complaint of an ex-employee he was prepared to fire for cause, and who was ethically bound not to use what she had learned while working for the city against the city or its employees.

“I’m saddended that the city attorney’s office, which I trusted, conspired to rob me of the career I loved,” Sharma says.

Gathe defends his actions.

“The fact that the initial complaint came from Josephine Townsend was irrelevant,” he says. “Regardless of whether there were or were not issues regarding Ms. Townsend’s credibility…the decision to further investigate her allegations was reviewed by several individuals of my office as well as [Sharma’s superior].”

Nonetheless, last month Vancouver agreed to pay $1.65 million to Sharma, a Portland resident now working as a Providence ER nurse, what Jury Verdicts Northwest says is the largest employment settlement in Northwest history. -- Nigel Jaquiss, Willamette Week

You can read the evidence for yourself here at Vancouver Washington Corruption Log! We have the "damning notes" thanks to our blogger Samuel Fisher:

Click here for the facts!

Goldie Speak's: More than one big decision November 4th, 2008

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Tue, 28 Oct 2008 19:41:00 +0000

As powerful as The Internet is, it can not defend it's self from being exploited by giant telecommunication corporations. There is a great opportunity for unused "old technolgy" to be the back bone of "new technology". Unused TV signals can be used for free wireless internet!

As a blogger, an advocate for The First Ammendment, civil rights and as citizen of The United States of America, Clark County and The City of Vancovuer I strongly urge you to make 3 phone calls today. Make 3 phone calls to keep the airwaves we are no longer going to be using for TV and open them up to be used by the people, not COMCASTIC CORPORATIONS.

Learn more from freepress.net:
On November 4, the Federal Communications Commission will decide whether to open the vacant public airwaves between TV channels -- called "white spaces" -- for high-speed Internet access.

After exhaustive study, the federal agency has found that we can open these unused airwaves for everyone. But there's a problem. The public interest has run up against powerful corporate lobby -- the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) -- which wants to keep white spaces all to themselves. Continue...

Learn about unused spectrum between the TV channels "It's like Wi-Fi on Steroids":

If you do make calls leave a comment and let me know how it went. Please leave a comment if you have questions about this issue. Please note, this is an issue that is intrinsic to blogging and information sharing.
-- Sincerely, Goldie Davich

Give your elected official a call today!

Senator (R-Oregon) Gordon Smith
Phone: (202) 224-3753 / (503) 326-3386

Senator (D-Oregon) Ron Wyden
Phone: (202) 224-5244 / (503) 326-3386

Representative (D-Oregon) Earl Blumenauer
Phone: (202) 225-4811 / (503) 231-2300

Senator: (D-Washington) Patty Murray
Phone: (202) 224-2621 / (206) 553-5545

Senator: (D-Washington) Maria Cantwell
Phone: (202) 224-3441 / (206) 220-6400

Representative (D-Brian Baird)
Phone: (202) 225-3536 / (360) 695-6292

Here is a script I wrote for myself and others to use:

Hello (you are more than likely going talk to a staffer or machine),

My name is ___________. I am from _____________. I am calling to ask Ms/Mr___________ to write to FCC Chairman Kevin Martin urging him to open white spaces for the public good.

I want to urge Ms/Mr_____________ to make sure the Federal Communications Commission does not further delay a set of new rules that would open up the empty television channels -- often referred to as "white spaces" -- for innovative broadband services.

The FCC must act now to give back our airwaves for much needed broadband services that would help bridge the digital divide, lower broadband costs for consumers, and jump-start our economy through new investment in technology.

The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

(if it's not voicemail) Are you familiar with the term white spaces?

(very important -- VERIFY THAT THE STAFFER KNOWS WHAT 'white spaces' are and if they are clear about why you are calling. I just talked to Cantwell's office and they haven't received phone calls -- the guy didn't know what white spaces are. Patty Murray has received some calls but the staffer allowed me to briefly explain some terms. Please feel free to ask them if anyone else has called about this issue. It's important to know if no one is calling. Nov. 4th is next week!)

If they answer yes:

I want to remind you and Ms/Mr.senator:Powerful cell phone companies are pushing the government to auction off white spaces licenses to the highest bidder. This would give the richest companies the exclusive right to determine how they are used. Broadcasters might simply sit on a white space license to prevent others from accessing the public airwaves; a major cell phone company won't use the spectrum to compete with its existing businesses, keeping prices high and stifling innovation.
Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

If they answer no:

1. "White spaces" are empty frequencies between television channels. You may have heard about how we are moving from analog television to all digital. These empty frequencies have the potential to connect millions to the information superhighway. The powerful broadcasting lobby would rather hoard this spectrum for themselves
Again, The FCC has scheduled a vote on this issue for Nov. 4th. Please urge the FCC Chairman to stick to this date and open up the TV white spaces. Thank you.

Read More about this issue:

Wireless Innovation Alliance
Net Neutrality

Fraternal Order of Police Letter to the Department of Justice

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 20:24:00 +0000

Readers have emailed me asking us to post the Lower Columbia Lodge #12's FOP letter to the Department of Justice in regards to the certain investigation of the Vancouver Police Department. The Willamette Week published this in regards to the FOP letter to the DOJ:

From 10-22-2008 The Willamette Week's Murmurs Department:

Trouble in the ’Couv : Two weeks ago, Vancouver Mayor Royce Pollard requested a federal investigation of his city’s police department after the city paid ex-officer Navin Sharma $1.65 million to settle his wrongful termination case (see “Good Cop, Mad Cop,” WW, July 30, 2008). Now Officer Ryan Martin, president of the 293-member Fraternal Order of Police, Lower Columbia Order, is broadening the mayor’s call. “Mismanagement and the possibility of corruption not only exists within the Administration of the Police Department but also exists within the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office,” Martin wrote the Seattle U.S. Attorney’s Office in an Oct. 16 letter.

HERE IS THE LETTER FROM THE FOP:

October 16th, 2008

Mr. Kelly Harris
Assistant United States Attorney
United States Department of Justice
700 Stewart Street
United States Courthouse, Suite 5220
Seattle, Washington 98101

RE: DOJ Investigation of the City of Vancouver, Washington

Dear Mr. Harris:

It is my pleasure to write to you on behalf of the membership of Lower Columbia Lodge 12 of the Washington State Fraternal Order of Police. We have 293 active members within our organization consisting of law enforcement officers and agents from municipalities, county government, state government, and the federal government here in Southwest Washington. We take pride is serving our communities and feel that it is both an honor and privilege to serve the citizens of this great country. I’m sure you are aware of our organization as we are part of the Grand Lodge of the Fraternal Order of Police consisting of over 325,000 members nationwide with over 2400 local lodges.

The reason I am writing you today is because we have grave concern over the mismanagement of the Vancouver Police Department with which the majority of our membership is comprised. I am aware that a letter was sent to you by Mayor Royce Pollard requesting an investigation into the Navin Sharma vs. City of Vancouver case in which Officer Sharma filed a Civil Rights Lawsuit against the defendant alleging racial discrimination and retaliation. I understand that your office has referred this request to Washington DC to conduct a preliminary review. We would like to ask you for more than a preliminary review and simply request that the investigation be initiated and conducted in a thorough and complete manner.

Our membership has concerns and has had concerns for an extended period of time with regards to the mismanagement and the possibility of corruption within our administrative ranks at the police department. Through the discovery process in the lawsuit of Officer Sharma it has been brought to my attention that the mismanagement and the possibility of corruption not only exists within the Administration of the Police Department but also exists within the City Attorney’s Office and the City Manager’s Office. It is my understanding that documents indicating such will be disclosed during your investigation and that other groups have and will be sending you additional documents revealing such conduct.

It is not my place to judge, nor is it my place to wrongly accuse anyone of criminal wrongdoing, but it is my place as President of this organization to ask for your assistance and help by conducting a full investigation into this matter. It is my responsibility to my membership to ensure if such conduct has been committed, that justice is served and the constitutional rights of my members is and will be protected. It is inherent for the citizens of our great country and our community to trust the government that serves it or else that same government will become totalitarian in its very existence merely to survive. If we cannot trust our government, and we work for that government, then what government do we have? I do not believe that is what our founding fathers intended.

I will close with two quotes from President Ronald Reagan; “Don’t be afraid to see what you see.” And “Democracy is worth dying for, because it’s the most deeply honorable form of government ever devised by man.”

Please fell free to contact me with questions or concerns via e-mail at fopwa12@msn.com or by phone at (360) 904-3652.

Respectfully,

Ryan Martin (Lodge 12 President) on behalf of the Lodge 12 Membership

Citizen letters to the DOJ to come! -- Goldie Davich

Rumor Has It: City Attorney Gathe and Josephine Townsend 'Testi-Lied' in Deposition (Updated with Supporting Documents)

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Fisher) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 13:00:00 +0000

There is a lot of talk about City Attorney Ted H. Gathe and Josephine Townsend, committing perjury, but no specifics other than "It's in the public documents", or "It's in the depositions". Well, here's the scoop folks:

Feb 16, 2005 - Office Memo dated Feb 16, 2005, from the Office of the City Attorney to Josephine Townsend from City Attorney Ted Gathe.

This memo states Townsend was placed on Administrative Leave to conduct an investigation into allegations surrounding her work performance as a supervisor and attorney. Gathe states he repeatedly counseled Townsend on that subject and implemented very specific performance expectations. Due to the investigation and other reasons, Gathe came to the conclusion that Townsend did not meet his expectations and he felt it was necessary to terminate her employment, effective immediately.

May 22, 2008 - Deposition of former City Attorney Josephine Townsend

Former City Attorney Townsend stated that she resigned, not terminated, and that she was never suspended.

June 4, 2008 - From Deposition of City Attorney Ted H. Gathe.

When City Attorney Ted Gathe, was asked if former City Attorney Townsend was terminated or resigned, he testified that Townsend resigned, and added that she was never suspended.

Did City Attorney Ted H. Gathe and Josephine Townsend, commit perjury in the Sharma vs City of Vancouver case?

You be the Judge.... -- Samuel Fisher

Goldie Speaks: Dear Ms. Jeanne Stewart, Please give bloggers a chance.

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 00:26:00 +0000

Greetings City Council Member Ms. Jeanne Stewart,

This email is in regards to your quote in The newspaper article about bloggers:

This is what I have posted on the right hand side of the Vancouver Washington Corruption Log in regards to ANONYMITY.

It is my sincere hope that there are brave souls out there who will use their real name. Your voice as an agent of change will be documented. Using your real name will establish online credibility when leaving comments on this and other blogs.
If you feel leaving comments anonymously will protect you from retaliation and or harassment then please do so.
I will not delete comments posted as anonymous. An alternative to posting anonymously choose a 'handle' that does not disclose your identity. Readers can go back through the archive and identify what you stand for without knowing who you are. This is an accepted practice among bloggers. Build your online credibility by to sticking to one name.
Please feel strongly encouraged to contact me if you are compelled to start blogging here. If you choose to remain anonymous know you can start a new email account without it making reference to your name.

I don't think most people, including yourself, understand the importance of bloggers. Blogs are a platform for the voice of THE PEOPLE. It is a form of free speech and democracy in action.

In regards to our blog, we strive to post links to verify what we are saying is credible and researched to the best of our ability. There are also posts that say "Rumor Has It". These posts are to document things we believe are going to be made public. When our "rumors" become FACTS this will start building our credibility as a source of people who know what's going on. We have opinion posts. Those posts should be read as such.

Please reconsider your position on blogs, especially the part about anonymity. Our blog is not written by reckless citizens. We are not hate mongers. We do not belong to the MAINSTREAM MEDIA. Clearly Jeff Mize of the Columbian is not a credible reporter in our eyes.

This is the age of our military's use of mainstream media to propgate stories about the Iraq war, the Downing Street Memo's and Presidential Press Secretary Scott McClellan's blatant lies to the citizens of The United States of America. I do not participate in the belief that journalist are part of the truth telling elite. It is also my belief that COMMON People have the right to have a voice even if it is not eloquent or "credible".

If you chose to read blogs that you are in disagreement with or find inaccurate then LEAVE A COMMENT about it. Blogs are discussions. If you chose to not read blogs I would recommend you not speak from a position of authority about blogs.

You have been a champion of citizen concerns in regards to the Navin case. For that I am thankful.

Sincerely,
Goldie Davich
Blogger, Civil Rights Advocate and Net Neutrality Evangelist

Here is a video of Bill Moyers speaking at the National Conference of Media Reform. I find it inspirational. It reinforces my belief that internet is important to democracy and essential:

Rumor Has It: Mayor Does an 'About Face' To ' Save Face'

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Fisher) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 16:11:00 +0000

Last Friday, the City of Vancouver Mayor, Royce Pollard, sent off a certified letter to the Justice Department requesting a federal probe... only to make himself look good.

According to an e-article (Friday October 10, 2008, 5:13 PM) in The Oregonian by Holley Gilbert, the Mayor's letter asked to "review allegations regarding discriminatory actions that were directed at Mr. Sharma due to his ethnicity that allegedly contributed toward his termination," as well as allegations of "transgressions made during the internal investigations and disciplinary process."

Members of the community, the letter said, have charged that city employees engaged in "misconduct during the investigation and termination of Mr. Sharma" and did not tell the truth in pretrial statements.

"This is an issue of significant concern to our community," Mayor Royce E. Pollard said in a certified letter to the department's Seattle office.

"We're not afraid to do this. We don't think we have anything to hide," he said. "If there are legal issues, then it's in the right system."

(Read the complete article....)

Rumor has it ........

According to a BLOG Comment to the above article by RghtThing2Do on 10/11/08 at 12:38AM, the City made an unexpected strategic move by filing with the Department of Justice (DOJ) before the real 'victims' or 'interested parties' could actually file. This move by the City, was done with hopes of getting an unfair advantage, using reverse psychology, attempting to make the City 'look good' in the eyes of DOJ.

According to a Columbian (Saturday, October 11 5:05 a.m) e-article by Erik Robinson,

Emily Langlie, spokeswoman for the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Seattle, even said, “What is unusual is that the city is making this request,” she said. “In the usual course of events, we become aware of alleged civil rights violations from a victim or the victim’s advocates. Quite honestly, the FBI will open a preliminary civil rights violation simply based on news reports.”

(Read more of the Columbian's article.....)

Well, lucky for us all, DOJ planned on starting an investigation prior to the Mayor sending a certified letter on Friday. So the 'wolf in sheep's clothing' trick isn't going to work here.

There needs to be an immediate re-filing, or additional filing, requesting the scope of the investigation to include, but not limited to Conspiracy to Violate Civil Rights and Perjury to include as suspects, Mayor Royce Pollard, City Manager Pat McDonnell, City Attorney Ted Gathe, several other City Attorneys, VPD Asst Chief Mitch Barker, VPD Commander Nannette Kistler, and few other VPD Administrators. These 'city leaders' actions (collectively and individually) and recorded testimonies should be looked at very carefully, and if the DOJ deem that crimes occurred, then they each should be dealt with individually as potential criminals. Relief of Duty, Admin Leave, etc, should be done immediately after a finding of criminal activity, until the investigation is final.

It would be interesting to see how much 'influence' the city will have on this investigation.

I think it is very clear that the Mayor wanted to wash his own hands of any involvement and throw the rest of his posse under the proverbial bus. His letter was an attempt to make himself "look good" and give the appearance that it was his idea or will be done at his request. The Mayor took advantage of the citizens, and took their intelligence for granted, knowing the average citizen had no idea that a Federal probe was inevitable.

The Mayor's letter to DOJ, was a day late, and $1.65 million short.

The City of Vancouver Continues to Retaliate Against Officer Sharma in Public Meetings

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Fisher) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 14:11:00 +0000

Council Member Says Sharma Was Not Victim
Monday, October 13 10:45 p.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

A former Vancouver police officer who received a $1.65 million discrimination settlement was not the victim, a member of the Vancouver City Council said Monday.

Councilman Larry Smith said the real victims were 78 people whose reputations were damaged by Navin Sharma’s “false” and “sloppy” drunken-driving reports.

“Sharma actually discriminated against these 78,” Smith said during a discussion of how the city intends to carry out a post-settlement review. “I’m a little concerned that those individuals who got a false report have been victimized.”

Greg Ferguson, a Vancouver attorney who represented Sharma in the federal discrimination lawsuit, did not return messages left on his cell phone Monday.

Smith’s comments came one week after several people, including a retired Vancouver police lieutenant and a former Vancouver assistant city prosecutor, told the city council it was necessary for an agency with subpoena power to conduct a subsequent investigation.

(Read more of this Columbian article....)

Councilman Larry Smith is quick to judge and make public statements. Once again, an elected official points blame towards Officer Navin Sharma with hopes of shifting blame away from themselves. It is clear that Councilman Smith had not previewed the public documents made available to him.

On October 11, 2008 RightThing 2Do Commented a BLOG Post and noted....

"Pollard said it’s important to remember the case started when an officer, referring to Sharma, filed 78 false police reports."

It was very obvious that Mayor Royce Pollard was attempting to publicly convict Officer Sharma of some wrong doing, or at least wanted the public to believe that, to shift blame away from the City Attorney's Office, The City Manager, and VPD Admin Staff.. or was he?

Maybe the Mayor actually believes Sharma was wrongfully terminated and wanted to send a message to look into the VPD Admin and City Attorney's Office and placing blame there.

We CAN NOT forget that these DUI reports were the beginning of the final head-hunt that ended up in Officers Sharma's wrongful termination.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that were inaccurate, however, through a Washington State Patrol investigation, deemed a "training issue", rather than deceitful acts.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that a few VPD Admin staff dug up and actually looked for, in hopes of finding ammo against Sharma.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports which had the same simple common errors that other officer's reports had. Those other erroneous "false police reports" which were also "filed", were determined to be "training issues" too, and no other officers were fired.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports that were filed into the courts, with subtle errors, so subtle that no VPD supervisor, City Attorney, defense attorney, or Judge even noticed.

The Mayor wants us to remember these DUI reports which 78 supervisors were required to review and approved, a process to catch errors, were never questioned or disciplined. In fact, Sharma's first-line supervisor was never questioned about Sharma's performance or reports during the Internal Affairs investigation.

Let us not forget those DUI Reports, that had simple common Cut N' Paste errors that were so subtle, no one caught them in the report writing, report approval, and court process ... AND errors that were deemed by a WSP investigation as "training issues".

These same reports were dug up from the past at the direction of a VPD Administrator, used to sand bag Sharma towards wrongful termination. Pollard said it’s important to remember the case started when an officer, referring to Sharma, filed 78 false police reports...... reports that VPD Admin, City Attorney's Office, and the City Manager's Office used as 'leverage' to carryout their 'bully tactics' and wrongfully terminate Sharma.

Who were the VPD Administrators and City Attorneys that were pushing to 'use' these DUI reports in hopes of railroading Sharma?

Councilman Smith's public accusation is shocking to me, not shocking that it came from him, but shocking that it appears the city is continuing to harass and retaliate against Officer Sharma.

How can Councilman Larry Smith, an elected official, publicly accuse a citizen of discrimination?

Columbian Reports for the City, not the Citizens of Vancouver

noreply@blogger.com (Tricia) — Tue, 14 Oct 2008 06:39:00 +0000

it's always interesting to see how the columbian newspaper helps to promote the deception abound in the city of vancouver, wa. on the cover of the clark county section today, one of the the headlines read, "farmers market nears the end of its year with sales up 44-percent"

the idea i imagine is to try to establish themselves as a worthy provider of locally grown and handmade products to the community of vancouver; one that makes money, as opposed to one that mismanaged itself into a financial pitfall.

all the while touting the success and growth of local farmers at the market.

this is the second of 2 articles written directly to promote the idea that your vfm is bubbling with local agriculture from vancouver and clark county.

the first here: Flourishing Market Matures

and the second linkable through this blog title above

if you happen to ask the employee who has not been fully briefed on the "we grow all are produce locally in Yakima" story and he/she slips and tells you how it's mostly from California, you might believe my hype.

this happened to me at one vendors booth while asking about some produce a month ago. His employer overheard and stepped in quickly to correct him and assured me that everything was local... just a little to late

because of this one experience, this one vendor, i am inclined to wonder how much is really "local" and what exactly does "local" mean?

but if you don't have the fortune of catching one of them in a lie and are interested in knowing more on the matter than what i have to say, keep posted as i interview and report the real story on the local farmers in our city and county.

the current market master of vfm is quoted as saying, "we've had more local farmers and a lot more shoppers looking for local produce than in years past", this taken from the article today.

when in actuality the farmers market is struggling to figure out why it has lost so many local farmers in the past 3 years, according to several board members interviewed recently on the matter.

this market and this city seem to have a bad habit of not following or enforcing rules, the very reason why most people get tired of trying to play by them.

you might ask yourself next time you are shopping the vfm, is this produce even available this time of year in hermiston or kennewick?

i personally want to see a farmers market full of local farmers, not large producers importing and misrepresenting local produce; spread out across multiple booths scattered about the market, giving the consumer the impression that they are 3 separate vendors, when in fact they are one large producer split up into many spots...

i applaud the local vendors who are still available at this market and continue to tolerate this behavior; i will continue to shop your products. For those that have chosen to go to markets that represent the core values of local farming and enforce rules to ensure the public is getting access to the safest, local products, i will work to make our community more accessible to it's own local food supply.

in order to find out the truth for myself and anyone else in the City of Vancouver interested in knowing about the local farmers of clark county; those who left, why and where you can find them now; i will be reporting for you (or myself) in future posts.

i will also feature local farmers currently selling at the market so you can shop as local as you (the community and consumer) choose; i believe an informed consumer is the best kind

i will dispel any myths the vancouver farmers market would have you believe, unlike the columbian, i will ask questions beyond the talking heads and get to the truth.

Rumor Has It: The City and The Columbian In Shady Land Deal

noreply@blogger.com (Samuel Fisher) — Mon, 13 Oct 2008 21:26:00 +0000

The end of 2002, The Columbian signed a deal to purchase six acres south of Esther Short Park in downtown Vancouver. This deal gave the newspaper the area to construct it's new building and the gave the city land to build its Hilton hotel-convention center project. The agreement with Christensen Family Properties, with a $5 million price tag on the land.

In early 2002, Vancouver City officials approached Columbian owner, Scott Campbell about buying most of the property south of Esther Short Park, with hopes The Columbian would keep it's business downtown.

The city benefited from the deal in tax credits if development of he land began by the end of 2003. If not, the city would have forfeited a state sales tax credit worth more than $700,000 a year, plus another sales tax credit through Clark County, worth $500,000 a year.

THE COLUMBIAN IN FINANCIAL DILEMMA?....OR IS THAT WHAT THEY WANT US TO BELIEVE?

In June 1999, (before the purchase of the current site) the newspaper purchased the former Jantzen garment factory on Grand Boulevard. It had options to relocate business to this 13 acre site along State Highway 14.

Now that a possible Federal oversight, inquiry, or investigation into the corrupt Vancouver City Government, to include the Mayor's Office, the City Manager, the City Attorney, and a few top brass at the Vancouver Police Department, is The Columbian worried that the scope of the investigation may potentially include real estate deals with the city?

http://www.greatstreets.org/MainStreets/MainStImages/MainVancouverNews/Columbian5.html

Vancouver asks Justice Department to investigate city in Sharma firing

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 00:45:00 +0000

Vancouver asks Justice Department to investigate city in Sharma firing
by Holley Gilbert, The Oregonian
Friday October 10, 2008, 5:13 PM

Vancouver officials today requested the U.S. Department of Justice investigate potential civil or criminal violations in the firing of a police officer who later sued the city and settled the lawsuit last month for $1.65 million.

"This is an issue of significant concern to our community," Mayor Royce E. Pollard said in a certified letter to the department's Seattle office.

Since the settlement with Navin K. Sharma was announced Sept. 9, residents speaking at Vancouver City Council meetings have alleged wrongdoing in the Police Department, city manager's office and city attorney's office. Several have called for a federal investigation.

Pollard said today the city is asking for the review "to clear the air."

"We're not afraid to do this. We don't think we have anything to hide," he said. "If there are legal issues, then it's in the right system." Read full story...

THIS IS A VICTORY FOR THE CITY OF VANCOUVER AND IT'S HARD WORKING DEDICATED EMPLOYEES AND CITIZENS!!!

Open Letter To The City of Vancouver 10-10-08

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 22:42:00 +0000

I am a citizen of this community and I am very angry at the government of The City of Vancouver; the mayor, city manager, and city attorney. These three guys have lied blatantly to their constituents. Their level of arrogance and dictatorship is beyond belief! Our voices in the City Council Chambers the last few weeks, have not been respected by the majority of the council members. In particular the 10-06-08 City Council Meeting.

As soon as Pat McDonnell expressed his desire to purchase The Columbian building with city's money, his cronies Royce Pollard and Eric Holmes immediately jumped on the bandwagon to cheer up the idea. What does that tell you? Who actually runs the city here?

Based on my experience helping ethnic minority citizens with filing complaints against the Vancouver Police Department within the past years I can tell you that the internal affairs investigation process at the VPD is a joke, a sham and a system of abuse. Most often the complainants were ridiculed and labeled as 'having mental health problems' by the investigating officers. I have been given my own special label, "The-Fucking-Piece-Of-Work," by commander Nannette Kistler of the VPD.

Silent no more, folks! It is time for us to form a picket line in front of the city hall to educate the whole world about the injustice in "America's Vancouver."

On another note, I want to thank a person who has been leaving comments on posts on OregonLive.com and other blogs in regards to the Navin Sharma case, "RghtThing2Do". I want to thank her/him for their eloquent, sincere, and urgent messages to us all about the reasons why we all need to do the right things, especially now.

Quan Tran

Brush Prairie

If you wish to have your open letters or commentary published or become a blogger here at Vancouver Washington Corruption Log please email me: goldiedavich@gmail.com -- Goldie

Will The Oregonian scoop up The Columbian?

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 08:14:00 +0000

Knock, knock.
Who's there?
The Oregonian.
The Oregonian who?
The Oregonian, Vancouver's largest newspaper!*

Oh my god! Seriously guys, this business of a The Columbian newspaper going under isn't funny!

I highly doubt Mr. Scott Campbell owner and publisher of The Columbian newspaper and The Columbian building** had his eyes set on driving his family owned business into the ground. But boy oh boy, he gambled big time.

Uhg. This is kind of a blah blah bail out story. Rich people who take giant risks suffer yadda yadda. Say the City of Vancouver buys the Columbian building, does that save the paper? If it doesn't save the paper then what?

Enter The Oregonian. My Columbian and Oregonian are delivered by the same guy. What more evidence do you need? I'm joking, kinda. Who better to help out a newspaper that is falling apart than a super nice neighboring newspaper who writes for and about your community anyway. They do already share their routes.

OTHER Journalist and papers have been watching the decline of print media and rise of online newspapers for years. It shouldn't surprise anyone that a newspaper that is relatively small in circulation and limited in original content JUST WON'T MAKE IT in this day and age. Ad revenue is down across the board. I'm not going to give you a Old Media vs New Media 101 lecture. Chances are if you are reading this blog you already know the principle. In 2005 newspapers weren't booming. Did somebody forget to tell Scott Campbell? Buying that land and building on it is the same thing as that jerk who bought a giant yellow Hummer four years ago -- dumb.

No one owns the internet and that is where I get all of my information. Instead of reading a syndicated story from The New York Times I can just hop online and read it straight from the source. It's hard for me to admit most people do not spend as much time online as I do. I know people who actually read the actual newspaper everyday. A newspaper of any kind is important to this community. I don't care who owns it as long as it is informative, honest, investigative and community driven. That is if I still read a paper cover to cover in The Couve.

Does Vancouver, Washington need it's very own newspaper? Course it does! Maybe it doesn't have to be locally owned. I don't know. Tell me I'm wrong.

*If you use this joke please credit me. It's not polite to take someones original content and call it your own.

**True story: I delivered a pizza to the site before it was complete. I walked into one of the trailers and right on the table near the door was a nudey magazine center page! Of course no one was in there. I turn around and their is a big construction guy running towards me to pay for the pizza...

Attention Washington State Voters: Pacific Crest Research is PUSH POLLING AGAIN!

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 01:50:00 +0000

You know we are in the home stretch of the Presidential election season when Pacific Crest Research calls you at home to conduct a political push poll!

The first question I asked her was "What is the name of your company". I Googled it. I then said "that's weird you guys don't have a website." Then I asked her to read me the list of questions. The girl on the phone had to put me on hold and have me talk to her supervisor, Kevin Tweedie. Kevin told me that they get contracts from Killey Research located in Pennsyvaina but he did not know who the actual client is. After I got the first 4 questions out of him he put me back on the phone with the Girl From Ogden Utah.

Here are the questions that were on their list to ask:

Are you currently registered to vote?
Do you think things in Washington are heading in the right direction or the right track?
Governor Gregoire is up for re-election do you feel Gregoire has performed her job as Governor well enough to deserve re-election or do you feel it's time to elect someone else as Governor?
For each of the following names I mention please tell me of your impression of that person is either very favorable, somewhat favorable, somewhat unfavorable or very unfavorable -- and if you haven't heard of someone of do not know of enough to form an opinion than say so.
5. John McCain, -

I asked The Girl from Ogen Utah what was question 5. She said it is a list of names. I asked her for the first one. It was John McCain. My snarkiness got the better of me and I said "oh that's interesting". I asked her to read the second name. She would not read the rest of the names and put me on the phone with another of her other supervisors. I then asked the new supervisor to read me the rest of the list. She said "it was none of my business" and "it is copyrighted information". I then reminded her that in question number 4 it states 'haven't heard of someone of do not know of enough to form an opinion than say so'. She said "to get the rest of the questions I would have had to give a response". I told her I didn't know who John McCain is so give me the next name. She didn't. She scoffed that I didn't know who John McCain was and that she felt uncomfortable with me Googling information about them and that there were "deferring all questions to Mike Warren".

Pacific Crest Research Firm
690 W 1100 South Suite 1
Ogden, Utah 84404
call Mike Warren:
801-866-1116 ext. 5
http://pcrcorp.net/

Mccain dirty tricks: Push-polling Jewish voters

The Columbian: Give me a break!

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Fri, 10 Oct 2008 00:36:00 +0000

These two stories ran today from The Columbian. Will somebody please tell me WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?*

Vancouver envisions new City Hall
Thursday, October 9 | 2:08 p.m.
By ERIK ROBINSON

The sudden availability of a six-story downtown office building is prompting Vancouver city officials to reconsider a plan to build a new City Hall.

Columbian Publisher Scott Campbell announced Wednesday that the newspaper will move its business and newsroom operations back to its former facility at 701 Eighth Street after just 10 months in the new building.

The newspaper building at 415 W. Sixth St. could be an ideal resolution to the city’s decade-long effort to consolidate city operations under one roof, said Eric Holmes, the city’s economic development director. He said the building is the right size, in the right place and the price is in line with the $35 million to $40 million the city expects to spend redeveloping the Esther Short Building into a new City Hall.

“We’re actually very close to issuing a request for proposals for development teams to look at that site,” Holmes said. “But with this new information about The Columbian building being listed, the responsible thing for us to do would be to look at it.”

The newspaper moved into its $30 million building in January, but a severe downturn in advertising revenue and high building costs are forcing the company to move back to Eighth Street. Read full story...

City may want to buy Columbian building
Thursday, October 9 | 11:39 a.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE

A potential buyer emerged on the same day The Columbian announced plans to vacate its downtown office building.

The city of Vancouver intends to see if the building could fit into its long-range plans to consolidate operations in downtown.

“This is something we’re serious about looking at,” City Manager Pat McDonnell said. “I just don’t know if we can afford it.” Read full story

Related stories:
Columbian Newspaper considering bankruptcy

Columbian plans return to former offices

Columbian newspaper publisher announces plan to build $30M office in Vancouver (from Sept. 15th, 2005)

*please feel free to answer by leaving a comment! (don't forget to subscribe to your comments!)

Vancouver City Council Meeting 10-06-08: CVTV Breakdown

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 19:54:00 +0000

Here is a review the Citizen's Concern portion of the City of Vancouver's Council meeting that was help Monday October 14th, 2008.

I watched this portion in it's entirety. I wrote down at what time on the CVTV feed citizens spoke. Towards the end when all hell broke loose, including Ms. Harris shutting down Mr. Campbell, Mayor Royce Pollard yelling about KATU camera's being there, City Attorney Ted Gathe reflecting on citizen's "mistaken beliefs".

Click here to watch Citizen Concern or other portions of 10-06-08 City Council meeting

Note:
When watching video that is streamed, like the CVTV coverage of City Council meetings, you can not skip ahead. That is how streaming vidoe from the internet works. You can go skip back to part of the video once it has played. I suggest you let the stream play. Take note of the time. You can go about doing other things, then skip back to the portions you want to watch. YOU CAN however right click on the "citizen's communication" link and "save link as". This will download the .wmv file on to your computer. This means you will be able to watch it on your Window's Media Player. You will then be able to skip forward of back as you like. Please leave a comment if you need help. -- Goldie

Citizen Communications:

00:28-02:27 / Tom Martin speaking of purger and request for
02:29-06:35 / Bill Turlay speaking of water issues
06:45-10:31 / Dan Johnson calling for an independent, 3rd party agency with subpoena and arrest powers to investigate departments
10:31-12:25 / Mayor explains what the council has agreed to do in regards to investigation of departments as a result of the Navin Sharma suit
12:30-16:19 / Goldie Davich asking for independent 3rd party with subpoena/arrest powers not to be selected by City Manager or Attorney's office
16:27-19:57 / Ed Lynch (partner of Vancouver's Downtown Association / contributer to republican campaigns and $1million to SW Washignton Medical Center Foundation) defending the City Manager's reputation
19:57-24:52 / Winnie Clements asking the council to look at the fact that came to light in affidavits that clearly state a culture of retaliation and intimidation in the VPD, Attorney's office and Managers office
27:12-29:30 / Kim Capeloto (President of The Bank of Clark County) defending the City Manager's reputation
25:07-27:07 / Mr. Peabody in regards to sidewalk
29:35-32:44 / Jodi Davich asking for a thorough investigation pointing to institutional racism
32:44-37:47 / Bruce Hall asking for independent 3rd party agency with subpoena/arrest powers organizational review of city departments
41:00-44:40 / comments from council beginning with Ms. Stewart speaking about the objectiveness of the City Manager selecting agency's to to the investigation does not offer "the appropriate level of confidence in the outcome"
44:40-45:54 / Ms Stewart asks Mayor "what is the time table" -- Pat McDonnell response. Ms. Jolatta "has to be paid for and we approve payment"
45:54-47:30 / Ms. Harris speaks about request for qualifications. Pat McDonnell repsonds. Mr. Pat Campbell asks, "Will the department of Justice be on that menu?". Ms. Jeanne Harris cuts him off. There is no answer to Mr. Campbell's question.
47:30-48:55 / Ms. Stewart "with us as a public agency and the Department of Justice as a public agency why would we have to, couldn't we invite them to do it? Why would we have to pay?"
48:55-50:50 / Ms. Stewart, "Would we be looking @ an agency that has subpeona power as part of the criteria that we are looking at?".
50:50-51:50 / Mayor Royce Pollard, "Was someone found guilty in this personnel case that we just went through?" (obviously not a direct answer). Ted Gathe's response to Mayors question, "Not a criminal offense -- apparently there are those in the community that have some, I believe mistaken belief that some how there have been crimes that have been committed in connection with this entire case. Being accused of things that are simply not true. I think it is completely and totally inappropriate. But I urge the council to do a thorough investigation" mentions something about BASELESS ACCUSATIONS
51:50-54:10 / Stewart and Mayor go back and forth. Mayor Royce Pollard, "It started out as an officer who did 78 incomplete false reports, not grammatical errors or spelling, 78 DUI reports that were wrong!"
54:10-54:55 / Mayor Royce Pollard, "Why do we have a TV here tonight?!". Pat Campbell, "because we are a public body"... Mayor to Campbell, "Did you set this up?!"
54:55-56:12 / Mr. Campbell illustrates why an independent investigation was something he wanted and didn't get in a case related to him when he was in law enforcement. "I just don't see what the perceived resistance is -- It's a good thing."
56:12-57:30 / "I DON"T WANT TO HEAR IT FROM YOU" Jeanne Harris to Pat Campbell. Tim Levitt comments "People will be surprised on the outcome"

Talk amongst yourself!

Vanncouver residents cry foul over police settlement: KATU video

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 06:46:00 +0000

From KATU Website -- Vancouver citizens have once again called for investigations into both the city attorney and city manager's office after a huge settlement with a fired police officer. Residents are calling the city's leaders corrupt and they say enough is enough.

Here is the link to the KATU Channel 2 story relating to citizen's call for an independent, 3rd party agency with subpoena power and arrest power such as The Department of Justice to investigate City Of Vancouver departments related to the Navin Sharma suit. This story ran on October 7th, 2008:

Click here to watch video

The Columbian in bed with Vancouver Police Officers Guild

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 04:00:00 +0000

Follow this thread if you want to know the answer!

1. From The Columbian:

In Our View: Removing stains
Thursday, September 11 | 12:01 a.m.

Navin K. Sharma was victimized by a vicious, intentional campaign of racial discrimination and workplace abuse that could only be imagined in the Deep South a half-century ago. But to the shame of our community, the taunting, prejudicial retribution and other hideously primitive conduct was heaped upon Sharma by his fellow police officers, supposedly Vancouver’s “finest.”

For that, the Vancouver Police Department has painted itself with stains of bigotry, hatred and cultural ignorance that will be difficult to wipe away. City Manager Pat McDonnell seems prepared to begin the cleansing process. “Obviously, there are going to be a lot of lessons,” McDonnell said on Tuesday after the city agreed to pay Sharma $1.65 million to end a racial discrimination lawsuit. “I think we may need to bring in outside folks to give us different eyes on how we view things.”

Soon, if not immediately, “I think” should evolve to “I know,” and that outside review of the Vancouver Police Department must come from as independent a source as possible.

This review is owed to more than just Sharma, a man of East Indian ethnicity who despite all the discrimination put together a glowing record of service in the department. It’s owed to the many officers of the Vancouver Police Department who do things right, and to the citizens of Vancouver who look to those police officers for protection.

This will take months or longer to unfold. For now, the focus remains on one man whose curiosity about the future is as deep as his disbelief about the past.

Sharma was fired two years ago after making what his attorneys say were inadvertent mistakes in filing reports. And in 1998, his attorneys say, Sharma was labeled a snitch for testifying against two sergeants in an internal affairs investigation. What ensued was a wave of racial taunts, vindictive actions by supervisors, hateful pranks by fellow officers and, in short, the methodical erosion of a fine police officer’s record of service.

What’s worse, the harassment and sheer meanness was continual. Sharma previously settled two out-of-court claims dating back to 2001, one against the city and one against Clark Regional Emergency Services Agency.

This time, Sharma and his attorneys were ready to go to court with the sworn affidavits of 30-plus police officers who would supply damning evidence of the discrimination. Others would testify in support of Sharma’s honor and integrity.

Obviously, that was why the city agreed to pay what Sharma’s legal team called one of the largest single-plaintiff settlements — if not the largest — in state history.

Additionally, the city will correct Sharma’s personnel file to show he retired in good standing, make sure his law enforcement credentials are untarnished, replace any state benefits that were lost and write a letter of gratitude.

That’s a lot of money and a lot of work. Still, those three stains — bigotry, hatred and cultural ignorance — remain. Only with McDonnell’s continued resolve to reform the department, followed by a thorough and independent review, then an arm’s-length list of corrective measures, can the cleansing begin.

Police Chief Cliff Cook, who has been on the job for a year and a half, has his work cut out for him. An embarrassed community will be watching closely, while one fine cop wonders how life in Vancouver, Wash., in the 21st century could have ever become so cruel.

2. I found this in the comment section of oregonlive.com in the article Vancouver urged to investigate police after ex-officer's settlement published Monday September 15, 2008. The commentator is RghtThing2Do:

From VPOG President Kipp:
VPOG response to the Columbian editorial about the Navin Sharma lawsuit settlement:

Understanding that editorials are just opinions, those opinions should be based upon the facts presented. The editorial offered by the Columbian regarding the settlement between Officer Navin Sharma and the City of Vancouver is an offense against line personnel of the Vancouver Police Department for it's slanderous accusations that show total disregard of the facts in this matter. Did the Editor(s) even read their own story or review the comments made by Officer Sharma and his attorneys during his post-settlement press conference? It appears that they did not considering the baseless and insulting attack against the Police Officers, Corporals, Detectives, and Sergeants who have supported Officer Sharma throughout this process.

There has never been a finding that any line personnel of the Vancouver Police Department engaged in an "intentional campaign of racial discrimination and workplace abuse" against Officer Sharma. That statement is outrageous, and the author owes every officer at VPD an apology. The Columbian is blaming the rank and file members of the police Department for acts committed by others. You should make sure to report the facts correctly before heaping such inflammatory rhetoric on a group.

The members of the Vancouver Police Officer's Guild who have unanimously stood behind Officer Sharma had nothing to do with his termination or the mistreatment he received which led to the settlement. In fact, our members lack the authority to impose such discipline and we warned department managers that terminating him was not warranted and would be overturned in arbitration. Those responsible include VPD command personnel, personnel in the City Attorney’s Office and ultimately, the City Manager himself. As Pat McDonnell prepares “…to begin the cleansing process” as you state in your editorial, he should start by looking in the mirror.

Officer Sharma himself acknowledged the support he received from his colleagues, and was very clear to identify just who was responsible for this situation. How did the Editor get this so wrong?

Jeff Kipp
President
Vancouver Police Officer’s Guild

3. The Columbian's twist on Jeff Kipp's letter:

In our view: Find the truth
Wednesday, September 17 | 12:01 a.m.

Outside, independent review is vital after Vancover police officer’s lawsuit who could possibly oppose public enlightenment about public officials? The public officials’ union leaders, course.

So we were not surprised when Jeff Kipp, president of the Vancouver Police Officers Guild, sent an e-mail to The Columbian opposing an outside, independent review of a recent personnel case in the department. His stance rebuts a Columbian editorial urging a review of the police department after the city settled a racial discrimination lawsuit, agreeing to pay former police Officer Navin K. Sharma $1.65 million. Kipp insists the fault lies with the city’s top management, not with rank-and-file police officers. Yet, according to a Columbian story last week, affidavits in the Sharma case included many references to improper conduct by officers. Kipp might have overlooked the editorial’s insistence that a thorough review is “owed to the many officers of the Vancouver Police Department who do things right, and to the citizens of Vancouver who look to those police officers for protection.”

That is the first irony here, that the police officers union would oppose the revelation of how well they do their job. One would think the union would welcome any type of scrutiny.

A thorough review means top to bottom, from the police officer on the street to the sergeants, captains and other key decision-makers, to the two other unions embracing employees of the police department, to the city manager, city attorney’s office, city councilors, mayor, indeed anyone even remotely connected this case. To his credit, Kipp seemed to agree with a broader review: “If you want to look at an overall process and have it be a thorough, comprehensive examination, we would welcome it and take a wait-and-see approach … If it is (City Manager Pat McDonnell’s) intent to make things better where we work, we would appreciate that.”

But here is the second irony in this case: McDonnell is catching heat for the recent personnel controversy, yet he is one of the strongest advocates of a thorough and independent review. If McDonnell is as flawed as many of his detractors claim (several residents at Monday’s city council meeting demanded he be fired), why is McDonnell so adamant about outside scrutiny of his work as city manager?

The answer is clear: McDonnell wants the truth, all of it, problems and solutions, plus a course of corrective action.

Just as the police officers union contradicts itself by singing the officers’ praises while opposing a review that would reveal such attributes, McDonnell’s detractors contradict themselves by demanding his firing even before the expository independent review, which they also demand. Well, if McDonnell is inept, why not wait for the supporting evidence?

If McDonnell is proved by an outside review to be at fault in the Sharma case, that might surprise city council members and, quite frankly, us as well. Earlier this year the council conducted a “360-degree evaluation” of McDonnell’s performance, consulting not only city department managers but also community representatives. In a dozen categories, with 5 being the highest rating, McDonnell was scored 4.45 overall, up from 4.22 in 2004. His highest score was in “results orientation.”

For that, the council unanimously approved a 12.3 percent raise for McDonnell, taking his salary to $171,650. In Vancouver’s form of government, the city manager is one of the most powerful and responsible positions. McDonnell, for example, single-handedly hired Police Chief Cliff Cook a year and a half ago.

Vancouver residents, especially taxpayers, deserve the whole truth and total accountability from their police department and from their city government officials. Let the search for that truth begin expeditiously.

4. Now thread back to the comments posted at oregonlive.com by CourtRecords (these blog comments are wonderful!):

Posted by CourtRecords on 09/18/08 at 8:58AM

To my astonishment – honestly, to my shock! staff writer, Jeffrey Mize of the Columbian obediently prints Pollard and McDonnell’s blatant lies in an effort to surreptitiously shift alliances to drive a wedge between the rank & file of the VPOG and the Vancouver citizens, all who CONTINUE to expose the corruption and fight for CHANGE.

The evening of September 15, 2008, several members of the Vancouver-Portland community spoke out and in front of the City Council (Mayor [Royce] Pollard, City Manager McDonnell, City Attorney Ted Gathe, and the Council members).

Please view it if you haven’t. It’s short.
It is beyond powerful.

Go to CVTV Vancouver WA website. Direct Link is:
http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp?catID=19&folderID=1945

If you can not access it directly, then go to the main website:
http://www.cityofvancouver.us/cvtv/cvtvindex.asp
Go to "Featured Programs" and click on: "Vancouver City Council 9-15-08". Then click on "Citizen Communications" under agenda. Watch the TV!

I would like to bring to your attention and stress the following: Mize, I hope you are reading and listening.
1. Court records show that the culture of discrimination & retaliation exists within McDonnell’s office, the City Attorney’s Office, and amongst the very top echelons of the VPD Command Staff. They are the ones who conspired to fire Officer Sharma. Not the VPOG.

2. Sworn testimony shows that the racial epitaph referencing Officer Sharma as a “Sand *igger” was not made by a member of the VPOG. It was made by a City/County high level executive officer & retired Vancouver Asst. Chief, Marty James.

3. The ethnically derogatory term “Sharmagedon” & related statements of racial animosity were not made by VPOG Officers. It was made by non other than the City Attorney assigned to the Vancouver Police Department, Mr. Terry Weiner. Sworn affidavits & deposition testimony from ex City Attorneys support this.

4. Court records show that the City Manager Mr. McDonnell & VPD’s Chief at the time, Mitch Barker, were named as defendants & not anyone from the VPOG. This is because they were the principle people who conspired along with a few others within the Command Staff and the City Attorney Ted Gathe. Evidence in the court papers now suggests that overwhelmingly.

5. Depositions, testimony and produced documents also show something far more egregious. It shows that Ted Gathe, the Chief City Prosecutor, committed perjury in his video taped deposition as did former Chief Criminal Attorney Josephine Townsend. It appears that these City Lawyers lied in a federal proceeding. That is a felony.

In summary, I call attention to my fellow citizens to look at what has happened across the country when politicians, top City Officials, and the Command & Control of the Police Department runs amuck: People get prosecuted for crimes & people go to jail!

- Detroit Mayor Case: Mr. Kwame Kilpatrick perjured in a federal case involving the unjust firings of two Detroit Police Officers. The Mayor will spend five years in a federal prison for that perjury. (AP Wire March 25, 2008).

- City Prosecutor Mike Nifong: Zealously accused 3 Duke University LaCross players of criminal conduct. He withheld “Exculpatory evidence”. A 30 million dollar law suit followed. Nifong was disbarred. He went bankrupt. (ABC News June 16, 2007; The Smoking Gun archives; AP Wire).

Stand United and firm behind all the great Police Officers of Vancouver, the back bone of our law enforcement.

Expose the corrupt Police Command and the “Nifongs” and the Kilpatrick’s” of Vancouver.

******************
All of this was posted online. If it disappears it's not because i made stuff up!
Read about Navin K. Sharma's lawsuit:

Fired officer settles racial discrimination lawsuit with Vancouver for $1.65 million

City Manager Pat McDonnell Asked to Resign

noreply@blogger.com (Goldie Davich) — Wed, 08 Oct 2008 03:17:00 +0000

McDonnell takes heat for settlement

Tuesday, September 16 | 12:04 a.m.
By JEFFREY MIZE COLUMBIAN STAFF WRITER

The spotlight in the discrimination case involving a former Vancouver police officer shifted to City Manager Pat McDonnell, with a half dozen speakers asking Monday for an independent outside investigation or for McDonnell’s resignation.

Those requests were prompted by last week’s announcement that Vancouver would pay former Officer Navin K. Sharma $1.65 million to end a federal racial discrimination lawsuit.

“I have lost confidence in the city manager,” said Quan Tran, former president of the local American Civil Liberties Union during Monday night’s city council meeting. “I am asking him to step down.”

Tran said he believes “all the mess” was created by McDonnell and City Attorney Ted Gathe’s office.

Following the meeting, an obviously dejected McDonnell said he does not plan to resign. But he conceded the meeting had a “huge” effect on him personally, adding that he had never been publicly asked to resign during his 30 years working in government.

“This is absolutely not what I stand for and who I am,” he said. “But I understand being a city manager, I am ultimately responsible.” Click here to read More...