Whether it’s changing your last name and the rumors of it
being purely for political gain (Really now, would you rather vote for Mike
Maunior, whose biggest claim to fame in public service was issuing the press
release announcing Jefferson Parish’s Mardi Gras Parade Schedule and picking up
former Mayor Phil Capitano’s dry cleaning, or Mike Yenni, grandson of the great
Joe Yenni, a man so beloved that there are streets and buildings named after
him and the nephew of the “real” Mike Yenni?);
lying about his resume on his campaign web site weeks before his election (The web site guy made a mistake
but “Director of Communications” does sound more important than “directed
communications” and “Paralegal” sounds much more important than a $5.15 per
hour “Clerk/Typist”);
joining the military reserve again weeks before seeking
public office (“Something I’ve always wanted to” but I waited until I turned 33
and it could help me in an election before deciding to join);
his flip-flop
after he lost the vote to double Kenner’s property taxes (He wasn’t “for” the
taxes – he just wanted to give people a say in Kenner government: "Before I cut one more thing, I want the people of this community to tell me how they want their city governed.” BTW Mayor Yenni, we did by a 70-30% vote but, you
still haven’t listened);
or using committees like his hand-picked Streamlining
Budget Committee and his also hand-picked Economic Development Committee as political
cover (They wanted to close 6 playgrounds; I only want to close 3), when it
comes to Kenner Mayor Mike Yenni, nothing is ever really what it seems.
The latest case in point is the selection of a “Program
Manager” for Yenni’s 2030 Plan.
Flawed Evaluation Process, Flawed
Evaluation Committee
Yes, as Nola.com pointed out, Linfield Hunter & Junius
was the highest rated company scored by the Evaluation Committee. On the face
of it, everything looks like it’s on the up and up, right?
In Mike Yenni’s Kenner, nothing is on the up and up.
When you dig a hole in your backyard, the deeper you go, the
dirt turns to mud. If you dig deeper, and while they did dig deeper, Nola.com
only scratched the surface, you would see that the selection process was a very
muddy affair.
The “Evaluation Committee” consisted of Deputy CAO for
Public Works Jose Gonzalez, CAO Mike Quigley and Walter Brooks, the Executive Director
of the Regional Planning Commission.
Gonzalez is a long-time political appointee who served
decades in Jefferson Parish Government and was actually an unelected Parish
President for about a week after then-Parish President Aaron Broussard resigned
in the Tim Whitmer scandal. He is an engineer but an engineer who is keenly
aware of which contractors contribute what to whom.
Quigley has no engineering background. He is also a
long-time political appointee who also came from Jefferson Parish Government.
Unlike Gonzalez however who came from Public Works and is working in Public
Works, Quigley’s experience was primarily with Jefferson Parish’s Recreation
Department. As Yenni’s right-hand man, Quigley is also acutely aware of every
dollar that Yenni receives in campaign contributions.
Brooks, as the RPC’s Executive Director, is involved with
hundreds of millions in contracts and also knows who is paying to play.
Hardly an objective group.
In fact, aside from his participation on the Evaluation
Committee, Quigley’s scoring also leaves much to be desired.
The City of Kenner posted the advertisement for companies to
submit their Statement of Qualifications (SOQ) for the Program Manager job on
May 22nd. Ironically, this was 2 days before the period to challenge
the bond debt sale which is funding this position and Mayor Yenni’s 2030 Plan
and 2 days before I did file the lawsuit challenging the bond debt sale.
So much for the
argument that my lawsuit stopped the City from moving forward – but that’s
another article.
The SOQ ranked companies in various categories including,
according to Nola.com:
“Their capacity to complete the project; past performance on public
projects; the nature, value and quality of those projects; continuing
litigation concerning those projects; and the size of the firm and location of
its office.”
Quigley ranked the 4th highest rated company
overall, Hartman Engineering, as tied for #1 despite Hartman’s rank as the 13th
highest rated contractor involved in the SOQ for another no-bid contract, this
time a sewerage main.
How can a company be ranked 13th for a sewerage project
but #1 for a project of this magnitude especially if one of the criteria is the
“nature, value and quality of those (past) projects”?
The Cantrell Connection
The mitigating factor in granting Hunter Linfield &
Junius this contract was their inclusion of Greg Cantrell.
Cantrell is a long-time Jefferson Parish and City of Kenner
contractor and has received millions in contracts. He is a landscape architect
and also one of the top political contributors in Jefferson Parish and has
donated heavily to Mayor Yenni.
In fact, Cantrell and Hunter Linfield & Junius were each ranked in the Top 30 of Jefferson Parish Campaign Contributors by Nola.com, as was Henry Shane, the head of Mayor Yenni's Economic Development Committee.
In fact, Cantrell and Hunter Linfield & Junius were each ranked in the Top 30 of Jefferson Parish Campaign Contributors by Nola.com, as was Henry Shane, the head of Mayor Yenni's Economic Development Committee.
Hunter Linfield & Junius merged with Cantrell’s company
shortly before submitting their SOQ to the City for the Program Manager job.
Cantrell’s list of contracts includes the neutral grounds on
Veterans Blvd., designing the dog walk at Lafreniere Park and a 2008 contract
to come up with a plan for revitalizing Kenner’s Rivertown (more on that in a
minute).
Hardly the kind of work that would lead one to believe that
Cantrell is “the best person to oversee the job in our opinion,” according
to Gonzalez.
Cantrell was heavily involved in the public meetings Mayor
Yenni was forced to have AFTER he received the initial approval for the bond
sale from the State Bond Commission and the Kenner City Council.
In fact, Cantrell was front and center in the meeting
presentations. It was Cantrell who echoed Mayor Yenni’s comments that the 10
projects proposed in the 2030 Plan “weren’t written in stone” and could change,
a claim repeated often by another ally of Mayor Yenni and defender of no-bid contracts, District 4 Councilwoman
Maria DeFranchesch.
DeFranchesch, a candidate for Kenner City Council-At-Large
in the Spring, just held a fundraiser that was hosted by…wait for it…Mike
Yenni. I wasn’t there but it’s a safe bet that Greg Cantrell was involved or
present as he has written checks to Mayor Yenni and Councilwoman DeFranchesch,
and many members of the Kenner City Council.
From the Nola.com article, “Gonzalez said Cantrell has the
best experience to tweak the 10 projects while still ensuring they accord with
the conceptual drawings already presented to the public”.
“Tweaking doctored photos” – sounds like a job for Greg
Cantrell, and worthy of a $2,150,000 no-bid contract from Mike Yenni.
Ethics? We Don’t Need No Stinking
Ethics – This Is Kenner
Cantrell was a member of Mayor Yenni’s hand-picked Economic
Development Committee that promoted the 2030 Plan and pushed for the City to
borrow $42 Million to fund Yenni’s “Vision”.
Months ago, I stated that no member of the Economic
Development Committee should be allowed to profit from their involvement in the
2030 Plan.
Surely, no one would argue with that right?
Wrong.
Obviously, Cantrell will profit from his participation and
friendship with Mayor Yenni, to the detriment of Kenner residents.
If it isn’t unethical for a member of the Economic
Development Committee to profit from decision made by and promoted by the Committee,
it should be.
At last night’s Kenner City Council meeting, District 2 Councilman Joe Stagni offered an amendment to categorically state that no
family member of a City Council member would profit from the 2030 Plan. The
amendment was defeated.
Clearly, under Mike Yenni and this Kenner City Council, “Open
and Transparent Government” are foreign words.
For more on Yenni’s “Open and Transparent Government”, click here or here.
Cantrell, Broussard, Yenni and “Bacchanalia”
A April 22nd 2012 Nola.com article disclosed that
Cantrell was a frequent guest of Aaron Broussard on Broussard’s annual ski
trips. Nola.com described these trips as “Four-day bacchanalia for contractors with
deep pockets to hobnob with Jefferson Parish’s political elite.”
“Bacchanalia” is defined as a “drunken” orgy.
Former Parish President Aaron Broussard, who was indicted,
was one of Mike Yenni’s political mentors and Yenni learned much from his
mentor.
So much for Mayor Yenni’s “Family Values”.
Cantrell and Yenni
As mentioned, Cantrell has contributed heavily to Mayor
Yenni’s campaign account, and been richly rewarded for it. Cantrell has received many contracts from the City of Kenner and been appointed to several of Mayor Yenni's committees.
In addition to Cantrell’s membership on the Economic
Development Committee, Cantrell was also a member of Mayor Yenni’s Inauguration
Committee.
Also a member of Yenni’s Inauguration Committee was Dan
Kelly, owner of Beads by The Dozen and a Director of Kenner City Events. Yenni has spent thousands of campaign dollars with Beads by The Dozen for Mardi Gras
beads and Kenner City Events was the promoter of Yenni’s Annual Prayer
Breakfasts which were supposed to benefit the Kenner Food Bank. While not benefiting the Food Bank, Kenner City Events did contribute money to the giant memorial to Kenner elected officials that Mayor Yenni recently unveiled and is
sitting in Kenner’s City Council Chambers.
I wonder what the frame bill was for that.
The Inauguration Committee that Cantrell and Kelly were
members of was tasked with soliciting donations for Yenni’s Inauguration which,
according to Yenni, was estimated to cost $15,000 to $20,000. The actual price
tag was north of $30,000.
When it’s other people’s money, I guess you can have all the
“pomp and circumstance” you want right?
Cantrell and Rivertown
In 2007, Cantrell received a $53,000 contract from
then-Mayor Ed Muniz and then-CAO Mike Yenni, to devise a plan to revitalize
Rivertown.
At the time, I questioned why a “landscape architect” was
given a contract for a revitalization plan.
“We’re happy with the plan,” Kenner CAO Mike Yenni said.
The plan also urges reopening the long-vacant Kenner High School
building for commercial and retail use Kenner is putting together a proposal to test
interest from developers in leasing the property, Yenni said.”
Curiously, in the original project list for the 2030 Plan,
rehabbing Kenner High School and turning it into city offices (not commercial
and retail) was one of the primary projects.
The Kenner Pravda (aka The Kenner Star) labeled Cantrell’s Rivertown study as “Outstanding”.
“I think Greg did an excellent job,” Mayor Muniz said.
Curiously, that same June 2008 edition of the Kenner Star
discusses a plan by Councilman DeFranchesch to rebuild Chateau Village and the “Great
Plans for Laketown”.
That Allen Katz certainly has a way with words, doesn’t he?
We’re still waiting for both of those to occur and the Kohl’s
that Councilwoman DeFranchesch promised us during her last political campaign.
In addition, the plan also discussed using Airport buyout
property and converting it to farmland.
Farmland?
I'm glad that Mayor Yenni was "happy" with a plan turning Kenner into farmland.
It’s little wonder why Cantrell’s plan for Rivertown has sat
in Yenni’s drawer for almost 6 years.
It’s All In The Family
Greg Cantrell isn’t the only Cantrell family member to
profit from his relationship with Jefferson Parish and Kenner politicians,
Cantrell’s daughter also receives benefits.
Greg Cantrell has the contract to maintain the landscaping
around the public art on the Veterans Blvd. neutral grounds. One of those pieces of public art is by Abby Cantrell, and Cantrell was paid for her work
despite the fact that it was the original intention of Jefferson Parish that
the public art be donated.
Abby Cantrell is also the primary beneficiary of Rivertown’s recent designation as a Cultural District since she is the only artist in the “Cultural
District”.
If Mr. Cantrell’s dealings, connections and political
contributions also favor his family members, what safeguards are in place so
that contracts are also not funneled to companies that may employ some of his
other family members or family members of Kenner City Council members or
members of the Yenni Administration as Councilman Stagni suggested?
The Bottom Line
The bottom line is that this is more of the same, politics as
usual from Mayor Yenni – use Kenner to benefit your friends, family members and
contributors.
With the 2030 Plan budget now ballooning to $37 Million with
the inclusion of State and Federal Grants, which should have been used to
reduce Kenner’s indebtedness rather than adding more projects that the public
has not vetted or desires, it’s simply a matter of time before Mayor Yenni will
propose projects to curry more political favor with certain Councilmen who have
turned their backs on the public in their search for campaign dollars to
further their own political careers or benefit other friends and family members
of Mike Maunoir/Yenni.
Recently, in addition to Councilwoman DeFranchesch, Mayor
Yenni has also hosted political fundraisers streaming with Kenner City
Contractors and their big checkbooks for District 5 Councilman Kent Denapolis
and his bid to be promoted to Councilman-At-Large and District 3 Councilman Keith
Reynaud. Yenni has also hosted fundraisers for other candidates who are
jostling for City Council slots in the Spring.
The more money Yenni has to give to contractors, the more he
can lean on those contractors to support and pay for not only his campaign, but
the campaigns of those Councilmembers that can give him the votes to push
through his no-bid contracts for his friends and contributors.
It’s a vicious circle but, in Kenner, it’s business as
usual.
I also have a feeling that at least one of the new
projects that Mayor Yenni is dreaming up for his booty of cash that wasn’t
approved by the voters of Kenner will directly benefit Chateau Blvd. which
resides in Councilwoman DeFranchesch’s district and is home to the Chateau Golf
and Country Club, which is run by Mayor Yenni’s wife and owned by her family.
Just wait for it because I guarantee it’s coming.
But, the broader question is, with all of Greg Cantrell’s
political connections to Mayor Yenni, the benefits he and his family members
have received, the unfulfilled revitalization of Rivertown that Cantrell
proposed and Yenni and Muniz thought was such a “great job” 6 years ago, and
his complete lack of experience on a project of this scale and magnitude, a
project that will reshape Kenner’s future in Mayor Yenni’s “Vision” (which was
never approved by the voters of Kenner), is Cantrell really the best person the
City of Kenner could find to do the job?
Really?
Why wasn’t there a nationwide search to truly uncover the
best possible candidate instead of simply dismissing the notion of managing the
projects in-house?
On page 11 of The 2030 Plan listed on the City of Kenner’s web site, it recommends that the city “Hire 2 full time equivalent staff in the
planning department that will monitor implementation and provide technical
assistance to support implementation.”
At last night’s Council meeting, under questioning from
Councilman Stagni, Gonzalez said that the city decided it would be cost
prohibitive to follow that suggestion. As usual, he would not put forth
specifics to illustrate his point.
Since the plan, and the suggestion, was crafted by Mayor
Yenni’s hand-picked Economic Development Committee, why is Mayor Yenni running
from that suggestion to benefit a campaign contributor?
Why are we getting someone that is so obviously politically
connected to Mayor Yenni and who will
have the power to shape Kenner’s future regardless of their real qualifications,
instead of seeking the best possible choice and ensuring that every dollar is
spent wisely and efficiently?
Sorry, for a second there I forget I was writing about Mike
Yenni and Kenner. Please disregard the last paragraph.
Merry Christmas Kenner! Thanks to Mayor Yenni there will be lumps of coal in your Christmas Stockings for the next 20 years.
Merry Christmas Kenner! Thanks to Mayor Yenni there will be lumps of coal in your Christmas Stockings for the next 20 years.
