Last Publish :
Monday, February 08, 2010 05:36:46 PM
Finally
And so finally - the Enterprise steps up and
locks horns with BISD. And they send their best pit bull out to do the work. And
the crowd says YES!
The talk? Downing the Southpark Building that seemingly has the
town in a racial hate fight. The blacks want it down because it symbolizes white
bigotry from the 60's and 70's in a community the blacks have now taken over.
And the whites - they want a piece of history. The Asians and Mexicans just want
a good education.
Clausen makes two great points! First, don't listen to the
citizens advisory committe and second, you cannot listen to the Beaumont COC.
Uh - we made the same two points over six months ago - but the
big dog is out of the house and barking! And we love it!
Okay - let's start with the citizens advisory panel. That is -
these group of dumb asses that hooked on to Carroll Thomas's big bang government
theory. The bigger - the better for the "childrens". Well we all see how that is
working out and the control that the citizen's advisory panel has? Right? NONE!
Zero! It is a joke. They went around town as the sales people - who some got a
commission check (for another day) and some got egg on their face. Like a good
doctor in town? Maybe?
Now let's move on over to the politically neutered Chamber of
Commerce. Where do we start? Nancy Beaulieu - an elected official who is the
chairman of the political action committee? So the cat is in the hen house?
Jesus God - we just thought things were bad. You have the Chairman who is an
elected official of the city council that is pushing the biggest tax increase in
the history of Beaumont? And she is a sitting city council person that does not
get the more you take away from business in taxes is the less they have to spend
on JOBS? In a 10 + % unemployment gig? And that is the Beaumont Chamber of
Commerce?
Where in the hell do we sign up? And to make matters worse - she
is running as a GOPER in the next election?
It just makes you want to scream
RHINO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So Clausen gets a big pat on the back from us!
Now maybe Channel Six News at Six will report....oh....never
mind.
Get our drift here kids?
It is all a dance that nobody really understands or gets. And it
is not getting any better any time soon!
Thus - the impending death of Jefferson County. They just do not
get it. But the Enterprise does - and so does the Examiner who has heeded the
warning for years.
But again - why worry. Port Arthur - oops...Beaumont.....awe
what the hell is the difference?
Arnolds Letter
Editors Note : The following letter (email) was sent to the
Review this past Friday. It was sent from a county computer, on county time and
on the county dime. It was sent by Commissioner Eddie Arnold, who is a
republican, in Jefferson County, Texas. His email is in response to an article
we wrote last week regarding the deal in downtown that many have begun to
question. We have not edited the email - only responded by line. We thank the
commissioner for the email - and we thank him for opening the door for dialogue
regarding Jefferson County and the deals that are made or not made from day to
day. We hope you understand in the nature it was written to us - and our
response and the way it was written.
And now for the email :
Mr.
Klein
Apparently you have a
deficiency with your math skills, a lack of understanding of the agreement that
was negotiated, or, as usual, you don’t care about the truth and facts regarding
the Jefferson County Commissioners Court’s decision to sell the Postal Encoding
Center in downtown Beaumont. Apparently, all you care about is publishing your
normal negativity, false innuendos and half truths.
Klein Response :
Thank you Commissioner
Arnold. My lack of understanding – is my complete confusion (as I have told you
privately and publicly) regarding who you are, what political party you
represent and frankly where your arrogance comes from. You are not what we (the
GOP) elected to office. And now you have opened the political door – and I am
walking through it. I am going to write this – not from what you perceive as
negativity – or false innuendos – or even your words of “half truths.” What I am
going to say to you today is more of what you don’t want to hear – which is the
truth. You sir – are so involved and wanting to be part of the political machine
that runs this county – that has drove this county into the ground – that has
created a 40% increase in government spending over four years – has run off
business – and forgot the principles of being a Republican or for that matter a
conservative – you simply are blinded by simple political stupidity. It is sick
– is sad – and it is now show by your letter (email) to me today. I am going to
unload on you – I am going to take you to the political woodshed. And maybe get
you to open your eyes. As well I am glad that you have time on the taxpayer
dime, on taxpayer computers and in the taxpayers building, to send us this
respectful email – to a taxpayer with a little old blog.
To set the record
straight, if you are interested in the truth, this is a real WIN-WIN
deal for the taxpayers of Jefferson County and every citizen should know the
truth.
Klein Response :
So set it straight. I am interested in the
truth. However, I am going to show you that you don’t even have a grasp on the
truth – or have a grasp of why taxpayers in Jefferson County are leaving in
droves and major business has declared Jefferson County Texas a place NOT TO DO
BUSINESS. So teach me Commissioner. Give me a lesson. I am ready!
You wrote that the
County was selling the empty building to a rich businessman for $2.0 million and
then the County was going to pay him $2.0 million to lease it back. I don’t know
where you got your information. Apparently you or your “source close to the
fourth floor” used some FUZZY MATH.
Klein Response :
Okay – there is an empty building that
the county owns. There is a rich businessman (company) that is going to buy the
building. How am I doing so far commissioner? The county was going to pay him
$2.0 Million…..no that is not what I said. What I said was the county was going
to remodel or redo or have to move employees around so that there can be a coat
of paint and carpet on the floor. So if the guy bought the building – he would
have to lease back some space to the county. Our fuzzy math came from media
reports – and reports from someone very close to the county judge’s office. So
my guess Commissioner is maybe do a little better PR or maybe some transparency?
So here comes the deal? Okay – let’s here it. But hold on to your ass
commissioner – and remember you opened the door.
The REAL DEAL is as
follows:
1.
Jefferson County Commissioners have planned
for the present and future needs of County Government, including both expanding
for sometimes unfunded State and Federal mandates, as well as down or right
sizing as the case may be. This includes office space allocations.
Klein Answer :
So let me figure out what you are saying. The
State or the Feds are telling you how big or small government office spaces need
to be? Do what the hell? We searched and could not find one – not one federal or
state mandate that says how big an office needs to be for a person? You have got
to be kidding? And as for present and future needs of county government? Are you
JUST ADMITTED YOU GUYS ARE GOING TO GET BIGGER? GET THE HELL OUT? Your budget is
already $130 million. This is almost TWICE AS BIG as a comparable county like
Lubbock County that has more people, is growing and spends almost 40% less a
year than you do? Are you that OUT OF TOUCH COMMISSIONER?
2.
Jefferson County taxpayers own a large 66,000
sf. office building at 750 Pearl St. in downtown Beaumont, TX, (formerly the
Postal Encoding Center - PEC, building ) which has been empty since the USPS
moved out in Dec. 2005.
Klein Response :
Oh Commissioner – that is not the only building
the taxpayers own. But we will save that for later. We will remind our readers –
that a nice man name Vic Rogers and his family gave that building to the people
of Jefferson County because government was going to do a business deal with …..
the government? And that deal worked out really great – now didn’t it? The post
office is bankrupt – just like our federal government and the sweetheart deal
that was going to provide all of these jobs forever was going to boost downtown
and make it whole again – well damn commissioner. That didn’t work out now did
it? So the taxpayers were STUCK with a big building that needed fixing and empty
with no rent? And we will leave downtown Beaumont out of it – for now.
3.
The Commissioners Court decided to try to sell
this building. We repaired the Hurricane Rita damage and put the building on the
market to sell via a public bid. We received no bids during this first
attempt. Then the building sustained additional damage from Hurricane Ike in
2008. We once again considered selling the empty facility.
Klein Answer :
Yes commissioner – we the taxpayers know.
Nobody bid on the building. We wonder why? Like Beaumont or Jefferson County is
business friendly? And downtown is….well…..dead? The only business in downtown
is government or lawyers. You are reaping what you and your fellow commissioners
have sewn. High taxes, high unemployment and high crime. Nobody wants to live
here or bring a business here? Out of control government spending – to which you
have VOTED FOR EACH AND EVERY BUDGET – does not bring people to an area. You see
commissioner when you take from business – they have no money to expand. But you
don’t get that. You have never met a payroll or really understand the tax system
– other than spending other people’s money. Like ours.
4.
A survey was conducted for the County to try
and determine how much, if any, future office space might be needed for County
Government. This includes the space that may be needed during the renovation
process at the Courthouse. The survey was conducted to ensure that our decision
to sell the Postal Encoding center was the right one.
Klein Answer –
A survey or study was done to see if more
office space was needed by the county? Really? Needed for the renovation
process? Oh you just teed it up. We will let you keep talking.
5.
Jefferson County properly bid the sale of this
public property, following and exceeding all local and State procurement laws.
Klein Answer – Uh – huh. Good –
it is nice to see the law followed. Keep talking commissioner!
6.
Jefferson County received 1 and only 1 bid
which was within 4% +- of an independent certified appraisal conducted by a
local, accredited appraiser. The bid was advertised for over 3 months and the
closing date was even extended. In addition, the property was advertised on
LOOPNET.com, a nationally recognized commercial property listing web site for
the same period. We had several hundred hits on the site during this time frame
as well as receiving several local inquiries.
Klein Response –
Okay – so let’s get this straight so we are all
keeping up : (1) Commissioners Court took at look at their mandated needs
(giggle), (2) surprise we had a building, (3) let’s sell it, (4) what are we
going to need to grow government and remolding of the courthouse, (5) put it up
for bid – and followed the law, (6) only ONE BID was given to the county – which
was what they were looking for. Whew…..okay commissioner – go on!
7. To
protect the taxpayers from incurring higher lease rates, if space is needed
during the renovation of the courthouse or as a result of any changes for space
requirements by county offices, we negotiated discounted lease rates for a
4-5 year period with the buyer of the PEC as a condition of the sale.
Klein Answer :
Now it is “if” space is needed? If renovation
of the courthouse or if those pesky feds or state guys say you guys need bigger
offices? Discounted lease rates for government? In the building that is being
sold to a private company? Hmmm…okay commissioner. Keep digging.
8.
The purchaser and the County agreed that, if
and only if, the County needed extra floor space within the next 4-5 years,
the County could exercise an option to lease back up to 14,000 feet of 1st
floor office space. The lease price negotiated includes floor space, parking,
all utilities, taxes, insurance and janitorial services at a price well below
market. The key is this: The County doesn’t pay anything until, when, or if
we exercise the option and actually occupy the space.
Klein Answer : We are
back to if and only if? Man this tune sure has changed. My media friends I have
spoke with used the term for you as “crawfishing?” Or “got caught”? But hang
on…the key is according to you that the county doesn’t pay anything until, when,
or if the county exercise the option and actually occupy the space. Hmmm...just
us thinking – pay anything. Keep those words in your thoughts.
9.
So Mr. Klein, Do the Math. If Jefferson County
were to exercise the option for the full 14,000 sf. at the negotiated rate of
$1.00 per sq. ft., the very maximum we would pay for the full 5 years is less
than $1.0 million. To my knowledge we have no plans to need the space for more
than 1-3 years maximum, if at all. SO HOW DID YOU ARRIVE AT A $2.0 MILLION
FIGURE “Good old boy Deal” ?????
Klein Answer :
We got those numbers commissioner from your
office. We got it from the county judges office. So did the media! We all got
the numbers from you guys. But now the story changes again – your words sir :
“To my knowledge we have no plans to need the space for more than 1-3 years
maximum.” This is another change from “if” – or maybe we are just confused?
Again – you don’t pass the smell test. But we are fixing to help you
commissioner – hang in there – because here it comes buddy.
10.
Yes, it’s a good deal for the taxpayers of
Jefferson County
. It puts a publicly held property back on the tax rolls generating over $50,000
in new tax revenue each year for the area’s taxing entities. It saves Jefferson
County over $55,000 annually in insurance and utility costs and gives a boost of
250 - 400 new professional jobs added to the downtown Beaumont economy.
Klein Answer :
Let’s take this one slow big boy. We were very
happy that it is going back on the tax rolls. We said so – go back and look bud.
And we are very happy that the taxpayers aren’t paying insurance on a building
that nobody uses or you cannot sell. Frankly, the taxpayers should never have
gotten into the deal (did you vote for that?), and we are not sure where you get
the 250 to 450 jobs. We tooled on over to Richard’s place in Nederland – and we
asked his staff how many people work in the two buildings. They said 60.
So…where is the 400 number you are coming up with? Maybe you know something that
we don’t? Nederland is losing 60. Beaumont is gaining 60. Net gain? Zero? Is
that fuzzy math? I bet Mark is kicking himself right now. The City of Nederland
is losing its biggest employer! But it might have been saved? Read on
commissioner. It is almost time to take you to school buddy.
11.
So, let’s see…that would add up to a $500,000 savings to the taxpayers,
Plus the $2,111,000 Jefferson County will receive from the sale of the PEC
building that was donated to the taxpayers.
Klein Answer :
Yep – the county gets out of the leasing
business in one of its buildings that the taxpayers should never have funded.
But they did – it is what it is. And all the costs of a bad decision will now go
away? We can only hope. And we hope that you guys don’t do what your famous for
– spend it.
WOW MR. KLEIN, IT SEEMS TO ADD UP TO OVER $ 2.5
million under the best case scenario and, if the county determines a need for
additional space within the PEC, there is still a $1.5 million in savings to
Jefferson County Taxpayers.
Anyway you try and twist this, it’s a
WIN – WIN for Jefferson County
Taxpayers.
Klein Answer :
Now it is school time. Commissioner – you are –
and you know it – we know it – the media knows it – the public knows it – that
you are going to lease back that space. And it is part of the deal. No matter
how many silly excuses (and you sound really silly) in changing your wording and
double play. It might work for the mainstream – but not us. So let’s go to
school big boy. Want a better deal? Here is one for you bud – do what you are
doing and sell the building – and then if you need office space to house folks
so they can get a coat of paint or new carpet on their floor – you can use this
place that the county already owns :
Surprise! We dug around a little and found that
the county owns another empty building with (get this here it comes) about
14,000 usable square feet. Now let’s do some fuzzy math - $1 million (using your
numbers) in leasing space in downtown could be saved by simply using the
building in Nederland, Texas that the county already has. Now you don’t probably
know about this building – but it is being offered for lease by Coldwell
Bankers. A nice leasing agent by the name of Arnold and Associates which touted
themselves to you commissioners that they have a 100% success rate in leasing
buildings – if our memory servers us? But wait? Did we just say Arnold and
Associates? Sherri Arnold? As Saints fans say – WHO DAT? Well, taxpayers – DAT
is Commissioner Arnolds wife? Now we wonder why the deal was not offered or bid
to the Nederland Company to come to the 14,000 sq. feet in Nederland. Or wait –
if a lease is made? Isn’t there a leasing fee? Who gets DAT? There is plenty of
parking – many restaurants around for the employees – and the building gets
used. Right? Or is there another deal out there that nobody wants to talk about
sir? Let’s remind the taxpayers of the property they own and sits empty that is
being sold by the professional leasing company :
That is the sign everyone sees after getting
off their flights and arriving in Southeast Texas! Appealing huh? But who really
cares – right commissioner – nobody is coming in that airport anyway. Jefferson
County is dead – businesses are leaving. And you are learning another reason
why. Insider deals – if you are on the inside? Right Commissioner? And was
touted again as having a 100% success rate if our memory is again right? Now
fuzzy math time again – empty building minus? Oh, never mind.
Now we are sure that the county employees might
not be real happy if they live in Beaumont and have to drive to Mid-County while
their offices get some paint and carpet. But maybe they can all suffer a little.
If they cannot share an office with another employee while their office is
getting fixed up – well we all have to give a little? Right commissioner?
What we just did was save the county $1 million
dollars (wink wink) and gets the building in mid-county used. If it was good for
our men and women in the armed forces – it should be good for our employees?
Right commissioner? Fuzzy math time again?
Wow! Look what we just did? We helped? But we
know that you are not going to use our idea (s) – why? Because the only way Mr.
Richard would buy a run down building in downtown Beaumont is if he got
something back. And we pat Mr. Richard on the back – big time. But we the
taxpayers have to pay again. When we should have gotten two million and the tax
dollars – we actually are getting one million (and we will trust you and not
your minions on the 4th floor or the media reports).
Now for this question – oh wait – you have a
big conclusion and we want to give you the stage. Ready? Here we go :
So Mr. Klein, How can you make the false accusations you published on
your blog, and that you expressed in person on radio and TV programs about this
issue when you apparently didn’t bother to research the truth? I think that
your readers need to know the truth. I hope you will publish this for all to
see.
Klein Answer :
No commissioner – there is nothing false that
we have posted. We just called you out and you were dumb enough to respond. Some
days with you guys it is like shooting fish in a barrel. Like this – we don’t
have a radio show sir? Do we? And we did research it – FROM YOUR STAFF on the 4th
FLOOR! The media did too? We all heard the same thing – now the story changes.
But history cannot sir. And we did publish this for all to see. And after you
read it you probably will regret even writing us.
Here is the bottom line commissioner – you are
wrapped up in the Walker machine. You were hired by the taxpayers to keep
government at only what is needed – not increase it by 44%. Your arrogance is
clear – the insider deals just keep on coming – and you cannot even spin the
lies that it put out on a weekly basis.
We know commissioner – we hear it. The threats
that if you do business with Klein or if anyone does anything with Klein we (the
gang of seven and the county) will turn their backs on you. Well commissioner –
we are growing faster than you can spend the taxpayers money by (%). You can
tell the Walker clan and the rest of your minions up there that nothing is
working. And we get your desperation. We get that for the first time in years
that someone is challenging the insider deals – the lies – the mismanagement –
the politics – and of course the deals that nobody should here about – but we
know about. And we talk about it – and now you guys are feeling the heat. And in
fact, two of your minions may lose their jobs over it. As you will lose yours in
two years – remember history and you have a bunch sir.. There is more anger
right now than you will ever know at you, the commissioner’s court, and for that
matter government in general. But you don’t get it because you are drunk with
power and you love spending other peoples money. We call it taxes – you call it
“ours.”
In the end sir – you just got taken to political
school. And we let the media (who reads us), the biggest names in politics in
East Texas (who reads us), the feds (who reads us), and 20,000 page views a week
of people (who reads us) – watch a true political melt down.
So here is a message for you – sir – and with
all due respect – tell the Walker machine and family as well as Mr. Maness that
if they want to shut this site up they cannot do it by threatening those to whom
I associate with and get you to send silly emails that you know I am going to
pounce on. I am going to hold your feet to the fire – as well as theirs. I am
not going anywhere until I retire. All of you got caught in a bad deal. You know
it – we know it – and the taxpayers simply don’t care anymore. They are numb and
getting out of here as fast as they can. So you keep doing what you are doing –
and we the taxpayer (s) will keep leaving and all will be good.
And so folks – another
lesson learned. Do you think we are getting to them? You bet we are. It cannot
be better than this.
