Big Splash has not paid 2007 rent

[dsjeffries]

quote:Originally posted by zstyles

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080701_1__Anacc87371

My mouth is still officially dropped.

I'm stunned.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by dsjeffries

quote:Originally posted by zstyles

http://www.tulsaworld.com/news/article.aspx?articleID=20080701_1__Anacc87371

My mouth is still officially dropped.

I'm stunned.

Wonder if there are any other Big Splash/Murphy Bros. payments to the Fairgrounds that have either never been paid, or the checks never cashed???

[Kashmir]

Like poo circling the pool drain...but much too late...the pool water is still tainted.[xx(]

[Wrinkle]

IMO, Mr. Bjorklund is the fall guy. He's not been there long enough to have caused all this. He's been following directions since he arrived, including on the Bell's deal. He was fired from up north because he wouldn't participate in this kind of stuff. Found himself in the midst of the Bell's deal upon arrival and carried the water.

The Comptroller is the guy who should've known and pointed it out, if even to Bjorklund. That's what Comptrollers do. The guy must be within a year or two of retirement for them to pad him with two weeks time off.

Firing the new guy is supposed to make it all better, yet the problem remains. But, things will likely change a lot in November.

[Steve]

The whole Expo Square/County Commission/Big Splash/Murphy Family controversy now coming to light is just a continuation of good old boy Oklahoma government business.  For some reason, I see shades of the big OK county commission scandals of the 1970s/1980s.

Local papers and media need to lock into this, investigate, and report to we taxpayers what is really going on here.

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by Wrinkle

IMO, Mr. Bjorklund is the fall guy. He's not been there long enough to have caused all this. He's been following directions since he arrived, including on the Bell's deal. He was fired from up north because he wouldn't participate in this kind of stuff. Found himself in the midst of the Bell's deal upon arrival and carried the water.

The Comptroller is the guy who should've known and pointed it out, if even to Bjorklund. That's what Comptrollers do. The guy must be within a year or two of retirement for them to pad him with two weeks time off.

Firing the new guy is supposed to make it all better, yet the problem remains. But, things will likely change a lot in November.

If he didn't know money wasn't in the bank from Murphy's for the last year and a half and he's essentially the CEO, that's gross dereliction of duty.  This is a public institution he is running.  He's old enough and experienced enough in the public building business to know this doesn't cut it.

They guy has worked for Wembley Stadium, Three Rivers, and the Wisconsin State Fair.  He's been around the block and his career spiraled downhill to this three ring circus in Tulsa.

Hopefully this is just the tip of the iceberg in cleaning up county governement, but I'm not buying that he was just a poor pawn in all this.  He was somewhere between incompetent and a protector of long-time acquantances, the Murphys.

I'm assuming his replacement Mark Andrus is Major Mark Andrus, formerly of TPD?  That would be some great integrity at the helm.  Glad they moved swiftly and glad they picked someone who has a trustworthy image, at least.

[RecycleMichael]

Yes. The same guy.

He was hired six weeks ago. His title was Chief Operating Officer.

He is from the outside and had a spectacular 34 year career with the Tulsa Police Department.

[Friendly Bear]

quote:Originally posted by RecycleMichael

Yes. The same guy.

He was hired six weeks ago. His title was Chief Operating Officer.

He is from the outside and had a spectacular 34 year career with the Tulsa Police Department.

A Wise Man in the Know once told me:

"Friendly Bear, EVERY deal at the County is a BENT deal".

[waterboy]

I have to agree with AA. This stink goes farther than the guy fired. He was the fall guy holding checks or deferring payment while the Murphy's waited for a CocaCola sponsorship to materialize. That means BigSplash didn't have the rent money. They didn't make repairs for the same reason.  Now that Coke smells dirty water they aren't going to pony up.

Result is eminent bankruptcy. Summer passes were $50 and they would have to have sold 4000 just to pay back rent. Anyone know how many they sold this year?

"See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil", the three county commissioners, should have known, and probably did know about this. Now they meet in private and refuse to divulge details?

This is what political scandal is all about and its not going to go away easily.

[swake]

quote:Originally posted by waterboy

I have to agree with AA. This stink goes farther than the guy fired. He was the fall guy holding checks or deferring payment while the Murphy's waited for a CocaCola sponsorship to materialize. That means BigSplash didn't have the rent money. They didn't make repairs for the same reason.  Now that Coke smells dirty water they aren't going to pony up.

Result is eminent bankruptcy. Summer passes were $50 and they would have to have sold 4000 just to pay back rent. Anyone know how many they sold this year?

"See no evil, hear no evil and speak no evil", the three county commissioners, should have known, and probably did know about this. Now they meet in private and refuse to divulge details?

This is what political scandal is all about and its not going to go away easily.

I would not assume that they can't pay the rent. Why would you pay when a few $5,000 campaign "contributions" can save you a couple of hundred grant in rent and shut down your main competition.

Those "contributions" weren't made to the CEO of Expo Square either.

[sgrizzle]

Can we fire Ms Miller this quick too?

[patric]

Its too bad we couldnt have both Karen Keith and Sally Bell come November...

[Conan71]

quote:Originally posted by patric

Its too bad we couldnt have both Karen Keith and Sally Bell come November...

+1

At least according to Smaligo when Ch. 6 talked to him, the commissioners had no idea of the rent arrearage until last week.  It was apparently up to Bjorklund to keep them advised of such goings on and, according to the same report, Bjorklund did not have the authority to waive rent pending the Coke sponsorship.

Bjorklund may not have been corrupt, but certainly negligent and apparently incompetent.  He was a bureaucrat, so that's par for the course, right? []

This does shine a light though that our county commission is deft at best in handling the citizen's business, or toward a much deeper pattern of corruption.  This is a full-time job, not part-time like the city council.  So, how is it that not one member of the comm. was not even remotely aware that Big Splash was in arrears and there was $60+K missing from cash-on hand vs. reciepts?  

I don't know there was anything sinister here, but basing my opinion on Smaligo's comments, there's obviously a lax system of accountability between the public operating authority and the bureaucracy charged with day-to-day operations.  There is certainly much fodder to support claims of corruption that go deeper than $5000 campaign contributions.

I'm increasingly un-impressed with Perry and Smaligo.  Miller?  She's been a train wreck.  Maybe it's my general cynicism toward our county government or paranoia, but, I think Miller knows all the skeletons of county politics and Smaligo and Perry are just un-witting dupes who are told: "Everything is just fine!  Nothing to see here!  Now, go shake down an asphalt contractor or something!".

There's still a mystery much deeper than the focus at the fairgrounds shifting to horses from baseball and family amusement.

Our county commission would do well to sit down with the media and the public to set the record straight as to exactly what is going on instead of acting like a bunch of insular jerks when they are challenged.

The county can't manage a simple $130,000 per year renter without major SNAFUS.  Is it any wonder more than half of Tulsa County said "no way" to a $283mm slush fund to be managed by this tight little clan?

And Randi Miller can't return the Murphy's $5000 because she spent it?  It's a campaign year, she should be flush right now.  Sounds like her backers are scurrying like cock roaches.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by Conan71

quote:Originally posted by patric

Its too bad we couldnt have both Karen Keith and Sally Bell come November...

+1

At least according to Smaligo when Ch. 6 talked to him, the commissioners had no idea of the rent arrearage until last week.  It was apparently up to Bjorklund to keep them advised of such goings on and, according to the same report, Bjorklund did not have the authority to waive rent pending the Coke sponsorship.

Bjorklund may not have been corrupt, but certainly negligent and apparently incompetent.  He was a bureaucrat, so that's par for the course, right? []

This does shine a light though that our county commission is deft at best in handling the citizen's business, or toward a much deeper pattern of corruption.  This is a full-time job, not part-time like the city council.  So, how is it that not one member of the comm. was not even remotely aware that Big Splash was in arrears and there was $60+K missing from cash-on hand vs. reciepts?  

I don't know there was anything sinister here, but basing my opinion on Smaligo's comments, there's obviously a lax system of accountability between the public operating authority and the bureaucracy charged with day-to-day operations.  There is certainly much fodder to support claims of corruption that go deeper than $5000 campaign contributions.

I'm increasingly un-impressed with Perry and Smaligo.  Miller?  She's been a train wreck.  Maybe it's my general cynicism toward our county government or paranoia, but, I think Miller knows all the skeletons of county politics and Smaligo and Perry are just un-witting dupes who are told: "Everything is just fine!  Nothing to see here!  Now, go shake down an asphalt contractor or something!".

There's still a mystery much deeper than the focus at the fairgrounds shifting to horses from baseball and family amusement.

Our county commission would do well to sit down with the media and the public to set the record straight as to exactly what is going on instead of acting like a bunch of insular jerks when they are challenged.

The county can't manage a simple $130,000 per year renter without major SNAFUS.  Is it any wonder more than half of Tulsa County said "no way" to a $283mm slush fund to be managed by this tight little clan?

And Randi Miller can't return the Murphy's $5000 because she spent it?  It's a campaign year, she should be flush right now.  Sounds like her backers are scurrying like cock roaches.

And I damn sure didn't care how smug Small-IQ acted when he was being asked questions about the committee meeting.  I think he knows he's lost some reputation points on this deal.

[Double A]

Smalligo and Perry are both career politicians. Considering they are both former state legislators, their incompetence is completely inexcusable. They need to be held accountable, too.