Some of the more illustrious members of the above group are not only Ms. Rapp, but also Ms. Williamson and Ms. Daniels. The last two very kind ladies are taking time to comment on my posting(s). Oh my, did I just practice "Democracy" and "Freedom of Speech" here for you or am I attempting to hide your literary efforts? That could in some circles/ groups be a two glass discussion?
The ridiculous comment on your identity: "Concerning my identity, true concern over impending revenge on my life and property forces me to keep my identity under wraps".
Right, right !. As I said before anyone afraid to put their name on their writings is just hiding. So play your little game(s). So no more on who you are or how many sitting around your tablets on a Tuesday; enjoying your bottle(s) of wine or maybe one has graduated to hard liquor for courage?
None of you most likely have a clue on facing physical attacks on yourselves or your property. I am very comfortable that each and everyone of you will find your little buckets and shovels safe in the sand box come tomorrow. And no one is going to throw sand in your faces either. Leastways, I'll not.
But allow this bit of summation on what happened in 2012- 2016:
1. Sometime in 2012 Ms. Rapp was hired by Highmark.
2. Mr. Rapp ran for and won as Mayor in 2012 against a fine Gentleman who had passed away the day after a City Council Meeting. And even with that, he still almost beat Mr. Rapp. Had he been with us on Election Day, suspect his desires to change the Corruption in Vienna would have been a different cry from the sleaze going on now?
3. 1 January 2013, Mr. Rapp assumed the mantle of the Imperial One for the City. And at about the same time, Ms. Rapp was appointed to a remaining time term on the Vienna Public Library Board of Directors. Guess this was to insure bringing in the Library Staff to the Highmark umbrella?
4. Based on a conversation in early 2012 with Mr. Rapp, I asked in the first of FOUR (4) Freedom of Information Act requests (21 March through 4 April) (FOIAs), the "how" he got Health Insurance via the City when he had advised me in the earlier conversation on his Health and Insurance situations and the then "pre-existing condition clause" that stopped so many from coverage UNTIL 1 Jan 2014.
The end result was deep refusals to tell the Truth of the matter under the HIPA Law.
5. Mr. Thornton in the March/ April of 2013 time frame ran afoul of a Wood County Deputy just North of Vienna and did not pass go and for sure paid over $200., for the DUI he admitted too in Court.
6. About this same time, Mr. Thornton as the senior member of the Budget and Finance Committee said that the City would begin having a "third" party do the process of renewing the City Health Insurance Plan for each year.
For the past 10-12 years as I had pointed out, the City had "automatically" renewed with the than Blue Cross/ Blue Shield now known as Highmark. This was in violation then and would be now with the State Bidding/ Purchasing Protocols/ Laws. So much for the "outstanding" State Audits over the years?
I had at this same time began to question this "auto" renewal. So take credit for forcing them to change direction even if it was possibly worse than what they had been doing before? The Company they went with to do this negotiating was the Schwendeman Agency. This company has handled the negotiations since than and do so for other Governmental Entities locally.
7. In another FOIA, I asked how many Insurance Companies were bidding on the Health Plan. I was
advised that several had received the packets but only a few had replied. United Healthcare was the LOW bidder in at least one try. It was here that the questionable "negotiation" part began to show up?
I than asked about any other Company being able to renegotiate/ submit new bids/ proposals as was Highmark? The answer was "NO". Anything starting to stink here just a bit?
This is how the ALLEGED collusion, maybe a definition of conspiracy by all concerned to keep the Health Plan with Highmark up thorough the upcoming Fiscal Year starting 1 July 2016? In the jargon I was taught years ago in Federal Purchasing and still getting people chewed up today, it is called a "Sweet Heart deal. And this is NOT done just in Government; it is done in the real world too.
It appears that Highmark is allowed to keep "resubmitting" choices to get the Plan cost down under the other bids so as to be the lowest and thereby acceptable one? It also helps to minimize the costs to the City Employees ($0- $100/ month maximum) for their Premiums via the redo's.
8. It was alleged that Mr. Thornton was to retire from DuPont (hmmm, where are we hearing that name now?) in 2013 and start a City Position as the "Economic Development Director" with a pay package of about $55- $65K/ year. This blew up (no pun intended) when he was in the clutches of the Wood County Officer. This officer was accused by some of just harassing/ illegally arresting Mr. Thornton at that time as the officer was an ex-Vienna police officer.
9. Mr. Thornton instead retired in about the April- June 2014 time frame and on 1 July 2014 (2014- 2015 Fiscal Year) was appointed to a City only job opening that only he applied to fill. BUT, no car even if the money was budgeted for it.
10. It was in 2014 that Ms. Rapp got a promotion in her employment at Highmark.
11. It was also about this time that I was advised that as part of the alleged settlement of the case against Mr. Thornton on his DUI that he had to have a breathalyzer in his vehicle? This would have caused a lot of problems for a City employee driving a City Vehicle and City Vehicle Insurance to take prospective property buyers around our great little City. So he used his own vehicle in 2014- 2015 Fiscal Years.
12. In the past Fiscal Year, 2015-2016, Mr. Thornton advised the City that his vehicle(s) were not of a fine enough quality to show folks around in; plus he was having issues on his insurance using them for business purposes. So in the spirit of comradery that permeates the City Government, a brand new City Vehicle was again approved for him and the money had previously been budgeted for it.
Now when Mr. Rapp got his brand new City Vehicle, it was supposed to be a fleet type unit that anyone could use as needed and available. Sadly, the poor souls could not coordinate the usage of this unit for City Business. When one is Photo opting all over the Eastern Seaboard including the great State of Louisiana, the need for a vehicle is mandatory. Guess like the Big Guy in D.C., who Mr. Rapp emulates in Max Tax, Max Spending and ignore the People; maybe he has his vehicle airlifted with him to where ever he is traveling? In any case, there was just no way that two people could use that one vehicle during the work day. And of course at night, wine and dine time. One might guess that people coming to look at vacant property/ land were coming on only 1 or less hours notice and the need for Mr. Rapp to bolt from Vienna to where ever was also an impossibility to schedule too. But as the City has so much excess money, they have the cars.
13. At about this time, Ms. Rapp was appointed to a full five year term on the Library Board.
14. The City is bragging on how its Insurance Premiums for the 2016- 2017 were reduced by about $105K due to the wellness programs being implemented and all the employees getting on board with them.
The questions should be: are the Premiums $105k LESS than the 2015-2016 plan or just more of the smoke and mirrors that go on each year? This by reducing the alleged Premium for the NEXT year to make it appear a reduction? The City cannot fool everyone ALL the time; just some of it.
The above is a pretty reasonable time line of how some things occurred.
Now are the above all "coincidences"? Is this the work of a conspiracy theorist? Why not?
Now in closing, a comment is made that you are one of my neighbors and a male. But you are afraid of me "retaliating" against you for speaking an opinion is only the usual misdirection, misinformation, deceit and deception that is part of the local Governance? If you are afraid of me; shame on you. I can understand where an adult (?) "MALE" would be, as the next step UP is that of a "MAN". One does not have to be an adult to be a MAN. Life will mature one no matter their age. Have seen some ADULT 18 year old MEN and some up to 60- 70 year old MALES. I would offer my hand to you to make that step up, but if one must hide behind Captain Anonymous, than you are either reading to many comic books (I think they still have a Captain Courageous one, that you fashion yourself after?) or are watching too many movies (Captain Marvel, maybe)?
And I am sorry that I am not able to offer a "hand up" to any adult "FEMALES". That would be the choice of any of the WOMEN in the area if they wished to help?
Now if ANY prudent person can see a "Personal" attack on anyone not a City/ Library appointed/ elected person, I would like to know who it is? Captain Anonymous not a qualifier. If one can not sign their work, they are not really much of anything to begin with in this type of issue- MALE or FEMALE.
Address the issues and we will go farther. But otherwise ladies and male, no more rebuttals from me.
I have myself, laid out the "coincidences"; accidental happenings of the past and current four years. As I have noted before, each and everyone of you is welcome to make your decision on how Corrupt our City Administration is today and has been for years. Because each and every one on the Council vote on these "agreements", they have tied themselves to the issues BY THEIR CHOICE. The Board of the City of Vienna may well all be tied in via the Ms. Rapp allegations?
Now the above comments on the Health Insurance are not the only questionable goings on. I have the documents to show some weird to be generous purchasing of supplies and services over the past years. Sweetheart deals are more common here than many of you may imagine.
It has been eye opening on how many people are so unhappy with what has occurred over a period of years. Many had not thought about the Max Taxing over the past several terms by Mr. Nohe and than Mr. Rapp. The Truth has come out in the past few years and will continue to show.
The City is again delaying the response to a FOIAs with the time worn "we don't understand what you want" questions. I used word for word the exact wording that was used in the 24 March City Council meeting but the City has now gone unable to comprehend once again.
Will talk about the last Water Board Meeting and City Council meetings in the next few days. Again, I ask you to read, think and comment to your friends, family and neighbors (hopefully intelligently) on what you think.
No one has to agree with me and is welcome to say so. This is the year for the Residents/ Voters to take back their City.
It has been my hope to make the Residents/ Voters/ Taxpayers aware in Vienna just how Corrupt the City Governance is today and has been for years. I unlike "Captain Anonymous" have stepped up and put my money where my mouth is; walked the walk and been open in what I am and what I believe each and every person in Vienna deserves from its Government. You do ALL deserve better.
I am humbly and respectfully asking for your Votes. 'nuff said'
(Paid for by the Candidate- Lawrence J. Wilson for Mayor of Vienna).