1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:05,280 Speaker 1: That is a feeling of Marjorie Taylor Green on sixty 2 00:00:05,360 --> 00:00:08,920 Speaker 1: minutes I got. 3 00:00:07,920 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 2: Good you five KRC the talk Station. 4 00:00:17,840 --> 00:00:22,960 Speaker 3: Fifty five KARC the talk Station eight o six, Tuesday, 5 00:00:22,960 --> 00:00:26,440 Speaker 3: December ninth, Brian Thomas taking the day off. 6 00:00:26,480 --> 00:00:32,120 Speaker 1: He is back tomorrow. I am told Joe Strecker's rolling 7 00:00:32,159 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: out the Van Hallen Music. Got a love every minute 8 00:00:34,320 --> 00:00:34,440 Speaker 1: of it. 9 00:00:35,320 --> 00:00:38,600 Speaker 3: I'm Dan Carroll and for Brian Thomas, and my great 10 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:40,880 Speaker 3: pleasure to welcome into the studio a guy that I've 11 00:00:41,440 --> 00:00:44,600 Speaker 3: talked to on the phone. I've texted him and we've 12 00:00:44,800 --> 00:00:47,720 Speaker 3: exchanged some emails back and forth, but my first time 13 00:00:47,760 --> 00:00:51,080 Speaker 3: meeting him in person, and it is the Citizen Watchdog 14 00:00:51,680 --> 00:00:54,200 Speaker 3: Todd Zenzer and Todd is It's great. 15 00:00:53,960 --> 00:00:54,760 Speaker 1: To see you this morning. 16 00:00:54,800 --> 00:00:55,600 Speaker 4: Great to see you, Dan. 17 00:00:55,720 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: You got stuck in traffic on the way here. Yeah, 18 00:00:58,040 --> 00:00:58,600 Speaker 1: that's possible. 19 00:00:58,640 --> 00:01:02,600 Speaker 4: I don't know a lot of chuck Ingram. I was 20 00:01:02,640 --> 00:01:05,720 Speaker 4: waiting to hear chuck Ingram. I didn't hear them what 21 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:08,560 Speaker 4: you made it here? Nonetheless I did. Are you quickly 22 00:01:08,600 --> 00:01:10,760 Speaker 4: becoming one of the most hated men at city Hall? 23 00:01:11,520 --> 00:01:13,640 Speaker 4: I think there are probably a few that would rather 24 00:01:13,720 --> 00:01:15,120 Speaker 4: not have me around. 25 00:01:17,959 --> 00:01:20,600 Speaker 3: I mean, what tell me for those who don't know, 26 00:01:20,800 --> 00:01:23,200 Speaker 3: and and I've never met you in person before, but 27 00:01:23,240 --> 00:01:25,880 Speaker 3: I know you what You were an inspector general? 28 00:01:26,120 --> 00:01:26,360 Speaker 4: Yes? 29 00:01:26,640 --> 00:01:28,520 Speaker 1: At which which government agency? 30 00:01:28,760 --> 00:01:33,360 Speaker 4: Well? Two agencies. I was the Inspector General at Commerce 31 00:01:33,400 --> 00:01:39,240 Speaker 4: Department and that includes noah, the Census Bureau. You know, 32 00:01:39,280 --> 00:01:44,559 Speaker 4: I'm gapping right now, but a collection of agencies. Patent 33 00:01:44,600 --> 00:01:47,800 Speaker 4: and Trademark Office was a big one. And then before that, 34 00:01:47,920 --> 00:01:51,639 Speaker 4: I worked for the Transportation Inspector General for sixteen years. 35 00:01:51,640 --> 00:01:54,880 Speaker 4: I left there to go to Commerce. I was the 36 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:57,800 Speaker 4: deputy IG when I left Transportation IG. 37 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:02,480 Speaker 3: Okay, So within the federal government are inspector generals? Are 38 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 3: you sort of frowned upon by the people that work there? 39 00:02:06,080 --> 00:02:09,200 Speaker 3: Or do they welcome what you do too to audit 40 00:02:09,240 --> 00:02:12,960 Speaker 3: and oversee and and report on your finding? 41 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:17,960 Speaker 4: H I think the rank and file appreciate the IG. 42 00:02:18,200 --> 00:02:20,760 Speaker 4: I don't think the management does. You know? For example, 43 00:02:20,800 --> 00:02:24,640 Speaker 4: if I ever went into an office to meet you know, 44 00:02:24,760 --> 00:02:28,200 Speaker 4: the management or whatever, people would yell out IG in 45 00:02:28,240 --> 00:02:31,320 Speaker 4: the house. You know things like that. 46 00:02:31,639 --> 00:02:34,520 Speaker 1: Yeah, like like eternal affairs of the police Department. 47 00:02:34,440 --> 00:02:35,280 Speaker 4: Right exactly? 48 00:02:36,480 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: Wait? 49 00:02:37,120 --> 00:02:38,919 Speaker 1: Are you from Cincinnati? Originally? 50 00:02:39,080 --> 00:02:40,840 Speaker 4: I am grew up, grew up in Price Hill. 51 00:02:40,919 --> 00:02:44,560 Speaker 3: When okay, all right, so that's why that's why you're 52 00:02:44,600 --> 00:02:46,520 Speaker 3: you're back in or I guess have you lived in 53 00:02:46,560 --> 00:02:47,600 Speaker 3: Cincinnati the whole time? 54 00:02:48,360 --> 00:02:48,520 Speaker 2: Uh? 55 00:02:48,639 --> 00:02:53,120 Speaker 4: No. I was transferred from Cincinnati to New Haven, Connecticut, 56 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:56,400 Speaker 4: and then to New York City and then to Washington, 57 00:02:56,520 --> 00:02:58,399 Speaker 4: d C. And I finished up in Washington. 58 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:00,680 Speaker 3: But glad to be back in Cincinnati. Oh yeah, and 59 00:03:00,720 --> 00:03:02,799 Speaker 3: now you turn your attention to city hall. 60 00:03:03,080 --> 00:03:03,880 Speaker 4: I have, yes. 61 00:03:04,800 --> 00:03:05,480 Speaker 1: Did that happen? 62 00:03:06,040 --> 00:03:08,720 Speaker 3: Was that part of the plan to come back and 63 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:11,360 Speaker 3: do that or did you just sort of fall into 64 00:03:11,400 --> 00:03:14,560 Speaker 3: that or someone said, hey, look at this is interesting, 65 00:03:14,600 --> 00:03:16,359 Speaker 3: take a look at this, or how did that happen? 66 00:03:16,600 --> 00:03:19,800 Speaker 4: Well? When I came back, the big reason was to 67 00:03:19,840 --> 00:03:22,760 Speaker 4: spend some time with my mother and her final years. 68 00:03:23,520 --> 00:03:28,120 Speaker 4: And I wound up working for a inventor, helping him 69 00:03:28,120 --> 00:03:31,800 Speaker 4: with some litigation against the patent office. And it came 70 00:03:31,840 --> 00:03:34,840 Speaker 4: to be twenty twenty three, all of a sudden, and 71 00:03:34,920 --> 00:03:39,080 Speaker 4: I hear that the city wants to sell this railroad. Yes, yeah, 72 00:03:39,120 --> 00:03:40,400 Speaker 4: And that triggered me. 73 00:03:40,640 --> 00:03:43,640 Speaker 1: So that I got a little red flag went up there. 74 00:03:43,680 --> 00:03:47,280 Speaker 4: Huh yes, And I started a political action committee called 75 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:52,440 Speaker 4: Citizens for a Transparent Railroad vote and did whatever I 76 00:03:52,440 --> 00:03:56,440 Speaker 4: could to speak out against the sale. Unfortunately, we lost, 77 00:03:57,320 --> 00:04:00,520 Speaker 4: and so that really gave me a lot of insight 78 00:04:00,600 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 4: about how the city was operating. They were very very 79 00:04:03,280 --> 00:04:07,480 Speaker 4: dishonest about that deal, uh, and they sprung it on 80 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:11,440 Speaker 4: the citizens uh that their first statements were that, well, 81 00:04:11,480 --> 00:04:14,320 Speaker 4: we can't really get involved in you know, politics here, 82 00:04:14,400 --> 00:04:17,080 Speaker 4: so we're not going to give you any information in 83 00:04:17,160 --> 00:04:20,400 Speaker 4: the in the trust or the board. The railroad board 84 00:04:20,480 --> 00:04:23,599 Speaker 4: said the same thing. And it's like, that's outrageous this. 85 00:04:24,400 --> 00:04:26,680 Speaker 4: The people need to know what's going on here before 86 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,520 Speaker 4: we vote on anything. So that's that's what triggered me. 87 00:04:29,680 --> 00:04:33,479 Speaker 4: And part of me doing this is to try to 88 00:04:33,520 --> 00:04:35,400 Speaker 4: keep track of what they're doing with that money. 89 00:04:35,640 --> 00:04:39,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, the I mean I had known about the Cincinnati 90 00:04:39,120 --> 00:04:42,400 Speaker 3: owning that railroad for for a long time, and I 91 00:04:42,440 --> 00:04:45,560 Speaker 3: think most people in Cincinnati had no idea that the 92 00:04:45,600 --> 00:04:49,120 Speaker 3: city actually owned a railroad and derived a very nice 93 00:04:49,160 --> 00:04:54,800 Speaker 3: revenue stream from from that railroad. When when you look 94 00:04:54,839 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 3: at all the assurances that were made Charli I remember 95 00:04:58,600 --> 00:05:01,600 Speaker 3: Charlie Lucan doing multiple En interviews on this, talking about, hey, 96 00:05:01,600 --> 00:05:03,480 Speaker 3: all these guardrails are going to be up, but State 97 00:05:03,560 --> 00:05:06,920 Speaker 3: legislature got involved and all that. In the wake of 98 00:05:06,960 --> 00:05:10,719 Speaker 3: all that, are you satisfied with all the guardrails and 99 00:05:10,760 --> 00:05:13,240 Speaker 3: the you know that have been put in place to 100 00:05:14,320 --> 00:05:16,320 Speaker 3: make sure that this money is being used in the 101 00:05:16,400 --> 00:05:18,680 Speaker 3: right way or doled out in the right way. No, No, 102 00:05:18,800 --> 00:05:21,600 Speaker 3: you're shaking your head. None, not at all. Early on, 103 00:05:21,960 --> 00:05:25,039 Speaker 3: what's your major issue with the with the deal the 104 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:26,200 Speaker 3: way it's it's structured. 105 00:05:26,360 --> 00:05:31,000 Speaker 4: Well, after we lost the vote, I did propose four 106 00:05:31,080 --> 00:05:34,640 Speaker 4: or five different things that the city should do. For example, 107 00:05:34,680 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 4: they need to take what they spent on capital in 108 00:05:38,040 --> 00:05:41,279 Speaker 4: twenty twenty three and use that as the floor. We 109 00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:44,800 Speaker 4: do not go below that, all right, and then whatever 110 00:05:44,839 --> 00:05:47,359 Speaker 4: the railroad money is you put on top of that. 111 00:05:48,360 --> 00:05:52,240 Speaker 4: So that's the only way to get ahead of the 112 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:57,240 Speaker 4: spending that's required. But my big concern is that the 113 00:05:57,279 --> 00:06:00,960 Speaker 4: city doesn't have the capacity to spend all that extra 114 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:04,840 Speaker 4: money in a timely way. And that's why they tell people, oh, 115 00:06:04,880 --> 00:06:07,760 Speaker 4: this is going to take ten years, and they actually 116 00:06:07,760 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 4: give money back or they have unspent money. And just 117 00:06:12,279 --> 00:06:16,560 Speaker 4: this Monday and the Budget Committee they went through what 118 00:06:16,600 --> 00:06:19,960 Speaker 4: they call the carryover. They have a carryover and they 119 00:06:19,960 --> 00:06:22,919 Speaker 4: have a capital sunset and these are moneys that the 120 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:25,360 Speaker 4: city has not been able to spend the way they 121 00:06:25,400 --> 00:06:27,920 Speaker 4: told the public they would be spending it, and so 122 00:06:27,960 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 4: they have these carryover dollars and then they just go 123 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:32,200 Speaker 4: to town and spend it. 124 00:06:34,400 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 3: So I see, I figured there was going to be 125 00:06:36,800 --> 00:06:40,520 Speaker 3: a way that this money was gonna was going to 126 00:06:40,560 --> 00:06:43,479 Speaker 3: be able to get back into the general fund. But 127 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:47,680 Speaker 3: we were assured that that there there was only certain 128 00:06:47,760 --> 00:06:51,160 Speaker 3: budget items that this could be spending. Largely it's it's infrastructure, 129 00:06:51,360 --> 00:06:57,240 Speaker 3: infrastructure projects, right right, right. And it seems on one hand, 130 00:06:57,279 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 3: it seems silly to limit yourself to that sort of thing. 131 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:02,360 Speaker 3: On the other hand, it seems sort of silly to 132 00:07:02,760 --> 00:07:07,720 Speaker 3: let a third party have control over that money. And look, 133 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,040 Speaker 3: I'm not that I am advocating that I trust city 134 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:14,080 Speaker 3: council to be in charge of such a large sumb. 135 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,360 Speaker 1: Right, because I never really thought that was a good idea. Right. 136 00:07:18,000 --> 00:07:21,320 Speaker 4: So they set up this Rube Goldberg process about what 137 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:23,880 Speaker 4: you can spend it on and how the money is 138 00:07:23,920 --> 00:07:29,120 Speaker 4: distributed and things like that. And when this first passed, 139 00:07:30,880 --> 00:07:36,080 Speaker 4: I was actually working with Jeff Kramerdine on extra safeguards, 140 00:07:36,520 --> 00:07:40,200 Speaker 4: and they actually put a motion forward and I just 141 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:46,240 Speaker 4: remember and back and forth with mister Crammerdine. They proposed 142 00:07:46,240 --> 00:07:50,960 Speaker 4: this motion to get the administration to report back on 143 00:07:51,080 --> 00:07:55,240 Speaker 4: these guardrail proposals, and I says, well, you should put 144 00:07:55,240 --> 00:07:58,560 Speaker 4: a deadline on it, thirty days, sixty days, whatever it is. 145 00:07:58,600 --> 00:08:01,080 Speaker 4: They didn't do that, so it took them a year 146 00:08:02,280 --> 00:08:04,680 Speaker 4: to address that. And the way they addressed it is 147 00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:09,080 Speaker 4: they buried it in another motion or addressing another motion. 148 00:08:10,200 --> 00:08:12,040 Speaker 4: And what I think they should do is take They 149 00:08:12,080 --> 00:08:14,480 Speaker 4: had a list they claimed to have a list of 150 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:19,080 Speaker 4: four hundred million dollars of deferred maintenance. It was four hundred, 151 00:08:19,080 --> 00:08:21,760 Speaker 4: it was five hundred. I only saw a list of 152 00:08:21,800 --> 00:08:24,000 Speaker 4: two hundred, and I saw a list of two hundred 153 00:08:24,000 --> 00:08:27,520 Speaker 4: and fifty million dollar estimate. Well, they should take that 154 00:08:27,640 --> 00:08:30,960 Speaker 4: list and go down the list one by one and 155 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,440 Speaker 4: fix those things that they said had been deferred. 156 00:08:33,520 --> 00:08:35,480 Speaker 1: It seems to me that would that would be a 157 00:08:35,600 --> 00:08:36,360 Speaker 1: sensible approach. 158 00:08:36,480 --> 00:08:39,080 Speaker 4: Yeah, they're not doing that for crying out loud. 159 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:42,720 Speaker 3: I mean I could spend all day asking you questions 160 00:08:42,760 --> 00:08:47,840 Speaker 3: about the railroad project. I am told that subsequently that 161 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:53,800 Speaker 3: in review of this deal, that the purchase price is 162 00:08:53,920 --> 00:08:57,079 Speaker 3: far less than what the value of that Railroad. 163 00:08:56,760 --> 00:08:59,640 Speaker 4: Is Yeah, they never put it out to bid, you know, 164 00:08:59,679 --> 00:09:04,559 Speaker 4: they just negotiated with Norfolk Southern. Yeah, so I mean 165 00:09:04,600 --> 00:09:08,079 Speaker 4: Norfolk Southern had first DIBs if they wanted to sell it. 166 00:09:08,280 --> 00:09:09,960 Speaker 1: And what what was it? What was the final number? 167 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:11,800 Speaker 4: Six point one one point six. 168 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,760 Speaker 3: Point six billion. Yeah, And and that money doesn't all 169 00:09:14,760 --> 00:09:17,000 Speaker 3: come at one time. It's that that money's paid out 170 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:18,480 Speaker 3: over a period of time, is that right? 171 00:09:18,559 --> 00:09:21,200 Speaker 4: Right? They get an annual they set an annual amount 172 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,559 Speaker 4: that they're going to disperse to the city, and then 173 00:09:23,600 --> 00:09:27,000 Speaker 4: that is paid to the city and quarterly amounts. And 174 00:09:27,320 --> 00:09:30,800 Speaker 4: what I've what I've asked the Trust board to do 175 00:09:31,480 --> 00:09:33,920 Speaker 4: is track whether or not they've actually been able to 176 00:09:33,960 --> 00:09:37,920 Speaker 4: spend the money from quarter one before they give them 177 00:09:37,960 --> 00:09:39,000 Speaker 4: money for quarter two. 178 00:09:39,240 --> 00:09:41,960 Speaker 3: But weren't we told that that the interest on that 179 00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:45,560 Speaker 3: money has already exceeded what their projection was going to 180 00:09:45,600 --> 00:09:47,800 Speaker 3: be in there for that's a wonderful thing, because now 181 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:50,040 Speaker 3: we have even more money than we thought we were 182 00:09:50,080 --> 00:09:50,400 Speaker 3: going to have. 183 00:09:50,640 --> 00:09:54,440 Speaker 4: Well, we it has the trust balance has gone up, 184 00:09:55,720 --> 00:09:58,360 Speaker 4: but so has inflation. And inflation is going to be 185 00:09:58,400 --> 00:10:01,040 Speaker 4: here for a long time. So you don't know what 186 00:10:01,080 --> 00:10:04,960 Speaker 4: the impact of inflation is on that balance, it probably 187 00:10:05,000 --> 00:10:07,760 Speaker 4: buys much much less than it did in twenty twenty three, 188 00:10:07,800 --> 00:10:08,400 Speaker 4: to be honest. 189 00:10:08,600 --> 00:10:12,079 Speaker 3: So I've had so many people ask me how are 190 00:10:12,080 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 3: things going with the railroad money? And when people ask 191 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,120 Speaker 3: you that question, what's your general response to that. 192 00:10:19,360 --> 00:10:21,640 Speaker 4: Well, it's the first year that they are actually spending 193 00:10:21,640 --> 00:10:25,040 Speaker 4: the money. The biggest chunk that I've seen is five 194 00:10:25,080 --> 00:10:28,560 Speaker 4: million going to the Western Hills Viydoc. I think it 195 00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:31,920 Speaker 4: was five or five point seven or something like that 196 00:10:31,960 --> 00:10:34,280 Speaker 4: going to the Western Hills Viydoc. But the rest of 197 00:10:34,320 --> 00:10:39,800 Speaker 4: the spending is spread out to rec centers and parks 198 00:10:39,840 --> 00:10:43,679 Speaker 4: and things like that. That's really not the way I 199 00:10:43,679 --> 00:10:45,360 Speaker 4: would do it, but that's the way they're doing it. 200 00:10:45,559 --> 00:10:50,359 Speaker 4: And then you have members of city council proposing motions 201 00:10:50,800 --> 00:10:54,480 Speaker 4: to spend the money in different ways, Like they wanted 202 00:10:54,520 --> 00:10:59,520 Speaker 4: to set up a Rising fifteen railroad fund that would 203 00:10:59,559 --> 00:11:02,840 Speaker 4: take ten percent of the annual disbursement and put it 204 00:11:02,880 --> 00:11:07,239 Speaker 4: in another fund to be spent by Rising fifteen neighborhoods, 205 00:11:07,480 --> 00:11:12,320 Speaker 4: and we commented on that. And then they also wanted 206 00:11:12,360 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 4: to use the railroad money to fix everybody sidewalks, which 207 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,480 Speaker 4: would be great, but the sidewalks wasn't part of that 208 00:11:20,880 --> 00:11:23,800 Speaker 4: four hundred million dollar deferred maintenance. So what they would 209 00:11:23,840 --> 00:11:28,680 Speaker 4: be doing is taking on more deferred maintenance instead of 210 00:11:28,720 --> 00:11:31,079 Speaker 4: dealing with the ones that we had when we when 211 00:11:31,120 --> 00:11:31,880 Speaker 4: we made the deal. 212 00:11:32,080 --> 00:11:33,679 Speaker 3: All right, well, Todds Zenser, we got to take a 213 00:11:33,720 --> 00:11:38,240 Speaker 3: break and we will continue with some more recent activities 214 00:11:38,240 --> 00:11:39,480 Speaker 3: okay that you've been looking at. 215 00:11:39,600 --> 00:11:42,520 Speaker 1: Okay, because it never ends, no, it. 216 00:11:42,440 --> 00:11:46,160 Speaker 3: Does, It does not end, So we'll continue with Todds Endser, 217 00:11:46,240 --> 00:11:49,440 Speaker 3: Citizen Watchdog on fifty five KRC, the talk station. 218 00:11:49,720 --> 00:11:51,960 Speaker 1: Zimmer Heating and Cooling has been ensuring Cincinnati homes. 219 00:11:51,960 --> 00:11:54,040 Speaker 2: We five KRC the talk station. 220 00:11:58,920 --> 00:12:02,680 Speaker 3: Fifty five krs C the talk station eight twenty one, 221 00:12:03,440 --> 00:12:06,960 Speaker 3: Dan Carroll for Brian Thomas. Todd Zinzer is here and 222 00:12:07,440 --> 00:12:09,760 Speaker 3: you know him as Citizen Watchdog. You do you do 223 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:11,760 Speaker 3: a regular segment with Brian Thomas? 224 00:12:11,800 --> 00:12:15,320 Speaker 4: Do you not? Not? Not regularly regularly? 225 00:12:15,400 --> 00:12:17,080 Speaker 1: But I know you've been here, but this is not 226 00:12:17,160 --> 00:12:18,040 Speaker 1: your first trip here to. 227 00:12:18,000 --> 00:12:19,600 Speaker 4: This day once a month probably. 228 00:12:19,640 --> 00:12:22,679 Speaker 3: Okay, that's cool. Well, I'm glad today is today, yes, 229 00:12:22,840 --> 00:12:23,439 Speaker 3: and I'm glad. 230 00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:24,920 Speaker 1: I'm glad you here. 231 00:12:25,200 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 3: We were texting and emailing a couple of days ago 232 00:12:29,480 --> 00:12:32,480 Speaker 3: when it was announced this settlement came out, and you 233 00:12:32,520 --> 00:12:35,680 Speaker 3: wanted to have a look at the at the original complaint, 234 00:12:35,720 --> 00:12:38,480 Speaker 3: the settlement agreement and all that, and we were able 235 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,240 Speaker 3: to find that and have a look at it. And 236 00:12:41,520 --> 00:12:45,120 Speaker 3: as you review this complaint in the settlement agreement, what 237 00:12:45,360 --> 00:12:47,400 Speaker 3: sticks out to you? And then look, I went, Todd 238 00:12:47,480 --> 00:12:49,800 Speaker 3: is not a lawyer. We're not looking at this from 239 00:12:49,800 --> 00:12:52,920 Speaker 3: a legal sense. But I mean over your years of 240 00:12:53,320 --> 00:12:56,320 Speaker 3: being an inspector general and looking into things, there are 241 00:12:56,360 --> 00:12:57,719 Speaker 3: things that jump out to you that. 242 00:12:59,240 --> 00:12:59,800 Speaker 1: Did you find it? 243 00:13:00,720 --> 00:13:03,640 Speaker 3: And so so that's the point of the question here, 244 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,400 Speaker 3: what did you as you look at this settlement agreement 245 00:13:06,920 --> 00:13:09,600 Speaker 3: and then the related documents, what did you find interesting 246 00:13:09,600 --> 00:13:10,400 Speaker 3: about these things? 247 00:13:10,679 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 4: Well, the first the first thing that that that I 248 00:13:13,280 --> 00:13:17,120 Speaker 4: thought was where has this case been and what has 249 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,920 Speaker 4: the public been told about this case? Absolutely before this 250 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:24,160 Speaker 4: came up. And this is typical of this of this 251 00:13:24,280 --> 00:13:26,199 Speaker 4: city administration, of the city compt. 252 00:13:26,000 --> 00:13:28,240 Speaker 3: Because when the news broke on this literally I like 253 00:13:28,320 --> 00:13:31,200 Speaker 3: to think, look, probably one of the faults I have 254 00:13:31,280 --> 00:13:34,319 Speaker 3: as a radio show host is I tend to I 255 00:13:34,880 --> 00:13:39,000 Speaker 3: tend to focus more on the national political scene and 256 00:13:39,000 --> 00:13:40,800 Speaker 3: and you know, every you know, when a big story 257 00:13:40,800 --> 00:13:42,800 Speaker 3: breaks locally, I liked, I like to get on that. 258 00:13:43,400 --> 00:13:46,079 Speaker 3: But when when this story came out, the news of 259 00:13:46,120 --> 00:13:49,679 Speaker 3: this settlement came out, I think it was late Friday, 260 00:13:49,880 --> 00:13:53,120 Speaker 3: I was like, wow, what is this? Yeah, where is 261 00:13:53,160 --> 00:13:53,880 Speaker 3: this coming from? 262 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:54,120 Speaker 1: Right? 263 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:56,200 Speaker 3: And just like you said that, this is not something 264 00:13:56,200 --> 00:13:59,839 Speaker 3: that had been followed regularly by any of our local 265 00:13:59,840 --> 00:14:01,160 Speaker 3: news right. 266 00:14:01,200 --> 00:14:03,560 Speaker 4: Well, if you go on the city's website, they they 267 00:14:03,600 --> 00:14:08,360 Speaker 4: do put memos online about the settlements that they've reached, 268 00:14:09,559 --> 00:14:13,280 Speaker 4: but they don't put online the pending litigation. As far 269 00:14:13,280 --> 00:14:15,920 Speaker 4: as they they may report it to the city council 270 00:14:16,559 --> 00:14:19,360 Speaker 4: at some point, but it's not well known what other 271 00:14:19,400 --> 00:14:21,840 Speaker 4: cases are out there right now. I don't know, So 272 00:14:22,720 --> 00:14:26,920 Speaker 4: that's kind of my first My first complaint. The problem 273 00:14:27,000 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 4: that I saw was there's nothing in the complaint or 274 00:14:30,880 --> 00:14:38,600 Speaker 4: the settlement that is really evidentiary value. There's nothing, there's 275 00:14:38,640 --> 00:14:44,440 Speaker 4: nothing that we see yet about the the efficacy of 276 00:14:44,440 --> 00:14:48,600 Speaker 4: these allegations. Complaints can make all kinds of allegations, but 277 00:14:48,840 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 4: what what is their evidence? And we're not the public 278 00:14:51,920 --> 00:14:53,200 Speaker 4: is not getting access to that. 279 00:14:53,320 --> 00:14:55,880 Speaker 3: Well, there's not there's not any evidence. I don't see 280 00:14:55,920 --> 00:15:00,000 Speaker 3: any any hard finding of facts that this is why 281 00:15:00,000 --> 00:15:04,480 Speaker 3: the city ought to settle this case. The city. I 282 00:15:04,480 --> 00:15:06,880 Speaker 3: guess my point on this is I don't see anything 283 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:11,880 Speaker 3: that says, you know, these plainest uh state that that X, Y, 284 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:18,160 Speaker 3: and Z happened to them, and because of these specific 285 00:15:18,200 --> 00:15:22,320 Speaker 3: complaints and the finding of facts that go along with this, 286 00:15:22,920 --> 00:15:25,640 Speaker 3: we feel it's best to settle this. I'm not finding 287 00:15:25,680 --> 00:15:27,440 Speaker 3: that level of specifics. 288 00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 4: That's right, and that's what should go on. 289 00:15:28,400 --> 00:15:30,480 Speaker 3: Maybe maybe that exists somewhere. I don't know if it 290 00:15:30,520 --> 00:15:33,360 Speaker 3: does well, but it's it's it's not evident in the 291 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:34,320 Speaker 3: documents that I've seen. 292 00:15:34,360 --> 00:15:36,880 Speaker 4: So you're right, and what should happen today is that 293 00:15:36,920 --> 00:15:39,120 Speaker 4: the city council should. 294 00:15:38,920 --> 00:15:40,920 Speaker 3: Should demand that if if you want me to sign 295 00:15:40,960 --> 00:15:43,040 Speaker 3: off on this, I know if I was on that 296 00:15:43,080 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 3: committee that's going to look at this, that's exactly what 297 00:15:46,160 --> 00:15:46,560 Speaker 3: I would be. 298 00:15:46,760 --> 00:15:50,680 Speaker 4: That's right, you You the council needs to carry out 299 00:15:50,720 --> 00:15:55,560 Speaker 4: their due diligence on this settlement because you're talking eight 300 00:15:55,600 --> 00:16:00,000 Speaker 4: million dollars of city funds. They have a fiduciary responsibility 301 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:02,440 Speaker 4: to make sure that that settlement is in the best 302 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,640 Speaker 4: interests of the city. And what have they done, For example, 303 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:10,800 Speaker 4: there's no executive Session on the agenda today for the 304 00:16:10,800 --> 00:16:14,040 Speaker 4: Public Safety Committee. They should be going in the executive 305 00:16:14,080 --> 00:16:18,400 Speaker 4: session and getting briefed by the Solicitor's office. We should 306 00:16:18,440 --> 00:16:21,760 Speaker 4: know exactly what went on in terms of making this decision. 307 00:16:22,200 --> 00:16:25,400 Speaker 4: My guess is that the mayor called in the solicitor, 308 00:16:25,680 --> 00:16:29,360 Speaker 4: called in the city manager, maybe a couple of lawyers, 309 00:16:29,800 --> 00:16:32,160 Speaker 4: and they set around the table and decided, no, we're 310 00:16:32,160 --> 00:16:35,920 Speaker 4: going to settle. So we should know exactly how they 311 00:16:35,960 --> 00:16:39,640 Speaker 4: reach their decision, and then we should know what due 312 00:16:39,680 --> 00:16:42,080 Speaker 4: diligence the city Council is going to be carrying out. 313 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:45,480 Speaker 3: You see, you know, you say you're speculating at the 314 00:16:45,840 --> 00:16:49,520 Speaker 3: mayor sat in on meetings on this. I have a 315 00:16:49,560 --> 00:16:54,880 Speaker 3: sense that Mayor Purvoll wasn't involved in this whatsoever. I 316 00:16:54,920 --> 00:16:56,720 Speaker 3: think he wants plausible deniability. 317 00:16:56,760 --> 00:16:57,800 Speaker 1: Well they have anything to do. 318 00:16:57,880 --> 00:17:00,480 Speaker 3: When this thing crosses his desk, he put his signature 319 00:17:00,480 --> 00:17:02,880 Speaker 3: on it, unfortunately. But other than that, I don't, I don't, 320 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:05,320 Speaker 3: I don't see. I don't see Purvol's hand on in. 321 00:17:05,400 --> 00:17:05,960 Speaker 1: This at all. 322 00:17:06,119 --> 00:17:08,320 Speaker 4: Unfortunately. I think you might be right then. 323 00:17:08,800 --> 00:17:11,480 Speaker 3: I just I just think that's the way he conducts business. Well, 324 00:17:11,560 --> 00:17:13,639 Speaker 3: which city Hall. I know if I was the mayor, 325 00:17:13,800 --> 00:17:15,880 Speaker 3: I would there's no way I would sign this. There's 326 00:17:15,880 --> 00:17:19,720 Speaker 3: no I would just me. I would say, we're going 327 00:17:19,840 --> 00:17:20,800 Speaker 3: I'm taking this to court. 328 00:17:21,440 --> 00:17:21,760 Speaker 4: Yeah. 329 00:17:21,840 --> 00:17:25,800 Speaker 3: Well, I would direct my law department to to bone 330 00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:28,119 Speaker 3: up on this and let's take it to court, because 331 00:17:28,320 --> 00:17:30,920 Speaker 3: I just think it sends a terrible message. 332 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:34,119 Speaker 1: Yeah, will others who would engage in in subjectivity. 333 00:17:34,320 --> 00:17:36,159 Speaker 4: I don't want to be overly critical, but I'm not 334 00:17:36,200 --> 00:17:38,680 Speaker 4: sure the law department is up to it. 335 00:17:39,400 --> 00:17:39,520 Speaker 2: Uh. 336 00:17:39,880 --> 00:17:43,440 Speaker 4: You know, they've they've been involved in other cases where 337 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:48,640 Speaker 4: you shake your head about settlements. They they folded on 338 00:17:48,680 --> 00:17:51,800 Speaker 4: a litigation that they made. They made a big deal 339 00:17:51,880 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 4: out of of suing Vinebrook Homes for the lousy h 340 00:17:56,760 --> 00:18:02,080 Speaker 4: property management that Vinebrook uh carried out. Uh, they made 341 00:18:02,080 --> 00:18:04,640 Speaker 4: a big deal about going after them and suing them, 342 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:09,159 Speaker 4: and they folded like a cheap suit. And you have 343 00:18:09,240 --> 00:18:11,520 Speaker 4: to shake your head, like, what what's the deal? And 344 00:18:11,680 --> 00:18:14,840 Speaker 4: and what's worse is the settlement in that case. It 345 00:18:14,920 --> 00:18:17,199 Speaker 4: made it look like the city was at fault and 346 00:18:17,280 --> 00:18:19,920 Speaker 4: the city agreed to all these reforms and they're doing 347 00:18:19,960 --> 00:18:22,119 Speaker 4: the same thing. They're doing the same thing on this. 348 00:18:22,320 --> 00:18:25,720 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's that's what the the the Ordan says, there's 349 00:18:25,760 --> 00:18:28,119 Speaker 3: no you know, there's no finding or an admission of 350 00:18:28,119 --> 00:18:30,280 Speaker 3: guilt on the on the city's part. But yet they're 351 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:32,960 Speaker 3: acquiescing to Oh, we're going to have additional training and 352 00:18:33,000 --> 00:18:35,720 Speaker 3: a new guidebook for for Cincinnati police about how to 353 00:18:36,040 --> 00:18:37,200 Speaker 3: how to handle such claims. 354 00:18:37,280 --> 00:18:41,320 Speaker 4: Yeah, and you put more more constraints on the police, 355 00:18:41,400 --> 00:18:44,320 Speaker 4: more rules that they might not be able to follow. 356 00:18:44,440 --> 00:18:46,080 Speaker 4: And in the case of a arrival. 357 00:18:45,840 --> 00:18:48,000 Speaker 1: Well, these new guidelines have to meet the approval of 358 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:48,640 Speaker 1: Irish rolling. 359 00:18:49,400 --> 00:18:51,920 Speaker 4: Well, if you if you look, if you look at 360 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:55,040 Speaker 4: her contracts, I would say I would say it probably 361 00:18:55,240 --> 00:18:56,000 Speaker 4: it probably would. 362 00:18:56,080 --> 00:18:57,639 Speaker 3: Well, let's get into that on the other side of 363 00:18:57,680 --> 00:19:00,520 Speaker 3: this as we take another quick break here twenty seven 364 00:19:00,560 --> 00:19:03,200 Speaker 3: little late for a break on fifty five KRC, the 365 00:19:03,400 --> 00:19:03,879 Speaker 3: talk station. 366 00:19:04,240 --> 00:19:07,280 Speaker 2: The Simply Money Minute is sponsored by Sheerfax Christ fifty 367 00:19:07,280 --> 00:19:08,879 Speaker 2: five kr the talk station. 368 00:19:12,480 --> 00:19:14,280 Speaker 1: Fifty five k r C the talk station. 369 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:19,680 Speaker 3: Continuing now with Todd Zinzer, also known as a Citizen Watchdog. 370 00:19:20,240 --> 00:19:22,560 Speaker 3: You're doing a podcast now with Joe Strucker. I am, 371 00:19:22,920 --> 00:19:25,360 Speaker 3: how's that one? How is it working with Joe on 372 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:26,359 Speaker 3: on on the podcast? 373 00:19:26,400 --> 00:19:29,680 Speaker 4: It's easy, It's very easy. He's a he's a great guy. 374 00:19:29,840 --> 00:19:32,840 Speaker 3: Yeah, Yes, someone what had told you five or ten 375 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:34,840 Speaker 3: years ago? You're going to be doing a podcast every 376 00:19:34,880 --> 00:19:37,280 Speaker 3: What are you doing? Like like every couple of weeks? 377 00:19:37,359 --> 00:19:38,439 Speaker 4: Or I try to do one a week? 378 00:19:38,520 --> 00:19:39,160 Speaker 1: Yeah, one a week? 379 00:19:39,280 --> 00:19:39,480 Speaker 4: Yeah. 380 00:19:39,800 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 3: Would you have believed them that you were going to 381 00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 3: be no, you know, podcasting or doing a regular. 382 00:19:45,720 --> 00:19:48,360 Speaker 4: It's actually Joe's fault. He's the one that suggested. 383 00:19:50,040 --> 00:19:51,080 Speaker 1: He's very persuasive. 384 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:53,160 Speaker 4: Yes, those Joe. 385 00:19:53,240 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: We we love Joe Strucker. 386 00:19:54,920 --> 00:19:57,000 Speaker 3: I mean without him, I mean a lot of this 387 00:19:57,040 --> 00:19:58,679 Speaker 3: stuff would not be happening. 388 00:19:58,680 --> 00:19:59,000 Speaker 1: All right. 389 00:19:59,040 --> 00:20:01,600 Speaker 3: We I'm mentioned Iris Rolli before we went to the 390 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:06,080 Speaker 3: last break, and you have I thought you did great 391 00:20:06,119 --> 00:20:11,640 Speaker 3: work talking about her contract when it was discovered that 392 00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:16,120 Speaker 3: I guess she had her son working down on Government 393 00:20:16,160 --> 00:20:20,920 Speaker 3: Square passing out some information, getting paid roughly fifty eight 394 00:20:20,960 --> 00:20:22,840 Speaker 3: dollars an hour, which is to my way of thinking, 395 00:20:22,960 --> 00:20:24,919 Speaker 3: is a pretty I know a lot of people that 396 00:20:24,920 --> 00:20:27,160 Speaker 3: would like to earn fifty eight dollars an hour, Yes, 397 00:20:27,400 --> 00:20:31,399 Speaker 3: passing out some leaflets down a down at Government Square. Yeah, 398 00:20:31,440 --> 00:20:36,080 Speaker 3: but you have some additional information regarding the contract that 399 00:20:36,119 --> 00:20:38,959 Speaker 3: she has with the city, right, Well, she's carved out 400 00:20:38,960 --> 00:20:39,640 Speaker 3: a pretty good gig. 401 00:20:39,680 --> 00:20:40,119 Speaker 1: For herself. 402 00:20:40,160 --> 00:20:43,400 Speaker 4: Has she not, Yeah, she has tell me about it 403 00:20:43,480 --> 00:20:48,040 Speaker 4: well before the election and all the controversies we had 404 00:20:48,080 --> 00:20:53,000 Speaker 4: this summer, and when the FOP filed a complain about 405 00:20:53,320 --> 00:20:58,760 Speaker 4: Miss Rolli allegedly interfering with police policemen on the street. 406 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:00,760 Speaker 1: I think we saw some video to that effected. 407 00:21:00,800 --> 00:21:03,920 Speaker 4: We know, yeah, you saw a couple of clips videos, 408 00:21:04,359 --> 00:21:07,960 Speaker 4: And that's really what got me, uh paying attention to 409 00:21:07,960 --> 00:21:14,160 Speaker 4: to miss Rolli. Well, something they must have put her 410 00:21:14,160 --> 00:21:16,439 Speaker 4: on on the they must have benched her for a 411 00:21:16,480 --> 00:21:19,200 Speaker 4: period of time. And then the next thing you know, 412 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:24,760 Speaker 4: the mayor is on with Lincoln ware A saying that 413 00:21:24,800 --> 00:21:29,119 Speaker 4: they've negotiated a new contract with with Iris Rolly. And 414 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:31,240 Speaker 4: I thought that was going to be kind of They're 415 00:21:31,240 --> 00:21:34,720 Speaker 4: going to fix all those kind of fast and loose 416 00:21:34,920 --> 00:21:36,520 Speaker 4: provisions in the contract. 417 00:21:36,920 --> 00:21:39,960 Speaker 1: Yes, yes, So when when I when I seen to 418 00:21:40,040 --> 00:21:40,560 Speaker 1: make sense. 419 00:21:42,040 --> 00:21:44,840 Speaker 4: So when I heard that, I said, well, I'm going 420 00:21:44,880 --> 00:21:46,040 Speaker 4: to ask for a copy. 421 00:21:45,720 --> 00:21:48,119 Speaker 1: Of the new contract book document right right. 422 00:21:48,400 --> 00:21:50,040 Speaker 4: It took me a little while to get it, but 423 00:21:53,720 --> 00:21:56,440 Speaker 4: it's very very unusual you have a you have a 424 00:21:56,480 --> 00:21:59,760 Speaker 4: Soul source contract that was issued in twenty twenty three 425 00:22:00,600 --> 00:22:04,399 Speaker 4: that I don't think is really justified. But then you 426 00:22:04,520 --> 00:22:10,720 Speaker 4: have three amendments since then. And the original value of 427 00:22:10,760 --> 00:22:15,240 Speaker 4: the of the twenty three contract was about two hundred 428 00:22:15,240 --> 00:22:17,560 Speaker 4: and ten thousand dollars. That was a total value of 429 00:22:17,600 --> 00:22:22,280 Speaker 4: the contract. Now fast forward to the third amendment, which 430 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,159 Speaker 4: is what this new contract is called. The value of 431 00:22:25,200 --> 00:22:28,440 Speaker 4: the contract is now six hundred and forty one thousand dollars, 432 00:22:28,480 --> 00:22:31,640 Speaker 4: and that goes through when that goes through twenty seven through. 433 00:22:31,480 --> 00:22:34,119 Speaker 3: Twenty twenty seven. Yeah, and so that that's only that 434 00:22:34,440 --> 00:22:37,520 Speaker 3: that's only two years through through the end of twenty seven. Right, Well, 435 00:22:37,560 --> 00:22:40,600 Speaker 3: the the so six hundred thousand dollars. 436 00:22:40,320 --> 00:22:44,320 Speaker 4: Right, the value of the contract goes from now until 437 00:22:44,359 --> 00:22:47,080 Speaker 4: twenty seven, and it includes other things. 438 00:22:46,760 --> 00:22:48,440 Speaker 1: That six hundred grand. 439 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:50,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, that's the total value. 440 00:22:50,840 --> 00:22:52,480 Speaker 1: Is what she's pulling down from the city. 441 00:22:53,320 --> 00:22:57,000 Speaker 4: If if she completes all years of the. 442 00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:58,960 Speaker 3: Comment, I would say she's got a pretty good incentive 443 00:22:59,000 --> 00:23:01,800 Speaker 3: to do that. I think she'd us But for what 444 00:23:01,920 --> 00:23:04,760 Speaker 3: and what type of services is Misroly. 445 00:23:04,359 --> 00:23:11,880 Speaker 4: Providing, Well, there's very important. There's two categories. I'd say 446 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:16,919 Speaker 4: one is she was originally contracted to consult and it 447 00:23:16,960 --> 00:23:20,800 Speaker 4: has to do with the collaborative agreement and sustaining that. 448 00:23:20,840 --> 00:23:21,919 Speaker 1: She's an expert in those. 449 00:23:23,920 --> 00:23:28,640 Speaker 4: The management advisory group that she's involved in. But then 450 00:23:28,320 --> 00:23:33,960 Speaker 4: the second and third or the first, second and third 451 00:23:34,000 --> 00:23:38,880 Speaker 4: amendments have added what I view as program responsibilities. One 452 00:23:38,960 --> 00:23:42,159 Speaker 4: is called the Government Square Initiative, and that's where the 453 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:46,800 Speaker 4: city is paying her a lump sum like seventy five 454 00:23:46,840 --> 00:23:52,520 Speaker 4: thousand dollars to carry out I don't know if you'd 455 00:23:52,560 --> 00:23:55,199 Speaker 4: call a community engagement or what the official term would be, 456 00:23:55,240 --> 00:24:00,320 Speaker 4: but they're down at these transit hubs to kind of 457 00:24:00,400 --> 00:24:03,800 Speaker 4: chaperone the kids when they exchange buses or get off 458 00:24:03,840 --> 00:24:04,400 Speaker 4: the buses. 459 00:24:05,119 --> 00:24:08,560 Speaker 1: And they are providing too, which is very very important. 460 00:24:08,720 --> 00:24:12,959 Speaker 4: They are they're providing snacks and things like that. So 461 00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,240 Speaker 4: that's called the Government Square Initiative. And what happened is 462 00:24:16,280 --> 00:24:19,960 Speaker 4: that the contract ended when the school year ended. The 463 00:24:20,040 --> 00:24:23,320 Speaker 4: Government Square Initiative ended when the school year ended, and 464 00:24:23,359 --> 00:24:26,320 Speaker 4: it wasn't going to start up until the fall, so 465 00:24:26,720 --> 00:24:30,840 Speaker 4: there was this summer period. There was a gap. Iris 466 00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:34,360 Speaker 4: Rowley didn't have authorization to spend any money during that period. 467 00:24:34,720 --> 00:24:40,640 Speaker 4: So the third Amendment fixed that. By all me so, 468 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:44,720 Speaker 4: but the program wasn't the Government Square Initiative because the 469 00:24:44,800 --> 00:24:48,359 Speaker 4: kids aren't in school now it's called that period, it's 470 00:24:48,400 --> 00:24:49,440 Speaker 4: called summer in the city. 471 00:24:49,600 --> 00:24:50,440 Speaker 1: Some are in the city. 472 00:24:51,240 --> 00:24:58,320 Speaker 4: So those programs have absolutely increased the contract value and 473 00:24:58,440 --> 00:25:01,600 Speaker 4: they should actually be bid out a separate contract. 474 00:25:01,800 --> 00:25:03,640 Speaker 1: Does the contract spell. 475 00:25:03,440 --> 00:25:06,959 Speaker 3: Out her her area of areas of expertise and her 476 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:12,359 Speaker 3: background in the different areas, you know, consulting backgrounds, and 477 00:25:13,000 --> 00:25:16,159 Speaker 3: you know, maybe I don't know, miss if she's got 478 00:25:16,200 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 3: a legal background or a criminal justice background. 479 00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:24,880 Speaker 1: Or well the the background in you know, social work 480 00:25:25,000 --> 00:25:25,560 Speaker 1: or something like that. 481 00:25:26,920 --> 00:25:29,880 Speaker 4: My main issue with what's going on is these non 482 00:25:29,920 --> 00:25:36,359 Speaker 4: competitive contracts. The city Procurement rules say very clearly non 483 00:25:36,680 --> 00:25:43,240 Speaker 4: competitive contracts, soul source contracts should be extremely rare and 484 00:25:44,080 --> 00:25:48,880 Speaker 4: they require a justification. So the justification for Ms Rowlies 485 00:25:49,280 --> 00:25:54,000 Speaker 4: it's at one page, basically one paragraph, and it cites 486 00:25:54,040 --> 00:25:57,399 Speaker 4: her a work in the civil rights movement, and it 487 00:25:57,520 --> 00:26:01,640 Speaker 4: cites her involvement with the original Collaborative Agreement and all 488 00:26:01,680 --> 00:26:05,159 Speaker 4: of those things. But my point, and I've made this 489 00:26:05,240 --> 00:26:09,280 Speaker 4: to the city, is that before COVID, they actually had 490 00:26:09,480 --> 00:26:15,440 Speaker 4: a city employee on staff doing the things that they've 491 00:26:15,480 --> 00:26:20,480 Speaker 4: contracted iris Roli to do. And my thing is my 492 00:26:20,640 --> 00:26:23,520 Speaker 4: thing is if if they were able to hire a 493 00:26:23,600 --> 00:26:26,560 Speaker 4: city employee to do the work. I don't think that 494 00:26:26,600 --> 00:26:30,040 Speaker 4: you can say that miss Rowley is uniquely qualified or 495 00:26:30,600 --> 00:26:33,359 Speaker 4: that her qualifications are the only ones that can do 496 00:26:33,400 --> 00:26:33,760 Speaker 4: the work. 497 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,000 Speaker 3: And she continues her role on the Citizens Complaining of 498 00:26:36,080 --> 00:26:36,800 Speaker 3: forty does she not? 499 00:26:37,800 --> 00:26:43,840 Speaker 4: Yes, it's she's not. She's not on the authority, but well, 500 00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:46,879 Speaker 4: I'll have to check that. I think I think she 501 00:26:47,760 --> 00:26:51,040 Speaker 4: interacts with them based on her consulting role. Ah, but 502 00:26:51,119 --> 00:26:53,840 Speaker 4: I don't know if she's still on the on the 503 00:26:53,880 --> 00:26:55,240 Speaker 4: commission or committee itself. 504 00:26:55,520 --> 00:26:59,240 Speaker 3: There's not very many that can carry out duties like that. 505 00:26:59,760 --> 00:27:03,439 Speaker 4: Ye see. One of the things I thought was that 506 00:27:04,000 --> 00:27:07,080 Speaker 4: if she's going around telling people, you know, they should 507 00:27:07,080 --> 00:27:10,800 Speaker 4: be filing complaints against police officers they interact with. All 508 00:27:10,840 --> 00:27:12,679 Speaker 4: that does is they add to the backlog for the 509 00:27:12,680 --> 00:27:15,840 Speaker 4: Citizens Complaint Authority that's already through the roof. 510 00:27:16,440 --> 00:27:18,520 Speaker 1: So she's out there drumming up work. 511 00:27:18,840 --> 00:27:19,840 Speaker 4: That's the way it looked to me. 512 00:27:20,760 --> 00:27:22,040 Speaker 3: All right, Joe, do I got to get to a 513 00:27:22,040 --> 00:27:24,280 Speaker 3: break here. I'm late for a break. I'm late for 514 00:27:24,320 --> 00:27:26,000 Speaker 3: a break. Let's go ahead and do that now, and 515 00:27:26,040 --> 00:27:28,359 Speaker 3: we'll continue with Todd Zinzer on fifty five K r 516 00:27:28,480 --> 00:27:29,920 Speaker 3: CV talk stays. 517 00:27:29,720 --> 00:27:31,919 Speaker 4: This season, make the holiday an. 518 00:27:31,840 --> 00:27:33,439 Speaker 2: Unforgotten see the talk station. 519 00:27:34,160 --> 00:27:40,520 Speaker 3: I'm late whatever Joe Strucker tells you. That's the voice 520 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:43,919 Speaker 3: of Todd Zenzer, Citizen Watchdog. Great to have Men's studio 521 00:27:43,960 --> 00:27:45,639 Speaker 3: this morning, so much stuff to talk about. 522 00:27:45,840 --> 00:27:46,560 Speaker 2: You showed me a. 523 00:27:48,440 --> 00:27:52,960 Speaker 3: Document a little while ago about that is a financial 524 00:27:52,960 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 3: disclosure from our mayor, and I mean he is he 525 00:27:57,119 --> 00:28:00,040 Speaker 3: is very well invested. He's got an extensive portfolio, so 526 00:28:00,080 --> 00:28:03,480 Speaker 3: that that is very nice to see. And when it 527 00:28:03,520 --> 00:28:09,439 Speaker 3: comes to the repossession of his vehicles, was was he 528 00:28:09,520 --> 00:28:13,320 Speaker 3: supposed to report that to the state of Ohio or 529 00:28:13,359 --> 00:28:14,560 Speaker 3: what's what's the deal on it? 530 00:28:14,960 --> 00:28:18,800 Speaker 4: Well, if if you carry debt, if you have creditors 531 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,320 Speaker 4: you have you have to report that on your financial disclosure. Unfortunately, 532 00:28:22,359 --> 00:28:23,879 Speaker 4: the forms that Ohio uses. 533 00:28:24,080 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 1: You've had a look at those forms, have you not? 534 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:25,760 Speaker 2: I have? 535 00:28:26,280 --> 00:28:26,680 Speaker 4: They don't. 536 00:28:26,880 --> 00:28:28,080 Speaker 1: What did you find there? 537 00:28:28,359 --> 00:28:33,320 Speaker 4: Well, they don't require really any information in terms of, 538 00:28:33,800 --> 00:28:37,480 Speaker 4: you know, the debt. They just make make the official 539 00:28:37,880 --> 00:28:42,959 Speaker 4: list his creditors. And he's done that for three creditors. 540 00:28:43,720 --> 00:28:46,880 Speaker 4: Uh And but there's no information about how far in 541 00:28:47,000 --> 00:28:54,520 Speaker 4: debt the mayor is, So that's not extremely useful. There's one, Uh, 542 00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:59,800 Speaker 4: there's three creditors, American Express, Lincoln National, which must be 543 00:28:59,840 --> 00:29:03,680 Speaker 4: a loan on an insurance policy or something, or Lincoln Financial. 544 00:29:03,720 --> 00:29:07,000 Speaker 4: I'm sorry, but the third one is an outfit called 545 00:29:07,040 --> 00:29:12,160 Speaker 4: ACS ACS and you don't know what ACS really stands for. 546 00:29:12,440 --> 00:29:14,880 Speaker 4: There's a lot of acs is, but I will say 547 00:29:14,920 --> 00:29:21,360 Speaker 4: that there are ACS's that are collection agencies. So it 548 00:29:21,400 --> 00:29:24,239 Speaker 4: would just take more information to know whether or not 549 00:29:24,320 --> 00:29:27,360 Speaker 4: that has anything to do with his repossession of his cars. 550 00:29:27,600 --> 00:29:31,120 Speaker 3: For most people, dealing with the collection agency is a 551 00:29:31,160 --> 00:29:34,880 Speaker 3: one time thing. You know, you've you've missed a payment 552 00:29:34,920 --> 00:29:38,160 Speaker 3: for whatever reason, or you've got something that you overlooked 553 00:29:38,160 --> 00:29:42,520 Speaker 3: in you deal with that. You you get it squared away. 554 00:29:42,560 --> 00:29:46,640 Speaker 3: And I would not think to put a collection agency 555 00:29:46,680 --> 00:29:50,640 Speaker 3: on my list of creditors. If I had to fill 556 00:29:50,640 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 3: out such a financial disclosure. Well, his last night, I go, 557 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:55,880 Speaker 3: I don't have to do that here at iHeart meeting. 558 00:29:57,760 --> 00:30:00,000 Speaker 3: You know, I might not be beyond his microphone very long. 559 00:30:00,400 --> 00:30:05,800 Speaker 4: His last three disclosure reports twenty two, twenty three, twenty four, 560 00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:08,880 Speaker 4: twenty five is not doing until next year. They all 561 00:30:08,920 --> 00:30:13,000 Speaker 4: list the same three creditors. Yeah, so whatever the debts 562 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:17,760 Speaker 4: are to those creditors they've been long standing. Yeah, okay, 563 00:30:18,080 --> 00:30:23,720 Speaker 4: so it's the financial statement reports weren't very helpful in 564 00:30:23,800 --> 00:30:27,320 Speaker 4: terms of figuring out what the truth is about his 565 00:30:27,640 --> 00:30:32,000 Speaker 4: repossessed vehicles or vehicle whatever, but it did show that 566 00:30:32,680 --> 00:30:35,280 Speaker 4: he doesn't seem to have a lot of financial problems. 567 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,280 Speaker 3: Oh yeah, I mean, but the thing is, it's it 568 00:30:38,400 --> 00:30:42,000 Speaker 3: seems so silly that you just don't get in front 569 00:30:42,040 --> 00:30:46,000 Speaker 3: of this thing, come clean about it. It's going to 570 00:30:46,040 --> 00:30:50,120 Speaker 3: go Look, a car getting repossessed is not the worst 571 00:30:50,120 --> 00:30:52,680 Speaker 3: thing that can happen financially, but just own it. 572 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:54,200 Speaker 1: Put it in the rear view mirror. 573 00:30:55,320 --> 00:30:58,920 Speaker 3: But the if he continues the stonewall on this, the 574 00:30:59,000 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 3: truth is out there and eventually when that gets found out, 575 00:31:02,560 --> 00:31:03,520 Speaker 3: it's going to drag him down. 576 00:31:03,680 --> 00:31:06,160 Speaker 1: Just get it, get it, get it over with, man. 577 00:31:06,200 --> 00:31:08,160 Speaker 3: I mean that to me, it seems that that would 578 00:31:08,200 --> 00:31:09,440 Speaker 3: be the prudent thing to do. 579 00:31:09,640 --> 00:31:11,880 Speaker 4: That's right, get in front of it. Because what happens 580 00:31:12,080 --> 00:31:15,320 Speaker 4: is if if people think that you're not being forthcoming, 581 00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:17,800 Speaker 4: they're going to wonder, well, what else is going on? 582 00:31:17,960 --> 00:31:21,000 Speaker 4: Why why wouldn't he be forthcoming about this? Because he 583 00:31:21,040 --> 00:31:24,760 Speaker 4: doesn't want to be embarrassed well, he's already in that category. 584 00:31:24,800 --> 00:31:27,320 Speaker 4: But what else is going on that he would not 585 00:31:27,440 --> 00:31:29,360 Speaker 4: be forthcoming about this? 586 00:31:29,680 --> 00:31:32,560 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, Kevin Aldrich from The Inquirer wrote 587 00:31:32,760 --> 00:31:35,600 Speaker 3: a you know, a little column on this, and you know, 588 00:31:35,720 --> 00:31:38,720 Speaker 3: talking about how trust is the most important currency at 589 00:31:38,720 --> 00:31:43,200 Speaker 3: city Hall and just come on, mister mayor, well af 590 00:31:43,240 --> 00:31:43,760 Speaker 3: in front of it. 591 00:31:44,080 --> 00:31:47,360 Speaker 4: After the railroad vote, both he and Reggie Harris were 592 00:31:47,360 --> 00:31:51,680 Speaker 4: on TV saying, yeah, we need to rebuild the trust 593 00:31:51,960 --> 00:31:55,520 Speaker 4: of the people in city Hall. And then they turn 594 00:31:55,600 --> 00:32:00,200 Speaker 4: around and within a year they do connected communities, right, 595 00:32:00,240 --> 00:32:05,120 Speaker 4: which majority, if not all, the neighborhood councils opposed. And 596 00:32:05,160 --> 00:32:11,719 Speaker 4: then they did they did these zoning laws for development 597 00:32:11,960 --> 00:32:15,160 Speaker 4: that the citizens opposed. Well, they haven't done anything to 598 00:32:15,160 --> 00:32:16,000 Speaker 4: build trust back. 599 00:32:16,320 --> 00:32:18,920 Speaker 3: I'm looking at your website right now and your podcast 600 00:32:18,960 --> 00:32:22,000 Speaker 3: from November twenty fifth talks about the city's lead pipe scandal. 601 00:32:22,000 --> 00:32:24,360 Speaker 3: I want to touch on that before we before we 602 00:32:24,400 --> 00:32:26,240 Speaker 3: call it a morning. So we've got one more break 603 00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:28,280 Speaker 3: to get in here, and then we'll continue on with 604 00:32:28,320 --> 00:32:31,480 Speaker 3: todds In's or Citizen Watchdog on fifty five KRC, the 605 00:32:31,640 --> 00:32:32,120 Speaker 3: talk station. 606 00:32:32,320 --> 00:32:34,560 Speaker 2: Hey, Gary Salvan here, oder exits a. 607 00:32:34,600 --> 00:32:41,320 Speaker 3: LI eight fifty Tuesday Morning, Dan Carrol and Brian Thomas 608 00:32:41,320 --> 00:32:44,920 Speaker 3: todd Zen's or the Citizen Watchdog is here. And you 609 00:32:45,040 --> 00:32:47,280 Speaker 3: did a podcast back on November twenty fifth. I have 610 00:32:47,360 --> 00:32:50,160 Speaker 3: not listened to it, but you talk about the city's 611 00:32:50,200 --> 00:32:54,480 Speaker 3: lead pipe scandal. Yes, and give me a thumbnail of that. 612 00:32:55,240 --> 00:32:59,360 Speaker 4: Well, the city wound up this water works, I should say, 613 00:33:00,080 --> 00:33:04,040 Speaker 4: wound up conducting an investigation based on an audit, an 614 00:33:04,080 --> 00:33:08,760 Speaker 4: internal audit that was conducted that found that there were 615 00:33:09,080 --> 00:33:11,360 Speaker 4: members of the lead crew, or at least one member 616 00:33:11,400 --> 00:33:16,480 Speaker 4: of the lead crew, that was stealing the scrap lead 617 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,880 Speaker 4: and instead of processing it for recycling, was selling it 618 00:33:21,000 --> 00:33:22,600 Speaker 4: on the street to these scrappers. 619 00:33:23,640 --> 00:33:26,680 Speaker 1: And there was they probably sold it for recycling. 620 00:33:26,880 --> 00:33:30,120 Speaker 4: Well, you hope, so, but there's no you know, the 621 00:33:30,160 --> 00:33:33,280 Speaker 4: trail goes cold. Nobody is, which is my big problem. 622 00:33:33,360 --> 00:33:34,640 Speaker 1: So there's a bunch of missing lead. 623 00:33:35,160 --> 00:33:38,040 Speaker 4: Well, the program, the program's been going on five or 624 00:33:38,080 --> 00:33:40,640 Speaker 4: six years and the recycler never got any scrap lead. 625 00:33:40,720 --> 00:33:43,320 Speaker 4: So what happened to it? And the issue for me 626 00:33:43,480 --> 00:33:46,520 Speaker 4: is whether that whether the city did what they call 627 00:33:46,560 --> 00:33:50,000 Speaker 4: a hazardous waste determination to see whether those lead pipes 628 00:33:50,080 --> 00:33:53,480 Speaker 4: constituted hazardous waste. So I do have a request in 629 00:33:53,840 --> 00:33:57,239 Speaker 4: for that documentation. I haven't gotten it yet, But if 630 00:33:57,280 --> 00:34:00,800 Speaker 4: they didn't do it hazardous waste determination, they could they 631 00:34:00,800 --> 00:34:04,000 Speaker 4: could run into trouble with the state EPA and the 632 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:05,560 Speaker 4: federally FEDERALPA. 633 00:34:05,760 --> 00:34:08,799 Speaker 3: Yeah, and I would imagine that if in that part 634 00:34:08,800 --> 00:34:12,360 Speaker 3: of the contract, if you don't follow certain regulations that 635 00:34:12,640 --> 00:34:14,440 Speaker 3: are laid on and I'm sure there's got to be 636 00:34:14,480 --> 00:34:16,480 Speaker 3: a lung when it comes to dealing with lead pipes 637 00:34:16,960 --> 00:34:18,839 Speaker 3: and things like that. There's got to be a long 638 00:34:18,880 --> 00:34:23,640 Speaker 3: list of environmental regulations, even under the Trump administration. Yeah, 639 00:34:23,719 --> 00:34:26,160 Speaker 3: if you do not adhere to those, you could be 640 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:29,000 Speaker 3: in line for some significant finds, could you not. 641 00:34:29,200 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 4: Right, there's a federal there's a federal law called the 642 00:34:31,680 --> 00:34:36,120 Speaker 4: Resource Conservation and Recovery Act RICRA, and it has civil 643 00:34:36,160 --> 00:34:39,560 Speaker 4: and criminal provisions. But the civil provisions are some of 644 00:34:39,600 --> 00:34:42,440 Speaker 4: these finds can go up to like tens of thousands 645 00:34:42,440 --> 00:34:46,400 Speaker 4: of dollars a day, and it's a very serious statute. 646 00:34:46,440 --> 00:34:49,959 Speaker 4: And I just have to believe that the waterworks did 647 00:34:50,160 --> 00:34:54,319 Speaker 4: their due diligence, did the hazardous waste determination, and we 648 00:34:54,360 --> 00:34:57,279 Speaker 4: don't have to be concerned about lead pipe scrap, lead 649 00:34:57,280 --> 00:34:59,960 Speaker 4: pipe leaking into our waterworks or water system. 650 00:35:00,120 --> 00:35:03,600 Speaker 3: But I mean it's got to be that's I mean 651 00:35:04,080 --> 00:35:06,560 Speaker 3: the lead pipes that were in and around Cincinnati, which 652 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:09,680 Speaker 3: by the way, has a great reputation as having one 653 00:35:09,680 --> 00:35:14,200 Speaker 3: of the absolute best water filtration systems right the entire country. 654 00:35:13,920 --> 00:35:17,160 Speaker 4: Right, and the Cincinnati Futures Commission recommends get we sell 655 00:35:17,200 --> 00:35:19,120 Speaker 4: it or regionalize it and lose control of it. 656 00:35:19,200 --> 00:35:22,479 Speaker 3: Oh, for God's sake, all right, Well, let's let's let's 657 00:35:22,480 --> 00:35:24,320 Speaker 3: recap because we only got about a minute and a 658 00:35:24,360 --> 00:35:29,440 Speaker 3: half left here. So Iris Rolli's getting has a contract 659 00:35:29,680 --> 00:35:31,359 Speaker 3: that's worth about six hundred grand. 660 00:35:31,719 --> 00:35:33,520 Speaker 1: Yes, so that that that's great for her. 661 00:35:34,040 --> 00:35:38,040 Speaker 3: The settlement that's going to pay eight point one million 662 00:35:38,080 --> 00:35:42,279 Speaker 3: dollars to these rioters and people that were engaging in 663 00:35:42,520 --> 00:35:47,839 Speaker 3: misbehavior in downtown Cincinnati is very light on specificity, right. 664 00:35:47,880 --> 00:35:50,439 Speaker 4: We we really don't know whether it was a good case, 665 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:53,240 Speaker 4: a bad case in between, or why they're settling. 666 00:35:53,480 --> 00:35:56,640 Speaker 3: And your recommendation to the members of the committee that 667 00:35:56,719 --> 00:35:58,120 Speaker 3: are going to look at this today would be. 668 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,040 Speaker 4: To what I'd call a well I'd call an executive 669 00:36:02,040 --> 00:36:05,359 Speaker 4: session and bring make sure that we look at what 670 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,279 Speaker 4: the Solicitor's office has come up with there should be 671 00:36:08,320 --> 00:36:13,040 Speaker 4: an absolute risk assessment written provided to the city Council 672 00:36:13,280 --> 00:36:15,920 Speaker 4: that at least they could deliberate. But the way it's 673 00:36:15,960 --> 00:36:19,120 Speaker 4: going to work is they're going to propose the ordinance 674 00:36:19,360 --> 00:36:21,040 Speaker 4: that the chairman of the committee is going to say, 675 00:36:21,040 --> 00:36:24,040 Speaker 4: we got this ordinance, and then they'll go around to 676 00:36:24,080 --> 00:36:27,359 Speaker 4: each member and each member will pontificate about why this 677 00:36:27,400 --> 00:36:28,920 Speaker 4: is such a great deal. 678 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:31,600 Speaker 3: I wonder if they're going to take public comment at 679 00:36:31,600 --> 00:36:33,040 Speaker 3: this at this committee meeting. 680 00:36:33,080 --> 00:36:36,680 Speaker 4: They will at the beginning of every committee meeting and 681 00:36:36,760 --> 00:36:40,200 Speaker 4: the council full council they give people two minutes. 682 00:36:40,280 --> 00:36:41,160 Speaker 1: Could be entertaining. 683 00:36:41,400 --> 00:36:42,040 Speaker 4: It could be there. 684 00:36:42,040 --> 00:36:46,400 Speaker 3: And the mayor is very well invested and should not 685 00:36:46,520 --> 00:36:49,960 Speaker 3: let this repossession thing drag him down. 686 00:36:50,320 --> 00:36:52,680 Speaker 4: Well, yeah, I think he needs to tell the truth 687 00:36:52,719 --> 00:36:55,600 Speaker 4: about what was going on with these repossessions. 688 00:36:56,000 --> 00:36:58,400 Speaker 3: Todd, Zen's a great meeting in person, man, Thank you 689 00:36:58,440 --> 00:37:00,440 Speaker 3: so much for coming in. And I know you've got 690 00:37:00,480 --> 00:37:02,040 Speaker 3: a high level meeting that you have to go to 691 00:37:02,120 --> 00:37:06,360 Speaker 3: with Joe Strecker, so you don't that's going to be 692 00:37:06,360 --> 00:37:08,480 Speaker 3: the highlight of your day right there. Todd's ins are 693 00:37:08,480 --> 00:37:09,960 Speaker 3: all the best to you, man, all right, all right, 694 00:37:09,960 --> 00:37:11,960 Speaker 3: we'll see you down the road and that's it for me. 695 00:37:12,040 --> 00:37:14,200 Speaker 3: Glenn Beck is coming up next. Thanks for listening.