During the last year a man from Westerville, Ohio, Gary Daniels,

has written numerous statements

on a local internet forum calling for the ouster of Portsmouth

City Councilman Bob Mollette. 

Daniels goes by the internet name Lookdeeper and his rantings

against Councilman Mollette are

based on lies and innuendos that are not supported by any facts.

What is based on facts is that Gary Daniels divorced his wife and

tried in every manner possible to leave that woman with no money

to support their two children

including one child that has serious congenital birth defects. 

The divorce documents in the

Franklin County Court indicate that Gary Daniels fought on

every conceivable issue in the

divorce settlement to walk away from his divorce and pay his ex-wife nothing.

Gary Daniels is shacked up with a woman right now who used to

live in Chillicothe, Ohio.  Gary Daniels continues to fight paying his debts

for his handicapped child while he supports his live in lover in their

love nest in Westerville, Ohio.

In the original court papers Cheryl Ann Daniels told the court she would try to maintain

health insurance on her two children (one child of the marriage is deceased) in order to

speed up the divorce.  The magistrate agreed but the trial court judge decided that the

Daniels child was so ill that Cheryl Daniels should not work full time and that

Gary Daniels should maintain the health care on the children. 

Daniels went to the Court of Appeals and demanded that the magistrates report

be enforced which the Court of Appeals honored but also told Cheryl Daniels

that she could file a motion to amend the order if she choose.

The court papers show that the courts believed Gary Daniels had the capability

to earn income in between the amounts of $38,500 and $55,000 in fiscal year 1997. 

Based on these income figures the court ordered Gary Daniels to

pay Cheryl Daniels $473.38 per month per child.  This means Daniels support to his children,

including a seriously ill child would cost him less than $1,000.00 a month. 

Daniels fought this amount claiming that in 2000 he only earned $24,100

and in 2001 he expected to earn the same.  The court seemed to believe

that Daniels was decreasing his income for his own gain and upheld the

fact that Daniels had the ability to earn at least $42,000 a year if he applied himself.

The child support amount was upheld by the Court of Appeals.  The trial court

also ordered Daniels to pay his wife $25.00 a month spousal support for

seventy-two months.  Daniels claims that this was “too much money”

and that Daniels believed that his wife had the ability to work full time

even though she has to care for a seriously ill child.  The court disagreed

and upheld both the child support and spousal support payments.  

Daniels started his own business that went belly up and Daniels took

a job with a friend making less money.  It is clear to me that the court is

justified in believing that Daniels has the potential to earn enough money

to care for his kids but that he isn’t doing so in order to

affect money owed to his ex-wife.

On April 20, 2001 the court appointed guardian ad litem for the

children filed a motion with the court seeking to put Gary Daniels

in contempt for failing to pay bills incurred for his children by the

guardian ad litem.  The guardian ad litem wanted paid for money

expended for the Daniels children but

Gary Daniels refused to pay the debts.  What a man!

Because Gary Daniels refused to pay his bills his ex-wife Cheryl Daniels

had to use high interest credit cards to pay for her childrens needs. 

The court in the final court decree ordered Gary Daniels to

pay the credit card debts. 

Daniels fought this issue to the Court of Appeals and lost. 

It seems to me that Gary Daniels spends more time on his

computer trying to destroy an honest man like Bob Mollette

and in doing so he has decided to neglect his own two remaining children. 

Daniels can be found on Moe’s Forum making irrational posts around

the clock and his fixation on Councilman Mollette is unbelievable.

Another Tragedy Overlooked - 40,000 Residents Gone!
 
By Jay Olsen, Special Contributor to the Shawnee Sentinel on
September 14, 2005
 
It’s sad the terrible tragedy that’s hit the great city of New Orleans,
and how the government has neglected the needs of its people. 
All the lives lost due to the careless attitude of our Government and
those we have elected to protect us from such terrible mistreatment
of human lives.
Portsmouth has had a similar tragedy losing over 40,000 residents,
going from a once thriving city of 60,000 happy residents to a mere
19,???, thousand unhappy ones.
The questions on most peoples mind, why all the taxes? Why a new
city building? Now when we can’t afford one, just think about it! 
Where’s the City Building we had when we had 60 thousand people
in the city?   It’s still there! The same little building, which over the
years has purposely been neglected because of lack of respect. 
Now Kalb after 10 years on council has a great idea, more taxes to
rebuild Portsmouth’s economy.  Bull Shirt!  
 
But let’s think about all the new technology, with computers and
automations to courts, that we never had years ago with 60 thousand
people and we got along fine.  What makes him think we need a
building as large as some hospitals?  Why did Kalb sit on his hands
for ten years on council and do nothing but insure Kalb and his family
great health insurance while others in his city suffer with none?  Does
Kalb have the same feelings like the politicians in Washington? That
the people aren’t worth it? They’re not worthy of having a vote on
being taxed for the next twenty five years for a renovation of a
building they don’t even want?
They’re not worthy of having dry basements, without living in fear
of raw sewage entering their homes at any time.
 
That the few of us that are left are not worthy of jobs for our children.  
That we are not worthy of living on a quiet dead end street, where
we planned to retire.  Nor drive down a street without potholes.
Unlike the poor people struggling down south we still have a say. 
The only hope Portsmouth has left, is remove Kalb and Mohr this
November before there is only 10 thousand survivors left!  This city
government has chosen not to rebuild, but only to destroy
Portsmouth’s economy and population by continuously raising water,
sewage and garbage rates.  But the big one
hasn’t hit shore yet!  The Marting’s tax that will finish poor old
Portsmouth off, people are already fleeing town in fear of its
repercussions.  This will not be the end! We now need a parking
garage, and parking meters to handle the great influx of traffic
that the Marting renovation will bring downtown, according to our
Mayor!
What a sad state of affairs, perhaps the nation should send FEMA to
Portsmouth, we sure could use them.
Jay Olsen (OSU) September 14,
 2005
 
 
 
 


Mayor Jim Kalb met with Citizens   



for Responsible Government  at 7:30 p.m. Friday, August 19, 2005 at Giovanni’s
Banquet Room- Mayor denied ordering the jailing of Russell
Cooper, said he had no advance knowledge of arrest. 
Kalb Don't Care.  The Mayor's great concerns are the
Marting Building and taking land from citizens by eminent
domain.  Mayor spoke disparagingly of Skip Kyle and of
Kyle's property on Third Street that Neal Hatcher has
been trying to take away from Kyle for several years. 
Kalb is also determined to put black property owner Joe Perry out of business. 
Mr. Perry has been renting to students for many years.
Kalb will take Perry's houses and take away his business income
for the sake of Neal Hatcher.  Neal wants "all the candy in the store"
and Kalb will hold the gun on other citizens while Neal Hatcher takes
anything his greedy soul desires.  Black men and Indians are second
rate in Kalb's town.
Jim Kalb would like for you to vote for him for Mayor on
November 8, 2005.

K K K
By Jay Olsen Tuesday, August 09, 2005
People of Portsmouth, when are you going to smell the stench
of City Hall?   No, it’s not the smell of dead fish coming from
over the levy, but it’s the sweating people all crowded into a
ventless heated city council chamber. “Yes, we like it that way
and that’s how it’s going to be,” says Kalb. “If people don’t like
it they can just stay away!”

Kalb is hoping people don’t come to city council meetings
while he is trying to sneak the smelly Marting’s deal through
without anyone knowing it until they receive their next tax bill. 
Kalb could locate a nice place for the meetings but refuses,
“If these people are going to come down here and complain
I'm going to make them suffer!”
 
Who is really running the city? Apparently it’s not Kalb because
he is doing everything the people of Portsmouth are against, like
taxing them for the next twenty years without a vote.  After looking
at Kalb’s contributors it appears that out of town contractors have
given him quite a bit of money.  Is this ethical giving him money and
receiving big contracts with the city?  I would think not. 
 
It is also interesting that Kalb ended his campaign in deep debt
owing more than he took in.  Is this the reason our part time Mayor
filed bankruptcy?  This only goes to prove the heading of this story
KKK which stands for KALB  KAN’T  KOUNT!
 
It’s time to send Kalb back to stocking cans at KROGER’S, not
trying to run a six million dollar corporation like the city, and
possibly put it in the same shape as his own personal finances,
 “BANKRUPT!”
By Jay Olsen - Tuesday, August 09, 2005
*******
WRITER CLAIMS MAYOR HOLDS SPECIAL MEETING FOR SPECIAL PEOPLE
(Correction/Apology from James K. Wilson, Sr., dated Saturday August 6, 2005)
Two days ago I posted a letter on the SENTINEL regarding
the meeting held at the Health Department and I was in error
when I stated that the landlords had not stepped up to the "mike"
at the council meeting. They were very well represented.
So please accept my apology.
James K. Wilson)  August 6, 2005

Letter to the Editor
From: jwilson@falcon1.net
Sent: Thursday, August 04, 2005 7:13 PM
8-4-05
TO THE CITIZENS OF PORTSMOUTH:
On Wednesday 8-3-05 the Mayor and three members of the city council along with all
department heads met with three of the biggest owners of rental property in Portsmouth
in a closed meeting. The ordinary taxpayers of the city were not invited to this closed meeting.
But the staff of The Shawnee Sentinel was made aware and went to the "open" meeting.
I can understand why they would want to meet and discuss the proposed "RENTER’S FEE"
ordinance that will be voted on again at the next council meeting. My only question is why do
they rate a special meeting? If the three big rental property owners are concerned, they should come
on down to council meeting and step up to the "mike" like the rest of us ordinary citizens.
The one thing they will have to know is it really does not matter as the council seems to have its
mind already made up. This will be the second time Mayor Kalb has tried to get this ordinance for a
$50.00 rental fee to be passed by the Council.
If you have questions about this or any other recent proposals, please feel free to call
"Citizens for Responsible Government." Our number is 354-4793.
James K. Wilson, Sr.


BIKER Kalb Has Visions of Splendor!
 
By Jay Olsen, Special Investigative Reporter for the
Shawnee Sentinel. Posted on July 23, 2005 at 2:00 a.m.
 
Our illustrious Recall-appointed Mayor Jim Kalb has great imaginings of grandeur,
in becoming the Mayor of a city full of flea markets, pawn shops and storage buildings. 
 
What a great honor to have the Martings building with a life size statute of himself
sitting on his old dirt bike in the lobby, stating “Look what I gave this city!”
(THE HIGHEST PROPERTY TAX IN THE STATE OF OHIO)
 
Why would any man that had to file bankruptcy want to put such a burden on the
people he’s supposed to represent, AND MAYBE ALSO FORCE THEM
OUT ON THE STREET?
 
  What we have at city hall is what is known as a pork barrel and Kalb is right
in the middle of it.  He signed an agreement with Clay Johnson giving everyone
involved in the Martings scam a merciful pardon back to the beginning of the world!
Now why would anyone want this much forgiveness? Perhaps that’s how long
they’ve been dishonest! But what will keep them from being dishonest in the future?
As already proven nothing! 
 
Kalb has tried to persuade city council to pass a half million dollar property tax
to use as he pleases for the next twenty five years.  I only hope the voters will
remember the power and tax- hungry Kalb at election time.  This city continues
to look like the depressed city that the powers to be want it to, so they may continue
to reap all the millions of dollars of grants they receive on behalf of the city, of which
the taxpayers never see!
 
It’s apparent that Kalb has fallen into their tangled web of corruption. 
“Kalb go ride your dirt bike and collect your fifty two thousand a year
and we’ll see that you’re re-elected.”
 
People the only way to break this chain is at the ballot box! When you
go vote remember what this power hungry KROGER SHELF STOCKER
had in mind for YOU? “HIGHER PROPERTY TAX”
By Jay Olsen, Special Investigative Reporter for the Shawnee Sentinel. Posted on July 23, 2005 at 2:00 a.m.
 
.
Jim Kalb - Our hero of the tracks.......The Pride of Portsmouth.....
Saturday,July 2, 2005
Unconfirmed rumor:  The Honorable Part-time Mayor of Portsmouth,
Ohio has left town to go to New York State for his fourth (or fifth) big
biker event this year and will miss the 4th of July celebration here at home.
 
CASH REGISTER KALBSKI
By Special Reporter Jay Olsen 13 July 2005

Jim Kalb has become known as taxes, taxes and more taxes.

People of Portsmouth, Captain Cash Register does it again, here’s a man that went from a fifty dollars a month at a city council job to a FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR a year job by default.  Our part-time Mayor's latest expo was to raise your property taxes only two or three hundred dollars a year more for his self esteem or his FIFTY THOUSAND DOLLAR EGO.  

Any time a stock boy hits the lottery they don't know how to deal with it.  Most of the time they end up BANKRUPT, after all this is nothing new to our DEFAULT MAYOR, now, is it?    Perhaps he couldn't handle his own money now he wants to mis-handle yours, and maybe put the city in a full blown BANKRUPTCY. 

HIS GOAL IS TO BUILD A MONUMENT TO HIMSELF!   Much like some of the great European leaders have done in the past.  I can RECALL the great statue of Saddam being pulled down by U.S Soldiers , the statues of Old Adolph and Stalin all being torn down by another power.
 
This grocery stocker is hell bent to raise your property taxes no matter what it takes, to quote him from a council meeting, he stated “THESE PEOPLE ARE GOING TO GET A NEW CITY BUILDING WHETHER THEY LIKE IT OR NOT”

Now does this sound like a man looking out for your best interests or does it sound like a store stocker with great thoughts of grandeur at the cost of the taxpayers.  Let’s not forget his first actions after taking his throne was to raise your water and sewage rates, then not let’s forget the garbage pickup raise and now a big property tax raise is being crammed down the throats of the taxpayer. 

If this man is not sent back to the stock room from whence he came there’s no telling how much more damage this default imitation of a Mayor could lower on us citizens.  His ego has grown so big that he now requires a larger free, city-owned car, one more prestigious to his likening, and more prestigious to drive to Kentucky to pick up his royal smokes. 

Hey, people of Portsmouth, yes, some of this is in fun but the TAXES are for real, and more working people will vacate and cut their losses to seek freedom elsewhere. The fact that gasoline is going up to three dollars a gallon, and with this everything delivered will go up, also.  Schools are asking for more taxes, the State is taking more, now the Mayor wants a bloodletting from you for the next twenty five years.  Is your income going up as quick as the taxes?  Most of us are not fortunate enough to jump from $600 a year to FIFTY THOUSAND A YEAR, ARE WE ?
 Jay Olsen, Special Investigative Reporter for the Shawnee Sentinel

AWARD FOR JOURNALISM IS DUE JOE FERGUSON
 
Joe Ferguson of Moezine Productions deserves Pulitzer Journalism Award.  People, including  State officials, who have read Moe’s Forum on the investigation and publication of  Corruption in Action at City Hall on Monday, May 23, 2005, are excited about the great, bold revelations by Videographer Joe Ferguson on his website. 

This work is all-time high-class, big calibre news reporting.  Joe Ferguson brings honor to Portsmouth by doing an extraordinary work of investigative journalism.  Expect big-time TV and newspapers to pick up on this story.
The video was broadcast on the World Wide Web on Moe's Forum  less than an hour after the council meeting was closed.
 
Interest is growing nationwide as the news spreads about the amazing work of this website reporter.
I have already received calls from other states.  News is news, and this is news for the news business.
Expect pathfinder Ferguson’s works to be emulated by others soon.
 
Since Moe’s Forum published the video on his website Monday night I have been deluged with calls; everywhere I go people want to talk about Councilman Marty Mohr and the City Council.  Most citizens are disturbed, troubled and angry about Baughman and Mohr.  Talk of recalls, protest parades, boycott of and demonstrations in front of appropriate business places is common speech around town.
Violence has been suggested by some citizens, calmer heads talk against any law-breaking; they suggest civil litigation against city councilmen for illegal actions
 
Examples of comments I have received the last few days about Moe’s photos and voice recordings are:
 “Absolutely the greatest news story ever published,”  “Best article I have ever read about City Council,”  “No way Council can lie out of Moe’s photos and their own voices, they are caught red-handed,”  “Better scoop than the Monica Lewinsky and Bill Clinton story, too bad Matt Drudge didn’t have  pictures and voices to go with his story, Ferguson outdoes Drudge,”  “Marty Mohr oughtta be run out  of town,”  “What are we going to do with Marty Mohr?”  “We always knew they were crooked, Moe’s Forum has proved it,”  “The whole bunch should be in prison,”  “I couldn’t get to the Council meeting Monday night but I saw what they did on Moe’s Forum before midnight Monday night,  we always knew they was crooks,”  “After watching Moe’s Forum I’m glad we moved out of  Portsmouth to New Boston,”  “If we try to speak at Council meetings, Mohr and Baughman will remove us from the city building; they should be removed from America.”
8888888888888888888
Re-posted after the news that $1.4 Million, in grants and donations, is already on hand for complete renovation of Welcome Center was published on April 20, 2005 on frontpage of Community Common.  There is no excuse now to give SOGP/Clay Johnson $2.5 Million from our city water funds.   Did council lie to us in August 2003?  Yes, they did.
First written and posted by Austin Leedom at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2005.
2.5 Million Dollars from our water funds to Clay Johnson/SOGP for a Welcome Center with Restrooms to Benefit BoneyFiddle is "the smart and the right thing to do" according to City Councilman Howard Baughman, a relative of Clay Johnson.
Posted Again On Monday, August 25, 2003
COUNCIL PRESIDENT JIM KALB PRESIDED OVER
A $2.5 MILLION DOLLAR RIP-OFF
OF CITY FUNDS BY SOGP (CLAYTON JOHNSON)
Present for the Portsmouth Ohio City Council meeting on Monday, August 25, 2003 were President of Council Jim Kalb, City Solicitor David Kuhn, Auditor Trent Williams, Councilpersons Ann Sydnor, Carol Caudill, and Howard Baughman. Vice President of Council Ray Pyles and Councilwoman Barbara Halcomb were absent from the meeting.
Ordinance passed after the third reading rule was suspended on a motion by Councilman Howard Baughman. Howard Baughman also made the motion to pass the illegal ordinance.
According to the official record of the meeting, "The Clerk gave a second reading to an ordinance authorizing the Mayor to renew an existing twenty year contract, effective November 20, 2006 through November 20, 2026, with Southern Ohio Growth Partnership (SOGP) for the purpose of furnishing water to various industrial sites owned by said (SOGP).
Councilman Baughman moved to suspend the rule requiring an ordinance be read on three separate dates.
There were no questions or comments. The roll was called. VOTE: ayes 4 –nays (sic) - The rule was suspended.
Councilman Baughman made a motion to pass the ordinance."
NOTE: At the beginning of the meeting before any ordinances were voted on, Franklin T. Gerlach of 814  7th Street spoke with regard to this proposed item concerning the renewal of the SOGP lease to obtain water from the City of Portsmouth and re-sell it to "industries they own" at an increased rate.
From the official record of the City Clerk: "Mr. Gerlach noting that the existing twenty-year contract with Southern Ohio Growth Corporation doesn’t expire until 2006, stated it to have been Council’s practice to allow the Council that is seated at the time the contract expires to be the Council that authorizes any renewal of that contract. Saying there may a reason for renewing the contract three years in advance, Mr. Gerlach advised Council that what they are about to do is to give about two and one half million dollars to a private entity. He said as a citizen and a user of water he found this to be a lot of money over the twenty years of the contract, saying this does not include any rate increases that might occur……….
………………………………… He suggested that someone look into it more fully to make sure this is what Council wants to do considering the amount of money involved."
The following comments were made after the motion to pass the ordinance was made by Councilman Howard Baughman according to the official City Clerk’s record:
ANN SYDNOR: ORDINANCE NEEDED FOR WELCOME CENTER
"In response to the President’s request for questions or comments, Councilwoman Sydnor, with regard to Mr. Gerlach’s questions and comments, stated that it to be her understanding that in 1965 this idea was conceived by, what was then known as Portsmouth Area Community Improvement Corporation. She said the gentlemen who formed this corporation to do development within the county needed to generate funds and therefore this agreement was worked out with the City and an ordinance was passed in 1966 that authorized a twenty-year contract for the purpose of furnishing water to various industrial sites owned by the corporation. She pointed out that in 1986, City Council renewed the contract for another twenty years. She acknowledged Mr. Gerlach to be correct that last renewal is not due again until 2006. She said the corporation, now known as Southern Ohio Growth Partnership has made a decision and stepped forward with the Welcome Center.
SYDNOR ADMITS RENEWED CONTRACT NEEDED FOR SECURITY FOR BANK LOANS TO SOGP/Clay Johnson
She noted that since there is not any guarantee of federal money SOGP needs a guarantee of a cash flow in order to be able to commit to this project. She said the purpose of renewing the contract is to guarantee the local lending institutions funds will be forthcoming. To Mr. Gerlach she acknowledged that Council does not usually renew a contract early but noted this to be a project that will benefit, not only Portrsmouth, but Scioto County, and hopefully, the region. Mrs. Sydnor reiterated the purpose for which SOGP needed this renewal to take to the financial institution.
MAYOR BAUER: "REVENUE STREAM WILL CONTINUE"
The Mayor stated that in addition this is assurance that that revenue stream will continue (To SOGP) and will allow funds to retire the debt for the welcome center property in twenty years.
BAUGHMAN CALLS $2.5 million dollar giveaway "exciting."
Councilman Baughman agreed with everything stated by Councilwoman Sydnor and the Mayor. He also describeed this to be one of the most exciting things that has come before Council. Mr. Baughman said one of the most frustrating things with being on Council is to adhere to all the rules and regulations with regard to how funds can or cannot be used. He expressed pleasure that the City is going to have welcome center that will house public restrooms, the Chamber of Commerce and several other organization that will benefit Boneyfiddle. He described this legislation as the "the smart and right thing to do" and expressed his excitement at Council being able to participate.
There being no further questions or comments, the roll was called. VOTE: ayes 4 – nays 0 The ordinance was passed ORD. #80-03"
BIGGER THAN THE MARTING SCAM
Most citizens know how we were robbed of Two Million Dollars by the SOGP/Marting Foundation/Clay Johnson Gang and a crooked city council in the purchase of the Marting department store building in May of 2002.
However, most of you were not aware of the GIVEAWAY OF 2.5 MILLION OF OUR MONEY IN AUGUST, 2003 by the City Council.
Fellow citizens of Portsmouth: This ordinance for renewal of a lease was not really a just a massive giveaway; the ordinance #80-03 is really a Conspiracy to Commit Grand Theft of $2.5 Million Dollars of City funds.
Let us consider the comments uttered by Councilpersons in support of Ordinance #80-03, and Ordinance itself.
STATE PRISON IS NOT INDUSTRIAL SITE OWNED BY SOGP
The ordinance reads, in part: "for the purpose of furnishing water to various industrial sites owned by said (SOGP). Water that the SOGP is currently purchasing from the City is going in city water lines to the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility (SOCF). This is a state prison and can hardly be properly termed an "industrial site owned by said (SOGP)."
CITY LOSING MILLIONS – SOGP LOOTING CITY COFFERS
While we are at his point let us look at the profit being taken from the city by the SOGP. The Shawnee Sentinel has obtained invoices from the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility that document that during the fiscal year ending June 2004 the following payments were made to Southern Ohio Growth Partnership by the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility:
September 2003   $61,765.13
December 2003    54,356.17
March 2004          54,888.52
June 2004           34,480.32
TOTAL $205,490.14   paid by the Southern Ohio Correctional Facility to SOGP
For the water that was delivered to the State Correctional Facility the Southern Ohio Growth Partnership paid the City of Portsmouth:
September 2003    $30,482.86
December 2003     25,468.58
March 2004            28,362.98
June 2004             19,066.22
TOTAL                 $84,314.42    paid to the City of Portsmouth by Southern Ohio Growth Partnership (SOGP)
Money received by Southern Ohio Growth Partnership was $205,490.04
City billed the Southern Ohio Growth Partnership 84,313.42
The difference is a SOGP profit of $121,176.62 for the fiscal year ending in June 2004.
Multiplying $121, 176.62 a year by 20 years equals: $2, 423, 532.40.
These figures indicate that Mr. Franklin T. Gerlach was right on the money when he, "advised Council that what they about do is to give about two and one half million dollars to a private entity."
DOES SOGP/CLAY JOHNSON NEED $2.5 MILLION
 OF OUR CITY WATER FUNDS?
Now, let us consider the comments made by the Mayor and the Council members at this meeting. Councilwoman Ann Sydnor justified the renewal of this agreement with SOGP because "Southern Ohio Growth Partnership has made a decision and stepped forward with the Welcome Center. She noted that since there is not any guarantee of federal money SOGP needs a guarantee of a cash flow in order to be able to commit to this project. She said the purpose of renewing the contract is to guarantee the local lending institutions funds will be forthcoming. To Mr. Gerlach she acknowledged that Council does not usually renew a contract early but noted this to be a project that will benefit, not only Portrsmouth, but Scioto County, and hopefully, the region. Mrs. Sydnor reiterated the purpose for which SOGP needed this renewal to take to the financial institution.
What was Ann Sydnor talking about. Does SOGP need $2.5 Million Dollars to contribute help in renovating the old Kenrick Building? The building was sold to Portsmouth Murals, Inc. on October 30, 2003 by George Clayton for an inflated price of $350,000. On October 30, 2003 the building was paid for by Portsmouth Murals, Inc.; there was no lien or mortgage on this property.
But, according to records at the Scioto County Recorder’s Office, on the same day they purchased this property it was mortgaged by Portsmouth Murals to Oak Hill Banks to obtain a $600,000 loan. Why was this necessary? Several gifts and grants that have been obtained were apparently sufficient to pay for the building.
What has happened to the $600,000 loan? Will it be eaten up by administrative fees at the allowable rate of 20% per year? Or has the money been placed in stocks and bonds to earn more money? Unless we can get federal or state agencies to begin fraud investigation we may never know.
SOGP/CLAY JOHNSON REFUSES TO MAKE PUBLIC ACCOUNTING
The SOGP and its shell affiliates refuse to reveal how any of the money they receive is spent. Their organization is more secret, and less honorable than the Cosa Nostra (Mafia). In 1997 the Shawnee Sentinel was given some reports by Ron Fisher of Bank One on the expenditures of Empowerment Zone funds. The reports we were given at that time were mis-information. We were lied to.
What Councilwoman Ann Sydnor was really saying about the urgency of renewing the water lease with SOGP was that SOGP/Portsmouth Murals needed this new lease agreement to use as security for the pending $600,000.00 loan from Oak Hlll Banks.
BAUER AND THE "REVENUE STREAM"
Now, Mayor Greg Bauer said the "revenue stream will continue and will allow funds to retire the debt for the welcome center property in twenty years." At the time the Mayor was talking there was no debt on the Kenrick building/"Welcome Center." Did Greg Bauer believe that the $2.5 Million Dollars that SOGP would receive from this renewed lease would be invested in improvements to Kenrick Building? Mr. Bauer was right, "the revenue stream will continue" but don’t expect any public accounting of the "revenue stream."
BAUGHMAN EXCITED: RESTROOMS AT WELCOME CENTER
According to official Council records, Councilman Baughman agreed with everything stated by Councilwoman Sydnor and the Mayor. After all, the money will be going to his close relative, Clayton Johnson.  Mr. Baughman also described "this to be one of the most exciting things that has come before Council." He expressed pleasure that the City is going to have "welcome center that will house public restrooms," the Chamber of Commerce and several other organization that will benefit Boneyfiddle. He described this legislation as the "the smart and right thing to do" and expressed his excitement at Council being able to participate.
It is easy to comprehend Mr. Baughman’s excitement. Anytime you can pull a $2.5 MILLION DOLLAR FLIM-FLAM on your fellow citizens for the benefit of one of your relatives, and get public restrooms too, it must be exciting.  WHAT A DEAL!  WHAT A SWINDLE!  EXCITING!
This is simply another gigantic swindle by the City Council/SOGP Mob that almost got by unnoticed.
Action by angry citizens will be taken to halt this monstrous rip-off, but don’t expect Mayor Kalb to take any corrective measures.
Jim Kalb, as President of the City Council, oversaw, conspired, and led efforts to run dozens of suspicious deals through city council. Several of the crooked council members who assisted Kalb in his betrayal of his fellow citizens are gone from Council. Already Jim Kalb has joined with Councilman Marty Mohr in a new conspiracy with SOGP/Clayton Johnson to deny citizens the recovery of the Two Million Dollars due from the illegal Marting Foundation scam. Only one of Kalb’s old-time chief conspirators remains on council, Howard Baughman. Mr. Baughman has indicated that he will not run for re-election.
MAYOR JIM KALB COULD REPENT AND ATONE
Mayor Kalb is willing to give $2.5 Million Dollars to SOGP/Clay Johnson at the same time he is raising water rates on "the rest of us."
Jim Kalb as Mayor now has the opportunity to correct some of the many illicit actions he guided through Council as President.  He could begin his atonement by leading an effort to rescind the $2.5 Million Dollar Water Lease Give-away to SOGP (Clay Johnson) that he guided through City Council in August 2003.
However, we have little hope that Jim Kalb will ever take the high road. He has been steeped in a brew of dubious deals and devilish designs for over twelve years and has followed the former Mayor’s practices of back room deceptive deals and secret no-bid, over-priced, under-the-table contracts with his "old friends."
Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 1:00 a.m. on Tuesday, February 8, 2005.  Re-posted April 26, 2005.Written and posted by Austin Leedom, Sunday, April 24, 2005

on the third anniversary of the MARTING’S DEAL.

Exactly three years ago today the Community Common published news of the purchase of the Martings Building. This building was purchased from the Marting Brothers Corporation in an unpublicized, secret manner by the Portsmouth City Council which was led at the time by Council President Jim Kalb. The purchase price was $1, 999,900.

Citizens were denied knowledge of the pending purchase although many negotiation meetings were held by council members before council passed the ordinance to purchase as an "emergency" on April 22, 2002. The general public had no knowledge and Council President Jim Kalb allowed no comment from the public before the ordinance was passed..

When the public later learned that the building has been appraised at $1,850,000 by an unqualified appraiser (Ken Rase) who made no comparison in the prices of the other buildings that had been recently sold in the same area, many citizens were disturbed.

The citizens were further disturbed, and angered, when they learned that an honest appraisal of the Martings building had been made by a licensed, certified appraiser who valued the building at only $762,000 shortly before the Ken Rase appraisal was made.

Scioto County Common Pleas Court Judge William T. Marshall overturned this purchase in November 2004.   Citizens had filed action against the Council claiming the purchase was illegal because of violations of the "Sunshine Laws" of Ohio.  Judge Marshall agreed and ruled the purchase null and void.

That was the news from the Community Common three years ago today. Many of you readers know much of "the rest of the story."

James Kalb, in February 2004, revealed the details of the secret purchase of the Marting’s purchase to Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner; the Chief did a thorough investigation and found evidence of illegal activity in the purchase. Chief Horner’s allegations of impropriety were later sustained in the ruling by Judge William T. Marshall in Common Pleas Court.

At the time Jim Kalb revealed the deception in the Marting’s Case to Police Chief Horner the Mayor, Greg Bauer, was already in great disfavor with most of the citizens of Portsmouth because of unbid, overpriced purchases of trucks, unwanted garbage cans, insurance, and other items. Mayor Bauer had also been severely criticized by citizens for covering up thefts by Mike Blackburn, his Service Department Director.

Many citizens were further aggravated by an excessive tax placed on their real estate to pay the two million dollars purchase price. And, plans to spend countless millions more to renovate the old Marting’s building were to add more taxes for many years.

Estimates of renovation costs have varied from 1.5 million to more than nine million dollars.

Even more aggravating was the Mayor’s arrogant treatment of ordinary citizens who dared to complain of Bauer’s acts.

Greg Bauer once said, "I don’t have to explain anything to any citizen."

Mayor Greg Bauer was defeated 2-1 by the citizens in a recall vote in June 2004.

James Kalb, as Council President, assumed the position of Mayor, in accordance with the City Charter. An employee of the Kroger Company, Kalb has retained his employment (part-time) at Kroger’s and also works as Mayor.

He is approaching his first citywide election in the May 3^rd primary.

Mayor Kalb, much like Bauer, has also earned widespread notoriety and criticism as he has attempted to follow the same policies that brought Mr. Bauer to a disgraceful exit from city service. With Jim Kalb as Mayor we have suffered the same over-priced, unbid contracts with the "good old boys" as we had with Bauer.

Kalb has openly supported "eminent domain" to take people’s homes to provide space for plans by Developer Neal Hatcher, and has indicated he plans to continue with Bauer’s plans for renovation of the Marting’s building.

Jim Kalb is up for election for Mayor on May 3^rd.

You may want to remember that Jim Kalb was there as Council President when every "deal" that Greg Bauer made was ran through as an ordinance by a rubber-stamp council.

Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 1:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 30, 2005.

City Council Meeting

The City Council Meeting on Monday evening March 28, 2005 was more orderly and quieter than any I have been to since Sixth Ward Martin Mohr took office over a year ago. Mohr was not at the meeting last night. Rumors afloat indicate he may have "resigned" again.  (Lee Scott of Columbia Theatre was also missing.)

A second reading was passed concerning the distribution of one-third of the Hotel/Motel Tax funds, giving money to various organizations as approved by Cultural Affairs. Mayor Jim Kalb is to receive $500.95 for his own personal non-profit corporation, Proud Incorporated. Jim Kalb has apparently been receiving money from the motel tax since 1993 according to documents.

A third reading to transfer $6,064.94 from the General Fund into Legal Services Department Attorney Fees for payment of legal services to Walter and Haverfield for cable TV legal services was passed.

D D Doug Deepe

Written and posted by Austin Leedom at 12:30 a.m. March 25, 2005.

By Doug Deepe, Investigative Reporter

There appears to be a pattern of corruption within the legal system of Scioto County when it comes to a family in Scioto County with the last name of Ratcliff that makes one go "hummm"?

Jeff and Amy Ratcliff have both voiced concerns that a recent complaint filed by them against a Bradford P. Wedebrook for a felony bad check will get shoved under the rug in some type of secret hearing, just like Wedebrook’s secret preliminary hearing in Portsmouth Municipal Court Judge Richard Schisler’s courtroom on May 2, 2003. The time was moved to accommodate Wedebrook’s schedule for the day while preventing Ratcliff from attending the hearing.

Brad Wedebrook does have family that works in the Scioto County Prosecutors Office; but there is no information that Wedebrook’s family has interfered with the current investigation that has been bound over to that office last Friday. However, it’s clear why the Ratcliff’s are fearful when you review what has happened to them and their family over the last four years.

Allan Ratcliff and Donna Ratcliff of Portsmouth, father and mother of Jeff Ratcliff, also claim they were scammed by Wedebrook out of $1500.00. This was reported to Lt. Lynn Brewer the same day that Jeff and Amy Ratcliff filed their complaint against Wedebrook but they have yet to be contacted by Lt. Brewer or any member of the Portsmouth Police Department, or the Portsmouth City Solicitor’s Office, to proceed with prosecuting Wedebrook on their complaint.

JEFF RATCLIFF ASSAULTED WITH A DEADLY WEAPON BY SHERIFF'S DEPUTY; BIG OFFICIAL COVER-UP - BOTH POLICE AND SHERIFF REFUSED TO ENFORCE THE LAW.

In November of 1999 Lieutenant Lynn Brewer, of the Portsmouth Police Department, investigated a complaint filed by Jeff Ratcliff that a Scioto County Special Deputy Sheriff, and Probation Officer, Mark Darby put a gun to Ratcliff’s head at the Anchor Pad down on the Ohio River Bank. Deputy Darby was also a bailiff for then Common Pleas Court Judge Walter Lytten.

During that Ratcliff investigation, Brewer claimed that he was being pressured to drop the case. In fact, Brewer claims he was late to testify in a case before then Judge Walter Lytten and was ordered to face Lytten in a contempt hearing. For whatever reason the Darby case never went to trial on the Ratcliff complaint, nor did it find its way to the Scioto County Grand Jury.

In this case with Deputy Darby, Scioto County Sheriff Marty V. Donini asked the victim, Jeff Ratcliff, to take a voice stress analysis test to prove he was telling the truth. Ratcliff was given the test twice and passed both times. When Deputy Mark Darby was ordered to take the test he was advised by his attorney not to take the test and Sheriff Donini reluctantly asked Deputy Darby to turn in his badge.

However, neither Sheriff Donini nor the Portsmouth Police Department filed a charge against Deputy Mark Darby.

Jeff and Amy Ratcliff filed a civil suit against Deputy Mark Darby and Sheriff Marty Donini on August 9, 2000. The case is still pending in the courts. The county commissioners are furnishing the defense attorneys for Darby, and Donini. (Your county tax dollars at work.)

(Note: Deputy Mark Darby was fired by Sheriff Jim Sutterfield in October, 1996 after the armed Deputy Darby was arrested on charges of assault and theft.

When Marty Donini took office as Sheriff in January 1997 he quickly re-instated Mark Darby as a Deputy Sheriff.)

JEFF RATCLIFF'S BROTHER -IN-LAW WAS RAN DOWN AND KILLED BY DRUNKEN DRIVER IN JANUARY 99’ IN PORTSMOUTH. KILLER NOT CHARGED WITH THE DEATH, LET OFF ON A MISDEMEANOR CHARGE.

By Doug Deepe - May 5, 2003

WRAGE-POWELL-BLANKENSHIP: DID THEY HAVE A CONSPIRACY?

By Doug Deepe, posted at 9:50 a.m. Sunday, September 14, 2003

ENFORCEMENT OFFICERS

Horner and Donini fight back with an attempted frame-up

DRUG USERS AND DEALERS FEAR POWELL AND WRAGE - THEY WON'T TAKE BRIBES AND PAY-OFFS

ANOTHER PROBLEM FOR THE CONSPIRATORS

SHERIFF AND CHIEF OF POLICE SHOULD RESIGN

D D