By: Diane Benjamin
This is the Pantagraph story announcing CIAM (John Butler) would not be renewing the contract to manage the Coliseum: http://www.pantagraph.com/entertainment/u-s-cellular-coliseum-to-receive-new-management/article_194a2f7c-d482-5d82-8885-7e5eafddb2b4.html
That was March 8, 2016. Tari Renner is quoted saying CIAM might get a short-term contract to help with the transition – maybe 30-60-or 90 days. Obviously Renner had no urgency to remove CIAM for suspected fraud or any interest in calling in the State Police yet.
My lawsuit, filed in September 2015, was still in process. I had been reporting for most of 2014 on CIAM and Coliseum operations. To their credit, the City was attempting to negotiate more transparency in the contract. Better late than never.
The article has links to the City and CIAM’s statements about ending the relationship.
Decide for yourself whether Renner and Hales sounded like they knew theft and fraud were occurring at the Coliseum. Maybe their attitude is why no one from the City protected documents and assets at the Coliseum. VenuWorks was announced on March 24th, just 16 days later.
John Butler quote:
Tari Renner quotes:
David Hales quote:
.
.
.
Ha! Forgot all about that!! I’d sure like to hear them defend their latest statements compared to this. I doubt any of the local media will call them out.
“,,,It might be we can bring the people in who are investing 53 million to the table into the negotiations as to how the coliseum is managed.” Renner said. Geesh Tari, why in the heck would you do that when you completely ignore the citizens and taxpayers everyday that over the years have brought billions to the table. Jerk!
HE’S back!
Butler stated he refused to allow the City to inject its oversight into the operations of CIAM; Not only did the contract require it, Hales was obligated to provide it.
Both failedl
BOTH are accountable and complicit.
Here’s the clause from the CIAM Management Contract:
“(b) The City shall have the right at any lime, and from lime to time, to cause recognized independent auditors to audit all of the books of CIA relating to Revenues and Operating Expenses, including, without limitation, bank books, sales slips, cash register tapes, credit card invoices, duplicate deposit tapes, and invoices.”
There was nothing about the operation that the City of Bloomington/City Manager/City Council was prohibited from auditing/reviewing.
All are guilty.
Is Hales susceptible to claims of Official Misconduct as outlined in Illinois law:
If he was obligated to perform his duty, i.e. have oversight of the Coliseum to prevent what occurred and did not – for whatever reason ?
Here’s the Illinois Statute for Official Misconduct:
You decide.
(720 ILCS 5/33‑3)(from Ch. 38, par. 33‑3)
Sec. 33‑3. Official Misconduct.) A public officer or employee or special government agent commits misconduct when, in his official capacity or capacity as a special government agent, he commits any of the following acts:
(a) Intentionally or recklessly fails to perform any mandatory duty as required by law; or
(b) Knowingly performs an act which he knows he is forbidden by law to perform; or
(c) With intent to obtain a personal advantage for himself or another, he performs an act in excess of his lawful authority; or
(d) Solicits or knowingly accepts for the performance of any act a fee or reward which he knows is not authorized by law.
A public officer or employee or special government agent convicted of violating any provision of this Section forfeits his office or employment or position as a special government agent. In addition, he commits a Class 3 felony.
That last statement you printed from Hales should be put on a billboard in Joliet.