Vasquez Responds to Flyer

Rosie Vasquez is fast becoming the spokesperson for Athens.

She sent out an automated phone call today, trying to respond to the MontebelloWatch newsletter sent Saturday.

In the call, she defends the Athens contract as necessary and positive for Montebello.

As we keep saying, "COMPARED TO WHAT?" Without an open, competitive bidding process it is impossible to justify the deal as anything other than a payback to Athens for campaign contributions (and whatever isn't publicly disclosed).

South Coast AQMD filed an $18 million lawsuit against Athens Services for neglecting to correct numerous odor and safety violations...

Why should Montebello do business with a company that violates the law?

Notice that Athens is limited in the tonage of trash it can process. So why is it taking on more trash from Montebello...trash it can't handle...that violates AQMD rulings?

Mayor Molinari was the only council member who considered the facts.

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AQMD sues trash hauler
Suit alleges odor, safety violations against Athens

By Amanda Baumfeld, Staff Writer

September 27, 2008

The South Coast Air Quality Management District filed an $18 million lawsuit against Athens Services for neglecting to correct numerous odor and safety violations, according to court documents.

The suit claims Athens' Industry-based facility failed to fix at least 14 violations, dating back to April 2005. It was filed Aug. 21 in Los Angeles Superior Court.

"We have a bit of a history with this facility," said AQMD Spokesman Sam Atwood. "We have received many complaints of foul odors. We prohibit public nuisances and take foul odors very seriously."

FLYER HITS TOWN; VASQUEZ IN PANIC

A double-sided flyer (see Sept. 24th posts) appeard on every doorstep in Montebello this morning.

Looks like Rosie Vasquez is more than nervous. After the Sept. 24th Council Meeting, she placed calls to her former supporters wanting to tell them her reasons for supporting the Athens deal.

The few people who took the call ended up telling her off. Seems she was trying to convince them she was looking out for the city...they didn't buy it.

The self proclaimed "recall expert" may herself fall victim to the same..."those that live by the sword, die by the sword" goes an old saying.

$ALAZAR HAS "BIRTHDAY" FUNDRAI$ER

Soon-to-be-former Councilwoman Salazar held a fundraiser tonight.

Insiders tell us that it was poorly attended, but financially successful because ATHENS, HELMS & HILL, and the QUIET CANNON (room & food donated) came through.

Salazar donors should reconsider their generosity...a complaint was filed with the DA and FPPC last month and MontebelloWatch is following the money.

Calling it a "birthday fundraiser," Salazar emailed her flier on Sept. 1st to a list of friends and supporters...looks like she may need to clean her list...some "friends and supporters" don't seem to be so anymore.

Here is the email forwarded to SAM (comment came from forwarder):

Subject: Fw: Kathy's Birthday Party
Attachments: Flyer - 70th Birthday.doc

IS SHE SMOKING CRACK?
----- Original Message -----

From: Kathy Salazar
To: Undisclosed-Recipient

Sent: Monday, September 01, 2008 4:36 PM
Subject: Kathy's Birthday Party

Hello Friends,

I have attached a flyer for my up-coming Birthday. Hope you can make it.

God Bless.

Kathy

And here is the flyer:

Flyer - 70th Birthday (Salazar) - Upload a Document to Scribd

REFERENDUM VERIFIED

Today, the Los Angeles County Registrar Recorder's office returned the verified signatures for the Referendum to stop the Athens Disposal Services contract in Montebello.

Nearly double the number of required signatures was found sufficient.

LACO REGISTRAR	COUNT
Signatures Filed	6,286
Signatures Found Sufficient	4,578
Signatures Required	2,530

The October 8, 2008 Council Meeting is the next regularly scheduled meeting at which the City Council must take up this matter. The Council can either overturn their previous decision or place the issue on the ballot.

Join us on October 8 at City Hall (6:30 p.m.) and be heard!

MONTEBELLO WATCH #1

Montebello Watch #1 - Upload a Document to Scribd

LA Mirada Refuses to Take Money from Trash Haulers

La Mirada Article (Montebello Watch #1) - Upload a Document to Scribd

Vasquez Needs Help Justifying Her Actions

At the Sept. 22 council meeting, Rosie Vasquez asked City Attorney Arnold Alvarez-Glasman to explain why SHE signed the Athens Contract.

Once again, Rosie shows her ignorance. She signed the contract, she's accountable for her actions (and inactions), and she's the one who should explain her reasons for signing the Athens Contract to Montebello (especially the 6,232 voters who signed the petition)

Vasquez Signs Athens Contract

Leaves City Vulnerable to Lawsuit

September 24, 2008

MONTEBELLO – Residents are furious over Vice-Mayor Rosie Vasquez's move to sign the Athens contract, ignoring a Referendum suspending council actions.

Mayor Molinari raised serious questions regarding contractual violations, inaccuracies, and overcharges regarding the Athens agreement, holding off signing until the issues were resolved and the Referendum goes to a vote.

According to public documents, Athens contributed $7,600 to Vasquez, leading some to ask why she placed Athens concerns over her constituents as well as what her real motivations are.

Vasquez's actions potentially leave Montebello in legal jeopardy. Athens attorney has already threatened a lawsuit in a harshly worded letter to City Clerk Bob King, telling him he must "reject the Petition and refrain from submitting it to the City Council…"

The Referendum petition, signed by 6,323 residents, forces the Council to either overturn their decision or put the issue on the ballot. State Election Code section 9237 says that 10% of registered voters signing a Referendum petition immediately suspends the Council's actions. Nearly 3 times more signatures than needed to qualify a Referendum were submitted on August 20th, twenty-five days before Vasquez signed the contract.

Sources inside City Hall claim that Vasquez secretly removed the Athens contract from city hall earlier this month, signed it on Sunday, September 14th and dropped it off at the Clerk's office the following Monday.

Refusing to speak directly to the media, Vasquez faxed a statement prepared by Athens.

As a result of the backroom deal giving Athens Disposal a 15 year, non-competitive, exclusive contract and the more than $21,000 in contributions taken collectively by Vasquez, Urteaga and Salazar, a complaint was filed with the District Attorney's office.

A showdown is expected at the October 8th City Council meeting when the Referendum and Athens issue come back to the council.

At that time, City Clerk Bob King is expected to certify the Referendum and the council can overturn their previous decision.

Local Businessman Broguiere Calls it Like He Sees It

Whittier Daily News
Letter to the Editor
Your View
Contract is a quacker
September 12, 2008

Contract is a quacker

Well gee whiz! Athens Services has threatened to sue Montebello if they don't get their way. The American way is to vote, so why is it that Athens does not want this to happen?

If it's so darn good for Montebello, why is it that Athens can't figure out that instead of paying attorneys a ton of money fighting the will of the people for an election, just let the election happen.

I was there the night this contract was approved by three council members. I found it very odd that during the hearing Athens' Dennis Chiappeta renegotiated the multimillion dollar contract during his rebuttal time on the issue.

It seems that 25 people spoke against it and another three spoke for it, counting Chiappeta himself. During Chiappeta's second time up to rebut opposing comments, the contract was redone between Chiappeta and Council member Robert Urteaga. Also, the contract was voted for approval by council members Kathy Salazar and Rosie Vasquez and, of course, the great negotiator himself, Robert Urteaga.

Now that is unheard of.

This contract prohibits 13 other trash haulers from doing business in Montebello after 2016. Free enterprise at work - or can we say monopoly? When a monopoly occurs, we all know it will cost you more in the long run.

I also find it strange that in the last 45 years, the Athens contract has never gone out for competitive bidding, while bids for almost everything at City Hall are a normal occurrence.

You know I almost forgot to mention that Athens has contributed $4,000 in the past 6 months to Robert Urteaga; $7,600 to Rosie Vasquez from 2005 to 2008; and a whopping $12,500 to Kathy Salazar from 2005 to 2008. There's no way that I am saying what you may be thinking.

I remember a friend telling me that if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and walks like a duck, it's a duck.

Ray Broguiere
Montebello

"TOM SLICK" URTEAGA STILL IN LA POLITICS

Urteaga is a political hack who works for the highest bidder...not for his convictions or ethics.

Here's an example. The Mayor Sam site tells about Urteaga's work on the Vernon Power Plant. This project is widely opposed due to the negative impact on the health of low income residents in the South East Cities.

Urteaga doesn't care that innocent people (children) will be harmed. He's a slick polititian who asks, "show me the money."

Robert Urteaga shilling for Vernon Power Plant in CD 14??