MY OPINION: Your article in the March 12, issue of the Tribune written by investigative reporters Thomas Peele and Matt O'Brien "Security firm's claims falsified" demonstrates the selective reporting of the questionable $450,000.00 security contract awarded to BMT Security Service to provide security for 40 acres of Port waterfront property. The Tribune along with other media outlets however, failed to provide any coverage when the then Oakland Port Commissioners on January 6, 2012 terminated the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement {ENA} between the Port of Oakland and Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC for the Port side of the $700,000,000.00 (million)dollar development project for the former Oakland Army Base. The reason provided for terminating the ENA was largely do to the inability of the developers (Phil Tagami and associates) failure to provide the private dollars necessary to complete the project without the Port subsidizing the development team. Additionally, Phil Tagami, falsely represented that he had paid a $50,000.00(thousand) dollar refundable security deposit, thus securing the Exclusive Negotiation Agreement with the Port. A response to a Public Records Request from Port staff on October 15, 2012 indicates the following: "Dan Connelly asked me to respond to your request below for copies of the $50,000.00 check to and from Mr. Tagami...There is no such check in connection with a refundable security deposit arising out of the Exclusive Negotiations that expired on January 6, 2012". Recently, the Port Commissioners awarded a second Exclusive Negotiation Agreement, that was previously terminated for the Port side of the former Oakland Army Base to Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC. It should be noted, the finances of Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC have not improved since January 6, 2012. There is however a change in the composition of the Port Commissioners , those who are willing to provide Prologis CCIG Oakland Global with a Port subsidy. Additionally, the Tribune failed to provide coverage of the fraudulent conveyance for the City side of the former Oakland Army Base development project. Throughout 2012 Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC did not posses a business license [as is required]in the City of Oakland warranting the City Council authorizing the Lease Disposition Development Agreement(LDDA) conveying the City side of the former Oakland Army Base to Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC in June of 2012 that was signed on Dec.. 4, 2012. The City Attorney's legal opinion acknowledges that Prologis CCIG Oakland Global LLC did not posses such a business license certificate as is required by the City's own Contract Compliance Office. The combined projects on the former Oakland Army Base between the Port side and the City side is in access of One Billion dollars($1,000,000,000.00) and no coverage of what appears to be a fraudulent conveyance of Public land requiring subsidies by both the City and the Port. Gene Hazzard Oakland resident (510)418-0501 www.cleanokland.com
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Ex-Oakland employee says she lost job for refusing to lie
Will Kane Updated 6:20 am, Wednesday, March 19, 2014 A former Oakland employee claims in a lawsuit that she was fired because she refused to falsify documents to aid the city administration's case against a member of the City Council accused of circumventing city hiring rules. Daryelle LaWanna Preston said in a lawsuit filed in Alameda County Superior Court on Monday that then-City Administrator Deanna Santana fired her because she refused "to falsify oral and written reports" that accused Councilwoman Desley Brooks of abusing her authority and ignoring city rules to build a teen center in her East Oakland council district. Preston said that in February 2012, as Santana was investigating Brooks' activity, Santana asked Preston to "falsify a report" and "state that (Brooks) intentionally and knowingly engaged in hiring practices and purchasing ... that violated the City Charter." Preston refused because she believed the allegations against Brooks were not true, according to the suit. "This was part of an effort to essentially demonize Desley Brooks, and Ms. Preston would have no part of it," said Dan Siegel, Preston's attorney. The allegations against Brooks were later the focus of a raucous July City Council meeting where Brooks faced censure over her close involvement in the city's hiring of a contractor and its purchase of music equipment to open the Rainbow Teen Center at 58th Avenue and International Boulevard. The council eventually voted to censure itself, not just Brooks. Brooks also came under scrutiny for allegedly interfering with city staff, as detailed in a March 2013 report by City Auditor Courtney Ruby. Preston, who was hired as the city's human resources manager in 2007 and promoted to employee relations director in 2012, was fired by Santana in October, according to the suit. Santana, who left her post this month, declined to comment. Alex Katz, a spokesman for City Attorney Barbara Parker, said the city is reviewing the case. Preston, who served as the city's chief employment negotiator from 2008 to 2012, also alleged that Teresa Deloach Reed, Oakland's fire chief, had improperly represented the city in negotiations with the city firefighters union, and that the city hadn't properly addressed a claim that part-time city employees were not paying union dues. Reed declined to comment because she hadn't read the suit. Preston claimed in the suit that she was fired as punishment for her actions and that the city deprived her of her free speech rights by firing her for speaking out. She is asking for lost wages and punitive damages. Will Kane is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer. E-mail: [email protected]Twitter: @WillKane |
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