|
|
More Scandal and Money at City Hall
By Robert E. Martin
Willie Haynes, Saginaw City Council member, whom teamed up with Roma Thurin and Dan Sosa to get former City Manager Debbie Kimble fired, and bragged to have knowledge that he would not disclose to police about gun running in the city, has now been convicted in a federal criminal case.
Haynes admitted to lying in financial
statements, which is a federal misdemeanor that could land him jail time
for up to one year.
This latest incident involving a city
council member stems from a three-year old embezzlement at his former
United Auto workers job in Bay City. While prosecutors did not charge
Haynes with embezzlement, a plea-bargain treats the matter as though he
stole $5,000 to $10,000 dollars.
Haynes claims that he will not resign
from the Saginaw City Council because of the incident.
According to his attorney, Peter C.
Jensen, Haynes took about $10,000 over three years and was
discovered by auditors, repaying the money by late 2004. Nonetheless,
auditors alerted the government, prompting criminal charges filed.
Haynes worked as the financial secretary
for Local 362, which represents workers at General Motors. Corp.
Powertrain Division in Bay City. He falsified financial reports in 2001,
2002 and 2003, U.S. Attorney Stephen J. Murphy said in a
statement.
According to Jensen in a report by Joe
Snapper in The Saginaw News, Haynes took advantage of a system
that allowed him to take off from his job at General Motors to conduct
union business on the condition the union would pay for Haynes time off
if G.M. would not. However, Haynes never took time off at GM and
collected the union money anyway, four hours a week's worth.
According to his plea-bargain, Haynes
faces no more than six months behind bars and fine from $1,000 to
$100,000. Haynes pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court.
Haynes' punishment also considers his
'abuse of a position of trust' and prohibits him from serving as a union
official again. Haynes will appear for sentencing before District Judge
Thomas L. Ludington.
In July 2005, Haynes also refused
to reveal what he knew of illegal guns plaguing Saginaw. During a City
Council session he suggested that he knew of a key player in the city's
firearms black market, but refused to discuss the information with
officers.
At that time, Saginaw Police Detective
Sgt. Mark Lively, the city's head of investigations, tried and
failed to interview Haynes after the meeting in which he mentioned his
knowledge of illegal gun sales.
Cleaning Up City Hall This latest incident comes at a time when The Saginaw County Republican Committee has adopted City Hall as their pet project under Saginaw's Adopt-a-Park program.
"This is a great opportunity for the
Saginaw County GOP to demonstrate our civic pride and to take our brand
of stewardship to City Hall," explains Saginaw County GOP chair Tim
Kelly.
"Through our volunteer efforts, we will
literally, not figuratively, clean up the mess at City Hall."
Executive Committee member Jimmy Greene will head up the project for the Republicans.
Members have offered use of pruning
equipment, a flatbed truck to haul away debris, and will also bring all
their own gardening and lawn equipment.
The City notes that the grass and shrub
beds just require a "once-over" while flowerbeds and other landscape
features will require some ongoing maintenance.
Over 20 people have volunteered to assist with the project. City Gets $3.3. Million in Housing Grants Meanwhile, as the City of Saginaw struggles over abandoned housing and budgetary shortfalls, Congressman Dale Kildee (D-MI) has announced that $3,324,821 in federal funds has been awarded to the City of Saginaw for housing, homeless assistance and community development initiatives.
Specifically, these grants have been
awarded to the City:
* $2,556,090 from the Community
Development Block Grants program, which seeks to provide decent housing
and suitable living environments while expanding economic opportunities
primarily for low and moderate-income people. Controversy has
surrounded the Block Grant funds for years, especially regarding
disbursements and bidding practices.
* $658,408 from the HOME program,
which works to expand the supply of decent, affordable housing to low
and very low-income families.
* $110,323 from the emergency
Shelter Grants program, which works to improve the quality and number of
emergency homeless shelters.
|
|
|
|
||