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Three on Your Side investigated the dealings between Airwave, LLC and Hinds County. Airwave has the contract with Hinds County to install, maintain, and "monitor" the sirens. I put quotes around monitor because they are covered by a five-year warranty from the manufacturer. WLBT reports some very interesting facts but I'm not going to spoil the fun in the video below.
Allow Kingfish to supplement Mrs. Lasseter's superb reporting. Stacy Stowers lied when he stated he was the only employee of Airwave. The minutes from the March 15, 2010 minutes state:
"Nathan Hargrove, Airwave Consultant Co., addressed the Board regarding the new sirens to be put in service this year." Minutes, see page 5 The January 4, 2010 minutes state on page 5: "Mr. Nathan, Airwave Consultant Company, addressed Supervisor Fisher’s comments stating that repairs are not as simple and straight forward as stated." October 6, 2008 minutes state on page 10 "Airwaves Communication, Nathan Hargrove (arrived at 2:00 p.m. and exited at 2:04 p.m.); Airwaves Communication, General Manager, Stacey Stowers". This correspondent can also report that I filed a public records request for the county's contract with Mr. Hargrove and Northstar Wireless since he is the "consultant" for technology issues. I was told there was none since he is an "Airwave employee". Employee of one, eh?
Fox40 reported a year ago Hinds was paying Airwave $36,000 per quarter for maintenance and "monitoring" yet many of them still didn't work although EOC Director Jimmie Lewis testified at an August board meeting this was because they were older models and the antennas didn't work. The new ones do not have antennas. Fox40 reported:
Once again, Mr. Graham made himself unavailable for comment. Mr. Stowers created Airwave, LLC on January 28, 2009. Mr. Hargrove formed Northstar Wireless on March 13, 2009. Good job to WLBT and also a year ago, Fox40.
19 comments:
Why is Graham so beholden to Hargrove? Throw in some vows and you have an exemplary showing of devotion.
Why no criminal investigation from the state auditor? Graham is hiding for good reason. He is the one driving the county business to his friends.
There is one reason that public officals "give away " this kind of money and that is they are part of the deal.Remember the sting operation when Mabus was auditor with the FBI, what we have here is much worse.
Basically Mr. Anderson said "I don't know" in response to WLBT's questions about why they needed to pay for the "consulting" when the equipment is under a five year warranty, right? Shazaam!
JimAtTheRez
I think the heat of the lights shining in certain places is becoming overwhelming warmer.
This is not a rhetorical question: Why does the CL continue to ignore this corruption? What is their angle on this?
Stowers said he has 5 contracts with the county totaling $950k per year...
That would require actual research by the paper. The beat reporter on this is apparently Ruth Ingram.
This is Ruth Ingram. She wrote at the end of a story a few weeks ago "some individuals have questioned Mr. Johnson's contract" or something similar. that was it. It was apparently too much effort for her to 1. look up 19-3-69 online, 2. Call the bar. and 3. get a copy of his contract as I did or 4. Look in the minutes online for December, 2010.
JimattheRez, you are making Doug Anderson sound much more articulate than he actually did during the report. His response to the question as to why we need a contract for monitoring when the sirens are under warranty was more like:
"Well ...."
(silence)
"I, uh, ...."
(silence)
"Well ...."
(silence)
"Because we need to monitor."
At that point in the story, my CAT actually rolled her eyes.
I don't see any big deal here. My car is under warranty, but I still have to monitor its operation and maintain it. Just how are the sirens any different?
12:12, You proved our point within your own comment. YOU are monitoring your own vehicle. However, Hinds County is outsourcing the monitoring for a cool $36k a QUARTER. We should all be so lucky to make that kind of coin.
monitor the damn things by cutting them on once at month on the first day of the month at noon.Get real this is just graft.
The former director of the EOC would monitor the old sirens the first of the month when they are tested. The volunteer firemen in the districts would report back as to what sirens were not working. This was free! These 2 companies are nothing more than ones created to get money from the Hinds BOS. Look at Graham and Anderson real close....
Thanks for your reporting of such stories. Obviously, neither the CL nor the HC Bd of Sups wants us to know these things.
Lnesbit
Hinds County Board of Supervisors
V.
Haitian National Assembly.
Who's winning the corruption contest ?
One word-KICKBACK!
The appearance of a " Kickback" is a normal and accepted day to day political fact within Hinds County and the City of Jackson.
Again. I ask, " Can you say Haitian Politics ? "
The State-controlled media won't touch this one because of their liberal bias.
But that's a given in 2011.
Thank the Lord for Cheryl Lasseter and WLBT News directors.
Cheryl is too talented to remain in our piss ant TV Market .
Doug Anderson and George Smith are two of the most corrupt people in this state not to mention racist.
My daughter has 4 more years at JA and then I am out of this $hit hole for good.
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