So this....HERE...
shows how little effort the modern RRStar reporter puts into a story....

"ROCKFORD —

The revitalization of downtown Rockford — a perpetual work in progress — will get a boost in the months ahead with a private, for-profit investment fund to jump-start development projects.

The Rock River Development Partnership is a soon-to-be established nonprofit entity that will raise money for the investment fund, which would use private loans to bridge the gap for projects that could not otherwise raise adequate capital through a traditional mortgage.

The Leadership Council of the Rockford Area Economic Development Council awarded $75,000 today to the Rock River Development Partnership, a proposal submitted by SupplyCore CEO Peter Provenzano."
See,the THING is...The RAEDC receives TAX$$$$$ FROM the city, so it really is kinda bogus to call it a "private"fund....
AND,Provenzano,his influence over LarryBoy is becoming LEGENDARY!!!
(Remember this....
Quote:

...“I’m so upset. Wake up, Rockford,” said Provenzano, CEO of SupplyCore, a government procurement firm in downtown Rockford....
There are other things the city must do immediately, he said. Specifically, “we’ve got to throw every dollar we can at redeveloping downtown.”....

EXCELLENT!eh?

(you know,I recall when the general complaint was 'Rockford Blacktop runs this city'
NOW SupplyCore runs the city...
they way I see it, before(at least)the roads didn't look like bombed-out Baghdad,
now "developers" are sucking up all our taxes....)

After the attempt to ram thru that no-bid contract last week,what oh what did THIS Mon. nite offer?
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1655275853/Mall-removal-vote-could-face-delay
this pet project seems like a fantastic festering boil just so juicy,a perfect sideshow to the MetroMelanomaCentre....I so glad the financial footing of the city is SSOOOO firm we can make Doc's arthouse and Uncle Giamalva cobbler shoppe happy....
WHAT? WHAT?
http://www.rrstar.com/communities/x342404796/More-Rockford-budget-cuts-loom

"

ROCKFORD —

A second round of budget cuts appears likely this year after city finance officials delivered a memorandum projecting a $2.4 million revenue shortfall during Monday night’s City Council meeting.

A year-to-date financial update from Finance Director Andres Sammul shows that sales taxes are lagging projections by $343,779 at $3.2 million and income taxes are lagging projections by $181,025 at $3.3 million....
“My hope is to develop a plan in which the sacrifice is shared by all employees, as opposed to falling on one class of employee,” Morrissey said. “Typically, this falls hardest on nonpublic safety employees, and I would like to see the public safety employees share the burden.”

Although for the current budget aldermen maneuvered to avoid having to reduce the minimum number of firefighters that man the city’s fire engines, Morrissey raised the manning reduction as a possibility.

The downturn in tax collections is also being felt in the 1 percent sales tax for infrastructure that is funding about half the city’s $30 million capital improvement program this summer.

According to Sammul’s report, the $2.3 million in receipts for the infrastructure sales tax so far this year is $88,000, or 3.8 percent less than was budgeted....."
We also got the nCenter (another LarryBoy pet project) begging for money....hhmmmm

ONLY answer??? CUT PUBLIC SAFETY!!!
BRILLIANT!!!
(psst...The Chuckster said...
http://www.rrstar.com/archive/x180630069/Morrissey-s-quiet-voters-overwhelm-the-angry-voters
..." And he promised not to try to punish wayward city workers who backed his opponent, Democrat Doug Block...."
Guess can only try so long...

Last Mon.,LarryBoy failed in his most blatant-Blago-Pay-to-Play scam...
Let's go back a moment to pre-election,budget-crisis mode,when Alds. Wasco and Thompson-Kelly were asking tough questions about the shell game LarryBoy was playing to attempt to with cutting firetruck manning....anyway,then remarkably,this fabulous "WestStateDevelopment" project was introduced(anchored by an OSF Medical Facility)...And just like THAT,Ann Thompson-Kelley fell silent,(well,except when she endorsed LarryBot JohnSweepin'Weaver over fellow Democrat Linda Mcneely)
Which leads to...
http://www.rockrivertimes.com/index.new.pl?cmd=viewstory&cat=13&id=23355
..." News and notes from the May 11 Rockford City Council meeting

When Ald. Pat Curran (R-2) moved to adopt a resolution to issue requests for proposals (RFPs) from Rockford’s three hospitals for Fire Department emergency medical training, Ald. Joe Sosnowski (R-1) proposed an amendment that would eliminate the bid process.

Per Sosnowski’s amendment, the city would negotiate a five-year agreement directly with OSF Saint Anthony Medical Center for the training, specifically because the city has entered into a development agreement with John Anderson, who plans an ambitious $65 million mixed-use development project on West State Street between Pierpont and Springfield avenues.

“It smacks of politics,” Curran asserted, arguing the bid process is a normal part of city business.... Ald. Ann Thompson-Kelly (D-7) said she doesn’t see it that way, however...."

Yeah,LarryBoy didn't EITHER...give it away,kids...
why go out for bids...it's ONLY TAXPAYER$$$$$$$

As I said,BLATANT....

And the Metro saga crawls on....
FIRST....http://blogs.e-rockford.com/editorsnote/
... Remember the MetroCentre, that time-sucking, controversy-creating civic center downtown? The one that needs a taxpayer revenue stream? The one that now has a newly created ad-hoc committee reviewing its finances?

That one. Well, the city’s official position is “all discussions by the ad hoc committee are behind closed doors.” Why? Well, for starters, because they want to. That’s the real reason. They want to. They do not want you or the media there...."

And an hour later,LGC's next post..."Shortly after 5:30 this afternoon, Rockford Mayor Larry Morrissey called me to say the MetroCentre ad hoc committee meetings will be open to the press and public...."

"Rockford Legal Director Patrick Hayes wrote in an e-mail to the Register Star last week that because the committee is an advisory group with “no deliberative or investigative function related to the City Council,” it is not subject to the act. Therefore, there would be no agendas or notification of meetings provided to journalists"
Me? I'm like...http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/government/openmeet.pdf
..."Intent of the Act: The public policy provision states that "[i]t is the public policy of this
State that public bodies exist to aid in the conduct of the people's business and that the people
have a right to be informed as to the conduct of their business. In order that the people shall be
informed, the General Assembly finds and declares that it is the intent of this Act to ensure that
the actions of public bodies be taken openly and that their deliberations be conducted openly." 5
ILCS 120/1....Coverage: "All meetings of public bodies shall be open to the public unless excepted in
subsection (c) [5 ILCS 120/2(c)] and closed in accordance with Section 2a [5 ILCS 120/2a]." 5
ILCS 120/2(a). "Meeting" is defined as "any gathering of a majority of a quorum of the members
of a public body held for the purpose of discussing public business." 5 ILCS 120/1.02. "Public body" is defined to include "all legislative, executive, administrative or advisory bodies of the
state, counties, townships, cities, villages, incorporated towns, school districts and all other
municipal corporations, boards, bureaus, committees or commissions of this State, and any
subsidiary bodies of any of the foregoing including but not limited to committees and
subcommittees which are supported in whole or in part by tax revenue, or which expend tax
revenue...."
I got your "legal opinion" right here,Patrick....

Guess I understand WHY they'd want to keep it quiet....
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1194166943/Finance-Committee-OKs-lending-MetroCentre-270-000
"

ROCKFORD —

Sooner than expected, the cash-strapped MetroCentre Monday night received a second installment on a $600,000 loan from the Rockford City Council.

Officials said the $270,000 was needed to pay off crucial contracts and vendors...."

EXCELLENT!!!!

That "Metro gotta be" mantra from the News Silo just keeps beating....
http://www.rrstar.com/opinions/x342384643/Remember-the-MetroCentre-is-an-essential-asset
Sweeny,in this column,exhibits a strangely uncritical man-crush on EVERYTHING surrounding it's operation since 2002....
And the obligatory,follow-up Sunday editorial....
http://www.rrstar.com/opinions/x362990701/MetroCentre-can-succeed-with-proper-funding
likewise presents a "big picture" importance of the BigOrangeBox....appears some believe million$$ there,and million$$ on the TWO BLOCKS of Main St. ,Rockford will take it's rightful place among the great metropolitan cultural centers....Chicago,New York,Paris.....
Meanwhile they IGNORE the wasteful spending habits of the LarryBoy-chosen Board, documented in my last post....

I,for one, AGREE there is a NEED for the MetroCentre,HOWEVER,there is a BIGGER NEED to DEMAND accountability....

See, some folks just make TOO many excuses....
http://www.rrstar.com/news/x1515817532/Fixing-MetroCentre-may-require-total-revamp
"...The oversight panel began a detailed study of the downtown arena’s finances and operational model Friday. City Administrator Jim Ryan, a member of the panel, said the city and the MetroCentre Authority owe it to the public to conduct the examination of MetroCentre finances.

“There is a short-term cash-flow crunch, and we are looking at the long-term operations and seeing how we can make sure not only is the MetroCentre sustainable now, but how it can thrive in the long run,” Ryan said. “(Major operational changes are) definitely a possibility. Everything is going to be on the table....”
BUT,BUT....
http://www.wrex.com/global/story.asp?s=10302396
You Paid For It: MetroCentre books in error

By Bob Schaper

ROCKFORD (WREX) - By now Everybody knows that the MetroCentre is flat broke. But where did all the money go?

That's hard to say, because the latest financial statements approved by the MetroCentre's Board of Authority is riddled with mistakes.

For example, almost $12,000 is listed under "meals/entertainment." MetroCentre Chairman Rita Pirrello Epperson says that money is for business travel.

"And typically it's been only one person who's gone, and that's been "Brian Luther," she said.

But General Manager Corey Pearson said the number was actually a mistake, and half of it turned out to be a ticket giveaway and an overdue membership fee.

"For whatever reason they did end up getting categorized in that line," he said. "So that equated to about $6,000 of that $12,000."

There were similar mix ups in the "travel (mileage)" category -- which more than doubled last year. Then there's the $72,000 listed under parking expenses. At first Pearson said it was related to the MetroCentre's parking garage, until he was reminded the city bought that garage last year.

"That's right," he said. "I'd have to double-check what that parking expense is. I don't have that."

The last time the arena needed a bailout Rockford aldermen asked city budget director Andres Sammul to attend all MetroCentre board meetings, something that hasn't happened.

If Sammul had bothered to attend, chances are he wouldn't have left hungry. That's because the MetroCentre board orders a buffet for itself every month.

When asked if buffets are a wise use of the facility's resources, Pirrello Epperson said, "No. We have discussed different ways to handle that."

Now Mayor Larry Morrissey wants to spend another $350,000 of your tax dollars to get the MetroCentre through the rest of the year. If you have an opinion on this, give him a call at (815) 987-5590 and tell him what you think.

After all... you paid for it.

Heck,yeah,bet the farm on this bunch,huh?....and oh yeah,that newspaper story?

"...Committee members are Ald. Carl Wasco, D-4, Democratic caucus chairman, and Ald. Frank Beach, R-10, Republican caucus chairman; MetroCentre Authority Board members Brian Peterson and Matt Provenzano; City Administrator Jim Ryan and City Finance Director Andres Sammul; and financial experts Rich Wolf of Suby, Von Haden & Associates and John Phelps of the Rockford Local Development Corp.

..."
Yup,one LarryBoy's BIG supporters(read:SupplyCore)...same family as...
http://www.businessrockford.com/biznews/x679400865/IBM-snub-can-guide-Rockford-s-rebirth
...“I’m so upset. Wake up, Rockford,” said Provenzano, CEO of SupplyCore, a government procurement firm in downtown Rockford....There are other things the city must do immediately, he said.

EXCELLENCE EVERYWHERE!!!!!

So Corey's gone...http://www.rrstar.com/homepage/x1393554743/MetroCentre-board-meeting-to-discuss-personnel-changes
and Brian's in...and within this story we find that,adding Dancin'Doug's $90,000+,GM $105,000,and asst.GM,$85,000...TAXPAYERS are footing $2,80,000 in 3 salaries for the MetroCentre....gee,no wonder they need $$$$$$$$$$$$
Then there's THIS bunch....
http://www.metrocentre.com/corporate/staff/index.html?staff_id=7

• Erin Jenkins
  Executive Assistant
• Susan Campbell
  Director of Operations
• Brian McMahon
  Director of Finance
• Matt Mohr
  Director of Marketing and Sales
• John Gilbery
  Operations Manager
• Elizabeth Grans
  Event Manager
• Samantha Henwood
  Video Services Manager
• Jena Keith
  Box Office Manager
• Dave Lape
  Guest Services Manager
• Kathryn Wade
  Marketing and Sales Manager
• Michele Crew
  Assistant Box Office Manager
• Matt Bechtol
  Operations Supervisor and Ice Technician
• Jerry Sofran
  Building Engineer Supervisor
• Sandra Swain
  Maintenance Supervisor
• Patty DiMario
  Receptionist
• Carol Gulley
  Payroll Specialist
• Chris Smith
  Accounts Payable Clerk

now,I realize titles can be a bit pompous,but this certainly looks to be quite the bureaucracy...AND as a taxpayer-funded entity,the financial information the Council demanded as part of the bailout, SHOULD be public record,available on-line for anyone to view...


(And a special thanks to SNuss,for posting the final entry of "LarryBoy in his own words, for what it's worth - " http://community.e-rockford.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=327&sid=bf76831c744b499f5df202fc89be3ae9
Hope any readers THERE find this spot....)