NEW PETITION SIGNING, Thursday, 9/23, at Tracy Park!

THE RECALL COMMITTEE HAS NOW BEGUN CIRCULATING PETITIONS AGAIN TO GET THE 1,148 NEEDED TO GO BACK TO THE BOARD OF ELECTIONS. THEY ARE FINDING THAT THE MAJORITY OF THE VOTERS WANT HER REMOVED NOW MORE THAN EVER!

THE PETITION DRIVE IS GETTING BACK INTO ACTION AND IS AGAIN GOING DOOR TO DOOR IN SEVERAL AREAS.

WE RECIEVED AN E-MAIL FROM THE RECALL COMMITTEE TODAY INFORMING US THAT THEY WILL BE HOLDING ANOTHER PUBLIC SIGNING TOMORROW.

PLACE:               TRACY PARK

DATE:    THURSDAY, SEPT. 23

TIME:                5:00 to 7:00 PM

MAKE SURE YOU GET YOUR "John Hancock" ON THE RECALL PETITION

COME TO THE PARK AND JOIN THE CROWD!

LET'S SEND CRAZY JANE PACKING!

Mayor Recall Successful! (in another Ohio town)

West Jefferson, Ohio, recalls its Mayor

West Jefferson, Ohio, had a lot of problems with their new Mayor. Citizens of West Jefferson circulated a recall petition which.. "among other things, accused [the Mayor] of misusing funds, usurping the council's authority and creating a hostile work environment." A recall committee was formed and the recall of the mayor was put on a special election ballot, (which cost the village about $10,000). On Tuesday, the mayor of West Jefferson was removed with 67% of the votes going against her, oops, we mean "him." (Click here to read the whole story.)

Since Frank Lewis and the Portsmouth Daily Times have such a hard time keeping up with all of the craziness in our town, we thought we would give them a hand. We took the article in the Columbus Dispatch, made a few changes, and voila, the Times will have a ready-made story to cover the recall of Jane Murray (probably in December). It surprising how little we had to change to get the story right! (Click on the picture below to see an enlarged version.)

cRa-Zy - +oWn just keeps getting crazier...

Our poor city has seen a lot of craziness since January. What we can present here at P-Town Underground really just scratches the surface of the madness at city hall. The three of us on this blog would have had to work full time to really do justice to the goings-on downtown.

The lead story in the latest Portsmouth Daily Times is just one example. ("Spat Over Server Continues.") If you haven't had a chance to read it, please take a moment to do so.  (Click here.)

Since June of this year, the Chief of Police has practically been begging the Mayor to sign a purchase order to install a badly needed upgrade of the department's computer system. The oddest thing about her refusal to sign the paper work is that there will be no cost to the people of Portsmouth. Most of the cost will be paid by a $66,000 grant that has already been approved for the city. The rest of the costs will be paid for with funds generated by money and property seized in drug arrests, which the courts set aside for police departments to use for law enforcement purposes.

Why is Mayor Murray literally endangering police officers and the public in general, in a seemingly silly "peeing contest" with the police chief and City Council?

1. The Mayor is a control freak. She is trying to use the computer issue to force Chief Horner to give her control of the "Furtherance of Justice" funds (the confiscated drug money) which by law can only be used for certain expenses and the Police Chief is responsible for the funds.

2. Mayor Murray does not like Chief Horner. Ever since she took office in January, Mayor Murray has doing everything in her power to sabotage the Police Chief (and to a lesser degree the Fire Chief).

For many months she was actively trying working to "recruit" officers in the police department to undermine Chief Horner. Murray contacted several officers at their homes, fishing to get negative information about the Chief and to gain support in order to remove him from his position. At least one of the officers took extensive notes of his conversation with her and prepared a full, written report which he submitted to Horner. It included suggestions by the Mayor that she would make it worth his while to support her in removing Horner.

Up to that point Horner had been as supportive of the mayor as possible despite disagreeing with her on many points. Since her attempts to recruit "snitches" within the police department have failed so badly, Murray has become increasingly frustrated. Clashes between Murray and Horner become more visible, and her unfounded accusations of corruption have made headlines. She apparently believes that there are police officers who could substantiate her charges, but since none have come forward she is now looking for ways to punish them.

3. Murray wants to eliminate the Police and Fire Chief positions and replace them both with a "Commissioner of Public Safety," similar to the structure of Lexington, Kentucky's city/county government.  Lexington's administration is organized under seven "Commissioners," all of whom report directly to the mayor. The Commissioner of Public Safety incorporates police, fire and emergency services. (For more information about Lexington's "commissioner-based" administrative structure, click here.)

Back in January, when Mayor Murray fired the Water Works Director, Sewage Director and Service Director, she told city council that her plan to combine the water, sewer, service, and engineering departments all under one person, Jeff Peck, would save the City over $325,000 per year. What was the title that Murray wanted City Council to give Mr. Peck? "Commissioner of Engineering and Public Service"...just like Lexington.

Murray would like to get rid of the Police Chief and Fire Chief, as well, and replace them with a person of her own choosing...probably another crony from Kentucky.

4. The Mayor's grudge against the Police Dept. continues to grow.

* Mayor Murray's Capital Improvement Plan submitted to City Council included NO funds for the Police and Fire Departments.  Murray's omission of these departments seemed to be her way of retaliating against the police and fire unions, and the chiefs for not supporting her operating budget. With no other way to get funds to pay for multi-year leases for fire trucks that the city had already committed to, the Police and Fire Chiefs were forced to go directly to City Council.

* Back in February Mayor Murray tried to use the Police Chief to take over the City Traffic Committee, by not allowing anyone to speak except for her designated representatives. (See "Mayor Picks ‘Official Presenter’: Police Chief Ordered To Deny Any Other Presentations," PDT, 2/24/10)

* In May, the Mayor and Jeff Peck concocted bar graphs supposedly showing an enormous increase in accidents resulting from the removal of traffic lights on Rt. 52 in the city. ("Traffic Records Show Increase in Accidents," PDT, 5/12/10). Chief Horner felt he was obligated to release accurate data, which actually showed a decrease in accidents, to the public to correct the misinformation/propaganda created by the mayor. (See "Chief Horner Challenges Mayor's Traffic Numbers," PDT, 5/18/10)

Because of these and many other embarrassing fiascoes related to the Police Department, Murray has grown more and more angry with Horner and the police. She has literally told several individuals, "I hate Chuck Horner" and that she will fire him if it's the last thing she does. So it's not surprising that she has refused to approve the new computer system.

In today's Portsmouth Times, she is quoted as saying:

“As I explained to you, the load of information and knowledge that I have had to learn in these months of all of these specifics that have gone forward, and I can tell you this — I will not accept any police department that intimidates people, and that has attempted to intimidate other employees, including me, I will not stand for it,” Murray said.

What citizens or employees have the Police Department intimidated? how did they intimidate Madam Mayor Murray herself? We suspect, just like her accusations of corruption, this is another charge that will never be substantiated.

Jane Murray: Still the Queen of Denial

Madam Mayor Jane Murray survives by the skin of her teeth...based on a technicality.

On Tuesday, the Mayor's lawyers managed to convince the Scioto County Board of Elections to circumvent the legitimate expressed will of the people and to deny the citizens of Portsmouth an opportunity to vote for or against a recall of Jane Murray.

On two seperate petition sheets, Murray's lawyers identified four signatures with improper dates. (In one case, a person inadvertantly wrote his or her birth date instead of the date of signing.) Instead of throwing out the four signatures, the Board threw out both sheets that the signatures were on. By contesting  four signatures out of almost 1200, Murray's attorneys were able to convince the Elections Board to throw out 38 legitimate signatures (2 full sheets)! This was just enough to postpone Murray's Judgment Day at the ballot box.

If such a decision had been made if JIM KALB or GREG BAUER or HOWARD BAUGHMAN, or even NICK BASHAM or JOHN HAAS were the subject of a recall, can you imagine the screams and howls of protest from the CAVE People???

A Citizen would be screeching about the "good ol buoys"! Jane's pack of fossilized supporters would be calling for the boycott of the Portsmouth Times, the lynching of Clay Johnson, the defenestration of the City Clerk, and the burning of the SOGP!!!!

Harald Daub would probably have a heart attack. Jim Wilson would need an extra oxygen tank. Austin Leedom would arise from his crypt before sundown. Bob and Teresa might even leave their Wheelersburg love shack and move back to Portsmouth!

According to the Portsmouth Times (click here to read) , these were the kinds of errors Murray's lawyers were looking for:

-names that were printed
-names with the first or last name printed with the other name in cursive
-names in which initials were used instead of the first name
-petitions in which signatures were dated after the petitions had been notarized

Notice that they weren't looking for!  Were they looking for forged signatures or fraudulant signatures. Were they looking for people who were tricked into signing? WERE THEY LOOKING FOR SIGNS OF CORRUPTION?

Of course not. Murray and the CAVE People knew all along that the recall committee did not do anything improper.As we have said before...they just finally have a recall they don't like.

MERRY CHRISTMAS, CITY OF PORTSMOUTH!

The mayor told the Portsmouth Times and WSAZ, she is confident that the people of Portsmouth support her and that she will not be recalled. If that is true, then why did she fight so hard against allowing the people to vote on the issue?

By challenging these few signatures, based on a minor technicality, Murray has only postponed her recall. The recall committee is said to be re-forming. Any minor errors that occured because the group was up against a deadline (they were trying to get the measure on the November ballot to avoid the expense of special election) will not be repeated! Now because of the Mayor's obstruction, the committee will have plenty of time to make sure they don't make ANY mistakes and to get many more signatures than are needed to ENSURE the measure is on the ballot.

Thanks to the mayor's efforts, the City will have to pay out $20,000 to $30,000 for a "special election" probably in December, which could have been avoided by allowing the people to vote in November. (Of course, the Mayor has already cost the City many times that amount, and she must be removed before she can do even more damage, so it will be worth it.)

Jane Murray is still the Queen of Denial.

As we said before, Mayor. Live by the recall. Die by recall.

Chief Horner to Mayor: "Put Up or Shut Up"

Click on link below for WSAZ.com's story about Mayor Murray's corruption comments. http://www.wsaz.com/news/headlines/99198264.html

From WSAZ.COM (9/1/10):

Show us the evidence. That’s what an angry police chief is demanding after Portsmouth Mayor Jane Murray’s recent charges of city corruption. The mayor's comment -- made here on WSAZ.com -- sparked community uproar and more corruption claims.

Under fire since taking office from several sides and facing a November recall, Mayor Jane Murray's accusing response is still the talk of the town. “This is probably the most corrupt city and corrupt government I’ve ever seen,” Murray said.

Portsmouth Police Chief Charles Horner says he investigates criminal wrongdoing. The chief, who basically works at the pleasure of the mayor, says his boss needs to basically put up or shut up.

“It’s highly improper for anyone to make allegations of corruption unless they are reported,” Horner said. “It's the law to report a felony. If you want to know if this was real or rhetoric, ask the mayor.”

The mayor said her corruption claim is real, not rhetoric, but she's not ready to get specific -- yet.

"With my experiences in office, I know things, but it has to be given to the right authorities, and when I'm ready to do that, I'll do that," Murray said.

After the caustic comment by the mayor, City Councilman Richard Noel, who supports the mayor, talked at a council meeting about his own corruption probe. He said he would not go on camera until he had his evidence ready.  Noel did tell WSAZ.com he stands by his remarks to the newspaper, saying, "The things I know can't go to local law enforcement, or judges, or the solicitor -- it has to go to the Feds, and someone will go to the penitentiary."

"I challenge him to bring it forward, it only hurts the community to make wild or absurd statements about corruption if the evidence does not exist," Horner said.

Murray blames -- in part -- subversive, underground Internet blogging with fanning the flames of city corruption.

We agree with the Police Chief. If Madam Murray is aware of any real corruption, she is obligated  to turn it over to proper authorities. Not doing so is misfeasance. We also noticed in the video that Horner said, if she was not willing to relveal it to him, as the Police Chief (if she believes Horner is part of the so-called corruption), she is obligated to go around Horner, to State or Federal  authorities. There are other well-established channels she could take advantage of.


If she IS truly aware of corruption in Portrsmouth, and if she reported it as she is obliged to do, she would be a real hero to our town and even WE at P-Town Undergrouund would support her actions 100%.


So far, the only specific allegation of corruption we have seen from Murray was her accusation against Water Works Director Sam Sutherland:

Jane Murray, WSAZ.com ("Portsmouth's First Female Mayor Takes Office; Fires Workers," January 4, 2010):


That ridiculous claim blew up in her face and she was forced to re-hire him. Recently she made the following statement praising Mr. Sutherland.

"I found gross negligence and mismanagement and I promised to clean up this government," Murray said. (Murray) fired longtime Water Works Director Sam Sutherland and his assistant. Sutherland said he did nothing wrong, but Murray says he may be the subject of a reopened investigation into water department mismanagement. "The statute of limitation has not expired," she said. She also said she's consulting on union contracts with former (Water Works) employee Roy "Bubb" Payton who was convicted last year on felony charges involving city property. Murray said her probe shows Payton was the victim (of improper firing by Sam Sutherland).

Jane Murray, Ports. Daily Times ("Sutherland Decides To Stay," August 24, 2010):

“Sam had not submitted a letter of resignation so he and I had a chat and he has decided to stay,” Murray said. “I’m very glad that he has changed his mind. He is a dedicated public employee with a 20 plus year record of service to the people of Portsmouth.”

Of course, she has never shown the class to publicly apologize for her statements against him. The only other public allegation of corruption was a rambling, incoherent accusation by Sixth Ward Councilman Rich Noel (and a crony of Mayor Murray's) against former State Representative Bill Ogg, who apparently got a position that Noel felt that he was entitled to.

Richard Noel, Ports. Daily Times ("Noel Speaks of 'Corruption'," August 24, 2010):

Noel said. “I can also remember in 1980 I was appointed a City Council person, and I was removed the following day because I wasn’t with the right group. And my case went to the Ohio Supreme Court and I won six months after Bill Ogg had won a rigged special election, and he is in a lifetime job in the state of Ohio now. Not that I wanted a job in the state of Ohio. I did get one when they sold my job out at the mill. But that’s just life. And I don’t want to go on and on, but I can understand what the people here are talking about.”