Diligent readers will recall that in 2017, just after Mayor Jeff Gahan shifted David Duggins from redevelopment to the New Albany Housing Authority to serve as "interim" director in the wake of Bob Lane's firing (yes, both actions were taken by a theoretically autonomous board, which in fact was appointed and enabled by Gahan, which means that the mayor indisputably owns both actions), HUD placed Duggins' new fiefdom on "zero threshold."
In fact, the NAHA's Director of Finance and HUD Compliance, Mike Bainbridge, resigned from his position because of this first of numerous artful rules evasions.
Eventually the "zero threshold" restriction was removed, although only after intensive lobbying at the expense of time and money -- or was it something more?
Several witnesses report Duggins bragging about engineering the firing of someone at HUD in order to evade the zero threshold restriction, shortly after which the new NAHA colonial overlord began acquiring new vehicles for his new fiefdom.
Gahan says the NAHA Board of Commissioners is in charge, and that's bunk, but we'll play along and ask imported board president Irving Joshua the question.
Does Duggins really have clout like this, or was just more of the same tired rhetoric?
NAC's original postings on the general topic of zero threshold are repeated below, but first, in a recent private conversation over Fuller's ESB, the Green Mouse asked Shane's Excellent New Words to define the word "interim":
It's an adjective, meaning "in or for the intervening period; provisional or temporary." Synonyms include pro tem, stopgap, short-term, fill-in, caretaker, acting, transitional, makeshift, improvised, impromptu.' "
Two more questions for the top-dog commish: How's the job search coming, Irving? There IS a job search, right?
Then there's the big unanswered question of the incredible disappearing drug screening program for NAHA employees. A source reminds us that following Duggins' appointment as an NAHA employee (as we've seen, Irving, this was a hiring facilitated contrary to HUD guidelines), the NAHA's longtime policy of prospective employees being screened for drug use abruptly was forgotten.
Irving, do you still have a drug screening program for employees at NAHA? If not, what happened to it?
Shouldn't y'all be peeing into a cup just like the guys and gals mopping floors, or do the elite cadres in New Albany pick and choose the rules they wish to follow?
Gahan's public housing putsch is a farce, isn't it?
That wasn't a question for you, Irving.
It's directed at the voters, for answering when they #FireGahan2019.
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July 14, 2017
N & T's Beilman with delightful devastation for Deaf Gahan: "New Albany Housing Authority leaders knowingly violated policy, HUD order, documents state."
"In a phone interview Thursday, (HUD spokesman Brian) Sullivan confirmed the board did not follow the required search process, nor did it receive approval from HUD before appointing (David) Duggins as interim director as required from the zero-threshold status."
Even though News and Tribune reporter Elizabeth Beilman's bosses at editorial presumably remain utterly confused about the toxic reality of Deaf Gahan's Public Housing Putsch 2017 ...
Newspaper editorial board displays abject cluelessness about the Great Gahan Public Housing Putsch of 2017. (March 12, 2017)
Must we accept Chris Morris's viewpoint as gospel, given that at least he lives in New Albany, whereas the remainder of the Jeffersonville-centric editorial board knows absolutely nothing about our city, and as time goes on, grows ever prouder of this fact?
... Beilman has put together an admirable, near-classic story* about the subsequent putsch-inspired chaos at the New Albany Housing Authority. The interim director's semi-coherent flailings are especially instructive.
I strongly urge that readers visit the newspaper site and read the whole story, as the revealingly shambolic elements of Gahan's public housing foot-shoot are revealed one by one, apart from the necessary connection with Deaf himself, who unmistakably is their author -- but of course, the mayor must be omitted from the exercise lest ad revenues be threatened.
The link and excerpt are below, though first, here's a belt of background from June 24.
Public Housing Putsch '17: Gahan, Trump remain in lock step as sycophants queue after the NAHA's director of finance resigns.
It's a measure of Jeff Gahan's generalized ethical barrenness (GEB) that when word reached the Green Mouse that Mike Bainbridge had resigned on Thursday as director of finance and compliance at the New Albany Housing Authority (NAHA), all thoughts immediately turned to the flagrant unsuitability of whatever pre-rigged replacement is to be chosen by Gahan's handpicked board of bobble-headed sycophants (GIGO).
Also, yesterday's ON THE AVENUES examined the fiasco from a different angle.
Obviously, the reason why interim director Duggins has nothing to say is because he knows just as little about the daily workings of the agency to which he has been transferred as any of Donald Trump’s bumbling cabinet appointees. With Duggins tongue-tied, (Irving) Joshua must lead the diversion.
Here's Beilman.
New Albany Housing Authority leaders knowingly violated policy, HUD order, documents state, by Elizabeth Beilman (N & T)
Former compliance director cites 'unethical' actions in resignation
NEW ALBANY — The New Albany Housing Authority board and interim executive director knowingly violated internal policy and a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development order, according to a former official's resignation letter. HUD confirmed issues with compliance.
The allegations of "possibly illegal and unethical" actions surfaced in a resignation letter tendered by Mike Bainbridge, the former NAHA director of finance and HUD compliance. The letter obtained by the News and Tribune was dated June 15 and effective immediately.
"When actions are taken by Agency leadership including the Board of Commissioners which blatantly and knowingly conflict with HUD rules and regulations, I'm left with no choice but to resign, as I cannot be associated with such activities," Bainbridge wrote in the letter.
In terms of integrity and principle, Mike Bainbridge has set a meritorious example that Gahan's bootlicking sycophants probably won't ever grasp.
"In matters that are this serious and significant, I do not want to make statements that are based in even the slightest degree of speculation or opinion," (Bainbridge's) statement read. "I prefer to deal in, and present, only known facts. The facts that led me to resign from my position with NAHA are stated in my letter of resignation, and proven by the attachments to that letter. I will let those facts stand on their own merits."
Use a chit and read Beilman's piece. You won't regret it.
*An aside: From Beilman's piece: "The News and Tribune first reported on Bainbridge's resignation in late June." It did. After you read it at NAC first. It would be nice if the newspaper might occasionally attribute in such cases ... I regularly do it for them ... though as a rank amateur, perhaps I'm obliged to credit the professionals.
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*An aside: From Beilman's piece: "The News and Tribune first reported on Bainbridge's resignation in late June." It did. After you read it at NAC first. It would be nice if the newspaper might occasionally attribute in such cases ... I regularly do it for them ... though as a rank amateur, perhaps I'm obliged to credit the professionals.
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June 24, 2017
Public Housing Putsch '17: Gahan, Trump remain in lock step as sycophants queue after the NAHA's director of finance resigns.
It's a measure of Jeff Gahan's generalized ethical barrenness (GEB) that when word reached the Green Mouse that Mike Bainbridge had resigned on Thursday as director of finance and compliance at the New Albany Housing Authority (NAHA), all thoughts immediately turned to the flagrant unsuitability of whatever pre-rigged replacement is to be chosen by Gahan's handpicked board of bobble-headed sycophants (GIGO).
ON THE AVENUES: Hi there, NAHA wastrels. My name is Peter Principle, and these are my friends Deaf and Dugout.
Given Gahan's perennial nepotism fetish, will it be a member of the mayor's extended family, perhaps Chris Gardner or Steve Bonifer?
Perhaps a regency by the Wizard of Westside, Dan Coffey himself? If so, he'll need an ivory abacus with gold lamé turnbuckles -- but Dugout can have it TIFFed, right?
Better yet: Bob Norwood, bootlicking insurance mogul to the stars?
And again this reminder: No local elected officials with the possible exception of a typically venomous Coffey have spoken publicly about Gahan's plans for the NAHA.
Silence is acceptance, is it not?
Seems they're all imaging the Orwellian words inscribed on the locomotive headed for the camps, right next to the smiley faced mud flat anchor: “Hop on Board the Quality of Life Express.”
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Previously:
It's #OurNA, all right: "New Albany attempting to purge itself of the poor" ... so, are local Democrats finally catching on to the Gahan shell game?
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