MAYOR YOUNG ALLIES NAMED IN ALLEGED BRIBERY AND RACKETEERING SCANDAL

Mayor Clinton I. Young 

Mount Vernon Democratic Committee Chairman Devereau Cannick

Kenneth Plummer of Kensworth Consulting

City Council President William Randolph

City Council Woman Eileen Justino

City Councilman Marcus Griffith

 2000 Page Draft Environmental Impact Study




SPECIAL INVESTIGATIVE REPORT


PUBLIC HEARING 7 P.M. 
DECEMBER 16TH, 2009
CITY HALL CITY COUNCIL CHAMBERS

The administration of Mayor Young has not been forthcoming with information when it comes to public hearings. On Wednesday December 16th, 2009 there will be a public hearing in City Council Chambers discussing the proposed development of a mix-used high rise on Gramatan Ave. The approximately 2000 page document Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) is available for review in the City Clerk’s office during normal business hours.

Many Mount Vernon residents are not aware that this development contains a significant amount of affordable housing and that a friend of the Mayor is allegedly receiving consulting fees to “usher” this project through City Hall.

In an unusual chain of events, Mayor Young’s handpicked City Council members, passed a resolution back in the spring to assume the lead role in analyzing and approving crucial environmental documents relating to this project. It is unclear how many Council members, if any have reviewed the 2000 page DEIS.  Circumventing the usual process would ensure that those close to the Mayor would be able to collect their consulting fees and not have to deal with the “red tape” ordinary developers’ encounter.

It is alleged that Mount Vernon Democratic City Committee Chairman Devereau Cannick, Kenneth Plummer and others have joined forces to start a consulting company geared at ushering projects through Mayor Young’s administration. Atlantic Development is proposing to build 3 buildings that do not adhere to current zoning laws. Mayor Young’s handpicked City Council would be required to pass a resolution changing the zoning if this project is going to be built.

Mount Vernon Exposed has obtained a copy of a letter dated December 8, 2009 addressed to the United States Attorney’s Office and copied to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. A federal investigation was called for into City Council Members William Randolph, Steve Horton, Eileen Justino, Marcus Griffith, Corporation Counsel Loretta Hottinger, Democratic Chairman Devereau Cannick, and Mayor Clinton Young.

Kenneth Plummer of Kensworth Consulting has received tens of thousands of dollars from all of the named Council members with the exception of William Randolph. Plummer has also received payments from Corporation Counsel Loretta Hottinger, County Legislator Lyndon Williams, and Supreme Court Judge Fran Connelly.  There have also been allegations that Plummer, Cannick and others are receiving a monthly allowance from the developers as the liaison for the City of Mount Vernon. At the time of this publication, Mount Vernon Exposed did not find any financial disclosure reports online from William Randolph. However, it is unclear how much money, if any, was paid by his candidate committee to Kensworth Consulting. Federal Investigators issued subpoenas for a development project in Yonkers called Ridge Hill. It was alleged that one of the City Council members took a bribe in order for her to switch her vote. During that investigation, Council member had their computers seized and were forced to turn over financial data and phone records. The same must be done in Mount Vernon in order to maintain an atmosphere of impropriety.

There has also been speculation that City Council President William Randolph will be the new Commissioner of the Water Department and it is also alleged that this new position is payback for voting favorably on projects like this and also approving Mayor Young’s 2010 wretched spending plan. Just taking a look at the current City Councilpersons financial disclosure statements would raise some red flags. Many of these candidates have made large payments to Plummer’s Company. This would appear to be a huge conflict of interest. In the letter addressed to the United States Attorney, the author stated that upon information and belief that Mayor Young was a partner and/or owner of Kensworth Consulting and that Plummer was operating out of Mayor Young’s office when he was a County Legislator. The Mayor must immediately issue a press release confirming or denying these allegations. It is in the Mayor’s best interest to be forthcoming with information because he will be forced to tell the truth in a court of law.

The bold, brazen actions of those close to Mayor Young do not surprise us here at Mount Vernon Exposed. What was supposed to be a fool proof plan has now turned into a potential indictment of Mayor Young, City Council members, Corporation Counsel Loretta Hottinger and others. All are allegedly involved in this pay to play scheme.

The Planning Board is usually the lead agency for projects similar to the one proposed. All of the firms, contracts, resolutions, and ordinances authorized by Mayor Young’s handpicked City Council and his puppet on the Board of Estimate have to be carefully scrutinized. They must all be subpoenaed and sworn under oath and compelled to disclose their relationship with Mount Vernon City Officials. It is unclear if the proper protocol was adhered to in regards to requesting proposals from potential firms interested in doing business with the City of Mount Vernon for this particular development project.  There is speculation that the law firms,  consulting agencies, architects, and engineers retained by mayor Young and approved by the Board of Estimate, working on this project have all been hand picked and have been paid off to give favorable reports about this development project. Many residents have told Mount Vernon Exposed that they do not welcome this development in their neighborhood and are prepared to file lawsuits to halt the development.

PAYMENTS MADE TO KENSWORTH CONSULTING

Payee/Recipient	Amt	Expense Code	Date	Disburser	Filing	Sched	Office
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10550	5,500.00	FUNDR	17-JAN-08	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2008 July Periodic	F	Mayor
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	FUNDR	05-AUG-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 32 Pre Primary	F	Mayor
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	FUNDR	24-JUL-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 32 Pre Primary	F	Mayor
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL, STE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	1,600.00	LITER	20-JUN-09	FRIENDS OF DEBRA STERN	2009 July Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	1,500.00	FUNDR	18-AUG-06	FRIENDS OF LORETTA J. HOTTINGER	2007 Jan Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	1,500.00	FUNDR	21-AUG-06	FRIENDS OF LORETTA J. HOTTINGER	2007 Jan Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE, SUITE 322 MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,080.00	CONSL	30-JUL-09	FRIENDS OF FRAN CONNOLLY	2009 32 Pre General	F	Sup. Court Justice
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE STE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	1,000.00	FUNDR	26-JUN-09	FRIENDS OF MARCUS A. GRIFFITH	2009 July Periodic	F	Comptroller
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE, SUITE 301 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	1,000.00	CMAIL	20-JUL-07	WILLIAMS FOR COUNTY LEGISLATOR	2007 32 Pre Primary	F	County Legislator
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,000.00	FUNDR	02-NOV-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 27 Post General	F	Mayor
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE STE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	950.00	LITER	29-JUL-09	FRIENDS OF MARCUS A. GRIFFITH	2009 32 Pre Primary	F	Comptroller
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	900.00	OFFCE	02-NOV-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 27 Post General	F	Mayor
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE STE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	800.00	FUNDR	29-JUL-09	FRIENDS OF MARCUS A. GRIFFITH	2009 32 Pre Primary	F	Comptroller
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	700.00	FUNDR	25-AUG-06	FRIENDS OF LORETTA J. HOTTINGER	2007 Jan Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING MT. VERNON, NY 10550	600.00	PROFL	03-MAR-07	FRIENDS OF STEVEN D. HORTON	2007 July Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL, SUITE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	550.00	PRINT	18-OCT-09	FRIENDS FOR JENNIFER ANNE SAMPSON	2009 11 Pre General	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	500.00	FUNDR	06-OCT-06	FRIENDS OF LORETTA J. HOTTINGER	2007 Jan Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT. VERNON, NY 10550	400.00	CONSL	28-MAR-07	FRIENDS OF LORETTA J. HOTTINGER	2007 July Periodic	F	City Council
KENSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL, STE 322 MOUNT VERNON, NY 10550	100.00	LITER	27-OCT-09	FRIENDS OF DEBRA STERN	2009 27 Post General	F	City Council
Total Expenses	23,180.00

Payee/Recipient	Amt	Expense Code	Date	Disburser	Filing	Sched	Office
KENNSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	CONSL	19-DEC-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2008 Jan Periodic	F	Mayor
KENNSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	FUNDR	22-OCT-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 11 Pre General	F	Mayor
KENNSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	CONSL	14-DEC-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2008 Jan Periodic	F	Mayor
KENNSWORTH CONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10550	915.56	OTHER - REIMBURSEMENT	14-DEC-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2008 Jan Periodic	F	Mayor
Total Expenses	6,165.56

Payee/Recipient	Amt	Expense Code	Date	Disburser	Filing	Sched	Office
KENSWORTHCONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10552	1,750.00	FUNDR	12-SEP-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 Post Primary	F	Mayor
KENSWORTHCONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	FUNDR	15-AUG-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 11 Pre Primary	F	Mayor
KENSWORTHCONSULTING 10 FISKE PLACE MT VERNON, NY 10552	1,750.00	FUNDR	12-SEP-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 Post Primary	F	Mayor
KENSWORTHCONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,750.00	FUNDR	25-SEP-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 32 Pre General	F	Mayor
KENSWORTHCONSULTING 10 FISKE PL MT VERNON, NY 10550	1,247.59	OFFCE	25-SEP-07	CLINTON YOUNG FOR MAYOR	2007 32 Pre General	F	Mayor
Total Expenses	8,247.59