MAYOR YOUNG PAL RETAINED BY FIRM UNDER CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION BY MANHATTAN DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE

Kenneth Plummer of Kensworth Consulting

Mayor Clinton I. Young

An extremely close friend of Mayor Clinton Young who has also received tens of thousands of dollars as a campaign consultant is now working as a lobbyist to “provide direction to Atlantic Development so that they may obtain approvals” to build a massive 240,000 square feet affordable housing complex in the heart of Downtown Mount Vernon. According to the NYS Commission on Public Integrity, Kenneth Plummer of Kensworth Consulting Company has filed reports indicating that he was retained by Blue Rio, LLC to lobby City and County Officials.

Plummer has indicated on his bi-monthly reports filed with the Commission that he will be lobbying Mayor Clinton I. Young, County Legislator Lyndon Williams, and the Mount Vernon City Council for approvals for Atlantic Development’s enormous low-income project. Mount Vernon Exposed last month reported that Plummer and his company have received thousands of dollars from Mayor Young and Legislator Williams for his work on their campaigns.

According to the information filed by Plummer with the NYS Commission on Public Integrity, Blue Rio LLC and Atlantic Development share the same address at 155 Avenue of the Americas NY, NY 10013 and they even share the same phone #. An investigation into Blue Rio, LLC revealed that Blue Rio, LLC is a subsidiary of Atlantic Development, the company that is currently under investigation by the Manhattan District Attorney’s office and the NYC Department of Investigation. Atlantic Development is being probed for bribing public officials and bribing union bosses to get them to hire undocumented, non-union construction workers.

On December 16th, 2009, one week before Christmas, Atlantic Development held two public hearing in the same night. Kenneth Plummer, an ally of Mayor Young and Legislator Lyndon Williams, loaded the room full of district leaders and other persons, many of whom do not reside in Mount Vernon. Also were present were many young person’s looking to gain employment as construction workers on this project. The young construction workers said that they were supported by Lyndon Williams and that Atlantic Development promised to utilize their skills on this project, however Atlantic Development never committed on the record how many jobs that their project would create in Mount Vernon. Based on Atlantic Developments track record and current criminal investigation any person with an ounce of intelligence can come to the conclusion that another union boss will be paid off to use cheap labor.


According to the NYS Commission on Public Integrity, Kensworth Consulting was paid $6,000 “to provide direction to Atlantic Development. “ A further investigation into Plummer and Kensworth Consulting has revealed that Kensworth Consulting has not filed the last bi-monthly disclosure report due November 16th, 2009 with the NYS Commission on Public Integrity, even though Kenneth Plummer was cheerleading for the Atlantic Development project at the December 16th 2009 public hearing. It is unclear if Kensworth Consulting is still being retained by Blue Rio, LLC. Mount Vernon Exposed has made repeated calls to Atlantic Development/ Blue Rio, LLC. Our calls have not been returned. Mount Vernon Exposed recently spotted Plummer speaking with individuals trying to gain support for his project that has completely gone south.

Kenneth Plummer is working feverishly to get the Atlantic Development project approved. He continues to stroll through the City of Mount Vernon blowing hot air up the rear ends of City residents trying to convince them that the Atlantic Development project is the best thing since sliced bread. Atlantic Development was not the first developer looking to develop the proposed site. The previous owner/developer was looking to develop high-end luxury condominiums not the low-income housing that is being proposed now. The collapse of the real estate market and the developers’ lack of confidence with the present administration ultimately forced the developer to sell the property.

Many residents are still confused as to why Atlantic Development/ Blue Rio would seek out Kenneth Plummer as a lobbyist. Prior to this development, Kenneth Plummer has not worked as a lobbyist on any project in Mount Vernon. It is alleged that Mayor Young is steering all developers looking to build in Mount Vernon to Kenneth Plummer and his firm Kensworth Consulting and and then Plummer divides up the money to Mayor Young, and others. It is our position that Plummer working as a lobbyist in the City of Mount Vernon, lobbying officials that have paid his firm tens of thousands of dollars as a campaign consultant is a conflict of interest and blatant corruption. There are many unanswered questions. What role did Mayor Young and Legislator Lyndon Williams play in Kensworth Consulting securing Atlantic Development as a client? What did Atlantic development promise Mayor Young and Legislator Williams? In our opinion Kenneth Plummer actions resemble that of a pool hall hustler looking to perpetrate fraud on the masses.