Connersville surpasses Lake County for political corruption

Move over Mayor Rudy Clay of Gary Indiana here comes Leonard Urban. In this writers opinion Fayette County has surpassed Lake County as the most corrupt county in the state of Indiana. Perhaps one of the most corrupt counties in the Midwest. Not since the mass handing down of indictments of elected official that were doled out over the last 10 years has there been such a blatant disregard for the rule of law.

Leonard Urban, after a hastily called session of city council Friday, declared himself the Mayor of Connersville for a second term. During an unprecedented non-televised meeting of the Connersville city council, comprised of 6 Democrats and 1 Republican cast their votes with very little discussion in what some might describe as a foregone conclusion and without fanfare. And I might add without any public input.

The only two dissenting votes came from Democrats Nancy Stevens and Harold Gordon. Gordon being the Mayor’s adversary in the 2011 primary election. Council quickly anointed (yes, anointed) Urban Mayor of Connersville in only 7 short minutes into the meeting. After the vote the council immediately adjourned without further discussion. One would think that the Democrats would have supported their own party’s candidate.Once again in his Svengali like fashion Leonard E. Urban was voted in as Mayor for his second term.

This most recent action is but one of numerous examples were Urban has a shown his total disregard for the law. One of the most controversial illegal decisions by Urban was the removal of the Connersville Utility Board which was voted into existence by voter referendum in the 1960′s, but dissolved by an executive order from Mayor Urban. Few people even realized that a $4.5 million bond was placed on the assets of the Utilities and the proceeds were set aside for Carbon Motors, a private company that has as of the last 3 years proven its viability.

Urban has also claimed that city finances are near bankruptcy, all the while spending hundreds of thousands of dollars to insure his legacy as Mayor as well as his own pet projects. The unnecessary and frivolous renovation of city hall was undertaken within days of his taking office with thousands being spent on such finery’s as (reportedly) $2500.00 per window for draperies in his office, new carpeting throughout city hall, new furniture, new windows for the Clerk Treasurers office and numerous other amenities. None of which has brought one single job to our city. It does appear however that if the city does fail financially, city hall would make a very fine funeral home given the choice of decor!

After disbanding the Utilities, Urban wasted no time establishing a hefty raise for himself, Fran Chomel and David Jobe under the guise of Orders from Urban’s obvious ally, the Indiana State Board of Accounts. All the while, denying any raises in pay for the hard working employees of the city for the last 7 years. Add to these examples, the mysterious appropriation of over $1,000,000.00 in restricted funds from Indiana Department of Environmental Management to the city’s General Fund.

Urban further has decimated the public’s safety by reducing the Fire departments manpower, reducing Police services, while giving the citizens of Connersville one of the largest Utility increases in history. The abrupt leaving of Crown Industries, the 3 year Carbon Motors debacle, the inept handling of EDG director Bryan Coats and the multiple other examples that are easily uncovered by a simple search of local and State newspapers. By searching “Connersville Indiana” you can find a multitude of similar examples of the corrupt and inept Mayor currently serving as Mayor.

Who knows what will happen after the judges ruling Wednesday, but I for one wouldn’t bet Urban has pulled out all the stops just quiet yet from his bag of dirty tricks!

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