wst...note: ron roberts was the program director with alexandria, louisiana's kqid-fm93 radio station. according to the eeoe statement on kqid's website - cenla broadcasting, inc.owns kqid; according to the louisiana sec'y of state corporations database the secretary of cenla broadcasting company, incorporated is bill delauney. mr. delauney is the delaunay in the alexandria law firm provosty, sadler & delaunay who in the past have been a major city of alexandria legal contractor as shown here from the provosty.com website and as shown here on the city of alexandria's website at item #18.
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by ron roberts:Just FYI,You raise some VERY important (and needng to be asked) questions about the way money is thrown about by the city of Alexandria and GAEDA, and I firmly believe I lost my job at KQID because I DID raise these questions in various forums.Here's what I sent Billy Gunn @ the Town Talk a few weeks ago, with no response, by the way.Date: Fri, 2 Mar 2007 09:55:42 -0800 (PST)From: "Ron Roberts" witheldSubject: Que'in On the Red....the storyTo: bgunn@thetowntalk.comHi Billy,My name is Ron Roberts - yeah THE guy who took the hit at KQID because of comments I'd made about Que'in on the Red & Riverfest.I'm not sure if you'd read the forums.thetowntalk.com posts regarding the "funny money" figures tied to Que'in, but suffice to say, I think there's a story to be told, and I think MY termination only made me realize there's more truth to what I'd suspected than even I knew.Let me try and spell it out for you, as best I can.Last year, Que'in paid around $55,000 [41,408 eur] for the Commodores to perform; most casinos in the area would tell you that act would normally command around $10,000 - $15,000 [7,528 - 11,292 eur] at the most. This year, Que'in "music committee" members were at first set to spend $150,000 [112,916 eur] for Earth, Wind & Fire; most casinos, booking agents would tell you that act wouldn't command anywhere NEAR that kind of sum for a show, either. The United We Funk All-Stars, which instead were booked for Que'in, have apparently been signed for around $25-30,000 [18,819 - 22,582 eur] Those same casino and booking agents would assuredly confirm that this act doesn't cost nearly that amount for anybody else trying to hire them for an event.This is my theory... somebody's pocketing the excess. I think there's a crooked booking agent, and/or some crooked hands in GAEDA and on city council, and I believe, in my heart of hearts, they knew I was onto something, and had to see to it I was silenced. I believe, in my heart of hearts that Lisa Harris was sent, to be their messenger, to my supervisors at Cenla Broadcasting, and that's how I wound up being sacrificed.Billy, Taylor Thompson told me that day he terminated me that "the mayor's pissed...city council's pissed....GAEDA's pissed....;" his words - VERBATIM. Mayor Roy knew NOTHING about her meeting with my supervisors until it hit the paper the following day (Friday, February 23). I have an inside source within his administration that he was instead angered at my termination because he knew it sent the wrong message about the way the city operates. My source told me that there was a threatening-in-nature phone call made the Wednesday before to my bosses by somebody on the council side of city government about comments I'd made on the air and views I'd expressed on blogs elsewhere. The next morning, Lisa Harris was summoned to meet with them at 9:30am. By the time she left at 11am, I was asked to gather my belongings.Taxpayer dollars are being WASTED on this festival by Lisa Harris and her department booking entertainment when they have no idea what the public would prefer to hear at their event; the "music committee" consisted of nobody with any radio or music entertainment background - either year. Call me should you have any questions.--RON ROBERTS - BILLY GUNN EMAIL END--You (wesawthat) asked questions that people SHOULD be asking aloud... why is Dana Pitcher getting money HANDED to him by the FIST-FULL by the city and now GAEDA and the England Authority, to put on these events that can't POSSIBLY be breaking even on their own (or else he wouldn't seek the money to begin with, right?)? How is it Dana Pitcher still owes individuals in this area for services rendered the LAST time he was in town to promote a sham of a boxing event, and gets to come back to "invest" in this area?So my question, as well, has been, why does the City of Alexandria have to pay such RIDICULOUS fees to book acts like 'The Commodores' and 'The United We Funk All-Stars' for "Quein' on the Red?"My theory is - there are GAEDA pockets being lined; there are city councilmen involved being greased, as well, and it wouldn't surprise me if Lisa Harris was getting spiffed, too.It's been my experience, over time, that acts like 'The Commodores' and 'United We Funk' CERTAINLY don't cost $55,000 [41,403 eur] and $30,000 [22,583 eur], respectively to book for engagements. Casinos can get 'em for a FRACTION of that. So who's benefitting from TAXPAYER dollars going to "book" these acts for a smattering of people to attend? They aren't exactly "mainstream" broad appeal draws, anymore, and it doesn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what demographic they DO appeal to, does it?A reporter with KALB-TV 5 has tried, for over three weeks now, to garner the paperwork the city SHOULD have on file with regards to the bookings of acts for Quein' on The Red. The reporter is getting the run-around. What is the city keeping them from seeing, anyhow? Shouldn't this stuff just simply be on file, somewhere near, if not ON, Lisa Harris' desk?Regards,Ron Roberts====
related posts
is the roy administration silencing its critics?why is the queinonthered.com domain ownership a secret?ron roberts responds to firingroy administration caves to free spending city council ====
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