HARDBALL QUESTIONS

Someone asked us to prepare a list of questions for Don Denison, confident that he would in fact answer any hard questions put to him. Here they are:


1. Why did you open a separate bank account outside the purview of the City Treasurer using the check for $2,740 from the ECCP for the Star Tech program?
2. Do you have any other checking or savings account for the Explorer Program or the Challenge Camp or any other youth programs that are held privately outside the review of the City Treasurer?
3. How many police, fire, army, sheriff, national guard, coast guard or navy personnel have actually attended SWAT training at the Denison Ranch?
4. When were these trainings held and where are the records of them having taken place?
5. How many students are enrolled in the Star Tech program in Toledo? When and where are the meetings held? Who is the instructor? Where is the sign-in sheet? How many attend on a regular basis? What exactly are they doing? How much does the instructor get paid? Who issues the check? And what is the cost per student for this program? How long have you used the Toledo facility?
6. How many students are enrolled in the Explorer Scout program? When and where do they meet? How many attend on a regular basis? Where is the attendance sheet? Who is the designated Scout leader? Is this program registered with the Oregon Trail Council? What is the cost per student on an annual basis? Where does the funding come from?
7. How many students attended the Challenge Camp at the Denison Ranch this year? Last year? The year before? Where is the record of the students? How much did the students pay to attend? What is the cost per student of this program? Where is the agreement signed by the City and Mr. Denison Sr. for the use of this facility? Did the city cover insurance for this site? If not, who did? What was the level of liability coverage? Did the City or County or any other outside agency ever inspect this site for safety? What were the results of that inspection? Is this program registered with the Oregon Trail Scout Council? Do all volunteer leaders have to pass a criminal background check before having access to the children? Are there records of these background checks on file? Are there any other permits that might be necessary for the operation of this program to ensure safety of the individuals attending? Have you researched this requirement?
8. Did you understand the requirements of the FEMA Emergency Grant? Did you receive any payment of wages, retirement or benefits during the time of writing the Emergency Plan? Where is the Plan? Who has seen it? Were other local agencies consulted as to their input for this Plan? Are you qualified to write such a Plan? Have you received any special training as an Emergency Preparedness consultant? Where is a record of that training? Who paid for it?
9. Is Denison Enterprises registered as an Assumed Business Name with the State Corporation division as is required by law? Were you aware of this requirement? Do you have a license to do business in the City of Toledo under the name Denison Enterprises? Were you advised that you needed to register with the State before your license could be approved? Have you registered any other businesses with the State of Oregon during the last ten years?
10. Did you request payment to be made for transportation of surplus property using the Explorer Scout Fund? Was this approved by the City Manager? Are you familiar with the structure of the so-called ”Forfeiture Fund”? Do you realize that the City Treasurer is under strict requirements from the Federal Forfeiture and State Forfeiture as to how those funds are utilized? Is that why funds were taken from the Explorer Scout Fund? How much was taken from the Explorer Scout Fund to use for transportation of surplus equipment? Was this money going to be paid back to the Explorer Program? Is there any justification for spending the money from the Explorer Fund on transportation of surplus?
11. What is the total number of items you have acquired from various government surplus programs? What is the estimated market value of these items? Can you provide a detailed inventory of this equipment with a listing of where exactly each piece is being held or stored? What percentage of the equipment you acquired is not repairable? What is the total cost to the city—using all funds from which transfers may have been made—for the transportation and repair of these surplus items? Are the items needed for implementation of an emergency plan stored above the anticipated high water mark? Are they all in running order? Have emergency personnel, including police and fire, been trained in their proper operation? When and where was the training held? If none has been held, is that training scheduled in the foreseeable future? Has each piece of equipment been designated with an appropriate use—such as terrorism, drug enforcement, emergency management, etc? Can you provide a written list of such designation? Can you obtain a written statement from the government agencies that provided this equipment that you or the City of Toledo do, in fact, have the inarguable right to dispose of any and all of this surplus equipment (with the exception of certain military-type equipment) after a certain time period has passed?

This list of questions will be submitted to the City Council tonight at the regular meeting, 7:00 pm at the City Council Chambers. The Council may need some help in formulating "hardball" questions. Maybe this will help.