Just when you thought it was over, here comes Argelia Miller et. al again.
In a letter delivered to City of Brownsville manager Charlie Cabler Sept. 10, M
iller again questioned the apparent double payments made to contract attorney Mark E. Sossi as outlined in a letter dated Aug. 25.In that letter, Miller took issue with the amount of money that the city has paid Sossi over the course of the year.
Miller writes that in the Brownsville Herald, 8-24-10 , you (Cabler) "state that Mr. Sossi is paid $120,000 per year. If we divide $ 120.000.00 by 52 weeks that would make it $2,307.69 per week."
She then goes on to review the city's check register and charges that there appear to be overpayments of money to Sossi.
If the figure is correct, the checks , made payable to Sossi's Good Government Firm, would average a weekly amount of $2,307.69 per week.
"For 27 weeks from 01-07-10 to 07-29-10 he is paid $2,307.69 weekly," Miller states. "However, on some weeks he is paid twice the amount of $2,307.69, and some times a much larger amount on a weekly basis," Miller wrote.
Following her letter, Robert H. Carey also sent off a missive to Cabler on Sept. 11 questioning the payments and also the financial relationship between Sossi and his former employers, Willete & Guerra.
Willette and Guerra brought a lawsuit against Sossi in 2002 that ended in a settlement in favor of the law firm and against Sossi in 2004 in the sum of $167, 363.00.
Sossi then was an employee of Willette and Guerra and the law firm charged he kept money that belonged to the law firm. The court documents filed by the firm indicate he took money from the firm. The settlement was still on record as of 03-09-2009.
In 2010, contracts to Willette and Guerra by the city have been in excess of $37,000.00.
"The taxpayers deserve a timely explanation of the points raised in Ms. Miller's letter," Carey wrote.
"The contracts given by Mr. Sossi to Willette & Guerra appear to be a conflict of interest since he owes them $167,363 as a result of a judgement," Miller wrote.
"A review of the contract with the City of Brownsville confirms Mr. Sossi's retainer of $10,000. The contract does not, however, allow for the additional reimbursement to Mr. Sossi such as those detailed in Ms. Miller's letter; with perhaps one exemption...the (case involving" the city of Brownsville vs. Zimmerman Construction Co., which shall not be included in the retainer, " Carey wrote Cabler.
In her more recent letter, Miller questions why the Zimmerman case wasn't included in the monthly retainer "since he is the city attorney and this is a city of Brownsville case. Review of the records reveals that this case is in bankruptcy status and has not been active since 2006.
"Please advise how much the city of Brownsville expected to recover from Zimmerman Construction and how much was paid to Mr. Sossi. Records indicate he was the attorney on the case in 2006. Is he continuing to submit invoices for this bankruptcy case and is he currently receiving payment?," Miller asks.
There are also some indications that either Miller or someone else will be filing a complaint with the appropriate state agency over the disclosure that Sossi's license to practice law was suspended by the State Bar of Texas for about 10 days for failing to pay his annual dues.
Sossi’s license to practice law also was temporarily suspended in September 2009 for the same reason.
"We've got a guy who was advicing the city on legal matters at the same time his license was suspended," said a Miller supporter. "This has happened not once, but twice. This same individual reached an agreement with his former law firm to pay them back more than $167,000 they said he took from them. At the very least, didn't he think that he should have told the commissioners about his suspension before he adviced them on legal matters during executive session?"
The supporter said that Sossi's contract with the city contains a clause that states that both the city and Sossi have the right to unilaterally cancel the contract without notice.
4 comments:
Sossi has let his ego get ahead of his brain lately. He loves to pronounce rules for others, while he can't even pay his dues to the bar association. In a recent commission meeting Charlie Atkinson took acception to one citizen's request that the city re-evaluate all the lawyers that it hires...including Sossi. Charlie, in his own stupid way, said the city needs lawyers due to the citizens bringing suit against the commission. BUT....Sossie farmed out that case to his budz...that's what lawyers and judges do...they farm out money making opportunities to their friends...at public expense. The city commissioners are simply eat up with the dumbass...and can't seem to get their heads out of their asses from one stupid decision before making another stupid decision. Time to cover the money pits....the sports park, the golf course to invest in areas of the city which will benefit the city financially. This is the commission that bans the plastic bag...probably to keep the public from putting their heads in one.
Sossi has ingratiated himself to the elected idiots of this city and is having his way while we laugh at them. The City Commissioners think he is serving them....but Sossi is only serving himself. He is arrogant and smug, but what is his agenda; or for whom is he really working. In the end the taxpayers lose.
Remember folks, this is just one of many ways of keeping our economy going strong. This and MediCare/MediAid.
In tough time we need to get rid of the fat (SOSSI, GTC, MARRANILLO, SLICKY RICK AND CAVEMAN CORTEZ).
GO OUT AND VOTE!
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