A cronyism showdown is about to go down in Gladstone. Three bids from major Democrats are being pitted against one another, and only one party will walk away with a lucrative fee office contract, worth more than $450,000 per year in revenue.
The front runner is James Ryan Williams, who already has the Liberty, Lee's Summit and Kansas City contracts. The Source reported earlier on his involvement with James Montee, Bill Skaggs and Phil Snowden - and how their thinly disguised bidding operation is raising criticism from Republicans and Democrats alike.
They're up against Ed and Jane Quick. Ed Quick is a county commissioner, which you think would count for something, but he and his wife ran up against James Ryan Williams in Liberty and lost. We hear they are furious.
In a distant third - now almost an afterthought - is Don Dagenais from the Peironnet Company. His political contributions made him an early favorite, but recent developments suggest he will get muscled aside.
Nixon has a difficult decision ahead of him, but it's a situation of his own making. Creating the facade of competition has pitted Democrat against Democrat, and with only so many fee offices to hand out, someone's feelings are going to get hurt. Is there enough room in Missouri to give the Quicks a fee office? Or will the James Ryan William cabal keep rolling over legitimate bidders and fellow Democrats alike?
quick is a guy who went awol twice, was incarcerated by the navy for over one year, was shot in the foot by the KCMO police while fleeing away from them and was charged for numerous felonies.... fast eddy, lol.....
Clay Countians have been fooled for years, but NOT the next time....
Posted by: honest abe | July 19, 2009 at 10:09 AM