How A Potential Boondoggle Became a Full-Fledged Boondoggle

Filed in Delaware, Featured by on February 28, 2017

The scheme was so crazy that it might well have been dreamt up by a tiny group of cronies downing a few libations at Crabby Dick’s in Delaware City. In fact, it was.  Two of those cronies being then-drinking buddies Nicole Poore (more on her appearing in DL very soon) and Valerie Longhurst, along with Crabby Dick’s owner and then-Delaware City Mayor John Buchheit and disgraced former legislator and Delaware City Manager Dick CathcartBack in 2014, here’s what I wrote:

 A particularly-sketchy ‘redevelopment’ project headlines today’s House Committee meetings.

HB 310(Longhurst) essentially enables the ethically-bankrupt Dick Cathcart to be at the center of what looks like a deal that will put $$’s in connected people’s pockets far from the view of the public. You may remember that Cathcart awarded no-bid contracts to friends of his while ‘working’ as contract administrator at Delaware State University; had his clear involvement in awarding these contracts whitewashed by Republican crony pal Auditor Tom Wagner; and even had Wagner recommend him for the position of City Manager of Delaware City as the scandal-scarred Cathcart beat a hasty retreat from elective office before the voters did it for him. Under HB 310, which, by the way just happens to be in the House Administration Committee chaired by…sponsor Valerie Longhurst, this is what would happen:

This bill creates the Fort DuPont Redevelopment Corporation, along with a board of trustees and an advisory council, to oversee the economic development of the Fort DuPont Complex near Delaware City while preserving the historical and environmental interests of the Complex and surrounding areas. This Act will allow the City of Delaware City to annex the land, will allow the Corporation to take title to the land to manage redevelopment, and will provide for the implementation of the pending redevelopment plan. The Corporation is required to comply with all laws of the State of Delaware and the City of Delaware City in the exercise of its powers.

So, let me get this straight. The State gives this land away? So that Dick Cathcart, in his role as City Manager of Delaware City and who has already proven that he is not ethically-fit to handle taxpayers’ dollars, gets to make decisions on how this land gets developed and sees that dollars go to certain parties? Oh, and that’s before we look at the strong possibility that this land could well end up underwater? What could POSSIBLY GO WRONG? BTW, the bill’s only sponsors are Longhurst and Sen. Poore, who have this perhaps soon-to-be-developed parcel in their districts. Any of their cronies involved? Will anyone dare to challenge this program until/unless any and all questions about this project are answered?Is this really gonna be rushed through the General Assembly between now and June 30? I’ll make a prediction now. If this project gets approved, sometime in the perhaps not-so-distant future, indictments will be the result.  One more prediction: After Delaware’s master of suspendered disbelief, Auditor Tom Wagner, leaves office at the end of the year, either of his own volition or on the sword of Brenda Mayrack, he just might end up as a beneficiary of Cathcart’s largesse. Enough already.

OK. I was wrong about Tom Wagner. But the General Assembly rubber-stamped this monstrosity.  Aided and abetted by an enthusiastic Jack ‘JobsJobsJobs’ Markell himself.

And here’s where we’re at today:

But now a state- and city-appointed redevelopment corporation is pouring millions of taxpayer dollars into a lofty plan to redevelop the other side of the Branch Canal, where historic Fort DuPont sits. The 300-acre development’s centerpiece will be a new 150-slip marina dug from the Branch Canal and surrounded by a conference center, the city’s first office park, a boutique hotel, multi-story condos, apartments overlooking the water and a beer bunker in the silos that once housed massive cannons to protect Delaware from enemy ships after the Civil War.

The Xerxes Wilson piece is largely a valentine to the project, with only a few notes of caution allowed to slip through.  Con man Dick Cathcart waxes rhapsodic through the entire article.  As does John Buchheit.

Another Wilson article spells out the risks:

“So they want to create a mini New Orleans with a taxpayer subsidy?” said David Carter, a former coastal manager for the Delaware Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control. “That is a public policy that can be described as crazy.”

A crazy public policy that Markell went all googly-eyes for:

While at DNREC, Carter sent emails to then agency Secretary Collin O’Mara asking why the state was proposing residential development in the floodplain. O’Mara responded that planners would consider the risk before moving forward, noting it was a priority of then-Gov. Jack Markell to see the project move forward. 

“This was public land we had full authority to retreat from,” Carter said on Thursday. “Instead, we turn it into a development and put people in harm’s way.” 

Carter said the plan “flies in the face” of Markell’s executive order directing government agencies to consider flood risk when planning public projects.

Someone needs to recruit Carter to run for office. But, I digress. Thanks to Jack Markell, Nicole Poore, Valerie Longhurst and some shady Delaware City cronies, the State continues to throw taxpayer money at this project.  That should stop right now.

If indeed this project is the economic goldmine that Buchheit and Cathcart claim that it is, then it’s time for private development money to replace taxpayer money.  Very few taxpayers will see any benefit from this project. Conversely, well-connected developers (and well-connected politicians?) could well realize windfalls.  Which reminds me. Xerxes Wilson? Follow the money. Who will benefit?  Look very closely at the elected officials and former elected officials involved. Will they benefit financially and, if so how?  While I don’t know for sure who will make $$’s off it, here’s one thing I know for sure. Getting between Sen. Nicole Poore (much much  more on her coming very very soon) and a pile of money headed for her bank account is more dangerous than (legislative old-timers will appreciate this one) getting between former Rep. Ben Ewing and an all-you-can-eat buffet.

This thing stinks of scandal to me.  We can’t count on the Auditor, as he was the guy who whitewashed Cathcart’s illegal awarding of contracts while at Del State, and pushed for Cathcart to get the Delaware City golden parachute (BTW, I’m really proud of this piece).  (BTWBTW, he’s up for reelection in 2018.  Let’s make sure his replacement isn’t a good ol’ boy.) So it’s up to the press. And maybe the AG’s office. This is a follow the money story. So, Governor Carney, Job 1 for you is to turn off the money spigot.  Then let’s see what bugs crawl out from under the rocks.

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  1. Jason330 says:

    The failed from day one “Revel Casino Hotel” in Atlantic City comes to mind. Like that taxpayer rip off, the only people who will get paid are the first five people in line with their hands out; Cathcart, Poore, Longhurst, and whatever developer they bring into this scheme.

    But…”Scheme” rings untrue. It suggests something hidden. This is ripping off taxpayers in plain sight.

  2. Rufus Y. Kneedog says:

    Bipartisanship, Delaware style.
    I remain bitter about the Mayrack loss, especially after witnessing the outpouring of Democratic party support to Hansen over the past two months. The fact is that the powers that be in both parties are just fine with the status quo in the auditor’s office.

  3. That loss was a shame, but unfortunately Brenda turned out to be a better campaign manager than a candidate. The skill sets aren’t the same.

  4. chris says:

    Dems have been happy with Tom Wagner in there because he’s not moving up politically and he does not rock the Delaware Way boats. Calm waters with Tom………

  5. Alby says:

    “I remain bitter about the Mayrack loss, especially after witnessing the outpouring of Democratic party support to Hansen over the past two months.”

    That loss occurred in a different world.