AUGUSTA, Maine — Dale McCormick, the embattled executive director of the Maine State Housing Authority, announced her resignation from the post Tuesday.
McCormick, a longtime Democratic leader who had served as a state senator and then state treasurer before taking over the housing authority in 2005, had faced increasing political pressure and scrutiny from a board of directors led by appointees of Gov. Paul LePage.
Her departure was announced at the end of the board’s meeting Tuesday. Her resignation is effective March 31, but McCormick will take vacation until then, so she is effectively finished as director of the housing agency.
Peter Merrill, director of communications and planning, was appointed acting director by the board.
In a brief statement read at the end of Tuesday’s meeting, McCormick acknowledged that she and the board decided her resignation was “in the best interests of the housing authority and the people of Maine” given what she characterized as “substantial disagreement” with new board members over the policies and direction of MaineHousing.
“For the better part of a year, MaineHousing has been subjected to a systematic attack that’s ground the important work of the agency nearly to a halt,” she read from her statement. “In order to put this behind us, today I submitted to Gov. LePage my resignation, bringing an early end to my term as director of MaineHousing … I do so reluctantly, and in the hope that this will bring an immediate end to the campaign against an agency that so ably serves low- and middle-income Mainers.”
McCormick left immediately after making her statement and was unavailable for follow-up questions after the meeting.
McCormick’s term as director was not due to expire until Feb. 3, 2014.
Under the separation agreement negotiated with the MaineHousing board, she will receive severance pay “equal to one year of her most recent base salary.” McCormick was paid $101,520 in 2011, according to data gathered by the Maine Heritage Policy Center.
The board also agreed to pay her COBRA medical premiums until Sept. 30, 2013, or until she receives health insurance coverage from another employer if before that date.
A “no liability” clause in the agreement states unequivocally that McCormick’s early resignation is “not to be construed as an admission of error, wrongdoing or liability on the part of either MaineHousing or McCormick and that both parties expressly deny any such error, wrongdoing or liability.”
McCormick also agreed not to sue the agency.
Last October, LePage appointed and the Republican-controlled Legislature confirmed four new members of the authority’s board, including Chairman Peter Anastos, a well-known Maine developer and hotelier. Relations between McCormick and the board quickly went south.
That pressure was intensified by both State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin, who sits on the MSHA board, and by consistent criticism by the conservative Maine Heritage Policy Center and its Maine Wire affiliate.
Poliquin said Tuesday after McCormick’s resignation that he thought it was “best for the disadvantaged in the state of Maine for the board to part ways with the executive director.”
“The new board has a new vision for how to help the most vulnerable among us, and that’s to be extremely cost-conscious — for example, to drive down the cost of affordable housing in the state of Maine,” said Poliquin. “It’s very important that the board and the executive director are on the same page. With our parting of the ways, we’ll be able to have a unified team going forward.”
Anastos echoed Poliquin in his comments after the meeting.
“This is the best thing for going forward, for MSHA and the people of Maine … for morale and financially as well,” he said.
One of the problems the board had with McCormick was its perceived lack of oversight of the executive director position. Under current law, the director can only be hired or fired by the governor, and only for specific reasons: “inefficiency, neglect of duty or misconduct in office.” Unlike other quasi-governmental bodies, the board cannot fire the executive director.
The Legislature’s Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee recently voted unanimously to support a bill that would give the MaineHousing board of directors the power to fire the executive director. MaineHousing and Democrats on the committee initially tried to have that bill take effect only in 2014 — when McCormick’s term is up. That provision met resistance and was dropped from the bill.
That bill has yet to be heard by the full Legislature.
In addition, lawmakers voted in late January to have the Legislature’s investigative arm look into MaineHousing’s expenses over the past five years related to memberships, contributions, travel and other areas. A report from that office has not yet been returned.
On Tuesday, LePage spokeswoman Adrienne Bennett said the governor “wished McCormick well.”
“He looks forward to moving in a new direction,” Bennett said.
She said the governor had several candidates in mind to take over at MaineHousing but needed to talk with them about the post. LePage was leaving Wednesday for a trip to Jamaica.
“The resignation of Ms. McCormick is the first step toward a long-needed review of MSHA’s operations, and we look forward to working with the new leadership to help restore faith in the agency,” Lance Dutson, chief executive officer of the Maine Heritage Policy Center, said in a statement. “The board of commissioners should be commended for their efforts to redirect the agency back toward its mission — to provide affordable housing for those most in need. ”
“I’ve always had confidence in Dale McCormick, I’ve always been a supporter of her’s,” said Rep. John Tuttle, D-Sanford, the lead Democrat on the Labor, Commerce, Research and Economic Development Committee. “If she’s decided to resign, I do support her in that.”
Many of the friction points between McCormick and the new board leadership came over issues that had been decided in years past when Democrats controlled the Legislature, Blaine House and MaineHousing board of directors.
For example, MaineHousing used criteria to rank bids for projects that new board leadership felt had no place in the process. These included extra points for solar hot water heaters, using contractors that provided health insurance to their employees, or favoring those with job-training programs. Most of those criteria were stripped out in the latest round of project bid rankings.
Poliquin in particular also raised concerns over the cost per unit of some projects in urban centers such as Portland. One target of criticism was the Elm Terrace project in Portland, which had units that were projected to cost $314,000 apiece to develop. Under vociferous urging by the board, housing staff negotiated the price down to $265,000 a unit.
And in the middle of these escalating tensions, last fall the Norway-based Advertiser Democrat published a series of investigative articles that exposed substandard living conditions at MaineHousing-subsidized low-income housing units in Norway and Paris. MSHA officials, calling the conditions “disgusting,” subsequently barred the owner of the housing, 90-year-old Madeline Pratt, from participating in the Section 8 program.
Editor Jim McCarthy contributed to this report.
“units that were projected to cost $314,000 apiece to develop” – That people is called incompetence.
No sir , I’m afraid it’s called politics.
And they’ll probably still cost $314K each…but now the bid will go to a buddy of the R’s.
They never did cost 314,000.
And that was only because people were on to her……..
No D.A, the contractor’s brought in the proposal for $314,000 and McCormack told them absolutely not. And she did that, before Lepage appointed the new board.
Yes it dropped to $285K, big deal
No D.A., it drop to $245,00 in an historic building that also included removal of asbestos and a car garage on the first floor.
Let me get this straight–we should be paying to build $245,000 units for people that own vehicles??
She SAID she told them to come back cheaper.
You believe anything hacks tell you??
Whine on, harvest moon!
MSHA is essentially a bank. Developers, whether non-profit or for profit, solicit funds from MSHA. MaineHousing does not develop any projects on its own.
I suggest that you spend a little time learning how MSHA works, and why developers come to it for funding.
Gerald,
I should flag your comment for being either foolish or because you are smoking liberal dust.
You suggested the right wing-nut LEARN. Why should they learn when they already know everything?
Let me make it simple for you. Government bad, Unions Bad, Welfare Bad, no exceptions, NONE of them should be allowed to live.
Please go back to OZ until you learn to hate, to drool, and use slogans without knowledge.
I think Ms. Fluke’s friend said the same thing, oh, no, she couldn’t have, because she doesn’t exist.
Gerry that’s the problem: People ARE starting to pay attention.Finally.
(Oh, and by the way, is that “essentially a bank” in the same way that the 99% mean? Evil,blood sucking bankers out for themselves? Just wondering….)
and another one’s gone and another one’s gone …
‘another one bites the dust’
Under the terms of the agreement, McCormick gets one year salary in severence pay, which is about $101,000, and paid medical insurance for herself and family until some time in 2013. She isn’t exactly headed out the door with empty pockets. Not bad for a career political hack.
Wow……I’d resign too if I had all that money coming in! This is exactly what’s wrong here in Maine….stuff like this…..no need of it when so many good people are struggling! So sad…
Cheaper then the cost of a 2 room efficency under her rein,,,
Quit and you get compensation , get fired and your left empty handed. Could be the smartest thing she’s done since her appointment !
It’s a bargain for the hard working folks of Maine. Gone are the deer in the headlights look.
You mean the look we see in LePoliquin’s photos?
Hopefully she goes to prison with Violette….
another hack bites the dust…..I would assume the maine bond bank is the next organization to find spending issues….hope this cleanup continues..mainers work hard for their money and it should not be wasted..
With Poliquin on the board and Lepage wanting to get his hands involved in MSHA things will be just great. NOT
Anything would be an improvement.
The only thing that will improve this state right now is for LePew to resign. He’s done more damage than anyone could count…almost on a daily basis.
yup, damage to the liberal corruption machine.
Interesting, there must be another LePage ready to enter the lucrative job market working for the State.
Anyone would be an improvement.
Hey, I’m a second cousin* to one of the Marden’s clan. I wonder if that would be close enough to get hired…not like I’d ever work for this joker.
*–I guess, not sure how it works when your mother is first cousin by marriage.
Not to worry Aldin, this is one area where Mr. LePage is quite “Liberal” in his perspective. He’ll hire anyone in his family if it means keeping one more honest, educated and experienced Mainer out of work. He has a common psychosis of not being able to trust anyone, thus his fallback position here is always to surround himself with family. His greatest fear is that he might hire some outsider that he not only can’t control but who might be equally as dishonest as him. YIKES! Send your application in quickly, he has a big family.
Alas, I’m too honest, though the idea of getting hired, resigning and scoring a 6 figure severance package is quite tempting.
Reelect Governor LePage! He rocks! Keep on a cleaning out that nest of liberal snakes and thieves.
YAWN!!!!!!
When your mother is first cousin by marriage, in this state, you get a plum gov’t job. The dumber you are, the faster you get promoted.
Unconditioner LePage ready for duty, sir!
Can you read, write, add and subtract?
I was going to apply…but I’m not related to LePew and I believe in honesty, so there goes that idea.
Hopefully.
Reelect Governor LePage! Down with tired old liberal hacks.
Hey D.A., the money was from the feds not the state.
Where do you think the Feds get their money. Out of your pocket and mine. General disregard for the taxpayer is the most galling part of the whole situation with government.
“General disregard for the taxpayer” what a load of dung, Section 8 housing has to be built to commercial standards otherwise it wouldn’t last 5 years tops.
I know numerous people that have apartments and they have all stated that if they built at the same per unit cost as MSHA thay would be out of business. Remember they build these apartments and charge little to nothing for rent because we the taxpayer pick up the tab all the way around.
What about “tax dollars” don’t you understand? It still comes out of a taxpayer’s pocket!!
Another democrat slush fund gets reigned in. I hope the republicans don’t try to buy votes like Baldy and his gang of union thugs.
Dale McCormick…you apparently have a lot of friends. Happy to see you will be joining them soon. Say “hi” to Paul Violette, Rod Blagojevich (Blago), Betsey Sue Higgins, and Carol and Marshall Swan.
Negotiated severance package? How about working on a Plea Bargain.
Buh-bye Dale, Buh-bye
Obviously there was a reason for the resignation, there was more to come that would put her in an even more untenable position. Bye, bye Dale.
most of this money is federal. again…………one selfish, hateful comment for those in need. Let’s see how you feel when your standing in the soup kitchen line. To call it a clean up is a joke………….look at all the money that has been stolen through the Maine state gov……..much MORE than the poor could ever think of taking!!
Just think of all the people that would no longer be on a
waiting list for affordable housing if MSHA was managed with the true mission
statement in mind and monies were not spent on Dale McCormicks pet causes,
friends, former domestic partner, her out of state alma mater, and per unit
costs that would be considered absurd in the private sector. If you are truly
concerned about the less fortunate in this state you should be outraged at how
she has run this agency and its budget. Remember Dale McCormick’s comments that
if more money was not found for LIHEAP that people in the state were going to
freeze to death, all the while she is spending her budget in the fashion of a
drunken sailor ( no offense to all you sailors out there).
Hopefully, this marks a new, positive beginning for MaineHousing.
The beginning of the end!
Next stop the dumpsters!
After all the Republicans are in charge!
All of a sudden it will seem like a good program to help our friends. Yup.
It would contaminate the dumpster. Take it straight to the dump.
OPM………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………other people’s money.
Change is good, and this may result in the organization having a new direction. There will be plenty of howling about discrimination, etc; but it seems the organization was in the wrong direction.
Yes, she IS of a certain sexual persuasion, isn’t she?? I smell a big, fat lawsuit coming….
Don’t worry about Dale: she’ll get a plum job with Eqaility Maine now (considering how she funnelled MSHA money into that far-left activist group’s coffers).
Nasty,mean to the core…a typical teapartier.
Nasty, Mean to the core? Do you not read your own post? Are you blind to the Lib/Progressive venom that is spewed here?
Kettle,Pot. Pot, Kettle.
Huh?? Because I pointed out how things are in 2012?? I didn’t create it.
Or is it because I MADE Dale McCormick give MSHA money to Equality Maine??Which is it??
You want it to have a new direction? Look for it to go bottoms up w/this dishonest (mis)administration. Might want to start calling it Maine State Crooks ‘R Us.
Bottoms up for MSH would be a good thing.
Are you going to whine forever
Just wondering
Good riddance.
Oh, Hey Matt, you forgot to mention the carbon offset project scandal.This carbon offset credits scheme wasted Millions. You also forgot to mention the hundreds of thousands of dollars per year on extraneous expenses – including gift cards, catering, travel,social justice groups, professional DJs, massage therapists and luxury hotels, ect ect that MSHA blew through. I could go on for hours.
Matt, does your Dad work there also?
I believe it was another BDN staffer whose father works for MSHA.
My dad works in maintenance at a paper mill, and is a volunteer fire fighter. Is that OK with you all? Yes, I didn’t mention every single thing that’s surrounding this story, both pro and con. But, hopefully, this story gave a balanced view of what’s going on around this issue.
For the record, I did know you were not the “reporter” who was at one
time assigned to cover related stories and who’s dad may have worked
for MSHA,you probably guessed by my post that this was the case. I also think this was one of the more balanced stories on this whole saga that I have seen in the BDN, thank for that.
Matt–instead of pouting and getting offended here by comments from posters, why don’t you actually do some reporting and some investigation? Start by asking for an interview with McCormick and ask her some questions. I have a few suggestions. 1. Did she in fact purchase gift cards with taxpayer dollars that were distributed to her staff? If yes, why, and were those gifts reported as income to the employees? 2. Did McCormick make donations with taxpayer dollars to any organizations, and if yes, which ones, how much, and when? 3. Did the MSHA actually make donations to a prison theatre group, and if so, why, since felons cannot qualify for low-income housing? 3. When does the MSHA plan on releasing its training programs so that it can be verified that the amounts spent at area restaurants,, hotels, and inns were actually validly spent. 4. There’s been a lot of talk about masseuses coming in and giving employees massages. Are these stories true? And if yes, who paid for these services?
If you ask for an interview with McCormick and she refuses to speak with you, perhaps you could find someone who will. Matt, it’s called INVESTIGATIVE REPORTING. You should try it sometime.
Good luck with that. When the subject is corrupt Dem hacks the BDN is the least curious bunch of “investigative reporters” in history. You’d think they might have the tiniest bit of professional pride, but if you did you’d be wrong.
EPIC FAIL !
Private investers would have fired her a long time ago.. For some reason Governement employees don’t find anything wrong with paying 2 to 3 times over real value for a product…
How true…look what we’re paying our incompetent hypocrite-in-chief, LePew.
Waiting for the Lib. Trolls to show up,ought to be fun.They must be brain storming their response, listen for the Mic. check.
They are waiting for their union masters on how to respond
The “Lib. Trolls” along with the Independents will show up at the ballot box this November. I wouldn’t be surprised if the Dems get two-thirds of each House in Augusta. The intent will be to put Paul LePage in a political box.
hahahaha
Yeah, keep laughing. I’ll be looking for you on this website the day after the election.
By then, he’ll be hiding in a corner, somewhere, crying for his Daddy LePage to come rescue him. Of course, LePew will be long gone by then and laughing all the way to the bank at his supporters.
You’re hoping that will be the outcome so you can stay on the gravy train.
LDS (and I don’t mean Mormon)
Huh, so the tact decided upon at the Troll meeting was to avoid the topic at hand altogether, I see.
Tough to defend incompetence and arrogance and theft!
I think unless or until there is proof of wrongdoing in Ms McCormick one should withhold accusations and judgements. This woman spent many years giving her time to serve Maine and I want to thank her for that. I deal with low income renters with subsidies daily and it is not easy, although she probably didn’t directly. It’s a tough job and let’s wait for all the truth and not crucify this woman.
Time and service??? She was overpaid for the amount of tax money she wasted in every position she was given. She wasn’t qualified for any of them.
Did you attend one of the meetings at the Bed and Breakfast, get a massage?
Did you sell MSHA some carbon credits? Did you solicit funds for Maine Equity Alliance?
Do you see a pattern of abuse of state funds which if you did this in the Private Sector you would be terminated!
She needs to go to jail with her pal Paul Viollette
LOL. Good luck with that. Your one of those 61% I bet…silly liberals who don’t understand people are fed up with politics as usual in this state and like that fact that LePage is shaking up this state from its liberal induced stupor.
P.S. Nobody told me, that it’s my birthday today, well anyway thank you for the gift Dale!!!!
Waiting for Tyke to weigh in and tell us now that we were all out of line calling for her resignation. All I can say is adios and thank you Maine Wire!
The whole dept shoudl be closed. It is a useless waste of taxpayer money.
Good idea! The state of Maine isn’t closed for business, just Augusta.
The $315,000 was the developer’s bid. MSHA had already negotiated it down long before Poliquin, Anastos et al ever came along and started smearing McCormick. I watched a clip of her quietly and calmly and fully answering Anastos’s questions while he worked himself up from a snit to a hissy fit to a full-out tantrum. She will be missed.
Speaking for you on your behalf I asume you mean’t to say, $315,000 per unit was her union contractor buddies bid.. I would bet and I like playing poker, that she never put out a bid package or looked over any non union contractors bids.. I just wanted to clarify your statement… Because for 100 grand per unit, I could buy the property and put up 3 bedroom 2 bath units..
Yeah, you could and the people you put in it will destroy it in three years because they didn’t have to pay for it.
Aw common, they will have solar hot water and a carbon neutral house :)
Really? Have you seen the bid documents?
And that has to do with what?
Quite sure her contractor friends will miss her dearly. For taxpayers, not so much.
Yup, now contractor buddies of the R’s will get the bid…probably for the same amount too.
True…isn’t LePew’s brother-in-law a contractor? Stay tuned, folks.
No he’s not. Do some research, you see, there’s this search engine called Google, try it you might learn something.
Thanks for proving my point re. how dumb the LePage supporters are. I already DID my research…now why don’t you try “googling” the name “LeDoux.” Naw, never mind, I can see you moronic teapartiers operate on ignorance, not knowledge. Lucky you-this is the last reply you’ll get from me.
No, she will not be missed.
Nope, wrong. The cost was “lowered” when the Solar heater plan had to be dropped, it made up most,if not all, of the difference. The design plans had already been made to include the cost of reinforcing the building to support the weight added by the solar design( a brick wall to hide the solar panels and steel beams to support the wall and the snow drifts it would cause)but after the solar scheme was dropped the plans already included the brick wall and the steel beams(no longer needed once the solar panels were scrapped). It was deemed to costly to redesign and to much time spent to e apply for permits once the plans were redrawn, so guess what? The building will have an unneeded brick wall on the roof and the steel beams to support it. Great job MSHA,Good riddance Dale.
With respect to Elm Terrace , could have done the job for half of that but had to supply solar water heaters , health insurance and job training !
Solar water heaters are not required by MSHA. This is a myth that State Treasurer Bruce Poliquin made up.
But they did put solar water heaters in other privately owned low income housing!!
And the solar systems they put in barely even produced any energy. We’d have been better off if Dale had converted the million dollars in tax money she spent for the project into $10 bills and burned them. At least we’d have gotten SOME energy from them.
Wrong.
The Solar panel “powered” water heaters were a part of the project requirements. But due to state and federal historic tax credits that are were involved in
rehabbing the building, a stipulation that “solar panels could not
be visible from a public way on a historic building” had to be adhered
to. The cost of reinforcing the building to hide these “upgrades” were eventually deemed to costly and the plan was forced to be dropped. This MSHA Requirement was in the plan, but was scraped when the cost of the project became public.
Momma taught me a little bit of good manners so deleted my previous post> “If you can’t say anything good about someone it’s best not to say anything at all.” :)
Well, we know where one is not.
So why would she quit if she hadn’t done anything wrong? When all the truth comes out about the liberal advocacy with public money and all the money spent on fun things and trips and so on, Violette is going to look like an angel alongside of McCormick!
Yessa…we need to rid the whole state of Maine with these people who abuse power!!!!
Let’s start at the top, with our lousy governor.
Steps on a lot of toes don’t he? That’s what he’s there for, no more free rides, sorry.
Let’s see. A bill is making it’s way through the legislature that will allow you to be fired and it looks like it’s going to pass. Stick around and get fired, or resign and get a severance package. Given that choice, I’d resign too.
Once again the Democratic Party’s leadership fails, basically hanging McCormick out in the wind.
Oh? Guess LePew and his cronies better hope nobody wants access to THEIR expense sheets.
Maybe this is what LePage wants. Get rid of those he has problems working with. Doesn’t Mardens work the same way? When you don’t like someone they get terminated. Another family member is proubably looking for a job.
Or it could be the millions in wasted money, fees totaling just over $5.5 million on carbon industry entrepreneurs alone.
whne on, harvest moon
A new broom does sweep clean doesn’t it? Go Gov. LePage.
It’ll take a giant vacuum cleaner to clean up HIS mess.
Getting close to home is he?
Even a giant vasuum cleaner would be overtaxed cleaning up the graft and corruption of 35 years of Dem rule in Maine.
Ms.Bennett for Governor!!Since the current one dosent have the spine to speak with the public.
a liberal is someone who walks out of the room when a argument turns into a fight
a conservative is a liberal who has been mugged
The backstory here is Dale is a lesbian which deeply offends segments of the Maine Patriachial Society which shall go unamed, ok, your forced me to tell, the closeted Republicans.
She is also a strong woman in a leadership role , well you get my drift.
I won’t comment on the pro or cons of the charges filed against her.
Until liberals and conservatives band together and fix the electoral system
by making it voter fraud proof you will get the best politicians
the FBI and Diebold will elect for you.there
Down here in the whisper stream there is talk Maine might be ready to enact a recall
the moonbat legislation. That would also include having a category printed on the ballot
called NONE OF THE ABOVE ,eh?
Oh Oh this just in from the Mardens Wire News Service
‘Walker may resign before the recall’
Mar 20, 2012
James H. Fetzer, American Philosopher & former Marine Corps officer spoke to Press TV’s U.S. Desk about the Wisconsin recall race.
see link for full story
http://presstv.com/usdetail/232512.html
Fetzer said, “We are getting signs from Scott Walker our Governor that he may actually resign before the recall which would make him I think only the third or fourth governor in American history to have been recalled.”
msfreeh, I like 99.9% of your comments, but I don’t like hate baiting, Dale being an agenda driven activist for al gore and me not liking her has nothing to do with her sexual preference.
For the effort you spent responding to my post you could have started the process:
1. to enact legislation that allows ALL Maine voters to recall a moonbat
2. to enact legislation changing the voting ballot to include the category
NONE OF THE ABOVE
3. Get rid of electronic voting machines. stiffen the penalties for voter fraud including
seizure of private assets upon conviction.
4. educate yourself about the horror stories connected to electronic voting machine
fraud by googling electronic voting machine fraud
5. Understand how FBI agents engage in voter fraud at the Local State and Federal
level on behalf of corporations by googling leonard gates fbi voter fraud landes report
msfreeh, i’m deeper in then you know. I always like your stuff. and bow down to all your hard work, Thank you.
I’ve followed this story for some time, and I have never once had any reason to believe that the attacks on McCormick and some Republican legislators were due to her sexual preference.
So what if she was a terrible administrator, was bad at utilizing taxpayer funding in a way to maximize the number of housing units, spent taxpayer money on questionable expenses..it was the PATRIARCHY that did her in..am I right?
Gonna play that card?
She was just plain incompetent and if she managed any other company that way, she would of been fired long ago before she got up the food chain.
She is a liberal functionary who likes to spend public money on puppets for convicts, neck massages, and $265,000 per unit low income housing in one of Maine’s most expensive neighborhoods. She has become so detached from the people, she must go. We have lost our way. Go LePage!
MS.Bennett for governor!! Since the current one dosent have the spine to speak to the public himself..
It is about time…
Any day that a hack—-especially a hardcore, entrenched, activist, far-left hack—–bites the dust is a very good day.
I’m betting she is worried about going to jail, so “get out while the getting is good”…..
Why should she avoid jail. Theft is theft. The board can’t provide her immunity from criminal laws.
Welcome to Maine open for business and incompetence.
Don’t worry, the incompetents that have been running Maine for 35 years are being removed one at a time. Thanks to the “contract” the Dems wrote we’ll have to pay this slimeball for a year though. Any “public servant” who writes such a contract should be strung up in the town square.
I am more worried about the slimeball that wants a pension for the rest of his miserable teaparty life, the Governor.
Link to McCormick statement:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/86119944/McCormick-Statement
Link to separation agreement between McCormick and the MSHA Board:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/86119937/McCormick-Separation-Agreement
There goes another one, wonder what we’ll find this time.
All you able bodied leaches out there milking the system better get off your rear ends because God willing the free ride is slowly coming to an end. People need to get back to providing for themselves, as well as neighbors helping neighbors.
I’m sure Obama has a job somewhere for her at taxpayer expense… She could never get a job in the private sector.
YES!!!!!
This is a dark day for organizations that provide puppet shows to convicts. or by convicts, or whatever.
The Bully wants nothing more or less than “Yes Men” in his Administration !!! Anything other than a “Yes” Man won’t do !!!!!! How long will this go on for ??? A: Two more years ! God help us !
John Baldacci had all his appointees on their knees kissing his feet. Baldacci was and is a facist ruler, period… Where our Great Governor Paul LaPage is a man of the people for the people… I hope he finishes cutting the head off the snake.
Yeah right. Man of the people, downright hero he is. Defender of the sick, the unemployed, the poor. Saint Paul!!
People don’t realize or see how he is trying his best without the help of the dems to fix real problems… For the same money dale spent we could get 2 1/2 times more homes for the people in need you speak of. would you prefer 100 aptments for the poor or 250 apartments for the poor… Dale was doing business with euro countries paying for fake cabon credits to the toon of 5.5 millon.. that could help a lot of low income Mainers…find homes or apts.. She was doing personal business with other countries with Maines money.. She Had to go. I hope they arrest her, for the misdirecting funds to businesses that will put her to work next month..She bought her on own job with Maine taxpayers money.
Yes, I see whay you mean. It just a shame that Dale McCormick wasn’t a relative of the Great Governor, she would still have her job….No questions asked !!! The wonderous Paul LePage certainly is a great man though, I would go so far as to say he is God-like. But I still have to wonder who in their right mind would want to face the pressure and scrutiny from a board of directors led by the appointees of the Great Gov. Paul LePage !!!! I am positive that Ms. McCormick would have certainly gotten a fair shake from the cronnies of His Majesty, the Honorable, and Great Governor Paul LePage !! A man of the people? for the people? Oh yeah his own people !!! LOL
How much was spent on this carbon offset nonsense and where did it go?
???
The fact that you have no idea what I’m talking about is just one of the reasons why you should know what you are talking about before you make another weak attempt at humor and being dismissive .
I wasn’t trying to be humorous, and I guess that you don’t have an answer as to what carbon offset nonsense is ? Anyway did you forget we were discussing McCormick stepping down…. not global warming.
My god man you are uniformed. If you read these post you will see that I have explained it several times, but here is the Overview.
Dale used up more than 6 million Dollars studying and implementing on a Carbon off set scheme .
I said MSHA paid out more than $6 mill. because we dont know for sure what the toal was. What we do know is that just a few carbon related vendors associated with the agency,
in the last several years, Maine Housing under McCormick’s oversight
has paid consultants fees of $370,000 to Lee Associates; $142,537 to
Climate Focus BV; $3,257,920 to Joseph Associates; $1,640,762 to Kinney
Associates; and $122,560 to carbon consultant Lucille Van Hook.The fees total just over $5.5 million. There is some sort of deal for General Motors to by carbon offset credits Maine has to offer due to efficiencies it has some how standardized and has gained/created through the MSHA low income home weatherization program.
So we have tied up $^million plus in this little ponzi, how many folks would this have helped find Housing do you think?
I can’t find anything on line to back up your claims against McCormick. Where did you get your information from ? I would be interested in reading it from its source.
LDS is a terrible disease. Therapy can help you.
Latter Day Saints ? No, I am not a Mormon. That would be Romney.
Wow, I want my company to have meetings in Bed and Breakfasts instead of internal conference rooms, I want a massage, nice junkets too but we would be fired if we pulled that crap!
That’s too bad ! If only you were a relative of Governor LePage ? You could have that and a whole lot more !!!
You must be confused, I work in DPS(Dreaded Private Sector) , not for the former clowns who ran Maine the prior 40 years and allowed this type of non-sense and graft/theft of taxpayer money.
Not confused at all. Thank you for your concern though !
you can’t stay on subject for even ten seconds, can you
?????
whine on, harvest moon
Just for two more years, til it’s over !
If you get your way it’ll be back to continued theft, graft, and corruption of the Dem party in Maine.
Sounds like you are descibing the LePage Administration !
The problem is some people like yourself think it’s ok to rip off the taxpayer… I can’t see how you justify it.. Most people like yourself pit one party against another to justisfy the thief of public funds for a personal agenda. Our Governor Paul LePage is trying to fix things without personal gain to himself…His daughters job is a no call.. I am really sad to think that democrats are so self absorbed they are willing to distroy this state and country to make a point.. You can’t be wrong can you??? What shame it would bring on your party to be wrong.. Democratics are one sided thinkers, never listening to other viewpoints.. You Stopped learning long ago when your leaders told you what to think and you obeyed.
Well said Sir!
I guess you don’t know me at all ! I am not a Democrat, I don’t pit one party against the other, and I certainly don’t think it is right to steal from public funds. I do however believe that the Right Wing Conservatives are destroying this country with their ” Our way or no way ” mentality !
If any group could be considered one way thinkers it is the Conservatives. LePage has accomplished nothing so far and I doubt that he will accomplish anything during his one term as Governor. I am wondering if you only listen to what your Right Wing leaders tell you !!
And the swamp contiues to be drained and more democrat coruption revealed…Good job Governor!!!!
I rent to sec 8 tenants, how does it work when the state invests $285K in an apartment that only gets “market rate” ,does the taxpayer lose or is it the taxpayer???
The next step is to pass legislation that ANY government employee found guilty of misuse of public funds forfeits any retirement pension. Secondly, the legislature should pass a law making it illegal for state or local goverments to commit to one year’s severance pay to ANY employee.
I suggested this when the Turnpike Authority travesty was unveiled. It didn’t get far. I agree with you.
Thank you Paul.Keep cleaning house we just might get out of this miserable mess that 40 yrs of liberal control has gotten us into.
No evidence, just continuous innuendo from greasy politicians like Poliquin and Maine has lost another experienced public sector leader. Slowly but surely the good are leaving State service to be replaced by hacks, the public will pay for the turnover for years. Best of luck Dale and good job.
Fees total just over $5.5 million paid out to a few carbon related vendors, how many folks could been helped with a roof over their head with that you think?
We have zero idea of the total paid out, and to whom it was paid on this Carbon credit garbage, this alone merits her termination. She was allowed an easy out.
Yeah, good job wasting over a million on solar energy that was so poorly implemented that the houses used MORE energy when the solar was on than when it was off. Nice job building quarter million dollar affordable houses. Nice job wasting taxpayer money on all those junkets. Nice job blowing millions on the carbon credit scam. The final insult is the taxpayers have the pay her for a year for doing nothing. Hush money so the rest of the political scum don’t get drug down with her.
Oooodles and oooodles and oooooodles of evidence.
Your bad.
A lot of the programs MSHA runs are really taking care of your parents n grand parents that are on a fixed income. And they are just asking for help now in these tough times when they could have been for a long time. Too bad it’s going to dry up for them. Oh sure there’s some people that take advantage but a lot are between jobs and need a boast from the money they have paid into the Feds.
The money this Lady blew on carbon offset credits,massages, and other outlandish items that had nothing to do with providing housing, could have provided housing for hundreds,maybe thousands of Maine Citizens.
There seems to be little question that MSHA lost its way and neglected its core mission of providing low cost affordable housing and housing support for low income people who really need the assistance. Too much attention on high cost trendy things like carbon trading and alternative energy schemes with well connected political consultants and lobbyists that didn’t work and overly expensive development schemes which provided too few housing units at excess cost. I’m familar with the High Street project in Portland– lived next door for several years. No way it should have cost $314,000 or $285,000 or $255,000 to renovate this old building into apartments. Building low income housing (a/l/a Pam Gleichman) seems to have been a continuing rip off of the taxpayers. There also seems to be little question that on McCormick’s watch much money was wasted on “goodies” such as massages, parties, free lunches, excess travel and lodging, junkets, and expensive p.r. and advertising campaigns. And lots of money going to political insiders of both the D and R persuasion. Looking forward to a comprehensive report of how the taxpayers’ money was really spent.
No need to wait. Just go to Maine Housing’s website and you can scroll through their Accounts Payable for the past 14 years, check by check. The level of detail is pretty amazing for an agency that is being accused of corruption. Feel free to have a fainting spell over each and every one of the items that mention “staff training” – OMG! they had the audacity to go to a national conference (many of which are sponsored by HUD, where most of the funding comes from) and stayed in a hotel! I’ve read comments here that characterize that as a crime. It’s all a bit over the top.
I’ve worked on projects with MSHA on and off for nearly 30 years. Sorry, I’m not a big scary Democratic developer reaping millions of ill-gotten gains. Just a working stiff in nonprofit agencies that renovate housing for poor people. We have competed for funding in an open process where the rules and scoring are spelled out ahead of time. I have seen no evidence of an agency that’s “lost its way”, nor have I ever felt the place was run in an extravagent way. I’ve been in lots of meetings in cramped rooms where I had to bring my own lunch & coffee – not complaining, just stating a fact.
This is pure politics. Elections have consequences, and Dale got railroaded because she refused to go away quietly and make room for a LePage appointee. I’m sure that there will be plenty of Republican developers lining up for contracts, and I expect the rules to change and the priorities to shift to lower quality housing and more profits for developers. Just guessing.
In the meantime, there are a lot of hardworking Maine people at MSHA who are doing their best to fulfill the mission, wrestle with incredibly complicated federal regulations, and get good quality housing provided to low- and middle-income people. This high-volume denigration of our public servants, fueled by MHPC, is not deserved and it is not helping our state move forward.
You are out to lunch (no pun intended). You were not one of the In Crowd, that’s all. If you were one of the inner circle or the favored groups/cronies who got money, you would know better than to deny this. This agency had an unreal payroll. I repeat: an unreal payroll (but then, you already knew that, having obviously done your research). And for you to see those expenses, in detail, and call them anything other than shady and wasteful (in a time when actual POOR PEOPLE are struggling to live week to week) destroys whatever credibility you may have.
I’m not surpised you’re defending one of your own.
Other people’s money.
One word CROOK. She thought she was there for life just like Paul V. Go Gov Go. Clean out the rats.
She should be doing the perp walk. It is impossible to believe that they are actually paying her for the graft and corruption perpetrated under her watch. Only in government do the pigs at the trough get the royal treatment like this.
What does Poliquin mean when he says that “we have a better idea about how to serve the most needy of Maine.”?? Is he going to open up some rooms at the Popham Beach Club for them?
What a smuck.
No just prevent theft of taxpayer money from Dale and her corrupt cronies.
Carbon Credits anyone!
Another Baldacci corrupto!
Let’s all remember the recent headline “McCormick Refuses to Disclose Details of Carbon Trading Scheme”, appearing at:
http://www.themainewire.com/2012/02/developing-mccormick-refuses-disclose-details-carbon-trading-scheme/
Please note that the agency,The Maine State Housing Authority is no stranger to things green, e.g., for several years I believe they gave been running the “Carbon Quantification Project”.
http://www.mainehousing.org/ABOUT/ABOUTGreen/Carbon
Related to that, see:
“One of the best decisions I made was to hire Cathy as our carbon markets advisor. It has really helped advance the project. She has a keen understanding of international carbon trading as well as the emerging voluntary market. She has a collaborative style and is a joy to work with.”
Dale McCormick, Director
Maine State Housing Authority
http://www.go-worldlee.com/aboutus/testimonials.html
In the above quote, Dale McCormick is talking about Catherine Lee. If you look at the following on Lee, you’ll see she is on the board of directors of Lee Auto Mall. I wonder if she is related in any way to WIND CHEERLEADER Adam Lee, who is very involved with things green and has been an NRCM board member…
http://www.go-worldlee.com/aboutus/cathylee.html
Why is Dale McCormick listed here as being with RGGI?Is she involved with RGGI?
http://www.energyandutilityconference.org/2009%20Photos.html
And why is she listed as a “Lead Consultant” for an article/presentation seemingly authored by Lee International, and why does it looks as though she is with VCS, the Verified Carbon Standard?
http://www.go-worldlee.com/resources/articles.html
More reading:
http://www.go-worldlee.com/news/state-of-vcs-2011.html
Let’s see a thorough probe of all things “Green” in Baldacci’s Thugusta.
I wouldnt buy a stinkin car from Lee Auto, he is more worried about MPBN and ripping off the taxpayer.
Bye Bye Dale.
Maybe you can get a job with the liberals working on the homosexual agenda?
The GOP is right this time. This agency should be run by a male anyway. Women are out of control right now, because Obama thinks they should be equal. Vote GOP this fall and put men back to work.
LePage wants to get one of his Thugs in there.
LOL. Blog pimping..the lowest form of internet activity. Mr. Weinand ought to hang out with his ilk at HuffPost and Kos rather than stink up this place.
LOL…Walker isn’t going anywhere, he has that race in the bag….so keep whistling past the graveyard.
http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/elections/election_2012/election_2012_governor_elections/wisconsin/54_in_wisconsin_oppose_recall_of_gop_governor_walker
Cant wait until the investigation is complete. She may right along side Violette.
Thats a nice smile you have in the above picture, it has got you by in the past! But now your gone like a freight train, gone like yesterday, gone like a soldier in the civil war, BANG BANG ! Gone like a 69 cadillac, like all the good things you aint never comming back ! Youre gone !
“the new board has a new vision” ………………..that means , taking the money for themselves and making sure that the poor does’t have affordable housing. Some very sick, selfish and hateful people in Maine state government right now!!!! They conserve their own money and don’t know how to share very well!!!
I guess one of LePage’s family must need a cushy job paid for by the increasingly poor residents of Maine. Now they can begin throwing the poor out into the street and add to the homeless population. As usual…the rest of America moves forward while Maine steps back into the Dark Ages….
The state media has chosen to make the issue one of political persecution rather than focus on what the problem really is: a boated, ineffective agency that is poorly managed and costs the citizens of this state far too much money. Not only does the MSHA deserve critical reassessment, so do the CAP agencies. Both profess to “help the poor and needy” while in reality, they help themselves grow and grow and grow. If the whole thing was dissolved tomorrow, and every poor Mainer was simply given a one-time lump sum payoff from what’s left of their coffers, there would be no more poor Mainers.
Since the early 1980s, Dale McCormick has worked diligently for the poor, for the environment, for women, and for the civil rights of minorities. Her treatment at the hands of Bruce Poliquin & his cronies has been an unconscionable witch hunt, inspired by homophobia and the greedy self-interested intention to raid the Maine State Housing Authority’s coffers & ability to raise money. But while I am saddened by McCormick’s decision to step down, I’m confident that she will continue to work & fight to address the social needs that have so long compelled her attention & intelligence.
What worries me most at this point is what will happen to the independence of the Maine State Housing Authority & the housing needs of the poorest & most vulnerable people in Maine now that Bruce Poliquin — a man who has no respect for the phrase “conflict of interest,” and whose personal definition of “fiscal discipline” — a topic he enjoys expounding on, likely for large speaker fees — includes such actions as taking petty personal advantage of the tree growth tax break despite knowing that his deed prohibits logging — has gained the upper hand he has so viciously sought. He has to go.
This is what worries you? None of the wasted millions worries or bothers you? You are worried about the MSHA coffers now? A witch hunt? Have you even bothered to consider what some of see and believe to be arrogance and waste? Do you even care about accountability?
“Arrogance & waste?” Under McCormick’s brave & dedicated leadership, the Maine State Housing Authority worked to further the creation of sustainable housing. Does it cost a little more to create housing that won’t fall down in the first strong wind or cost a fortune to heat? Is it more costly to locate the poor where jobs are? To combine intentions by, for example, simultaneously rehabilitating an endangered historic building & providing housing for the disabled poor? Locating the poor where the availability of public transportation & jobs may enable them to become self-supporting? Yes. Did every project work out as McCormick and her team hoped? No. Were they worth trying? Absolutely. Change requires experimentation; improvement comes at a price. And it’s money well spent. What will not be is, for example, diverting public funds to large private construction firms whose primary interest is in making a profit by shortchanging the public good, using shoddy materials & methods and ignoring the pressing issue of sustainability. And the social cost of cutting off funds for the poor & disabled — apparently a primary goal of the Le Page administration — will be high indeed. I don’t want to see it. And I don’t want to be responsible for it. Do you really?
So much anger runs through this website. There’s so much lashing out at the few people left in Maine with decent jobs. Sometimes I think it’s because we’re all afraid of joining the least among us — becoming unable to pay our oil bills, our insurance, our taxes, ending up with hypothermia on the cold back roads of Maine. And almost all of us have good reason to be afraid. But we won’t save ourselves by hurting others. The only way to do that is to fight for decent jobs for everyone who can work & a safety net for everyone who cannot.
You do not have a clue, she should be arrested and prosecuted for theft from the Taxpayers of Maine!
Oh my goodness. Here is the thing, most people are tired of paying for the liberal’s failed social experiments , the abuse of taking a charge and dreaming up some way to expand an agenda that has nothing to do with job at hand. Seeing “Low Income” housing on the water front, spending $200-$300 thousand per unit (apartment) then paying the rent for forever is obscene. 6million spent on some carbon credit exchange scheme is an outrage,solar water heaters,good Lord. If you are charged with providing housing for the folks in need, stick to that, only that.
We are tired of this slow,ever expanding , creep of liberals and there desires. If you want these things, pay for them, leave the tax payer out of it.
This woman is so entitled. She had few qualifications
for this job–she started out running a tiny nonprofit, and then got jobs
because of her political connections. Everything she has said in the past
year reflects her sense of grandiosity, which has come from being in the old
Augusta D self congratulation clique. They give each other awards from organizations
that have “Maine” in the title but don’t necessarily represent much of Maine. From a business perspective, her tenure
has been unbelievable. People in many sectors get fired just because a new boss comes in. Boards are supposed to run organizations. CEOs are
supposed to be accountable. She has acted like she’s perfect and has never
admitted any mistakes. We have not been well served by her. They had to
buy her off, which is irritating but at least we can get someone in who
actually will serve the agency’s mission.
When Lepage’s buddy Poliquin pays back all the property
taxes plus penalties to the town of Phippsburg on the land he enrolled in the
Tree growth program illegally, is when I’ll think about this internet sales
tax. How many other maine business people are doing the same as Poliquin.
Democrats all seem to believe that they are entitled to take from the producers of this country! They are such a leprous bunch!