But we get to keep the horn, right?

We used to have a small business firm in this town called Gill Construction. It had about 100 employees, won awards for its work and was the primary contractor for the Gem Theater and the American Jazz Museum. Owned by Rick Gill, it seemed on its way to becoming a huge success story. That is until the 18th & Vine Authority and the City conspired to run him out of business. I have followed this story for some time. It seems upon completion of his work, the 18th & Vine Authority, whose members included former Mayor Cleaver, informed Mr. Gill that they did not have the $400,000 that was owed to him. Gill Construction was forced to sue. He easily won the case and was awarded $1.7 Million including interest and damages. And what did the fine upstanding members of the 18th & Vine Authority do? On advice from an assistant city attorney's memo they dissolved the 18th & Vine Authority and created the American Jazz Museum Authority. The cast of characters was the same, it was just a legal maneuver in order to, according to the memo, protect the museum’s revenues and assets “from attachment by Gill Construction and Gill’s creditors.” I don't know whether the City should fire that attorney for being unscrupulous or stupid. Or both. It's one thing to try some legal sleight of hand, it's quite another to write it down. Yesterday the City Council approved an emergency measure to settle with Rick Gill for $3 million. That amount pretty much wiped out our contingency funds for snow removal this season so you can thank the 18th & Vine Gang this January when you're hopelessly stuck in a snow drift. Gill Construction has long since closed its doors. Being a small business he simply could not absorb a $400,000 loss. 100 people lost their jobs. An entire community of small business owners will now view the City with contempt (and they should) and be wary of doing business with them. And the American Jazz Museum, instead of being a symbol of our great musical heritage, has become a monument to corruption, irresponsibility and just plain stupidity. Oh well. At least we have Charlie Parker's plastic saxophone that I think he played all of one time. The 18th & Vine Gang couldn't find the money to pay the good people who built the museum, but they could afford a plastic horn? Good to know we have our priorities in order.