Jury verdict: RSWA’s star witness convicted of attempted extortion
published 6:43pm Thursday Dec 10, 2009
Write a letter to the editor
Minutes before a jury found him guilty of attempted extortion, Richard Wade Kendrick, with family members behind him, waits for the verdict.PHOTO BY DAVE MCNAIR
A controversial government-backed lawsuit against a recycling entrepreneur suffered a major blow Thursday when a Fluvanna County jury convicted 50-year-old Richard Wade Kendrick of trying to extort his former employer, Peter Van der Linde. In a separate action, Kendrick had been expected to serve as the star witness in the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority’s lawsuit against Van der Linde, but now it appears that Kendrick might have to be plucked from jail if he’s still needed to testify against his old boss.
Already, the Authority’s case against Van der Linde— although it has the support of such community notables as Albemarle Supervisor Ken Boyd and Charlottesville City Councilor David Brown— has drawn criticism for using provisions of RICO, the federal Racketeer Influenced Corruption act, to punish a challenger to the Waste Authority’s power.
A year ago, Van der Linde immediately captured the lion’s share of the market by opening a facility that recycles construction debris, and late last month he opened an expansion that sorts and recycles household waste as well.
Waste Authority director Tom Frederick was subpoenaed by the defense but did not testify. If he were experiencing any qualms about building a legal case on the strength of Kendrick, he gave no indication at the December 10 trial. Or afterwards.
“Mr. Kendrick’s verdict should not have an impact on the Authority’s case against Mr. van der Linde,” Frederick says in an email.
Kendrick, a career criminal— whose 153-years of suspended sentences from a litany of past convictions for breaking and entering, burglary, and attempted kidnapping might be reinstated by the verdict— tried to argue that his April 28 letter seeking $90,000 from Van der Linde was merely a request for anticipated legal fees in the ongoing case of Authority v. Van der Linde.
Kendrick testified that he and other Van der Linde drivers feared they could be held criminally accountable for failing to pay a $16 service fee each time they delivered trash from Charlottesville or Albemarle County. City Councilor Brown, for instance, points out that after waging a legal fight of his own against the fee, Van der Linde should not have avoided paying what might amount to a million dollars in fees. But Kendrick, although he called two former colleagues to testify, was apparently unable to find any corroborators for his story that Van der Linde lied— the linchpin of the RSWA’s RICO suit.
Under oath, Van der Linde vehemently denied the allegation.
“I never instructed anyone to lie about anything, ever,” he exclaimed in response to prosecution’s question, his previously soft voice rising to a near-shout.
In recent months, as details of the lawsuit have emerged, the Authority has come under fire for spending over $340,000 in taxpayer funds to pursue the case against a private competitor, but the Authority has steadfastly defended it as a mere debt-collection action. Ironically, Thursday’s trial, though technically not involving the Authority, could end up costing the Authority at least $1,000 because there were two Authority attorneys present— including Jonathan Blank, who bills over $500 an hour and who had been subpoenaed by the defendant.
“The verdict,” says director Frederick, “does not change the fact that Mr. Van der Linde and his companies deposited tens of thousands of tons of waste at the BFI transfer station that originated in Charlottesville and Albemarle but were declared as coming from other jurisdictions, thereby avoiding the Authority’s service contribution fee, and depriving the Authority, and by extension the taxpayers of our community, of at least a million dollars in revenue.”
Fluvanna Commonwealth’s Attorney Jeff Haislip got Kendrick to concede that at the time he hand-delivered the letter on April 28, he was not charged with any crime and had no concrete reason to estimate that representing himself might require such a large sum. Instead, Haislip said, Kendrick was simply “bitter” that Van der Linde had recently hired two new employees at a higher wage than the $18 an hour Kendrick testified he earned.
Kendrick admitted “frustration” with Van der Linde but denied he’d written the letter— part of a 14-page package including letters to the RSWA and the Department of Justice that would “never see the light of day” as long as Van der Linde cooperated with his demands— as a threat.
According to online records, Kendrick has filed at least 13 jailhouse lawsuits against public officials— including claims against Doug Wilder, Jerry Kilgore, Bill Clinton, Janet Reno, and Federal Judge James Turk. There was no mention of those suits during the trial, but in his closing argument, Kendrick’s court-appointed attorney Richard Harry attempted to push attention back toward the RSWA and its battle against Van der Linde.
“We’re here because of a $3.5 million lawsuit,” said Harry, insisting that if his client was guilty of anything, it was poor judgment and a lack of sophistication. “He’s not the most educated person in the country. He may have been a little dumb about sending that letter, but that doesn’t mean he had criminal intent.”
Haislip, however, said that common sense dictated a guilty verdict. “He thought he had his boss over a barrel,” said Haislip.
The jury of six men and six women needed just 50 minutes to deliver the guilty verdict, one of the fastest decisions, Haislip said, that he could recall.
“The facts of the case were very clear,” said juror Pamela Ross. But reaching consensus on the jury’s recommendation of a year-long incarceration, far less than the five-year maximum, dragged on for three hours.
Citing Kendrick’s lengthy criminal history, including the attempted kidnapping conviction, Fluvanna County Judge John Berry denied Kendrick’s request for bail until his sentencing hearing on February 12. Kendrick will remain in the Central Virginia Regional Jail in Orange until then. According to Haislip, reinstatement of the suspended sentences in Albemarle and Louisa County will be considered separately by those jurisdictions.
The Authority has a special meeting slated for Thursday, December 17, but Frederick doesn’t appear to be backing down from the case against Van der Linde. “The Authority believes that its case should be judged in a court of law on the evidence and on its own merits.”
–Story last updated at 1:25pm, Tuesday, December 14 (to include Frederick’s response)
–Correction: An early headline mentioned “extortion,” but Kendrick was convicted only of attempted extortion
–Correction: We incorrectly reported that Jonathan Blank, a lawyer for the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority bills “over $500″ an hour. Actually, he bills just $475 per hour. (added February 2, 2010.)
#
Congratulations to the Commonwealth’s Attorney, Jeff Haislip.
It saddens me that the defendant faces returning to prison for parole violations. He has spent many years there in the past and has well over 100 years yet to serve.
The RICO suit brought by RSWA against van de Linde recycling gave birth to this case. While Richard Kendrick is guilty, this entire, unfortunate saga grew out of the RSWA RICO suit.
Personally, I just do not understand this RICO suit! If it turns out to be frivolous, the community may ask who is responsible, what law firm was advising them.
Let’s guess who has the most to gain from suing Van der Linde—could it be Kurt Krueger, Jonathan Blank and McGuire Woods.
Let’s add up all Krueger has billed RWSA, and all he and his firm are now billing RSWA, and I’ll bet before long it will be millions.
I hope the Hook will give us an accounting of how much this law firm has made from these two Authorities in the last two years.
This guy would never have been in court or have come after Van der Linde had it not been for the RICO suit, which I’ll bet was begun on the advise of Kurt Krueger. You guys certainly should be proud of the mess you have caused for this community, and now Fluvanna as well. I say time for a new coach , throw the bums out. You now have a losing record and your suit is a huge pile of garbage that can’t be recycled –it’s too toxic !
Okay all you elected officials, when is enough enough ?
I think this is one case where a monopoly should be allowed, let Van der Linde build more sorting and recycling plants. I think anyone protecting our landfills and improving the environment should be rewarded. I can’t believe so much money is being wasted over recycling competition.
Send him back to prison where he belongs, for the rest of his suspened 152 years. Hes been busted for this in the past which means not only does he suck at life hes sucks at being a crook!
IF Van der Linda is going to recycle our waste, keep our landfills from over flowing and our transfer stations from having a reason to exist,…. but wait is that it? Is he putting RWSA out of business? Are they protecting their own positions and salaries? Shame on RWSA. Isn’t it time we investigated them? Where is the attorney general when you need him?
The two elected representatives Ken Boyd, from Albemarle, and David Brown, from Charlottesville, owe the citizens an explanation: how can you support a lawsuit with this man as the only witness who supports your case ?
Mr. Boyd, how could you possibly think you could represent us in Congress, if this is the type of action you are involved in ?
Elected officials were not even aware of the van de Linde suit until the public brought it to their attention. It’s the RWSA’s staff and those who advise them who started this whole thing.
Elected officials should now address the problems in a businesslike manner.
For instance, just last week, the City of Charlottesville signed a 5 year contract with Waste Management which requires that the trash be taken to the transfer stations and land filled. Imagine that, in what the City Council calls a “green” community. But what did the City Council say when it was discussed in “public comment”? Well I heard them say that in 6 months they would just break the contract which was just signed. Talk about prior intent and violation of contract!!!!!! How fraudulent can you get? Let’s start yet another law suit and suck in more highly stressed individuals like Kendrick.
I talked with Kendrich’s mother, sister and son. They appeared devastated. He had been paroled so long on good behavior. His sister works in a prison as a correctional official. But then RWSA started calling his boss a gangster and filling Racketeering Charges. Maybe Kendrich just found it too compelling to go after a guy when government officials file such insidious claims against him.
It’s all a mess and so very sad to see a life wasted. Where are the heroes?
Daily Progress story about this is lame. Doesn’t even mention that he is RSWA’s star witness against Van der Linde. Now he’s the conviceted lier not Mr. Van der Linde; and the Progress gives Kendrick’s side of the story, as if it’s true. Well, the jury didn’t think so; gave him 12 months in jail. Even though Kendrick asked to stay out on bond until the sentencing, the judge said no; too much of a danger and had him immediately incarcerated.
One has to wonder if Tom Frederick in any way encouraged this guy, so that he thought, since the government has such a great case against my boss –this will be easy –tell him if he doesn’t pay up I’m trotting right over to Tom and going to say, you had us trash haulers lie for you.
Well Tom, you got your lier and it’s not Van der Linde. If anyone swayed this guy to commit this crime, believe, it was RSWA, and I hope someday to see them on trial for all the mischief they’re causing.
The Hook is the only real newspaper in town. Thank you for covering this story in depth, and for Dave McNair’s excellent reporting. The media is constantly accused, these days, of whitewashing the news, so glad the Hook has kept it’s integrity.
Story last updated at 11:57am Friday, December 11.
Why isn’t this case and the related RWSA vs Vanderlinde lawsuit being covered by the local television stations? This is big news and people have the right to know! This makes me angry and really makes me wonder if RSWA is dishing out some hush money!
This chapter in the saga is closed. This guy is/was the star witness for RSWA in their RICO suit? Wow. I think it’s obvious how frivolous their suit against Mr. Van der Linde really is. I will not vote for any politician that supports this misguided law suit. It’s a despicable example un-American un-ethical tactics being used to put a private company (read competitor) out of business and all by using taxpayer’s money. Everyone should be outraged.
I’ve only read this story in the hook, which makes me suspicious. I’m suspicious not because I mistrust the hook, but because I like to have more than one source for my news before I start to form an opinion one way or another. I agree there should be more reporting on this story, but that doesn’t indicate a failure on the part of local media to me. It indicates that maybe there’s less to this story than is being reported in the hook.
yepper - The Hook was the only news organization to show up. I was there all day and The Hook reporters were the only ones.
McGuire Woods lawyers sat in the back of the court room all day but I think they were developing private reports.
The Hook reporters are a tough bunch!
They go where others dare to go! :)
Daily Progress reporter was there too, sadly, she didn’t get the story, and left our many pertinent details, to understand the significance of the RSWA star witness, and only witness going to jail for 12 months. Maybe she should read the Hook stories on this and get some background, to prepare her for the next round. This story has huge ramifications for the RSWA RICo suit and for the future existence of the RSWA, sorry state of affairs that no TV stations covered this . Wonder if they’re worried about their advertisers. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Hook.
The extortion letter stated that RSWA tried to buy the extortionist’s testimony against van der Linde for more than
the $90,000 cash that the extortionist was demanding from van der Linde to buy the estortionist’s silence. Thank you Mr. van der Linde for saying, “I have nothing to hide” bhy calling the police. Ask RSWA how much of your taxes they offered(unsuccessfully) to the extortionist to buy his(in)credible testiomony against van der LInde. Beyond mind boggling.
I refuse to support Ken Boyd for Congress, or even for the nomination. Anyone, who would think this guy could be a witness in a lawsuit is unfit for public office. If you know Boyd, or planned to vote for him, contact him and tell him: no way jose.
Does anyone know if RSWA has commented on the crooks comments in the extortion letter that RSWA tried to buy his testimony. If he lied about that, how could they believe what he said about Van der Linde ?
Has anyone in the media contacted Boyd or Brown to get their reaction to this ? And what about the rest of the Board: are they still going to proceed with the RICO suit, with this guy as the star and only witness. Sure will be a quick trial, and they will lose, and we, the taxpayers, will have to countersue to get our money back.
Rob Schilling ripped into the DP story about this guy, and if you read it you’ll realize what a sorry attempt it was to explain why Kendrick did what he did, and why he was guilty and sentenced to prison and why looks like the RSWA is the villian in all this.
http://www2.dailyprogress.com/cdp/news/local/article/truck_driver_guilty_in_extortion_plot/49907/
Schilling show today with Peter Van der Linde discussing the trial and lawsuit
http://www.wina.com/play_window.php?audioType=Episode&audioId=4225663
Let’s see if our local elected officials take steps to take control over the RSWA or let business continue as usual. With theagreement by the city and county to operate the authority sunsetting soon, it’s a great opportunity to reorganize and re-purpose. I seriously doubt if the officials will take that route because they really are adept at governing.
Our elected officials are continually winning awards for being
green and yet, they have these 2 agencies, RWSA and RSWA, that are hell bent on being ungreen. Just hoping, now that they have the chance to re-do the water plan and reorganize their landfill based trash model, to one of recycling, they will walk the walk.
The green that Charlottesville wins awards for is like a thin plastic laminate. The city has an environmental coordinator position, but it comes with no authority. It’s all for show.
When is the RSWA board going to drop the lawsuit against Van der Linde, now, that the only witness they had willing to testify against him, is a convicted felon, in jail for a year. Certainly, they won’t keep spending our money on this frivolous lawsuit, was the question on the minds of everyone I’ve talked to since Thursday’s trial. I haven’t met one person, other than David Brown, who supports this suit.
The RSWA board will meet on Thursday Dec. 17th at 2pm at the Albemarle Service Authority Office ( board room). I encourage everyone who believes, as I do; that now is the time to call it quits, to show up and let your voice be heard.
If you can’t be there, please contact Ken Boyd, if you are a County resident, or David Brown, if you live in the City. We have already wasted far too much money on a suit that never should have been filed in the first place
You’d better come up with a way the politicians can save face.
RSWA still needs to come up with a way to raise revenue without the cash cow called van der Linde.
Correction: RSWA Board Meeting is Thursday Dec. 17th at 4pm and the RWSA meeting is at 4:15pm. Public comment taken promptly at 4pm at the Albemarle County Service Authority, Spotnap Rd.
this was the notice sent By Mary Knowles:
“The RWSA and RSWA Boards of Directors will hold special meetings on Thursday, December 17, in the Lower Level Board Room at the ACSA Administrative Offices. The RSWA will start at 4:00 p.m., and the RWSA will be advertised to begin at 4:15 p.m. Agendas will be available sometime next Tuesday afternoon.”
RSWA is the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority
RWSA is the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority
Tom Frederick is director of both of these organizations.
CvilleEye, How about I’m sorry, this was a mistake. Wouldn’t that be wonderful !
Now, Betty Mooney, we can’t allow you to bcome delusional at this stage of the game. Just let that thought float right out of your mind.
Dear Readers,
I’ve updated the story this morning to include a response from the civil lawsuit’s top backer, Rivanna Solid Waste Authority Director Tom Frederick.
Sincerely,
Hawes Spencer
Citizens unite ! No one supports this lawsuit against Van der Linde. Take to the streets –protest–refuse to pay taxes–they’re throwing YOUR MONEY away. Finally, an issue we all agree upon.
More power to you in getting the citizens in Charlottesville and Albemarle to unite in protest over any issue. We’re basically a bunch of sheepel.
We all proved this when they asked us to conserve water…. and then penalized us for conserving water. Who would ever have thought we would pay more for using less water?
What happens when the case goes to trial after hundreds of thousands of taxpayer or rate payer dollars are spent in trial prep? Will the RWSA send a squad car to the state pen to pick up their star witness? And when he places his hand on the Bible and ’swears to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help me God’ will the spectators in the courtroom be allowed to snicker? This is an atrocious waste of time and money and effort and should be stopped now. We will hold a press conference/protest outside City Hall at the Freedom of Speech Monument on the east end of the downtown mall this Wednesday, Dec 16, at 2PM in support of Peter Van der Linde and private enterprise and in support of his efforts to make this a cleaner community.
quote: “Will the RWSA send a squad car to the state pen to pick up their star witness?”
Nope.
In state cases, the sheriff’s office will transport him back and forth, on the taxpayer’s dime.
In federal cases, a U S Marshal transports him back and forth, on the taxpayer’s dime.
quote: “We will hold a press conference/protest outside City Hall at the Freedom of Speech Monument on the east end of the downtown mall this Wednesday, Dec 16, at 2PM in support of Peter Van der Linde and private enterprise and in support of his efforts to make this a cleaner community.”
Good luck with that!
If 20,000 to 25,000 people were to attend… we would see this lawsuit vanish into thin air yesterday! You just can’t mobilize people in this area to protest anything. Most are spineless.
Stop the Van der Linde lawsuit, press conference/protest 2pm this Wed, Free Speech Monunment, and bring signs.
If everyone e-mails everyone they know to show up –maybe we can start something. Please post on twitter. thanks
There’s always a first time that citizens of this community could work together, cross party lines, and stop this outrageous waste of money and time, that has nothing to do with the public good and is meant to harm a hard working, private businessman, who is the true champion of green initiatives in our community. Just think of the amount of trash he will recycle if all our trash goes there, compared to the McIntire Recycling Center, or the curbside pick-up. Currently only 10% of the population recycles, using
Van der Linde we could make that 100%.
Let’s make this happen and stop the suit and get all trash in our community recycled !
Betty & Bob @above, If people in this town were willing to come together and cross party lines to stop government wastes of time and money, we’d have an independent on council. Good luck with the protest though! If it wasn’t in the middle of the day I’d come. Maybe a follow-up protest after work one day? Or on a weekend?
****thanks I’m sure this is just the first of many protests to stop this wasteful lawsuit. At some point we will reach 20,000 people and then will they listen ? If not, perhaps the citizens will realize we do need different people running our city and county governments.
The rally is a great idea. Multiple rallies is even better.
Rally #2 Thursday Dec. 17th 3:30 pm, bring your signs and voices to the RSWA board meeting Albemarle County Services Authority Administrative Offices, 168 Spotnap Road ( near Pantops shopping center). We will gather outside the office at 3:30 and public comment begins at 4pm
Remember Rally #1 Wed. Dec 16th 2pm Free Speech Monument–Downtown
Please help us send a message and e-mail and call as many people as you can to attend. What a wonderful Christmas this would be if we could end this lawsuit !
Internet Power was tested Dec.5th to celebrate it’s 40th anniversary with the red balloon contest. How could we harness that power to show GSOE that Charlottesville is not asleep; that we do care enough to show up, to protest wasteful spending and harassment of a private businessman.
“Ten red weather balloons were placed around the country Saturday, December 5, by the Defense Department’s DARPA program to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the internet with a competition to test how information spreads online.”
http://readthehook.com/blog/?s=ten+weather+balloons
Everything you always wanted to know about recycling and more. How can our officials boycott this ?
http://vanderlinderecycling.com/
@Betty, now, Betty, you know that you can’t fly anything in the county, balloons, flags, signs…
Just a note–if you try to purchase a large-item pickup sticker in the city for construction waste, even if it’s a couple of pallets and window frames in a load that 90% trash, you’ll be denied. Vander Linde was performing a service.
I agree, reasonable requests have failed, time to take to the streets. Van der Linde is doing an amazing service for the community. The officials should be shutting down RSWA ( big money loser), not Van der Linde. In the meantime time my neighborhood is leaving the landfill trash haulers ( Waste Management and BFI ) and switching to the haulers using Van der Linde Recycling. Here’s the list of these guys from VRC web-site
Preferred Garbage Haulers Who ARE Recycling Household Trash With Us
TIME DISPOSAL
(434) 977-3339
http://www.timedisposalinc.com
DIXON TRASH DISPOSAL
(434) 978-2111
http://www.dixondisposal.com
FLUVANNA DISPOSAL
(434) 589-4548
KINGREA’S DISPOSAL
(434) 295-4190
M&M DISPOSAL
(434) 531-0450
ALL AMERICAN TRASH SERVICES
(434) 979-7643
ACE DISPOSAL
434-589-4700
Wow! I just tried to send an email to the Office of the attorney general but they only allow 750 characters. Actually their website wasn’t very helpful so I am using the postal service.
I agree with so many things said above.
Who is going to vote for Ken Boyd after his support of RSWA?
McGuire Woods is not offering good advise to the RSWA. All they want to do is run the meter at our expense. They should be barred from any government representation in the future.
We have to keep up the pressure on elected officals so the agreement with the RSWA is not renewed on June 30.
How does the RSWA think they are going to win their lawsuit? Their only witness is a convicted liar and they have no documentation to prove their claim. They were bluffing because they figured van der Linde would fold.
Rally in support of Peter van der Linde is on! Tomorrow, Wed, Dec 16, 2PM, right outside City Hall on the downtown mall. The Rivanna Solid Waste Authority, RSWA, (not to be confused with The Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority, RWSA) must stop this nonsense now! Website will be up shortly!
This is what happens when you let tree huggers rubn the show…
At least the Republicans admit they are in it for the money and power….
I called many of the local haulers and got bids. The criteria I used was that the company had to be locally owned and operated, and takes the trash to Van der Linde’s recycling facility. I then compiled a report of the cost breakdown and sent it out to my neighborhood association’s list-serv (Woolen Mills). Every single company was able to beat the City’s price of $283/yr for a 96-gallon can. Some offered additional amenities beyond that. I was very impressed by the exceptional customer service of some of the haulers.
This is a win/win. These local companies are hustling for your business. Some of them don’t require a minimum number of customers or a contract, so you lose nothing in trying them out. Please remember the smaller mom-n-pop operations like M&M– they’ll come to your back door to pick up your trash if you’re elderly or disabled! The smaller companies can bring their prices down even more, but only if they can get a volume of customers. It’s up to each resident and business owner to call and get prices, and I hope that everyone will spread their business among these local companies.
This is not a time for name-calling and playing political “gotcha” games. The BOS and City Council did not file this suit, the RSWA did. It’s not a Democrat or Republican suit. If you don’t like what the RSWA is doing, choose LOCAL options, and make that choice known via your wallet. And spread the word!
Victoria, The RSWA and RWSA boards are appointed by the BOS and City Council. As of this year, we also have 2 elected representatives on those boards; Councilor David Brown, from the City Council, and Supervisor Ken Boyd, from the Board of Supervisors. The City Manager, Gary O’Connell, and the Public Works Director, Judy Mueller are appointed to carry out city policy on these boards, Bob Tucker, county executive and Mark Graham are the representatives of the BOS on the RSWA, and Gary Fern, on the RWSA. The Chairman of both these boards is appointed alternately by the City and County elected officials, and last year Mike Gaffney was appointed by the City Council. All of these staff appointees work under the direction of the elected representatives, who are responsilbe for any action they undertake.
The complete list of responsible parties for these 2 authorities includes, Councilor Holly Edwards, and Supervisor Sally Thomas on the Rivanna Water and Sewer Authority Board ( RWSA).
Tom Frederick is the director of both these authorities.
Even though the RSWA’s only witness against Mr. Van der Linde is in jail, Mr. Thomas Frederick says “The Authority believes that its case should be judged in a court of law on the evidence and on its own merits.”
Mr. Van der Linde has presented all the evidence in the form of memos to the Board and elected officials, and I can see nothing but smoke blowing from the RSWA, and it is very expensive smoke, which I predict, if we do not end this wasteful suit will cost taxpayers millions and give Mr. Van der Linde, and all the other trash haulers ample grounds to counter sue RSWA, costing the taxpayer millions more.
Please join us at the Free Speech Monument, across from City Hall, on the Downtown Mall, tomorrow Dec. 16th at 2pm, to try to stop this from happening.
My experience has been, that at least in the City, if enough citizens contact the City Council they will listen and change course. Without the leadership of Mayor Norris, I doubt, that we would be re-visiting dredging the South Fork Rivanna Reservoir, as a water supply option, for our state mandated 30 - 50 year water plan.
Now, Council is tuning in to the mess that the Rivanna Solid Waste Authority is in. It is time citizens let them know, that this lawsuit, as Downing Smith has said, is a bluff game, intended to eliminate competition for a failing entity. Currently, their revenue is down over $700,000 for the year and sure to drop further. It makes no sense to sue Mr. Van der Linde for an amount, unknown to them, since their partner BFI didn’t ask where the trash was coming from in the first place. RSWA’s one witness is in jail. Will they now attempt to find others, who will also end up like Mr. Kendrick, in jail, or attempt other means of harassing Mr.Van der Linde, using $500 an hour lawyers, that you and I are paying for ?
Mr. Van der Linde was harassed, every step of the way, trying to get his permit to recycle household waste, with anonymous calls to the DEQ. Even they felt, “extremely frustrated”, as reported by Dave McNair, and it doesn’t take much of an imagination to guess who was making these calls.
Please come today to the Free Speech Monument at 2pm
or tomorrow at 3:30pm to the The RSWA Board meeting ACSA office
or e-mail our Council at
or your Supervisor at
You cam make a difference and stop this abusive, malicious lawsuit against a hardworking businessman of our community, who is providing a service that will save us money and move us toward a “greener tomorrow” by recycling all our trash.
I am appalled at the incarceration of Richard (Ricky) Kendrick. I planned to stay out of this mess but I feel awful that he is telling the truth and no one will listen due to his past. One of Mr Van der Lind’s number one employee’s told me themselves that they were ripping off RWSA. I can’t believe she lied on stand and allowed this to happen. He really was trying to save his self and his drivers from a lawsuit that certainly RWSA should win. Ricky’s past has nothing to do with the fact that they knowingly ripped the county off.
Are we to believe the gossip that watson has just told us?
watson, watson, it’s all about the letter, the letter. The letter isn’t “he say - she say.”
You planned to stay out of this. How are you in this? Were/are you a driver or other employee. Did you overhear a pertinent conversation between van der Linde and someone else? Please let us know how you’re involved other than relaying gossip.
Watson, you can’t demand $90,000 from anyone for any reason –that’s known as attempted extortion. As Cville Eye says it’s all about the letter, and has nothing to do with his past, or what Mr. Van der Linde did or did not do.
Richard Wade Kendrick’s extortion letter to Peter Van der linde in now online in its entirety.
Read the letter and draw your own conclusions, only on schillingshow.com