Complaint Review: Cynthia Blanchard - Oklahoma Tulsa

We the people who pay these large taxes in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, are being fleeced and ripped off by the appointed officials who are not accountable to anyone other than our City Council who just rubber stamps the handing out of tax payer funds to their friends.   There appears evidence that kick backs are being paid in order to allow virtually anyone to claim they are an “industry expert”, and then the Bartlesville Development Agency simply states that person is an “industry expert”, as in this case where Anthem Blanchard the husband of Price Tower owner Cynthia Blanchard is stated as the industry expert who states that Wright Steak, a steak house for the Price Tower will generate:  Average annual sales: $1,569,576

Simple math based on basic common sense, dictates this number is high unrealistic.   No restaurant in Price Tower over the past 20 years has ever generated even close to this absurdly large sum.   Even at the current schedule where Copper Bar is open approximately 4 hours per day for 4 hours per week, in order to meet this crazy average annual sales Wright Steak, the Steak out would have to do at least well over 26,000 separate covers meaning separate meals during the year!    The location of the Steak house on the 15th floor of Price Tower, with its tiny elevators, who people often get stuck inside, limits the patrons to the restaurant as does the limited seating.   Even if the steakhouse were open regularly for 5 days per week year round, this would yield total possible days for service of 260, meaning the steakhouse would need to service consistently every single day it is open well over 100 patrons!   The number submitted are not realistic and no other restaurant has been able to achieve this in the Price Tower.   It is evident Anthem Blanchard is apparently an industry expert at everything.   The Bartlesville Development Agency is RIPPING every one off of their taxes by giving out money based on unrealistic projections by anyone that wants to say they are an “industry expert”.

Anthem and Cynthia Blanchard through PTAC executive director Donna Keffer Stated Wright Steak to be open within 6 weeks, according to articles published in May of 2023, it has never opened.   Cynthia Blanchard and Donna Keffer claim they are being good stewards of the money handed them by the city.   If they have this $88,095 in free money from the city then why is Cynthia Blanchard selling off the museum artifacts?   Why when she has the opportunity to talk to a news reporter she instead swears at them and cusses them out?

Enough of the giving away tax payer money with no strings attached while denying tax payer money to non-profits and organizations who actually provide services to the community.   The city council MUST demand this money $88,095 back from Anthem and Cynthia Blanchard.   

We deserve a real accounting as to how much in tax payer funds have been pledged to the Blanchard’s, why they are accused of dodging debts, why despite receiving massive payments of our tax dollars, and not paying any property taxes or transfer taxes on Price Tower is Cynthia Blanchard allowed to then sell any of our communities history and museum artifacts to pay bills?

TRANSPARENCY SHOWING this $88,095 in Tax Payer funds are returned to the city.   NO MORE GIVING OUT TAX PAYER FUNDS without TRANSPARENCY as to the terms of just handing out our taxes.   We deserve LOWER taxes, not higher taxes just so the taxes are regressive in nature and forced upon our poorest members of the community so the tax money is then given to those who claim they are super wealthy.

EVIDENCE as to the way in which the Bartlesville Development Authority hoodwinked the city council into giving away our tax dollars ripping us off, and the facts Anthem Blanchard cannot be considered an “industry expert” has a conflict with being the husband of Price Tower owner Cynthia Blanchard.    Any non-profit who has donated money too PTAC for improvements to Price Tower in the last 10 years should have that money that was donated immediately charged back by the IRS, as all those improvements were conveyed to Cynthia Blanchard for just $10 and the HALF MILLION DOLLAR bribe she claims she paid to the board of directors of PTAC, for the right to be transferred the tower and assets for $10.

https://www.cityofbartlesville.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/City-Council-Packet-August-7-2023.pdf .

“Discuss and take possible action on a recommendation by the Bartlesville Development Authority for development assistance of $53,366 to WrightSteak Steakhouse to be utilized for building improvements at the Price Tower located at 510 Dewey Ave, Bartlesville, OK, payable upon Certificate of Occupancy within 24 months.” Presented by Chris Batchelder, Bartlesville Development Authority. Mr. Batchelder, using a PowerPoint, reported that the WrightSteak Steakhouse will be part of a complete reimaging of the Price Tower. It will be a high-end, high-ticket steakhouse on the 15th and 16th floors, that will be a draw to the community as well as a destination event location for locals and visitors. He provided the projected sales numbers provided from the previous restaurant tenants, as well as industry sales climate, annualized pro-forma that provides for incentive calculation as follow: Average annual sales: $1,569,576 80% discount for non-targeted brand: $313,915 Annual sales tax revenue based on 3.4% tax rate: $10,673 Total 10-year tax revenue: $106,731 Max incentive per 50% incentive cap: $53,366 A brief discussion followed covering how the $1.5 million in annual sales was determined (received from an industry expert, Anthem Blanchard); how this steakhouse will be unique to our community and will be high-end food and service; how the incentive amount is comfortable; how the Blanchard’s and Mr. French (who were in attendance) have provided a proforma which is a good predictor of sales. Ms. Roane moved to approve the recommendation by the Bartlesville Development Authority for development assistance of $53.366 to WrightSteak Steakhouse as presented, seconded by Mr. Dorsey. Voting Aye: Mr. Dorsey, Mr. Roszel, Ms. Roane, Vice Mayor Curd Voting Nay: None Motion: Passed”

“Discuss and take possible action on a recommendation by the Bartlesville Development Authority for development assistance of $34,729 to LOVE66 Café Restaurant of Bartlesville to be utilized for building improvements at the Price Tower located at 510 Dewey Ave, Bartlesville, OK, payable upon Certificate of Occupancy within 24 months.” Presented by Chris Batchelder, Bartlesville Development Authority. Using a PowerPoint, Mr. Batchelder reported the Love 66 Café Restaurant will be located on the 1st floor of the Price Tower. It is currently being re-envisioned and will be a daily, lunchtype concept. The Route 66/diner décor will be used, and will be a great addition to our community. It will be operated as a separate business from WrightSteak Steakhouse, therefore the incentives are set apart separately. Discussion covered that both incentives were for two different companies; and how exciting both will be as an addition to the Price Tower. Mr. Dorsey moved to approve the recommendation by the Bartlesville Development Authority for development assistance of $34,729 to LOVE66 Cafe Restaurant of Bartlesville as presented, seconded by Ms. Roane. Voting Aye: Mr. Roszel, Ms. Roane, Mr. Dorsey, Vice Mayor Curd Voting Nay: None Motion: Passed”

Total Tax Payer Funds given to the Blanchard’s according to records of the Bartlesville City Council = $88,095

These funds have been pledged to Cynthia Blanchard and paid to her for these restaurants because several people pledging the funds have lost their retirements to Chad M. Koehn of United Capital Management of Kansas Inc. who has taken their money and supposedly invested in the Blanchard’s series of investment schemes.  All the Blanchard’s so called websites for their international conglomerate are missing from the internet and now they claim to be broke.  Chad Koehn is the culprit behind this massive Ponzi scheme of pretend companies.

Detailed information was given on Wright Steak, no details were provided on LOVE66 Cafe Restaurant except to state:  “will be a daily, lunchtype concept”.   Anthem Blanchard who the Bartlesville Development Authority called “an industry expert”, is the husband of Price Tower owner Cynthia Blanchard.  Anthem Blanchard has also claimed to be an expert in precious metals, supply chains, rare coins, crypto currencies, real estate, and most recently cyber security.  The fact the Bartlesville Development Authority also claims Anthem Blanchard as an industry expert in apparently “steak houses” and restaurant industry despite no other known business Anthem Blanchard has conducted in the food in beverage industry gives rise to what sort of due diligence the Bartlesville Development Authority is conducting before just handing out tax payer funds with no strings attached to people they know.

Oklahoma has a small body of laws regarding public finance.  Though the state has detailed ethics rules and obligations embodied in this document:   https://www.ok.gov/ethics/documents/2022%20Ethics%20COMPILATION%20v2022.1pf.pdf