Last Thursday I posted my public information request, What's Up With The Community Gardens? If you haven't read it you'll want to do so and follow the link back to here.
Today I spoke on the phone with Sarah Healy of the City Communications Department and expressed to her how important I believe urban farm projects are to Greensboro and how my efforts aren't meant to destroy this project but are in-fact to make sure it is done right because if this pilot project fails it will be really hard to convince taxpayers to continue to fund such efforts. This project was supposed to already be growing vegetables and ground has yet to be broken.
My concerns are many and can be found in the link above. I don't believe any of my questions are unreasonable. For example: Why wasn't a creek that runs ample water full time, year 'round considered as the first choice for watering the gardens instead of installing a city water connection, meters and a bill for processed water that plants don't really like as well in the first place?
I know, I've been growing vegetables all my life. Any farmer with good free water on his property would pick that water over water he has to buy.
I also have huge concerns with Gayland Anthony Oliver who has formed the non profit tapped to run the project. The list of non profits to which Mr Oliver is a primary includes:
Empowering Neighborhoods, CDC-- the group that along with Skip Alston and Jim Key, worked to steal the Bessemer Shopping Center away from our community.
Center City Park
Noah's Ark (Home for Youth) which is listed by the Chamber of Commerce as a general contractor.
Southern Pilot Ins Co. (Not a non profit)
Triad Centers For Youth, Inc
Century Janitorial Services Inc (For profit)
Life Changing Family Care Home, LLC
Life Changing Experience Outreach Ministries
The Athletic Success Program Inc
Century Medical Supplies Inc (For profit)
Eastern Development Growth Enterprize, Inc, (A for profit that was converted to a non profit.)
Keystone Youth Services Inc
United Cornerstone School of Divinity
Most of these non profits are run out of single womens' homes.
Did I mention Mr Oliver had been arrested on charges of insurance fraud or that one of his business partners is former Greensboro City Councilman Jim Key? Being arrested for insurance fraud is a pretty big deal when you just happen to be a Certified Financial Advisor.
Greensboro Councilman Zack Matheny actually accused Oliver of soliciting kickbacks a few years ago.
The City of Greensboro hasn't answered my questions but Sarah works hard and I've little doubt she'll soon get the answers we need so that this project can be a success instead of a failure.
