And it isn't just a national trend. It's documented that Greensboro is falling behind faster than most of the rest of the country. And the list grows longer with each passing month.
Our current mayor goes so far as to charge thousands of dollars in personal bills to the City of Greensboro and says,
“It’s unfortunate that we’ve wasted so much money on this case.”
But as it turns out she was lying all along:
Personally, I find it unfortunate that Greensboro wasted two terms on Nancy Vaughan. And yes, you can quote me on that.
The News & Record reported City Attorney Thomas Carruthers as saying:
"He said Saturday that the Wray situation is different from Vaughan’s. The 1980 policy says the city doesn’t have to pay such legal costs if there is “fraud, corruption or actual malice” involved."
Would Nancy Vaughan allowing the City to enter into a contract with her chosen attorney on September 21, 2015 and then publicly stating on October 22, 2015 that she intended to pay the bill, not indicate “fraud, corruption or actual malice” on the part of Mayor Vaughan and the City Attorney?
And the two quotes are:
"Two attorneys accompanied Vaughan to the deposition: Patrick Kane of the Smith Moore Leatherwood law firm represented the city, and Amiel Rossabi of the Rossabi Black Slaughter firm represented Vaughan personally. Vaughan, not the city, will pay for Rossabi’s work on the case."
And:
"The memo states that the city entered into a contract with Rossabi Black and Slaughter on Sept. 21, 2015. The memo states that Rossabi represented Vaughan at her deposition on Oct. 21. The memo mentions no additional representation. "
Again, I find it unfortunate that Greensboro wasted two terms on Nancy Vaughan, a woman who promised honesty and transparency as her platform when running for mayor and has delivered anything but. The woman has proven to be no more than a liar and a thief. And yes you can quote me on that too.
My guess is Nancy Vaughan won't run for reelection. Greensboro's status quo elites will now be so embarrassed they will recruit someone else to oppose me. Who will that person be? I have several ideas but I'll not tip my hand just yet. Instead, I'd like to remind you of a couple of things, 1. I've been fighting for you for years, pointing out the corruption in Greensboro government without bias and with nothing to gain from doing so.
And probably more importantly, now that you understand the corruption is real, I bring ideas as to how we can change our city for the better. The only ideas we've heard from the status quo in decades were a downtown greenway and a downtown performing arts center that both have already cost us tens of Millions, are years behind schedule and haven't the funding needed for completion.
Most folks would call those follies but we know them to be gifts-- gifts to wealthy developers.
And if you're smart you'll not try to argue PTI or FedEx with me as those have both turned into massive money pits that never performed as promised.
Did I mention anywhere in the series I would push for a complete 3rd party investigation of our current and past city councils. There's an idea whose time has come.
I would also lobby the State of North Carolina to make disclosure rules for City Council members the law instead of voluntary as I begged Mayor Vaughan and City Council to do at this City Council Meeting in early 2014:
The local media made a big deal out of Mayor Vaughan's disclosure package but never reported that the Mayor failed to disclose that she and her husband were major stockholders in Carolina Bank, which just happens to hold a $700,000 note on the troubled International Civil Rights Center and Museum on which Mayor Vaughan has a seat on its board and had voted several times to fund with city tax dollars.
Neither Mayor Vaughan nor the rest of the Greensboro City Council ever asked the NC Legislature to require that City Council members even meet the same level of disclosure that state legislatures must meet. Could her connection to Carolina Bank have been why?
As Mayor of Greensboro I will personally lobby the State House and Senate to raise the bar on disclosure for city council members with punishments that include but are not limited to fines and imprisonment.
And any one who stands in my way will be publicly challenged.
Stay tuned for If I Were Mayor Of Greensboro: Part 18.
