Friday, August 12, 2016

Civil Rights Center: Details Never Told

Jeffrey Sykes of Yes Weekly recently got his hands on loads of the same documents the City of Greensboro, Councilman Mike Barber and News & Fishwrap have long held but never shared concerning the International Civil Rights Center & Museum. In his newest post News Analysis: Civil Rights Museum finances deserve honest assessment, Mr Sykes adds what is no doubt an interesting and thus far untold twist to the stories being told by local media and the Greensboro City Council.

I found this to be very interesting:

"But it’s a time rising hope for those who have spent years, some decades, working to make the ICRCM a financially sustainable operation. A complex web of corporate entities erected to fulfill federal tax code requirements will fall away this month. The museum has been required to pay in about $240,000 a year into the tax-credit matrix, but those payments will vanish when the New Market Tax Credit period unwinds beginning Aug. 17."

What's that? Could it be the ICRCM finances are not as bad as we have been told? Deena Hayes-Greene invited me to see their books over a year ago but no one believed me. Deena told me they refuse to talk with reporters from the News & Fishwrap because their reporters never report the truth. Jeffrey has the documents, Folks. For example: while the News & Fishwrap makes reference to a Conservation Easement, Jeffrey puts it online. That was his link.

Yes, the museum is behind on its property taxes but check this out:

"Once the NMTC period is complete, the ICRCM will revert to non-profit status. This will remove the $30,000 estimated property tax liability the museum has endured for the last seven years, freeing up additional revenues with which to stabilize the museum’s finances. "

How come Councilman Mike Barber never mentioned that? Could it be he's been trying to play the race card against downtown Greensboro's #1 tourist attraction, bar none. Remember when Mike Barber peddled fake numbers concerning crime at Heritage House as an excuse to throw poor people and minorities out of their homes? Barber claimed there were 2,800 calls to 911 in a 2 year period when in-fact records indicate less than half that number?

Does Mike Barber hate black people or does he just enjoy stealing from black people?

I told everyone back in 2014 that Mike Barber's non profit was funded by the City of Greensboro. I even provided tax records. Barber denied it to be true but now Jeffery writes:

"Greensboro City Council member Mike Barber, himself the head of a non-profit that receives money from the City of Greensboro and the Bryan Foundation, continues to aggressively call into question the motives of museum board members and staff."

Barber is racist scum:

"Barber also continues to vote on matters before council that benefit the Bryan Foundation and its subordinate initiatives such as the megasite project in Randolph County. Records show that the Bryan Foundation gave some $250,000 to the City of Greensboro to benefit Gillespie Park, where Barber’s non-profit First Tee of the Triad operates its youth golf initiative."

Do you really want your children being taught life skills by this over privileged, racist white man who has never worked a day in his life?

"Barber’s war of speculation about the possible sale of the museum has no basis in discoverable fact, yet in an email to City Attorney Tom Carruthers this week he continues to cast aspersions upon the motives of those most committed to the museum’s success."

You're a lawyer, Councilman Barber, show us something that will stand up in court!


"Barber’s speculation goes so far as to question the legitimacy of a bank document the museum provided as part of the loan-offset process. Carolina Bank forgave the museum a $100,000 debt by writing it off as a donation to the museum in Sept. 2014. This April, as part of the offset reconciliation process, Carolina Banks’ David Griswold, whose title is special assets manager, signed a letter confirming the donation. City Attorney Carruthers provided the letter to council as part of an update of the loan offset process.
Barber attacked the legitimacy of the document."

Got proof Mikey? You're pretty good at running your mouth from your office over there in Clemmons but let's see you stand on the streets here in East Greensboro and talk that shit, tough guy?


“Regarding the other document, this letter was dated and produced following its exclusion from the original forgiveness total, and the signature is a stamped signature it appears,” Barber wrote, questioning the document’s veracity. “Please contact Carolina Bank to determine and confirm the staff level of this document, and if the note was paid by a 3rd party, or merely forgiven.”

Jeffery writes:

"A call to Carolina Bank late Friday morning has not been returned as of this writing"

My guess is Mike has already called Mayor Vaughan to tell her to have her husband make sure that call never gets returned as Donald Vaughan owns bunches and bunches of stock in Carolina Bank.

But I could be wrong.