Florida Street: Do Tell Mayor Vaughan

It seems there was some confusion in Mayor Vaughan's previous communications to me as featured in my post Mayor Vaughan On The Florida Street Extension. You see I thought she was referring to was the links contained in my article when in fact she was referring to a link in an e-mail that I teased Sharon Hightower with before I posted my first article The Ghost Of The Florida Street Extension Returns. I'll begin with the first e-mail I send Councilwoman Hightower:

How Did You Get Left Out?

"Jamal got in but not you. http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=25444 "

You see, I thought I interesting that Sharon Hightower who ran for City Council on a platform that included death to the Florida Street Extension would not be included in the transportation committee. I guess they didn't want her in the way should they change their minds in the future. Sharon replied:

"Hey Billy:  Hope all is well (probably not).  I am not on the MPO.  I am on the PART board and liaison  for GRA.

I have heard no discussion on Florida St. But will check it out.  I actually requested those funds be moved to a sidewalk project in my District, so right now there should be no funds available. 

Thanks for your email.

Sharon"

 

Everything Sharon wrote is true. Of course all that was before I posted  my first article The Ghost Of The Florida Street Extension Returns and Sharon contacted Mayor Vaughan. 

Fast forward until this morning when Mayor Vaughan writes:

"Scroll down to the earliest email and open the link you provided. They are meeting minutes.  For your convenience I've cut and pasted it here. Perhaps you linked to the wrong document. 

Not sure what you are referring to. "

Well if Mayor Vaughan wasn't sure then she ought to be sure when she reads my reply:

"Madam Mayor,

Now I see the link you were talking about. I see where it says "deleted". I also see where it says,

"*strikethrough text identifies information recommended for modification"

and

"Proposed."

And I also see:

"WHEREAS, the City of Greensboro no longer intends to pursue project U- 5523 Florida Street Extension"

but none of those indicate the Florida Street Extension is once and for all, dead. DEAD DEAD!

Those are all word games.

For you see, that decision-- that resolution-- was passed not by the Greensboro City Council (an elected board of representatives) but by the Greensboro Urban Area Metropolitan Planning Organization, Transportation Advisory Committee (an appointed board that just happens to have some members who are elected to other offices but not elected to the TAC.) As a board the MPOTAC has no right to pass resolutions that are legally binding over the City of Greensboro without the approval of the Greensboro City Council.

To give the MPOTAC that sort of power would be Fascist.

And thus far the Greensboro City Council has not passed a resolution killing the Florida Street Extension.

If you want this issue to go away between now and election time you had best see to it that Council quickly passes a resolution killing the project forever. I would strongly recommend tomorrow night. The resolution should also read that the City of Greensboro will take every step necessary to fight the Florida Street Extension should Guilford County or the State of North Carolina propose to build it-- a local governments' rights issue.

And therefore no back doors to sneak the project in without a court fight on behalf of the Citizens of East Greensboro and paid for by the City of Greensboro.

It's called commitment and making promises you fully intend to keep.

Have no doubt your political opponents will use it against you, and Councilwoman Hightower, because of her previous stance on the issue, will be forced to take my side like it or not. If she doesn't her opponents will clean her clock with it. Same goes with Jamal and Marikay. Like it or not as this builds momentum they are all 3 forced to support it or all of you lose east Greensboro.

Are we clear on this matter? http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/08/mayor-vaughan-on-florida-street.html

Oh, by the way, your copy and paste didn't come through.

Thanks

-Billy Jones, your friendly freelance, neighborhood Tyrannicide

PS. As long as I've got your attention, Madam Mayor, perhaps you'd like to explain your family's direct conflict of interest concerning the ICRCM: http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/08/what-no-one-is-telling-you-about.html

PPS. And be sure those on my BCC list are spreading the word even before I post these things to my blog."

 

It's time for a change, spread the word, take charge, let's make it happen. Unfunded, deleted, strikethrough, proposed for modification-- none of those words mean a Resolution was passed by a binding Council vote to kill the project.

By the way, Nancy, I haven't heard anything out of Ben Holder lately-- is he okay?