Cascade Saloon Costs Cascading Out Of Control?

One of the results of my lawsuit against the City of Greensboro has been the release of tons of public information our elected leaders never wanted the public to know about. One such example is this e-mail exchange between Christian Yorkshire and Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter:

To which Councilwoman Abuzuaiter replied while CCing Councilwoman Sharon Hightower in who's district the Cascade Saloon is located. I think.

As one of our EzGreensboro.com researchers put it to me:

"I'm going through a few thousand emails related to Cascade Saloon and this is the first glimpse of honesty anyone has expressed during the entire process. "

Folks, this is only going to get worse.

I did some checking on Christian Yorkshire. He's one to ask the tough questions. He frequently comments on various articles in our local media with good questions that are too often ignored by journalists and elected leaders alike. And he's very polite. I assume that's why he's ignored.

But he doesn't deserve to be ignored and this e-mail exchange shows exactly why. You see, despite Councilwoman Abuzuaiter's honest reply to Christian's e-mail, City Council, the Greensboro Preservation Society, Zack, Matheny, Downtown Greensboro Inc and others all chose to ignore obvious problems and pushed forward with their facade.

With the end result being the Greensboro Preservation Society being yet another agency having now being shown to be an agency the citizens of Greensboro can no longer trust.

Now you know what they plan to do with all that bond money you voters just passed.

More Megasite Mega Lies: Updated With Even More Lies

First posted 9:49 AM on Wednesday, July 27, 2016

From the Greensboro News & Record Wednesday May 20, 2015, Greensboro council approves engineering study for megasite water and sewer by Richard Barron:

"Greensboro has now committed $2.3 million toward providing water and sewer service to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite.

The City Council voted 7-2 Tuesday to approve a contract with HDR Engineering for design work and environmental studies to extend city water and sewer lines to the site in the northeastern corner of Randolph County.

Council members Tony Wilkins and Marikay Abuzuaiter voted “no.”

The City Council has not committed to the entire project, which would cost an estimated $22.5 million and include 16.6 miles of water lines, 8 miles of sewer line and a sewer lift station."

Key words:  "The City Council has not committed to the entire project,"

 But on Friday, July 22, 2016, Richard Barron writes in  City of Greensboro moving forward to supply utilities to megasite:

The city plans to start buying easements and rights of way next month for water and sewer routes that will run through southeastern Guilford County to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite.

City Manager Jim Westmoreland said this week that the city has spent $2.47 million on engineering and design and permitting.

The lines would supply city water and sewer to a future industry that might locate at the 1,450-acre site in northeastern Randolph County.

He said city attorneys will begin buying the property in late August.

Westmoreland expects it will take months to negotiate with individual property owners, and will cost about $2 million — $800,000 for sewer and $1.2 million for water.

The City Council approved the work in 2015."

Key words: "The City Council approved the work in 2015."

Now which statement is true? "The City Council approved the work in 2015."  OR  "The City Council has not committed to the entire project,"

You see, since 2015 the Greensboro City Council has not publicly discussed the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite or the buying of easements and rights of ways for the project at what was then an estimated cost of $22.5 Million Dollars.

So how is it this money is being spent without City Council approval? Why the lies? Why did Richard Barron write,  "The City Council approved the work in 2015." when in fact he previously wrote, "The City Council has not committed to the entire project,"?

How is it that the City can spend up to $22.5 Million Dollars, perhaps more, without City Council approval?

And finally, will Councilman Tony Wilkins and Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter speak out on this after having voted no before?

Update: July 28, 2016: Minutes after originally posting the article above at 9:49 Am on July 27, 2016 I e-mailed Councilman Tony Wilkins and Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter via the City Council e-mail form to ask them to speak up on this issue as both were previously opposed. As of now neither have replied. I also posted the e-mail to the Facebook group, Greater Greensboro Politics:

 Later that same day I  followed up with an e-mail to City Manager Jim Hightower and City Attorney Thomas Carruthers, also posted to the same thread at Greater Greensboro Politics:

And folks, it's not like Tony Wilkins hasn't been on Facebook to see the message. At least twice since I tagged Tony in my post to Greater Greensboro Politics he has taken the time to discuss cucumber sandwiches but ignores his duty as a City Council member.

Will Greensboro's "leadership reply now or will they continue to ignore not only me but everyone who reads EzGreensboro.com, Greater Greensboro Politics, Greensboro and Guilford County Politics etc... Real Progress For Greensboro, Black Lives Matter Greensboro and the many other online forums and individual pages where Greensboro's elected leaders and appointed officials are kept tabs on.

You can no longer control the conversation. Eventually you must come clean.

When did the Greensboro City Council vote to approve spending on the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite for anything more than an engineering study and how can Jim Westmoreland justify spending $2 Million Dollars to buy easements without City Council approval?

Thousands of voters are awaiting an answer.

Update 2: Friday, July 29, 2016, 1:15 PM: As it has become apparent the Greensboro City Council has no intention of answering my questions I am submitting the following Public Information Request to the City of Greensboro via their online PIRT system:

"In 2014, Greensboro City Attorney  S Mujeeb  Shah Khan was discharged from his duties as City Attorney by Mayor Nancy Vaughan and the Greensboro City Council supposedly for issuing a $750,000 check without permission from the City Council.

Proving their own lack of common sense, the City Council passed a resolution banning the cutting of checks without signed contracts in an effort to absolve Shah-Khan of responsibility for having lost $750,000. Councilman Tony Wilkins was quoted as saying:

    "I think this is the first time on City Council that I have voted to legislated common sense."

But in the end Shah Khan was fired anyway as all payments above a maximum threshold require PREVIOUS approval from City Council.

This brings us to today's issue: One week ago today the Greensboro News & Record reported referring to City Manager Jim Westmoreland:

"The lines would supply city water and sewer to a future industry that might locate at the 1,450-acre site in northeastern Randolph County.

He said city attorneys will begin buying the property in late August.

Westmoreland expects it will take months to negotiate with individual property owners, and will cost about $2 million — $800,000 for sewer and $1.2 million for water."

Now I'm not great at math but isn't $2 Millon almost 3 times as much as $750,000? And wouldn't $2 Million also be over said spending threshold?

Of course, since City PIRT policy explicitly states, "Please be aware that the public records policy does not require the City to do research, analyze data, or answer written questions." I guess you are not allowed to answer said questions so please provide me with the following as a Public Information Request:

The minutes from the Greensboro City Council Meeting in which City Council authorized the purchase of rights of way and/or easements to provide water and sewer services to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite located in Randolph County, North Carolina.

Thank you
-Billy Jones, Candidate for Mayor of Greensboro, 2017."

City Council can choose to ignore me but by law PIRT requests eventually must be answered.

Update 3: Monday, August 15, 2016 Well today I finally heard back from Katherine Carter of the City of Greensboro-- over 15 days to write me a lie on behalf of Mayor Vaughan and the Greensboro City Council:

"Dear Billy,

Thank you for your public records request (PIRT 5953) regarding meeting minutes pertaining to water and sewer services for the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite.

According to our Legislative department, the resolution approving the extension of Water and Sewer was adopted on March 3, 2015 and the Resolution authorizing the contract with HDR Engineering, Inc. to provide engineering and design was adopted on May 19, 2015.  Minutes from the City Council meetings can be found online and a word search used to find a particular item.

The City of Greensboro is using its normal procedures on the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite water and sewer extension project.  This process includes seeking Council approval/authorization to initiate the project and to develop engineering design and right of way plans and specifications.  Once complete, these plans are used by the City to work with individual property owners and businesses to negotiate property acquisition terms to acquire any needed project construction easements or rights of way.  Once the acquisition negotiations are complete, Council is provided with the terms and price of the negotiation and asked to authorize staff to proceed with the purchase.

I hope this information is of use to you.

Sincerely,

Katherine Carter, Public Records Administrator

Communications and Marketing Department - 336-373-3282

City of Greensboro

PO Box 3136, Greensboro, NC 27402-3136"

Ever heard of the Legislative Department of the City of Greensboro? Perhaps you know them by another name as I'll explain in my reply to Ms Carter:

"From the answer provided to me by Ms Carter:

"Once complete, these plans are used by the City to work with individual property owners and businesses to negotiate property acquisition terms to acquire any needed project construction easements or rights of way.  Once the acquisition negotiations are complete, Council is provided with the terms and price of the negotiation and asked to authorize staff to proceed with the purchase"

But what I asked for in PIRT 5953 was:

"The minutes from the Greensboro City Council Meeting in which City Council authorized the purchase of rights of way and/or easements to provide water and sewer services to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite located in Randolph County, North Carolina."

PIRT 5953 can be viewed here: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=3765

Again, when did City Council authorize the purchase of easements when in-fact it was explicitly stated in local media reports and at the City Council Meeting that Council was in-fact voting only to fund a $2 Engineering Study?

From the Greensboro News & Record Wednesday May 20, 2015, Greensboro council approves engineering study for megasite water and sewer by Richard Barron:

"Greensboro has now committed $2.3 million toward providing water and sewer service to the Greensboro-Randolph Megasite.
The City Council voted 7-2 Tuesday to approve a contract with HDR Engineering for design work and environmental studies to extend city water and sewer lines to the site in the northeastern corner of Randolph County.

Council members Tony Wilkins and Marikay Abuzuaiter voted “no.”

The City Council has not committed to the entire project, which would cost an estimated $22.5 million and include 16.6 miles of water lines, 8 miles of sewer line and a sewer lift station."

Key words:  "The City Council has not committed to the entire project,"

And who makes up this anonymous Legislative Department of the City of Greensboro if said department does exist? According to the City of Greensboro website that would be:

"The Legislative Department is made up the City's governing body, the City Clerk, Community Relations, and Elections.
Phone: 336-373-2397 Send an e-mail to the Department"

http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=762

So in other words, the Legislative Department is the same Fascist Government body including Mayor Vaughan, the Greensboro City Council, Propaganda Masters and others who are attempting to stonewall me now.

You still take me for stupid.

This is not an example of open and honest government.

I expect the truth... YESTERDAY!

I'll be adding these e-mails to my post here: http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/07/more-megasite-mega-lies.html and referring to it a lot.

Thank you

-Billy Jones, Candidate for Mayor of Greensboro, 2017"

Lies to cover up lies only makes it harder for the liar to remember all the lies. If I were a member of the Greensboro City Council I would be very concerned and very publicly outspoken that my own personal integrity is being brought into question by the actions of City Staff and other members of City Council but as this has now been going on for about a month and not one member of City Council has raised his or her voices I think it is safe to assume they are all fine with what is going on and what is being done in their names.

As always, I save all e-mails and will forward originals to anyone who sends a request to RecycleBill@gmail.com

And folks, here's the part I didn't send back to the City of Greensboro as I await their next lie. Here is the March 3, 2015 Resolution as approved by the Greensboro City Council which tells a completely different story.

You can find this document and all of Mayor Nancy Vaughan's lies by watching the City Council Video here.

What Greensboro's City Council and Staff didn't/don't/won't watch out for, for their own employees' retirement plan

"...Paying too much: You have to care about expenses. They are the most predictable characteristic of explaining future returns of funds, experts say. And expenses are a more reliable signal than past performance.

They don't care about their own employees

Choosing the right mutual fund is different from choosing stocks, because you're effectively choosing a money manager rather than a management team. Controlling costs is key to successful fund investing.

They had the chance to do the right thing, 

and they didn't do it

It can’t be said enough: with funds, costs matter. Annual expenses eat into total return, year after year. With high-cost funds, you pay more and pocket less. Moreover, studies show that low-expense funds are more likely to outperform their costlier counterparts over time..."

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/how-to-buy-mutual-funds-2016-07-24

If you are a City of Greensboro employee,

Nancy Vaughan, Nancy Hofmann, Tony Wilkins, Justin Outling, Jamal Fox, 

Mike Barber, Yvonne Johnson, Sharon Hightower, Marikay Abuzuaiter, 

Connie Hammond, Rick Lusk, Jim Westmoreland 

Mary Vigue and Donnie Turlington are directly responsible for your not making more

in your ICMA-RC 457 retirement plan

They chose Wall Street over those they have a responsibility to represent

Greensboro is a third world city, it’s just not ready to accept that reality yet.

Politically Greensboro is thoroughly corrupted and economically too deeply controlled by the likes of Roy Carroll and Marty Kotis to extricate itself. Morally we are without direction, rudderless in dangerous seas and heading for the rocks with Nancy Vaughan, Mike Barber and Zack Matheny at the helm, working as pawns of the country club inside crowds advocated for by Susan Ladd's garbage, reality-less advocacy pieces published outside the confines of the opinion pages.

Susan didn't even bother to bring up the faux racism against the redistricting push, but instead went after the agreed upon villains as her prior reasons didn't make any sense, as they were meant to race bait East Greensboro into falling in line with our political string pullers, not actually tell the truth that Mike Barber's newly advocated for map increases the likelihood of more actual minority representation. I exclude Justin Outling in the arithmetic considering who he actually represents, which isn't Greensboro's African American community.

The divides between our wealthy and impoverished are gaping. White and black are set against one another deliberately, provoked hourly by the very people who should be doing everything possible to unite them. That's you Sharon Hightower, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Jamal Fox and Yvonne Johnson. I'd include Justin Outling, but he represents Brooks Pierce financial interests and Greensboro's white community. Justin was the perfect Manchurian candidate for Jim Melvin, who seems to have his fingers up most pols butts to control instead of the standard marionette model utilized by most campaign contributors looking for some taxpayer taste.

Last night I had a dream. I fed the chickens, always hungry, always anticipating the next feeding and how easy they are to manage. They wait for me to bring them food rather than try and escape and find something to eat on their own.

They are spoiled by their good fortune, fattening themselves on what I bring. The people who have managed to gain control of the levers of power in this city know how to do the same with the help of the Rhino and the News and Record. John Hammer is Susan Ladd only different.

I dreamed that the reasons City Council regularly hands out our money is no different than why the chickens stay for the food. They grow dependent upon it, it is just large enough to make people like Tony Wilkins and Nancy Vaughan to feel for the moment like they offer something substantial and to be excited about the spin of big hand outs, remaining close to the source of disbursements which let them retain power and popularity, but there is never enough to give away in exchange for campaign bribes so they might have the chance to escape that perpetual bondage, and by the end of their next allocation of taxpayer resources, there is only the hunger for the next allotment and remitted exchange. Look how much Mike Barber has made from the city and Jim Melvin out at Gillespie.

The people who run the show know what they’re doing. Think Nancy Hoffmann didn't know she voted money for DGI to hand out to her tenants and herself? Do you think Hoffmann's proposal for a $25 million bond for downtown doesn't enrich herself? Do you think the News and Record's refusal to tell the public of Nancy's interests isn't on purpose?

The chickens are hungry again.

The City of Greensboro shafted their own employees; "401(k) Fees, Already Low, Are Heading Lower"

"Employers, advisers shave retirement-plan costs as they face pressure to monitor expenses

Companies are stepping up efforts to offer lower-cost 401(k) retirement plans, a trend that has already sharply driven down average fees and is likely to continue.

But the City of Greensboro didn't lower costs

with the help of Tony Wilkins, Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, 

Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower, Marikay Abuzuaiter, and Yvonne Johnson

for the benefit of Jim Westmoreland's plan management providor

An explosion of information about plan fees has helped increase bargaining power for companies in negotiations with fund providers. And a wave of successful lawsuits against companies alleging their plans had high charges has also led many to seek out lower-priced options for employees.

Yet the City of Greensboro chose to betray their own

for Wall Street

...Plan administrative costs fell to their lowest level in a decade last year..

Except the City of Greensboro's fees went up

While the changes are adding up a few hundredths of a percentage point at a time, the reduction can make a big difference. According to Vanguard Group, investors in a plan that charged 0.25% a year could in theory amass 20% more money over a four-decade career than they could in one that charged 1.25%, all else being equal...

On average, the fees 401(k) participants pay for funds that invest in stocks fell from 0.77% of assets in 2000 to 0.74% in 2009, before dropping sharply to 0.54% in 2014...

But not th City of Greensboro with the help of Tony Wilkins, 

Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower,

Marikay Abuzuaiter, Connie Hammond, Yvonne Johnson and Jim Westmoreland

Chobani LLC, a Norwich, N.Y. yogurt manufacturer, reduced its annual plan expenses from about 1.5% of assets in 2013 to about 0.50% in 2014 as it switched mainly to index funds...

Which was suggested and ignored by the City of Greensboro

More than 60% of 144 large employers said they were very or somewhat likely to move money this year into less-expensive share classes of the mutual funds on their plan menus

Not Greensboro

14% said they would switch some or all of their investment options from actively managed funds to index funds, which generally cost less.

Not Greensboro

...an Edwardsville, Kan., food distributor, reduce administrative fees from about 1% of plan assets a year to 0.41%. In all, the plan will save more than $17,000 a year in fees on the $2.9 million employees have invested...

Not Greensboro

http://www.wsj.com/articles/401-k-fees-already-low-are-heading-lower-1463304601

Tony Wilkins, Nancy Vaughan and Hoffmann, Jamal Fox, Mike Barber, Sharon Hightower,

Marikay Abuzuaiter, Connie Hammond, Yvonne Johnson and Jim Westmoreland

betrayed their employees by keeping fees high

These folks are thieves

They stole from those who they are supposed to look out for

Let's play "how sold out Greensboro's local press and so called fiscally 'conservative' City Council members are"

http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentID=30824

About $449 million in 2014-2015 divided by about $520 million proposed for the next fiscal year 
= about 13.7% more than two years ago

Next time you hear Tony Wilkins talk about saving money after he oversaw another $55 million in new debt without calling for a referendum or some kind of sanity, tell him he is a fucking misleading asshole for selling out to his campaign contributors.

Tony is no different than Mike Barber and friends.

Leaches

Water and Sewer for Randolph County based on hidden tax increases served up as increased fees by Tony Wilkins
.
.
Greensboro City Manager Jim Westmoreland recommends regressive tax increases on Greensboro's poorest citizens


http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/greensboro-city-manager-jim.html
.
.
Tony is for fucking poor people more than they already are to pay for handouts to his financial backers.  Touting "no property tax increase" as he shafts Greensboro's poorest along with Justin Outling, Yvonne Johnson, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Jamal Fox and Sharon Hightower among the others.

Nancy Vaughan, Hoffmann, Tony and Barber don't mind kicking 'East Greensboro' in the nuts a little bit more, but that City Council's African American league is in on it is disgusting.

They are shitting where they eat.

Sam Hieb; "The city will serve as project manager and approve all construction and professional service contracts, funding the first $18.5 million in construction and equipment costs."

"City will assume new bond debt to close projected $10 million funding gap"

...The original cost estimate for the Tanger Center was $65 million, with the city contributing $30 million in bond debt and the remaining $35 million coming from private donations..."

Incorrect, as multiple earlier estimates were lower

Doesn't mention the interest on the debt, 

or the anticipated ongoing losses, 

or the lies told to make it happen

"The city will serve as project manager and approve all construction and professional service contracts, funding the first $18.5 million in construction and equipment costs."

Weren't they going to hire a "manager at risk"?

"City leaders believe the Tanger Center will continue Greensboro’s downtown revitalization on the northern end of Elm Street. That belief was legitimized in the eyes of many when high-powered developer Roy Carroll announced plans to build a hotel and a mixed use development just a couple of blocks away, across the street from New Bridge Bank Park."

Nice sell out Sam, 

no different than Tony Wilkins

"a good chunk of funding to close the budget will come from ticket fees."

"Those funds are now being “repurposed,” which would raise $3.75 million."

Per year Sam?

Where is the math Sam?

So you agree with the estimates Sam?

"another $2.1 million from boosting the number of VIP parking spaces"

How did you come to those figures Sam?

How many of the extra VIP spaces

 are going to sell for each event Sam?

“I don’t think you can ever say we’ve eliminated taxpayer exposure, but we’ve minimized it,” said Mayor Nancy Vaughan. “We have a phenomenal opportunity to do this with very little risk.”

Sam A. Hieb is a contributor to Carolina Journal.

http://www.carolinajournal.com/exclusives/display_exclusive.html?id=12671

Did Sam Hieb sell out to Roy Carroll,

or did Carolina Journal, or both?

I guess I expected more

from some supposed fiscal conservatives

who supposedly understand basic arithmatic

What did Tony and Marikay say about the bogus math?

Nothing, along with Sam Hieb and Carolina Journal.

Who's the manager at risk Tony, Sam and Marikay?

WTF?

Merry Christmas From Mayor Vaughan

As Abner Doon pointed out, City of Greensboro Tax Dollars at Work; "Mayor to form arts task force"; Vaughan has no sense of shame or fiscal/political responsibility, Greensboro Mayor Nancy Barakat "Grasshopper" Vaughan is looking to spend $75, 000 dollars of taxpayers' money to support the Arts in Greensboro because the building of the Steven Tanger Center For The Performing Arts sucked all the money out of our local arts budgets and it's still a vacant lot.

Well just a little while ago on a Facebook thread I asked the following questions:

"Hey Tony Wilkins and Marikay Abuzuaiter, Perhaps we should turn that big empty lot currently designated for TPAC into a downtown farm to help with the problem of being the #1 hungriest metropolitan statistical area in the nation.

Or being that it is the only site in downtown Greensboro that is large enough to accommodate full size tractor-trailers we should build that long awaited downtown grocery store there. You know, something Downtown really wants and needs.

The city could sell the property at a loss and still come out saving about $50 Million over the current plans."

Councilman Wilkins is predicting a wild spending spree:

But will he act to do anything about it? Will he make proposals and introduce a referendum to scrap the performing arts center project or simply point fingers? Will Tony prove his conservative stripes? Or does he have a yellow stripe a mile wide running down his back? Will Marikay Abuzuaiter?

Or are they both simply pawns to the moneyed interest of Greensboro's elitist developers just like all the rest?


Tony, Marikay, it's time to put up or shut up.


And as always, please share.

Why North Carolina Treasurer Janet Cowell isn't running for reelection, and how the City of Greensboro's retirement plan committee betrayed their co-workers

http://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2015/12/pensions-investment-editorial-savages-trustees-for-failing-to-perform-fiduciary-duty-over-private-equity-fees.html
.
.
When presented with the opportunity to do right by City of Greensboro's employees, Tony Wilkins, Marikay Abuzuaiter, Nancy Vaughan, Mike Barber, Yvonne Johnson, Jamal Fox and Sharon Hightower supported cronies connected to the financial industry, Jim Westmoreland, Mary Vigue, Rick Lusk and Connie Hammond rather than more than 2,800 employees who are still getting skimmed off of by ICMA-RC, the administrator for the City's 457 retirement plan.

Same thing only different.

When presented with the opportunity to report to the public how the financial industry rips off local investors and retirement plan participants, the News and Record's Joe Killian, Susan Ladd, Stephen Doyle, Jeff Gauger, Margaret Moffet among others including the Rhino Times John Hammer and the Triad Business Journal's Mark Sutter didn't lift a finger for their readers against the parasitic interests who prey upon their readers.

These folks let the banking and investment system steal from you.

And they know it.

And they didn't bother to tell you, as it would upset their benefactors.

Now Mary Vigue is in charge of a legal Ponzi scheme called Say Yes to Education and Say Yes Guilford whose business model skims profits for administrators and vendors meant for college scholarships for Guilford County students with monies donated by local foundations, managed for a profit by the Community Foundation of High Point, and the Community Foundation of Greensboro, who's Walker Sanders lied to get additional taxpayer funding for Greensboro's STPAC with the help of Matt Brown, City Council and City staff, including Rick Lusk.

Rick knew better and went along to keep his job as far as I can tell.

He must throw up a little every time he has to go along with the facade.

Dear Councilman B#^%$... Sorry was choking on Methane Gas while being Racially Profiled in East Gboro

Dear Councilman B&$#%

Hello, how are you? It’s interesting that when I ask questions when I see you at events, I don’t get a response. I’m looked at as if English my secondary language and is inaudible to your ears. I am one of many of your disgruntled tax paying constituents of District 2. You remember that district? The district you said you would bring about change and represent us at the council? The district you said you wanted to be the CHANGE and instead became FOR SALE? Yeah I had to Google your candidate survey as well to remind myself. The excerpts below were taken from your candidate survey back when you had integrity and a duty to the community.

Sincerely

Half Blank Police Report

http://www.greensboro.com/district-questionnaire-jamal-fox/article_e9472d78-3663-11e3-8242-001a4bcf6878.html

Policy issues

How do you react to recent criticisms of the Greensboro police? How should the city respond, if at all?

Councilman B: The only way to move forward is by improving the police professionalism, accountability, and promoting stronger partnerships and dialogues with communities in our city.

District2Says: LIES AND LACEFRONTS! You refused to support House Bill 193 sponsored by Cecil Brockman. Black Young Men should support Black Young Men doing positive things to advance equality. But when you abuse your power with the police and have them clean up all your " alleged" domestic violence issues than it wouldn't seem right to stress the police with the bill! What is even more embarrassing is this headline from Fox 8 * See Below*

Greensboro City Council passes on opportunity to support Prohibit Racial Profiling bill

http://myfox8.com/2015/05/05/greensboro-city-council-passes-on-opportunity-to-support-prohibit-racial-profiling-bill/

Direct Link to Bill

http://www.ncleg.net/Sessions/2015/Bills/House/PDF/H193v1.pdf

In summary (1) Prohibit the use of discriminatory profiling by law enforcement officers in the performance of their duties (2) Amend the types of information required to be reported by certain law enforcement agencies concerning traffic law enforcement (3) Require certain law enforcement agencies to report certain information concerning homicides; (4) Require law enforcement officers to receive annual education and training concerning discriminatory profiling; (5) Authorize the use of citizen review boards to investigate or review allegations of certain police misconduct; and (6) Require that certain training be provided to members of neighborhood crime watch programs established by counties and cities.

Here is what our GLORIOUS City Council had to say. (Direct Copy and Paste)

City Councilman Jamal Fox said while some of these measures are “common sense” he’d also like to see community meetings held to determine what issues are being seen in Greensboro.

The council decided not to put a resolution supporting the state guidelines for police departments and sheriff’s offices to a vote Tuesday night.

City councilmembers said there are good elements to the bill but said they didn’t want to give blanket support to measures that weren’t specific to local issues.

“The will to create change is there and we need to keep it there,” said Councilwoman Sharon Hightower.

Now according to the East Greensboro Study Committee Summary Report; Greensboro population is 40% black, East Greensboro’s population is 68% black making up 2/3 of total black population of Greensboro. Now for some reason, which since Sharon Hightower is the chairperson of this committee can answer why isn’t there any statistics regarding crime rates in the survey??  The only mention of crime in this 40 page report is “Aspiration” to reduce crime, Reduce crime, safe area/ less crime, “crime”, etc. (You get the point). Now residents that give a damn in East Greensboro really know the areas of crime and the raw numbers. The GOPD does as well

**Shakes Bob**

Ian Mance wrote in article in June 2012, regarding racial profiling in general, but specifically NC from 2000- 2011.

http://www.unc.edu/~fbaum/papers/Trial_Briefs_Ian_Mance_2012.pdf

The numbers show black drivers are more likely to be stopped by police than white drivers; they show significant disparities in treatment once these motorists are in police control. Statewide, blacks are 77% more likely to be searched. This data doesn’t come from a sample of data like the Crooked Council, (excuse me I mean City) like to use. This data was taken from ALL STOP AND SEARCH ACTIVITY IN NORTH CAROLINA! Over 3,800 CONSECUTIVE DAYS!!!! The report provides powerful evidence of profiling and differential treatment of minority drivers. This report lists several counties surrounding Guilford County and the council is under the impression regarding HB193

******see below again*******

City councilmembers said there are good elements to the bill but said they didn’t want to give blanket support to measures that weren’t specific to local issues.

So let me understand this Jamal, Sharon, Mary, Mike, Tony, Mayor Vaughn, Yvonne, Justin, and good ole Nancy.
Wake County, Durham County, Cabarrus County, and Mecklenburg County were dealing with racial profiling as a local issue in 2011. So it’s safe to assume than it’s still a very real issue for those counties in 2015… So Guilford County has been delivered and set free from the bondage, illegal police searching and stigma caused by racial profiling, by who? JESUS!!???
***Speaks in inaudible Pentecostal tongue***
Maybe Jesus had mercy because Councilman Fox works at Belk’s? Black people in East Greensboro and police get along and there is mutual respect?? I’m sorry I must have been inhaling the methane in my backyard from the White Street Landfill that District 2 isn’t making ONE THIN DIME FROM!
(I have gas money in my backyard but none in my car) #ALLGASMONEYMATTERS

Now riddle me this Batman? What district is showing the highest Citizen Generated Calls for Service? The most man-hours by police? Yep, that’s right you guessed it!

DISTRICT 2 YOU ARE THE WINNER AGAIN!

So let’s put this all together to prove my point.

·         68% of the black population is in East Greensboro

·         25.5% of man-hours for police are spent in District 2 (which is the highest)

·         District 2 Citizen Priority Level 1, 2, 3 calls from May1 –June 13 2015 where the highest was 26.6% of the total city in 43 days.

·         In 2011, a complete review of all stop and search activity in NC showed 77% of blacks stopped in surrounding counties were profiled and stopped and searched

·         Greensboro City Council went on record and said those are not our local issues

·         Councilman Fox wants to have more meetings and "forget" ( I mean discuss these issues)

·         Some council members might be open (allegedly) to buying food stamps from the spouses and baby mommas of East Greensboro who get EBT because their spouse or, child’s father was profiled and locked up. ( She cant draw them anymore)

·         Nancy has one of the best bob’s in Greensboro. Seriously it moves and swings perfectly every time she thanks concerned citizens for their support and outcries at council and reminds them this isn’t the forum for that type of talk and directs them to the City Attorney. (Seriously though Nancy I do need your stylist # my stylist in East Greensboro can’t understand I want the privileged white woman with good credit bob).

Come out to Bennett College this Sunday @ 3pm at Pfeiffer Chapel or Hall. (Look for the signs) and hear your local candidates debate on why they need that 13K a year and HOLD THEM ACCOUNTABLE AND REFERENCE THIS BLOG!!!

 

 

The Ghost Of The Florida Street Extension Returns

Back in 2012 then Greensboro Mayor Robbie Perkins infuriated East Greensboro voters when he made known his intentions to extend Florida Street across the NC A&T Farm to McConnell Road. At the East Greensboro Summit he showed us plans to build a 2 lane road across the farm.



From the Carolina Peacemaker http://peacemakeronline.com/news/2013/nov/01/2013-greensboro-municipal-election-endorsements/ November 1, 2013:

"This proposed project which has been in the city’s sights for decades and opposed by past A&T administrators for just as long, triggered outrage among university alumni, students as well as current and retired university faculty. Perkins’ opinion on this issue changed when those in opposition pointed out that pushing for the Florida Street extension would be “political suicide,” especially during an election year. "

The Florida Street Extension crawled under a rock for the 2013 elections but as of January 17, 2014 the Greensboro Metropolitan Planning Organization was still planning to build the Florida Street Extension.  https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/TPBCTP/Greensboro%20Urban%20Area/GUAMPO%20CTP%20Problem%20Statements_Updated%201-17-2014.pdf

"Florida Street Extension, Local ID: GUA-L006
In the 2035 Greensboro Urban Area LRTP, the Florida Street Extension project is within the 2015 horizon year. Florida Street currently terminates at NC 6 (East Lee Street). Extending it is needed to provide connectivity to McConnell Road (SR 3000). 

The LRTP project proposal (Local ID: GUA-L006) is to construct on new location a 4-lane divided boulevard from NC 6 (East Lee Street) to McConnell Road (SR 3000). The project also includes widening on existing McConnell Road and Mount Hope Church Road. This will provide east-west traffic flow continuity along McConnell Road/Florida Street travel corridor  that bypasses the central business district.  For additional information about this project, including the Purpose and Need, contact the Greensboro Department of Transportation."

Wow, that's even bigger than we were told it was going to be. Robbie showed us plans to build a 2 lane road but this document clearly states, "...is to construct on new location a 4-lane divided boulevard from NC 6 (East Lee Street) to McConnell Road (SR 3000)." 
 
Here's a link to the 1st  proposed version with a divided 2 lane with sidewalks and bicycle lanes. http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentID=18077

And here's the 2nd version with sidewalk, multi-use path and bicycle lanes.
http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentID=18076

And to think, that's only 1/2 mile west of the long proposed K-mart connector:  http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/modules/showdocument.aspx?documentid=25444

"Alan Branson asked if Ward Road had already been funded. McIntyre noted it had be studied by NCDOT, but not funded. Meyer noted the McLeansville Road project which is going to construction in 2015."

Ward Road follows the path of the proposed K-mart Connector, part of a Guilford County Incentive Package that took hundreds, perhaps thousands of acres in right-of-ways from property owners along a path running from the K-mart Distribution Center all the way to Interstate 40 over 2 decades ago but was never built. To this date all that land remains vacant-- another give-a-way of Guilford County property just waiting to happen someday as area developers consider all public properties to be their very own private land banks.

Whatever happened to public properties being used to fill public needs?

Did you also happen to notice that Greensboro Mayor Nancy Barakat Vaughan, Councilman Jamal Fox and Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter are all members of the Metropolitan Planning Organization with our Mayor being the Chair?

On October 1, 2014 Yes! Weekly reported: http://yesweekly.com/article-18844-moving-sidewalks.html

"A projected $3.5 million extension of Florida Street is no longer feasible given community opposition. City planners had wanted to extend Florida Street across Lee Street through the Gateway University Research Park and NC A&T State University’s research farm. The road would have extended to McConnell Road.

But neighbors and members of the university community expressed opposition to the road project. Members of the university community sought to keep the research farm intact for the time being. Meyer told the planning committee that the city doesn’t intend to pursue the Florida Street project at this time, despite the lack of high volume north-south routes in that area."

 Was the City of Greensboro lying to Jeffery Sykes and the citizens of East Greensboro? The emphasis added above is mine and should be considered the key words. Not at this time is another way of saying we have every intention of doing it at a later time-- get it.

Again, the November 2012 City of Greensboro handout said: http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/Modules/ShowDocument.aspx?documentID=18080

But this document dated January 2014 with Nancy Barakat Vaughan in charge still claims the Florida Street Extension is on the books and is to be a 4 lane divided highway. https://connect.ncdot.gov/projects/planning/TPBCTP/Greensboro%20Urban%20Area/GUAMPO%20CTP%20Problem%20Statements_Updated%201-17-2014.pdf It's page II 17, click the link and see for yourself. Like Robbie, Nancy lied, the Florida Street Extension still lives and is bigger and a greater threat than ever before.

You see, they've yet to tell you but they plan to connect Florida Street to the Urban Loop on the North side of Greensboro by way of Franklin Blvd and Huffine Mill Road thus turning Florida, Franklin, Huffine Mill and yes even Phillips Avenue into major inter city thoroughfares for all those commuters living in the burbs wanting to avoid the crush on the Urban Loop.



You only need study a City map to understand. And no one on Council bothered to make East Greensboro aware of any of this-- why?

Thanks

I'd like to express my personal thanks to Marikay Abuzuaiter, Deena Hayes-Greene, and Thessa Pickett for coming out last night to hear professors from NC State University speak on the benifits of Aquaponics and offer their support for the building of the first accredited Aquaponics school in the United States to be built right here in east Greensboro in conjunction with NC State University, NC A&T University, UNCG and the Nanoschool who were all represented last night.

With Aquaponics we can not only feed people and provide jobs, but by having the school here we can bring the entire Aquaponics industry including hundreds of new manufacturers of Aquaponics equipment and supplies, to Greensboro to be a part of the cutting edge in NC State's second generation of Aquaponics development.

The Costs Of A Free Park-- Millions

When then Mayor Robbie Perkins and Walker Sanders of the Community Foundation of Greater Greensboro came before the Greensboro City Council and lied to Council that the building of Lebauer Park in downtown Greensboro was dependant on the building of the downtown Steven Tanger Center for the Performing Arts, Councilwoman Marikay Abuzuaiter caught them red handed at their lies:

Mrs Lebauer's bequest had stated the park could be built anywhere in Greensboro and made no mention of a performing arts center. Marikay was Greensboro's hero that night and to this day remains the most fiscally conservative member of the Greensboro City Council bar none. And she has the voting record to prove it.

We were also told by Mr Sanders that the park would be built free of any costs to Greensboro taxpayers.

Then the City was forced to give Festival Park, a City owned park, worth millions of dollars to the Community Foundation as a place to build a park that will never belong to the City of Greensboro. Plus the City paid millions of of dollars to bulldoze Festival Park, buy the old YWCA, bulldoze it and transfer all the property to the Community Foundation.

Now, according to the News & Record:

"The council will consider:

• Spending $590,000 to widen the deck at the Greensboro Aquatic Center and improve the air-quality system to allow for larger swim meets to be held there. The project will be paid for with future revenue and a grant from Ticketmaster.
• Entering into an agreement to launch the development of proposed LeBauer Park downtown.
• Spending $1.7 million to move the intersection at Davie Street and Summit Avenue for the park project."

#1. Without entering into an agreement City Council has already allowed the give-away of an existing park, bought property, demolished buildings and paid the costs.  Seem odd to you. Seems like someone other than the Greensboro City Council is calling the shots?

#2. Spending $1.7 Million more to move an intersection to enlarge the foot print of a privately owned park that will not pay property taxes on the most valuable piece of property in all of Guilford County? Are you beginning to understand why 99 blocks in Downtown Greensboro can't pay enough taxes to make their own way thus requiring the downtown Business Improvement District to take over 50% of their funding from the rest of the City of Greensboro taxpayers?

Remember, City Center Park, across the street from the proposed Lebauer Park, is also privately owned and pays no taxes as well.

These so called "private non profits" are stealing the most valuable properties in the entire region and robbing us blind while telling us its free.

Well if that's free then I don't want it.

Is Trouble Going To Take The Fall?

Yesterday, in Why Did Trouble Come To Greensboro?, I wrote of how Ben Holder, aka the Troublemaker, was pushed by Greensboro City Manager Jim Westmoreland and certain members of City Council, namely Mike Barber and Mayor Nancy Vaughan, into desperately grabbing the only carrot they were offering him.

And I'm an expert on carrots, remember? (I don't know why the picture displays so poorly.)

Last night Sal Leon and I were having a little discussion about the goings on downtown and Sal and I formed an interesting theory: Well actually its Sal's theory but I'm signing on. What if the plan is for Ben Holder to take the fall should efforts to resolve issues at Heritage House fail?

There are some things that back up this theory.

First off: if you were Jim Westmoreland would you stick your neck out by hiring Ben Holder after what Ben has done to council members Nancy Hoffmann, Jamal Fox and Marikay Abuzuaiter over the course of the last year? Not without some promises from a bunch of city council members that your job would remain safe you wouldn't. Ben turned in Hoffman for code violations on her buildings, ran against Marikay calling her a liar and campaigned against Fox even though Ben and Jamal weren't competing with one another. And while Ben appears to be tight with Mike Barber and Yvonne Johnson he did run against both of them and Marikay last year.

I know politics makes strange bedfellows but just a few months back Ben and Marikay's husband got into a fistfight at a Greensboro City Council meeting because Ben said she was lying about being a confidential informant. I really cannot believe Marikay or Nancy Hoffmann are in bed with Ben even if Ben thinks Hoffmann might be.

So what would you do if you were in Jim Westmoreland's shoes and you were considering hiring a very controversial figure for what might be a very controversial job? You'd put it to a City Council vote so that you wouldn't have to take the blame. But everyone involved knew Ben Holder would never get hired publicly, Marikay Abuzuaiter would never have it and they would never find 5 council members with balls enough to hire Ben in front of the television cameras. Not even Tony Wilkins who I consider the bravest of the lot would dare face Marikay's wrath after what has taken place between Ben Holder and Marikay. And to prove my point, not only was it not voted on but Marikay was quoted as saying:

“This has certainly gone behind council’s back with someone who has stood here and screamed at almost every person on this council,” said Abuzuaiter. “I’m not sure what is going on here, but it does not smell pretty.”

And this:

"Abuzuaiter said, “that contract was signed two days prior to anyone finding out about it.”

You see, Holder's first task is to take on Heritage House and while I agree with Jeffery Sykes that Ben will do everything in his power to make his efforts successful this wouldn't be the first city contract designed to fail. Ben is facing overwhelming odds. Not that Ben isn't up for a challenge but when you're being set up by the very people you're working for challenges become the impossible.



For example: from the Rhino:

" Part of the overview includes designing a “Blight Fight” program in which independent contractors can report violations to the city and then – if they are not taken care of by the property owner – the independent contractor who reported them is hired by the city to bring them into compliance."

Go back and read that again. "...the independent contractor who reported them is hired by the city to bring them into compliance." How is Ben Holder going to accomplish that? Is he going to be given broad powers, police powers, the right to subpoena, the right to charge offenders with crimes, the right to take property from the worst offenders? How is Ben Holder going to be able to bring offenders in-line if he isn't given such broad powers usually reserved for governments and if he is given such powers is that not asking for a lawsuit?


And is it even legal to give such broad powers to one person?

Of course the City of Greensboro and the Greensboro City Council will be off the hook because #1. there was no council vote to hire Ben and 2. Ben is a private contractor and is therefore responsible for his own mistakes. Maybe that's why the City Manager allowed Ben to work for 10 days without insurance, doing everything he could do to make sure Ben got the job and no one else did. And if the City does get sued the city council will deny responsibility and let Jim Westmoreland fall with Ben. Or not, according to State law, Jim Westmoreland can't be sued for doing his job so the worst that could happen is that he gets fired. And that requires no less than 5 city council members.


Let's also not forget that Greensboro has a history of deliberately undermining efforts to clean up problem properties and eliminate slumlords. The City of Greensboro previously funded a State lobbyist to help do way with the proven successful RUCO housing standards which would have solved the Heritage House problems altogether. Does that sound like a city that would want Ben to succeed?

And then there's the matter of the contract between Ben and the City of Greensboro: While a 14 page contract is said to have been released to certain media outlets at least one city council member is secretly telling us that the real contract contains 24 pages.

As Sal said to me, 5 members on City Council must be secretly supporting the hiring of Ben Holder, otherwise city staff would have never put their necks on the chopping blocks. My opinion is three of those 5 are Nancy Barakat Vaughan, Mike Barber (who promised Ben a job) and Yvonne Johnson. Now who's the other two?

My money is on Zack Matheny and believe it or not, Nancy Hoffmann who reluctantly got on board as other Council members are holding dirt on her. But you tell us which 5 or more council members you think are setting Ben up to fail.

And Ben, as mad as you may be with me there are secrets about you I have never blogged and never will blog. Roch Smith jr knows them as does David Hoggard and Cara Michelle Forrest. I think you can figure out what I'm talking about. It's nobody's business but your own. I've known them as long as I've known you and never made it public. I plan to keep it that way. There are people out there right now trying to use me and others to ruin you-- I believe you're getting played. Good luck, brother, I think you're about to find out who your friends really are.