Yes Weekly's Jeff Sykes on Mike Barber's taxpayer and Jim Melvin paid for First Tee of the Triad golf racket

Mike Barber is owned by Jim Melvin funding First Tee, 

and is obviously Roy's boy per John Hammer's early endorsements.

"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...

Most of City Council, including Barber who skimms taxpayer money via First Tee

is relatively broke, 

which is why most are so inexpensive to purchase with nice dinners 

and campaign cash.

...Barber himself has taken in some $286,250 in salary from his non-profit between 2012-2014, according to available federal tax records.

Barber is also Jim Melvin's boy (See First Tee of the Triad),

who is stuck with relying on Melvin and the City for his income

by skimming about 25 cents on the dollar from every penny "given" to First Tee.

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."

http://yesweekly.com/article-21703-news-analysis-civil-rights-museum-finances-deserve-honest-assessment.html
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Mike Barber admitting he misled Greensboro's taxpayers and electorate on the Aquatic Center

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/01/mike-barber-admitting-he-misled.html

Barber is the perfect stooge, as he is reliant of Melvin and friends

of whom Mike has voted taxpayer monies for the Megasite

without any news outlet until now reporting

This looks like why Mike Barber freaked out about naming salaries of non profits doing business with Greensboro.

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2014/05/this-looks-like-why-mike-barber-freaked.html

Arthur Winstead Jr., Treasurer for Mike Barber's City Council Campaign, appears to have given $250 and didn't get paid, but charged First Tee a relatively higher $15,000

http://hartzman.blogspot.com/2014/04/arthur-winstead-jr-treasurer-for-mike.html

As Mike Barber is a direct beneficiary of Bryan Foundation money

via First Tee of the Triad,

through which he pads his income along with Greensboro taxpayer support 

it appears Mike Barber has a conflict of interest

and should not vote on any item associated with the Bryan Foundation

or the Randolph County Megasite project

Who would be stupid enough to spend $22.5 million to get water and sewer to a Megasite, about 10 miles away from another that already has it?

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/who-would-be-stupid-enough-to-spend-225.html
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Nancy Hoffmann 2013 Contributions; Ed Kitchen, Bryan Foundation Alice and Jill Isaacson

Zack Matheny 2013 Contributions; Cyndy Hayworth Brett Schulman, former Sam Simpson partner. Sam Simpson Chester Brown, Richard Beard, former Sam Simpson partner Art Winstead Chester Brown Tony Collins Steve Bell Don Brady, husband of Bryan Foundation board member Louis Brady Alice Isaacson David Howard, who Zack got some city money for. Henry Isaacson John Lomax, who Zack tried to get money for, along with Sam Simpson Jim Melvin Allen and Mindy Oakley, who Zack got taxpayer money for. Triad Good Government PAC

Mike Barber 2013 Contributions; Henry Isaacson Marc Isaacson Chester Brown Jim Melvin Robert Long Cyndy Hayworth Triad Good Government PAC John Lomax Don Vaughan Art Winstead Desmond Sheridan, Partner of Isaccson's David Craft

Some of the very people who will now likely run for some of these districts 

sat around a conference room table in downtown Greensboro

and helped draw the districts.

Mike Barber

lying without any news outlet calling him on it

Nancy Vaughan 2013 Contributions; Jim Melvin Cyndy Hayworth Triad Good Government PAC - Roy Carroll Art Winstead - Mike Barber's First Tee and campaign accountant Shirley Frye, Bryan Foundation Board member David Brantley Craft, champion of white extremist Charles Brantley Aycock Joseph M. Bryan
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Who on Greensboro's City Council is going to have to recuse themselves on the Megasite?

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/who-on-greensboros-city-council-is.html

Compare Sam Simpson and Zack Matheny's current exploits to; 12/31/13; "Robbie Perkin's 9,000 acres, Project Haystack, "Incentives" and the Rhino Times"

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/compare-sam-simpson-and-zack-mathenys.html

Heasley on Hartzman on the Water, Sewer deal to enrich an unknown group of what looks like Greensboro's crony elite, led by Jim Melvin, Zack Matheny and Sam Simpson

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/redux-who-would-be-stupid-enough-to.html

Greensboro "Found" $2.2 Million To Give To Rich Developers

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/greensboro-found-22-million-to-give-to.html

How many times does it take for Greensboro's taxpayers and voters...

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-many-times-does-it-take-for.html

How Nancy Vaughan and Zack Matheny give money to their Irving Park friends and contributors, while stiffing East Greensboro

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/how-nancy-vaughan-and-zack-matheny-give.html

180 Existing Mega Sites and Now 181: "And then what? What's next?"

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/180-existing-mega-sites-and-now-181-and.html

Two different stories, two different demographics, two different outcomes, two different worlds, two sets of rules

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/02/two-different-stories-two-different.html

How many times does it take to get scammed by some of our elected leadership
who are lining the pockets of their friends and campaign contributors?

Remember when Robbie Perkins personally profited 
from getting taxpayer funded water and sewer to the old Pilot Life building?

Remember when Robbie, Zack and Nancy Vaughan voted to give Roy Carroll 
a sewer line under the highway for Roy's AMEX property, 
which guranteed water and sewer to Roy's other property next to it?

Remember when then Greensboro mayor Robbie Perkins
negotiated a $19 million deal with the county 
to bring water and sewer lines to eastern Guilford County
and open up 9,000 acres to development?

Remember when Mike Solomon with The Timmons Group 
said the Project Haystack team had been in conversations with Burlington and Greensboro 
regarding an estimated $15 million water supply line extension from Burlington 
and a $20.1 million sewer line extension from Greensboro? 

Remember the economic feasibility study that said if Project Haystack was fully built out, 
it could generate $39.1 million in state and local tax revenue?

Remember when Solomon said the Project Haystack team started conversations with landowners, 
and worked to form a nonprofit entity and an interlocal agreement,

just like the Randolph deal?
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Jeff Sykes; "Why are so many of us willing to accept mediocrity in our political leaders?"

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/06/jeff-sykes-why-are-so-many-of-us.html

Hartzman on Mike Barber and Jim Melvin

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/06/george-hartzman-on-mike-barber-and-jim.html

Gillespie Golf Course/1st tee Short Course Grand Opening Talking Points 4/6/2015

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/07/gillespie-golf-course1st-tee-short.html

Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan doesn't know she's incompetent

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/greensboro-mayor-nancy-vaughan-doesnt.html

As Mike Barber's First Tee of the Triad receives money and benefits from both the City of Greensboro and Jim Melvin's Bryan Foundation, Mr. Barber needs to recuse himself from the DGI mess

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/as-mike-barbers-first-tee-of-triad.html

Fun Fourth, Zack and Mike Barber; “It’s a perfect mix in building up to what they will have in August,” Matheny said. He declined to reveal the [Wyndham Championship] sponsorship amount.

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/06/fun-fourth-zack-and-mike-barber-its.html

Tuesday, April 28, 2015; "Wyndham Worldwide donates $100,000 to [Mike Barber's] First Tee [of the Triad, whose Board Member is Mark Brazil]"

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/04/wyndham-worldwide-donates-100000-to.html

The News and Record's Richard Barron on $2.3 million Greensboro taxpayer dollars for Jim Melvin, Sam Simpson, David Powell, Roy Carroll and friends

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/06/the-news-and-records-richard-barron-on.html

Randolph County Megasite Con Update

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/05/randolph-county-megasite-con-update.html

DGI, Jim Westmoreland, Nancy Vaughan, Zack Matheny, Tuggle Duggans, Roy Carroll and the Triad Good Government PAC

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/05/city-of-greensboro-information-request.html

Mike Barber needs to recuse himself on Greensboro City Council's vote to replace Zack Matheny; Justin Outling Edition

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2015/06/mike-barber-needs-to-recuse-himself-on.html

Jeff Sykes; "Why are so many of us willing to accept mediocrity in our political leaders?"

"It’s a question I keep coming back to in regards to a variety of issues, from the presidential primaries for the two major political parties to the recent shameful actions of the Greensboro City Council, with a nod to the hayseeds running things down in Raleigh.

...Perhaps now that a council critter can earn $22,140 a year for their service we might attract better candidates. Or at least some willing to stand up for the little guy.

Greensboro's City Council voted for a pay raise at an afternoon, non televised meeting,

and then voted for it without mention in the budget votes at the next meeting

without public discussion etc...

The spectacle of Mayor Nancy Vaughan threatening to remove activist Lewis Pitts from a meeting recently was one of the most heavy-handed tactics I’ve seen in local government. I mean, it wasn’t as bad as Mike Barber leading the council in a headlong retreat from a public hearing on the DGI contract, but it was pretty lame.

Mike Barber makes money from Greensboro taxpayers

over and above what he receives in income as a City Councilman

and multiple acts of journalistic cowardice 

by the News and Record's Margaret Moffett, Joe Killian and Steven Doyle among others

have prevented the information from wide dissemination

Pitts, a long-time civil rights attorney who recently retired from the state bar, stood during a recent council meeting to beg to differ with the council’s intent to pass a police body camera video policy without public review or comment. Jamal Fox even made a motion to pass the policy without some on council having read it. Seriously?

Jamal Fox is owned by his campaign contributors

...Pitts, then, rightly objected when the city council brought the policy up for approval about two weeks prior to the anticipated meeting time. It was similar to the pay raise in that the item wasn’t on the advertised agenda given to the public before hand.

Why the rush, Madame Mayor? I suppose when you win an election with 80 percent of the vote you can consider alienating the affection of those who once thought you’d bring a different leadership style. What do the city or the individuals on council have to fear from transparent and robust debate of the city’s most important issues?

A most disgusting example of the cronyism and insider wheel greasing that limits Greensboro’s growth is the atrocious handling of the competitive Downtown Business Improvement District contract.

"Key downtown property owners 

[who have received a great deal of Greensboro taxpayer money] 

back DGI for contract" [for their lobbyist, Zack Matheny]

which the cowards at the News and Record didn't report

Yes that's you Margaret Moffett

...here we had an organization, DGI, that has done next to nothing in several years to visibly move Downtown Greensboro forward. Oh sure man, having the president of the group go to a luncheon or speak to another booster group or launch the umpteenth study on what Greensboro really needs is great and all, but beyond the flowers downtown what’s been visible?

Now just imagine if Robert and Evan Morrison of Hudson’s Hill, two of the most celebrated and acknowledge creative individuals in Downtown Greensboro, were set loose to Make Greensboro Cool Again.

That must have scared the living crap out of the oligarchs who run downtown because the next thing you knew there was Mike Barber leading nothing short of a panicked retreat from council chambers after Robert expressed concern about DGI’s insider contacts with city staff. It had come to light that the city’s selection committee asked DGI to alter its proposal the week after the deadline for submissions. Both Morrison and Robert said it seemed unfair. But when Robert began to reach his eloquent best, Barber cut him off midsentence to ask for an immediate recess. Video of the meeting shows Barber aggressively waving his arm for council to follow him out the door. 

Barber's First Tee income is dependent on the City of Greensboro 

via the Bryan Foundation and the City of Greensboro funded Gillespie Golf Course 

and Jim's Bryan Foundation funds the Wyndham Championship via Mark Brazil, 

who sits on both the Wyndham and First Tee of the Triad's boards,

both funded by Jim Melvin's Bryan Foundation.

Before Robert could react, there was Nancy Hoffman and Jamal Fox halfway out the door with Barber hot on their heels.

The mayor moved the item to be postponed until June 7 once the council gathered itself and found the intestinal fortitude to return to the arena and face criticism from a taxpaying American.

By the end of the week Mayor Vaughan asked the DGI contract to be quietly added to the agenda of a work session on Monday, May 23 at 1:30 p.m. That way Robert and Morrison and their cadre of rag tag visionaries couldn’t muster their forces to come and speak in opposition to the notion that DGI represents the best of Greensboro. City Attorney Tom Carruthers initially approved the mayor’s request, despite the fact that she made a motion in open session during a public hearing to continue the item to June 7. I knew instinctively that this was impossible, but before I was able to raise the issue, Carruthers realized his error.

“Once continued, it cannot be moved again absent further advertising or by motion heard on June 7th,” Carruthers wrote in an email to council members late on the afternoon of May 20.

Mike Barber didn't disclose his financial interest

in Wyndham subsidized First Tee of the Triad's use of free City funded services

on his Council Economic Interest Disclosure signed on February 24, 2014,

while funding police and emergency services for the Wyndham Championship

while/after recieving monies from the Wyndham Championship to fund his income

via First Tee of the Triad, and then he voted to have Zack Matheny run DGI

with taxpayer monies used to fund Barber's personal income

while he uses City employees for moving golf carts etc... to his personal residence

It’s not like Mayor Vaughan to rush.

After all, she’s the one that lets leftist political activists make a mockery of decorum in council chambers and here she is afraid to let two taxpaying Americans have their say on a matter of public policy and spending."

http://yesweekly.com/article-21431-mediocre-politicians-live-in-fear-of-the-truth.html
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Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan; "If I Could Be Just Completely Honest For A Second, I Believe Exactly What You Believe"

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/greensboro-mayor-nancy-vaughan-if-i.html

"Key downtown property owners [who have received a great deal of Greensboro taxpayer money] back DGI for contract" [for their lobbyist, Zack Matheny]

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/key-downtown-property-owners-who-have.html

Tony Wilkins is going to have lunch with David Parrish and Zack Matheny before he votes for DGI's contract on the 7th

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/tony-wilkins-is-going-to-have-lunch_24.html

DGI Contract Scandal Goes Full Retard, Corrupt and Reprehensible

http://greensboroperformingarts.blogspot.com/2016/05/dgi-contract-scandal-goes-full-retard.html

Updated; Updated; Mayor Nancy Vaughan, the City of Greensboro and the News and Record's Margaret Moffett lied to the public on Vaughan's legal [subsidy] bill

Jeff Sykes, June 9, 2016; City pays personal legal fees for Mayor Vaughan

The City of Greensboro has paid more than $8,500 in legal fees for an outside law firm to personally represent Mayor Nancy Vaughan in a case involving environmental cleanup funds for the South Elm Redevelopment, more commonly known as Union Square.

...In an article published in the Greensboro News & Record in October, it was reported that Vaughan intended to pay her own expenses for hiring Amiel Rossabi to represent her personally during the legal proceedings. ...A Rhino Times article in January reported that Vaughan "hired Amiel Rossabi, of Rossabi, Black and Slaughter to represent her personally, the day before the deposition.

And the City did nothing to counter the reported facts

that Vaughan didn't hire a lawyer in October, 2015

as the City hired Rossabi in September, 2015 for the deposition

meaning City Manager Jim Westmoreland and other staff lied to the public
and the News and Record reported the story as transmitted by the City

"Rossabi advised his client Vaughan not to answer the questions asked during the deposition including: “Mayor Vaughan, have you ever been deposed before?” As well as, “Would you state your full name for the record, Mayor Vaughan?”

The first time Vaughan was deposed, she hired Amiel Rossabi,

of Rossabi, Black and Slaughter to represent her personally,

the day before the deposition. 

Who told John Hammer Amiel was hired the day before?

The deposition devolved into a verbal battle 

between Rossabi and Robert’s attorney, Scott Hale of Boydoh & Hale.

Patrick Kane of Smith Moore Leatherwood and Carruthers

were also present for the deposition but didn’t become involved in the verbal brawl.

John Hammer

In a memo dated June 7, 2016 and released following a record's request by YES! Weekly, Chief Deputy City Attorney Jo Peterson-Buie addresses the $8,545 legal payment to Rossabi's former law firm. Rossabi Black and Slaughter billed the city for Vaughan's legal fees on Feb. 17 of this year. The firm broke up on May 1 and the new firm, Black Slaughter Black requested payment. Rossabi formed Rossabi Law Partners and confirmed that the payment for representing Vaughan should go to his former partners.

The memo states that the city entered into a contract with Rossabi Black and Slaughter on Sept. 21, 2015. 

I have asked for a copy of the contract from the City

The memo states that Rossabi represented Vaughan at her deposition on Oct. 21. The memo mentions no additional representation. 

Vaughan, the City, Margaret Moffett and the News and Record lied to their readers
Greensboro's taxpayers and the public

http://yesweekly.com/article-21461-permalink.html

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Margaret Moffett; City to pay mayor's legal bill for deposition, Saturday, June 11, 2016 7:12 pm

"Taxpayers will pay more than $8,500 for the private lawyer Mayor Nancy Vaughan used last year during a deposition in a downtown developer’s lawsuit against the city.

Before the 2015 Greensboro City Council election

Vaughan said in October [2015, right before the election,] she would use her own money to pay the attorney who represented her personally during the deposition

After the City "entered into a contract with Rossabi Black and Slaughter on Sept. 21, 2015

meaning Mayor Vaughan and Margaret Moffett lied, 

as Jeff Sykes reported the Sept. 21, 2015 contract info on June 9, 2012,

meaning the News and Record purposefully mislead its readers

for the benefit of Greensboro Mayor Nancy Vaughan and Jim Westmoreland

On Friday, Vaughan said she changed her mind after learning from City Attorney Tom Carruthers that it would be “entirely appropriate” for the city to cover her fees to Amiel Rossabi.

The contract for Rossabi's services 

was "entered into a contract with Rossabi Black and Slaughter on Sept. 21, 2015

meaning Mayor Vaughan and Margaret Moffett lied

When did the conversation take place?

So Vaughan hired Rossabi, who directed Vaughan not to answer many of the questions during the deposition.

Which isn't true, as the City hired Rossabi on September 21, 2015
to represent Nancy Vaughan at the deposition
directly before a City Council election
meaning the election was rigged with the help of City staff and the News and Record

Paying Rossabi’s bill puts the city in an unusual position, since it is simultaneously arguing that it should not pay former Police Chief David Wray’s legal fees.

...Vaughan said she made the right decision letting the city pay Rossabi’s bill.

The decision was made in September, 2015 before the City Council election

and then Nancy Vaughan lied about it with the help of the News and Record's Margaret Moffitt

“There was no logical reason why I would be deposed,” Vaughan said. “It was a strong-arm tactic to force a settlement. I wasn’t going to be bullied by the opposing attorney.”

“It’s unfortunate that we’ve wasted so much money on this case.”

http://www.greensboro.com/news/local_news/city-to-pay-mayor-s-legal-bill-for-deposition/article_48327874-9e0a-5372-981f-686d2f2f08a0.html

Nancy Vaughan and City staff were not honest, fair or responsible

to Greensboro's citizens.

Nancy Vaughan used her office for personal gain

by saying she was paying for council after the City signed a contract

with the same attorney for [dissimilar] services before an election;

So what work did the firm receive from the City
and how much more have they made total?

So it's not just "more than $8,500"?

How much more did they receive for services rendered,
and still undisclosed by the City or mayor Vaughan?

Public confidence in the integrity of its local government has been harmed
and now it looks like Amiel Rossabi wasn't prepared

and is now misleading the public as the contract was signed in September, 2015;

https://www.facebook.com/jeffreyhsykes?fref=nf

Hat Tip; Actual journalist Jeff Sykes
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That being said, watch the whole thing disappear...