To Educate & Inform
I spent much of this afternoon compiling and editing videos of the trainwreck of a meeting that was held last night at the Ramseur municipal building, in preparing to write up an article about what has become a debacle surrounding the proposed new roof for our local library. I had intended to start writing that piece this evening, but late this afternoon something happened that made me change gears completely and focus on something else.
I hadn’t planned to write this post today. In fact, I never thought it would be necessary, but since clerk Hatley’s resignation it has become clear beyond any reasonable doubt that some people in our municipal office have been working overtime to avoid complying with my request, made months ago, for all email communications pertaining to ALL public Town of Ramseur business.
I suspected that this was going on from the beginning when I discovered that Commissioner Smith is using at least three different email accounts. I have yet to receive even one email from him. Commissioner Cox has copied me on a few messages here and there, and Commissioner Overman has shown me several emails that he has received on occasion. Commissioner Caudle is the only voting member of the board who I am relatively certain has sent me everything she is allowed to share. Confidential information is exempt from my request until the matter it pertains to have been voted upon. Continue reading “They STILL Don’t Get It!”
The Ramseur Board of Commissioners held their regular monthly meeting on Monday night, 5 August 2019, and, as usual, it was another shocking display of incompetence and childish behavior.
After approving a few changes to the agenda, the board discussed and approved a consent agenda that included police and fire expense reports for the month of July, a bill from Consolidated Pipe for equipment to update the last few water meters in town to automated reading technology, and a bill for $32,000 for a sewer line inspection camera the board agreed to purchase during budget negotiations in June.
Another item, added to the consent agenda at the last minute, was a $2000 bill from State Code Enforcement for their services in July. Mayor Shaw stated that much of that bill was generated by the company sending out “high grass” letters. Mayor Shaw said that going forward such notices will be mailed out by our local administration, which currently amounts to himself, assistant clerk Grant Cheek, and Jill Wood, who is now apparently our de facto interim clerk. Continue reading “August 5 Board Meeting – Budget Issues”
When I started this blog back in late December of 2018, I stated in one of the first posts I published that I had no intention of running for office in Ramseur this year. Over the next few months many friends and neighbors sent me messages encouraging me to change my mind. Others told me much the same in person when I encountered folks on the street. I must admit, I was tempted.
I thought long and hard on the subject and even went as far as writing up a document that a few of you may even have seen, explaining why I had changed my mind and decided to run. Over the last several months I’ve realized a few things that made me decide to stick to my guns and remain where I am, at my keyboard.
Like many of you I have lots of ideas that I believe would result in better, more effective local government for our little town, but I can express those ideas and explain their merits far better from here than I ever could behind a desk in a meeting. I express myself better with printed words than I could ever hope to speaking, either one on one or to a group. Continue reading “Why I Decided Not To Run For Office”