Michael Bobbitt: Notes From The Peanut Gallery (VC BoC March 10th, 2014)


Water District Board

The Water District Board was not the beginning of the meeting it is where this review of the meeting will begin. The published agenda contained only a place holder for the Water District Board’s portion of the meeting. The “head” engineer was not in attendance. The stand-in for the engineer had no written report and spoke only from his notes. Is this how the board of any American public corporation would do business especially regarding its largest single project? Commissioners Wilder and Brummitt apparently have had enough of Hobbs and Upchurch. One introduced a motion that the other quickly seconded. The motion asked for a vote to instruct the County Manager to inform Hobbs and Upchurch to shape up or move on. The motion was approved and the County Manager must formally notify Hobbs and Upchurch of the Board’s displeasure with their work. Commissioner Wilder’s motion though fell short of the mark regarding leadership of the County Wide Water project. Mr. Darin Small, speaking on behave of 35 – 40 individuals in the Williamsboro and Townsville communities, was more succinct when he said “I was kinda mislead …” about the water project.

Mr. Small addressed the Commissioners during the Public Comment segment that preceded the Water District Board segment of the meeting. Mr. Small, started his presentation saying that he “…had been a team player on the water system coming throughout the county. …” Adding that “… when you got issues or you think things have been done wrong your just as wrong if you don’t speak up knowing its wrong.” He continued on saying, if I knew it was going to be what it is now, I would not have signed up. Mr. Small was very clear he had no intentions of signing up for water; he supported the system to get fire hydrants and lower rate on his home owner’s insurance. He agreed to pay the $20 for a dry tap not the $30 for a wet tap being forced onto those who committed early. This is the same issue Mr. Lawrence Brame made to the Board at the November and December meetings. Although Mr. Brame received minimal acknowledgement of his concern, Mr. Small and his group received major confirmation of the county management’s “strong arm tactics” to force the purchase of wet taps. Chairwoman Brown acknowledged that she had the same understanding as Mr. Small. Adding, “I do believe … there was some misleading information.” Chairwoman Brown even rebuked Mr. McMillen when attempted to over look the original contract that she, Mr. Small, Mr. Brame, and others signed four years ago. Back to the Water Board Committee this issue will go. Maybe this time county management will listen when Commissioner Brummitt reiterates that strong arm tactics need to end and as Mr. Small said stop and find a workable solution.

Appointments

There were four appointments on the agenda. Chairwoman Brown asked each presenter to stay within their fifteen meets of allotted time. Melissa Elliott’s presentation on gang awareness was informative and enlightening. Although, I wonder what we as the citizens of the whole county, do to reduce the causes. Reading Ms. Elliot’s entire presentation is in the agenda packet I learned the meaning of some of the graffiti on buildings and railroad cars. Jackie Sergent’s presentation was likewise enlightening (see the agenda for her full report). Does it matter if practicing celibacy or using birth control reduced our teenage pregnancy rate over the past ten years? Just a say thanks a teenager of doing their part. Based on the data presented our county is evenly divided so when diversity is raised as an issue I will wonder what that means. Deborah Price and Paul McKenzie requested and obtained Board approve for vendor and facility use guidelines at the three-quarters of a million dollar farmers market. Later in the meeting the Board approved the hiring of a part-time farmer’s market director using $7,753 for the contingency funds. A farmer’s market open only 5½ hours on Wednesdays and Saturdays mornings. The working class has only Saturday mornings to shop at the Farmers Market. Porcha Brooks presented two applications requesting appeals on property taxes. The Board swiftly approved both without discussion or comment.

Finance Director’s Report

If you have a need for a slightly used 2007 Crown Vic with a non-functioning transmission, the Board approved its sale as surplus equipment. Do you have a need for some old some metal desks, chairs, and TVs is fair to good condition; or maybe a ‘voting ballot counting machine’? All are now approved for sale as surplus equipment. All of these items except the car are in storage at the old armory with its leaking and partially collapsed roof. Later in the meeting the Board approved a Request for Qualifications/Proposal to select a qualified auction company to sell the armory.

Committee Reports

The big issue was the Public Safety Committee’s decision to increase the adoption fees. Basically, that Committee agreed to place the bulk of the cost for spaying and neutering of animals on those doing the adoption and not pass the bulk of the cost on to the taxpayers. Commissioner Hester objected to this approach pointing out that three more affluent counties will market their abandoned animals to Vance County residence through cheaper adoption fees. The core of this issue is how we as a society treat animals. Many do not follow through with requirements to spay or neuter the animals they adopt. Many treat a dog or cat as nothing more than a disposable trinket. In much of the world’s advanced economies dogs, cats, and the like have much longer life spans than their natural evolutionary reproduction cycles is atoned to. We in America are no more willing to tolerate the sight of an abandoned, abused, or starving dog or cat than we are willing to tolerate the sight the sick and infirm cluttering our sidewalks and curbs. I’ll step off my soap box.

Closed Session

After the Board resumed the regular public meeting those of us observing from the Peanut Gallery learned another of Neighborhood Stabilization houses has an interested buyer. An eligible buyer has offered to buy the house at 317 Yancey Lane for $59,000 using a $1,000 of taxpayers’ (grant funds) money. We have offers for two of the six homes available for sale.