From beginning to ending including a closed session Monday’s city council meeting last less than 45 minutes.
New Business highlights
The police department traded in five surplus shotguns plus some cash ‘donated’ by local criminals to buy eight new shotguns and accessories. Sad to think the police need eights shotguns to protect the citizens from the very criminals with more cash than they can good sense. I like the catchy name for the shotgun sling, Uncle Mike’s tactical 3 point sling.
The police department is using a grant from the State and again ‘donated’ money from local criminals to buy new mobile data terminals. Approval for in car camera’s was not included in the grant. Apparently our local criminal element did not ‘donated’ enough money for the policeto buy new in car cameras. There are some 19 pages of do’s and don’ts attached to the grant that cover lobbying, National Historic Preservation Act, non-descrimination requiremnts, drug free work place and more. Take a look for your self starting on page 33 of the agenda packet. (My words ‘donated by local criminals’ is actually money forfieted by the criminals.)
The city adopted the Vance County Analysis of Impediment Plan and an equal employment and procurement plan. The Vance County analysis of impediment plan is actually titled Analysis of Impediment to Fair Housing for Vance County North Carolina. Data contained in the analysis is from 2010 and the 2000 census. According to the 2000 census total population was 42,954, of that 48.3% was black and 48.2% was white and 4.8% with Hispanic or American Indian. There were 18,196 housing units of which 10,734 are owner occupied and 5,465 tenant occupied dwellings. Of the total 18,186 occupied and unoccupied housing units 75% are more than 20 plus years old. Approximately 20.5% of the population was below the poverty level. Thirty (30) private landlords are accepting Section 8 vouchers for a total of 196 available units. There are 455 one and two bedroom units available over eight USDA Rural Multi-Family Housing Rental properties. There are five private apartment owners providing 234 subsidized units. There are 75 low-rent housing units operated by the Vance County Housing Authority. Based on the 2000 census data there were 885 privately own and government subsidized (your tax dollars) houses or apartments. Those 885 excludes the 526 Section 8 participants and the 75 units operated by the Vance County Housing Authority. All together that is 1,486 housing units paid for in part or fully with taxpayers dollars or 27% of all tenant occupied dwellings. I think the city’s intent for accepting the Analysis of Impediment to Fair Housing for Vance County North Carolina is to eliminate discriminatory practices in housing. As it is often said, the devil is in the details and the details in the approved analysis are upwards of 13 years old.
Public Comments non-agenda items
The city council has two public comment periods one on agenda items and the other on non-agenda items. No one asked the mayor if he thought it was right for council members who are in arrears on their personal or business property taxes to vote on agenda items especially those spending other people’s taxes.
Ms. Dorothy Hunt, Lifeline Outreach Inc, spoke during the non-agenda time slot. She opened saying she was not speaking for her church or ministry she was speaking for herself. Her compliant to the city council centered on what she said was a two page set of requirements for a parade permit. Apparently Ms. Hunt wants to have a religious centered parade and objects to the city’s requirements. Ms. Hunt said she sponsored such a parade sometime ago. Although she had pictures of that parade she did not know when. Neither the mayor nor the city manager could say when the parade ordinance was approved. More on this to come at the next city council meeting.
Hey Micheal Bobblehead
I did some fact checking… Uncle Mike wants his robe back.