| Author | Post |
|---|
WB
Member
| Joined: | Feb 8th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 15 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: |  |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:32 pm |
|
I was appalled when I heard about the letters written by Ms Dunham and Ms Strickland that were meant to torpedo Summerfield's grant application for a PARTF grant to build Phase 2 of the park. I wonder what de Tocqueville would have thought about the state of democracy in small-town America when a very small number of people can try to impose their own will by such devious and disreputable means.
Sadly, there are only limited solutions to the issue. Ms Dunham, as an individual citizen can say and write pretty much as she wishes. However, although it runs against Mayor Brown's fundamentally good nature, I think he should run a stopwatch on her speeches at Town Council and forcefully cut her off at the precise point when her five minutes expires. Plus, I think he should eject her from the meeting when she inevitably becomes disruptive.
The situation of Ms Strickland, as an elected representative is far more serious. Sadly, I understand that there is no process for Council to impeach an elected member, nor is there a process for a recall election that might be initiated via petition. But I believe that at the very least, Council should vote to censure her for trying to subvert a Town Council vote and for ultimately wasting hundreds of hours by volunteers trying to drive forward the process to build something nice for the community. If the town's PARTF application is eventually denied, I hope that both Ms Dunham and Ms Strickland find pleasure in the very nice park facilities that will be built in other people's communities with the tax dollars paid by the citizens of Summerfield.
When you think about it, it's sad really. I can't help but think that both Ms Dunham and Ms Strickland would be so much happier in their lives if they lived somewhere else. I would be one of the hundreds of citizens who would be waving tear-filled hankies at their moving vans as they crossed the town limits.... out of Summerfield.
|
FatPappy
Member
| Joined: | Oct 25th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield, USA |
| Posts: | 3245 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: |   |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:33 pm |
|
I don't consider subversion of the democratic process a small thang, an' that's what this started out about.
(Get a laptop, Jim. You can sit on the deck an' enjoy the day whilst transactin' bidness.)
____________________
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
|
FatPappy
Member
| Joined: | Oct 25th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield, USA |
| Posts: | 3245 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:37 pm |
|
SaltyDog wrote:
Question - Has any individual or group been clamoring for a referendum on parks and they have been denied? If so who and when?
Good question, Salty.
____________________
How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg? Four; calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg.
--Abraham Lincoln
|
SaltyDog
Member
| Joined: | Oct 24th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield |
| Posts: | 58 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:40 pm |
|
| Maybe Sandra knows?
____________________
SaltyDog - Alive and Posting
|
SaltyDog
Member
| Joined: | Oct 24th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield |
| Posts: | 58 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:43 pm |
|
| If there were a referendum who would write it? The folks who say it will cost $5 million? Hey we could have a referendum on who gets to write the referendum.
____________________
SaltyDog - Alive and Posting
|
Jim Flynt
Member
| Joined: | Jul 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Bermuda Triangle |
| Posts: | 1372 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:47 pm |
|
FatPappy wrote: SaltyDog wrote:
Question - Has any individual or group been clamoring for a referendum on parks and they have been denied? If so who and when?
Good question, Salty.
Gosh, and I hadn't even gotten out the door......
Not that I would know, but I am not aware of anyone calling for a referendum on parks or taxes.
But I think if you will look back over a couple of these threads this morning, you will see that it was me who suggested a referendum in Summerfield as a way to put the whole matter of division and discussion to bed for both sides of the issue. And I really and truly believe that in the end, it is and will be the only way. Otherwise the other side (whichever side the other side is) will never trust and have faith that a majority of citizens viewpoints were heard or represented.
Now this time, I really am out of here for the day. Good Luck Skiddles and Bama!
____________________
"Take no prisoners"
|
DOGGETTJA
Member
| Joined: | Oct 24th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield |
| Posts: | 1198 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 04:48 pm |
|
| That's exactly the point Salty. Where are the down trodden massess that Ms Stickland and Dunham refer to. Did they vote in the election? Smallest turn out in for ever for Summerfield, did they come to the public hearings, did they go the the churchs , associations open meeting held to discuss the parks. If they don't come, they don't vote and they don't find some way to let others know their issues then they don't exist!!!
|
Starcatchr
Member
| Joined: | Nov 3rd, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 205 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 05:18 pm |
|
Jim Flynt wrote:
With that end in mind, I think I will take leave now and go enjoy a beautiful day outside folks. Ya'll have a great day and find something to smile about today while letting go of the small stuff.
See you at the park, Jim!
|
Cracker Jax
Member
| Joined: | Oct 23rd, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield, USA |
| Posts: | 4722 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 05:22 pm |
|
I am also appalled at the actions of Strickland. Yes, Dunham is a private citizen and can write whatever lies she wishes, but Strickland's accompanying letter could have given Dunham's the appearance of validity in the eyes of the grant approval folks.
I feel sure that was Strickland's intent.
If a censure from council is all she had to worry about, then why not? What else can be done to her?
I still can't get over the fact that Dunham states that Councilman Strickland was the first councilperson to support ballfields, parks and openspace. What a joke. The lies in Dunham's letter are just too numerous to mention.
I gotta give Dunham credit. She must be pretty quick on her feet to avoid all those lightenin' bolts that had to be comin' out of the sky when she wrote that letter..... Last edited on Mar 11th, 2007 05:23 pm by Cracker Jax
____________________
Opinions in this post are mine. Do not copy, distribute, mass mail or quote out of context without my consent.
|
WB
Member
| Joined: | Feb 8th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 15 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 07:24 pm |
|
Cracker Jax wrote:
I am also appalled at the actions of Strickland. Yes, Dunham is a private citizen and can write whatever lies she wishes, but Strickland's accompanying letter could have given Dunham's the appearance of validity in the eyes of the grant approval folks.
I feel sure that was Strickland's intent.
If a censure from council is all she had to worry about, then why not? What else can be done to her?
I still can't get over the fact that Dunham states that Councilman Strickland was the first councilperson to support ballfields, parks and openspace. What a joke. The lies in Dunham's letter are just too numerous to mention.
I gotta give Dunham credit. She must be pretty quick on her feet to avoid all those lightenin' bolts that had to be comin' out of the sky when she wrote that letter.....
I have never been a student of Machiavellian politics. Perhaps I'm naive, but I would never have thought that certain people in our small community could be so dirty as to sabotage the long hours of work that have gone into the phase 2 PARTF grant application. It's like a pair of naughty spoiled children who will cry and scream and make everyone's life miserable unless they get their own way.
|
Steve Adkins
Member
| Joined: | Oct 14th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield |
| Posts: | 1669 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 08:33 pm |
|
WB wrote: I have never been a student of Machiavellian politics. Perhaps I'm naive, but I would never have thought that certain people in our small community could be so dirty as to sabotage the long hours of work that have gone into the phase 2 PARTF grant application. It's like a pair of naughty spoiled children who will cry and scream and make everyone's life miserable unless they get their own way.
Good analogy, I was thinking more along the lines of ..........it's like the naughty teenager who finds the ballfield in pristine condition, then goes and tears it up with his car tires spinning all the way.
|
Baseball Buddy
Member
|
Posted: Mar 11th, 2007 08:42 pm |
|
| Dunham, Strickland, and Support of ballfields ? What? Her actions, voting, and attacks on good people don't show this. So tell me when or where did she start supporting ball fields because it is not shown in Summerfield. Mrs Strickland lives within walking distance and has never came in to watch a ball game to my knowledge. Support? How? Please enlighten me here. ANYONE?? JIM?? Shamu?? Becky?? Mrs Dunham? Please tell me at what level has this support came from. Not in a vote. Donation? Not to my knowledge. Actions? NOT!! Volunteer? HA HA
____________________
The views/opinions expressed in this post are personal and belong to Baseball Buddy. Please do not duplicate, distribute, BCC, or mass mail my comments without my written consent.
|
DOGGETTJA
Member
| Joined: | Oct 24th, 2005 |
| Location: | Summerfield |
| Posts: | 1198 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 12th, 2007 12:18 pm |
|
Wonder what part of the country Ms Strickland and Ms Dunham come from that this kind of deceitful, dirty politics would be acceptable. Certainly not Summerfield where up until this time we have fought our differences out in public not behind closed doors or in closed sessions and certainly not behind the backs of the citizens.
The Concerned citizens have done their best to try to prove some sort of dishonesty going on in this town until they arrived to save the day with no results. Ms Dunhams has requested reams of paper under the FOIA with absolutely no misdeeds found until now.
I think the Towns only misdeed is being sucked in by the Concerned Citzens rhetoric and paranoia and electing them to office.
|
happycamper
Member
| Joined: | May 4th, 2006 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 23 |
| Status: |
Offline
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 12th, 2007 07:48 pm |
|
It seems to me that any time that the taxpayers money is being involved to this degree, that there should be a "vote" taken by the citizens. Yes, we elected them to represent us as a whole, however there are times when even the folks in the "big" cities (that have been elected), put large ticket items up to vote. I can live with the majority decision in a vote, it is tough however to swallow items such as additional parks(amphitheatres)etc. that are being paid by my tax money. I realize that the matching money is a part of the whole package, however I do know that there are many , many people in Summerfield that would rather not have phase II of the park, nor many of the other items being discussed., if it means even the most remote possibility of taxes being raised ( in the future or present). These folks are quiet, like myself, but when election time comes around look for a candidate that is for low/no spending and no/low taxes..
Gee, that's why so many people moved out our way (including myself)... We could appreciate the Country living, while at the same time taking advantage of what Greensboro has to offer ( parks, recreation,coliseum,museums, ball parks,and last but not least Mcdonalds). , with a short 10 min drive.. ( My buddies in Greensboro can't stand the fact that they pay for things like the Colisium , Natural Science Center, etc,... yet, I get to use them just like they do... and I make sure to rub it in>!
To me it's like " we have the money, lets see what we can spend it on" mentality.And even though 800+ people ? attending the opening of the park was great., that leaves a lot more that either did not want to attend, did not care, or did not even know. You would be surprised at the number of people out here that do not even know the park has opened.
In conclusion...I am not dead set against the city having a few things, A truck, some nice athletic fields, etc.. Let's just make sure the decisions are made with the "majority" of the folks in mind... And that means taking the vote to the people., not just sending out some questionnaires ( by the way I bump into very few folks in Summerfield that have ever received a questionnaire). If I am not in the majority, so be it, I have 2 choices.. either stay and pay the taxes or keep on moving.. I'd prefer to stay.
|
Skiddles
Member
| Joined: | Nov 4th, 2005 |
| Location: | |
| Posts: | 622 |
| Status: |
Online
|
| Mana: | |
|
Posted: Mar 12th, 2007 08:04 pm |
|
| I really don't understand where these people have been happy. This park has been talked about for years. It has been in the news, in both Greensboro's and the NWO papers, 3 town surveys/ or informational letters, workshops, speeches at churches, organizations and neighborhood associations, Founder's day celebrations, Town meetings, the schools, notices to the families in the SRA, etc, etc. etc. This idea didn't just come to light last week it has been in the works for 8 or 9 years now with no opposition really except for a few.... Please help me understand?
|
|
|
