The Asheboro City Council's Public "SCREW YOU Dave's Mountain" Meeting

I said I would not be back for a while. My last post - outlining the core of my criminal complaint against Randolph Hospital bigwigs, Bob Morrison and Steve Eblin - really needs to stand and waft. But I attended the Asheboro City Council's "Public Informational Meeting" last night concerning the annexation of Dave's Mountain . . . and this is what blogging should be about. Not one Dave's Mountain resident in the room appeared to support annexation or said they wanted city "services" (but the City has to go through/over us in order to get to other places). I was incredulous at some of the "answers" this Council was giving to the legitimate practical & fiscal questions posed by potential citizens . . . and stunned at the smug arrogance demonstrated by some at the podium (and if I'm voted in, I will make it my business to vote some of these jerks out - especially the ones who built my road). Moreover, the Courier Tribune's "reporting" of what happened (particularly of what was said) at the meeting is the most watered-down piece of fluff I have ever seen . . . it gives NO real insight into just how contentious things really were.

On the other hand, it was refreshing not to be the angriest person in the room for a change.

A friend and I, conversing in e-mails this past week, were talking about the fact that people living within Asheboro proper were not paying much attention to the annexation effort - they're just letting the steam-roller roll. We noted the fact that Asheboro's core population is older and poorer and of more color than the "affluent" areas targeted for annexation (which speaks to poor city planning in the first place - no one on the City Council or Randolph County Board of Commissioners ever looked beyond the next development or get-rich-quick scheme). My friend commented that the people on MLK Drive did not care what happened on "the Mountain" and vice versa - and that's the way it's been for years. He's right, of course, and unless something changes, this selfishness and apathy pretty much seals ALL of our fates. I told him, The folks on MLK drive NEED to care about Dave's Mtn - because the "poor black folks" on "the Hill" will be paying dearly for the "rich white folks" on "the Mountain" to have (tiny/easily clogged) sewer lines (and badly-patched roads) for 20-30 years.

The matter of ethics & "conflict of interest" came up (as it pertains to the well-connected contractor who "IS" this project) . . . and (needing to get Mama home), I took that opportunity to bring up the City Council's big "blow-off" of my case against their darling, Bob Morrison (my tormentor and nemesis), who chaired their Asheboro 20/20 steering committee.

"In April 2004, I appeared before this Council, yes or no?" (Yes) "I told you what Bob Morrison did to me, yes or no?" (Yes) "And you chose to appoint him to chair the 20/20 steering effort anyway? (Yes)

Translation: Bob Morrison totes the water that Asheboro's city fathers hope to turn into alcohol. In return, his hospital is awarded public money (without so much as a vote) to fund a private project (not even related to primary care) he's fronting for Cone Hospital.

"It tells me all I need to know abut the Asheboro City Council, its ethics and its processes."