Scottsboro City Hall, Scottsboro, Alabama.
Incumbent, Councilman Keith Smith, Place 4, Scottsboro City Council. 30 year employee of Scottsboro, ending as Police Chief and now City Councilman. ( I previously had stated 2 term Council member, that was incorrect, he had served as Council President for 2 years, prior to the current council President.) http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/index.php?option=com_contact&task=view&contact_id=8&Itemid=148
Garry Morgan, Candidate Place 4 Scottsboro City Council, offering "sensible leadership for Scottsboro's future, " standing beside the bear, representing my alma mater Baylor University, Baylor Bears. Qualifying begins Tuesday Jul 6, 2010. I have picked up my packet from the City Clerk. If elected I will not serve more than 2 terms as I believe in term limits, not life long political bureaucrats holding political office.The next meeting, a work session, will be rescheduled prior to the regular council meeting on 12 Jul, 2010.
The Daily Sentinel Report: http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=fcc70fb60fa1fb8b
Related blog post of Scottsboro's last work session: http://arklite.blogspot.com/2010/06/scottsboro-city-council-work-session.html Item not discussed or voted on in this council meeting discussed in the work session was the issue concerning Southern Grant Solutions and renewing the grant. The big issue was the Stop sign which was approved for the intersection of Laurel Street and S. Broad St. on the northwest corner of the Square.
The current city election approaches and as indicated in today's Daily Sentinel, http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=5ec42dd16a2d1a37 I will be running for office against Councilman Keith Smith. Mr. Smith has served Scottsboro for many years as Police Chief and is in his second term as city council member his term draws to an end. Mr. Smith has stated to me, "I beat Boatner and I will beat you." Maybe, maybe not, it will be for the good citizens of Scottsboro to determine that issue.
When times were tough for Keith and the City Council attempted to fire him I spoke in his behalf before the council, what the city council attempted, I believe, was fundamentally wrong. The City still has issues which have not been resolved relating to personnel management problems. Earlier than that situation, Chief Smith, performed a great service for our community and our family due to a loved one being assaulted, he made a crucial arrest. I will forever be grateful and have great respect for Keith's service to our city. If I had it to do over, I would stand up for Keith again in that situation before an errant City Council.
Keith and I have differences in the way and fashion we see local and broader political issues. I will highlight those differences and my plans to improve our city. 1) I think that there must be local change which must occur with the city's personnel system. I have a definitive plan for that improvement. Very experienced personnel management specialists have recommended the same change in prior investigations which I will bring to the table. 2) We must bring jobs to our city and we must market the city on a broader scale. a)I have a plan which will market Scottsboro across our nation. b)I also have an innovative plan to build our tourism industry which will assist us in marketing our beautiful part of God's Land as well as bring jobs.
TVA. 3) The TVA will most likely complete a radioactive nuclear power plant at Bellefonte. I have a fundamental disagreement with the TVA's actions and I find it very disturbing that members of our City Council and our Mayor have stated their support without verifying risks and the veracity of statements made by the TVA.
I have a plan which, -1 supports energy efficiency and conservation measures as the first line of providing increased power production in our area as well as an immediate increase of jobs. -2 in the plan is to construct a new, advanced 200 megawatt solar plant at Bellefonte along with an 800 megawatt combined cycle natural gas (CCG) plant The solar cells could be built locally at one of our industrial sites. The gas line could be brought in from Marion County, Tn. on existing TVA Right of Ways. Cost of the CCG plant $900 million dollars, cost of the line from Marion County, $150 million, cost of the solar facility $200 million; cost of completing Bellefonte as a nuclear facility $3.5 billion to $4 billion, this does not include insurance for atomic facilities, waste disposal costs, decommissioning costs and costs to the community for preparedness planning due to a radioactive atomic power plant being at our back door.
Total cost for completion of Bellefonte as a radioactive atomic power plant, $8 billion, total cost of a solar and gas facility, less than $2 billion dollars. Energy efficiency and CCG with solar will bring jobs faster, employing more local citizens. Atomic power construction and operations personnel require high level security clearances. The "atomic folks" will be coming from out of town. Solar, gas and efficiency measures will employ far more local folks who live here now.
The TVA has tremendous debt. This factor is not being considered by local and county political bodies. If the TVA, because of its tremendous, increasing debt folds local and county governments would be devastated. We in local government must encourage the TVA , for it to remain a viable entity for the people to reverse it course of deceitful management and continuous increase of its debt load. Again, afailed TVA will have devastating consequences for local government. For this reason alone local government must express heightened concern to our state and federal legislators. TVA must get their debt under control. Further building of radioactive atomic power plants increases TVA as well as national debt. Not to mention the increase in our electric power bill due to further nuclear construction.
I would never be in favor of anything as high risk as a radioactive atomic power plant which will strap future generations of Scottsboro and Jackson County's citizens for over a thousand years with highly dangerous spent radioactive atomic reactor fuel. The risk, cost and danger is far to great and totally unnecessary. The TVA and our city council has not been truthful to the citizens of Scottsboro about the downside, dangerous risks of radioactive atomic power.
Keith and I entered into a gentleman's agreement that we would not conduct a negative campaign of attacks. Unfortunately the attacks have begun on al.com http://www.al.com/forums/scottsboro/index.ssf Mr. Smith and I have had words over this issue Monday night, him accusing me of breaking our agreement and me accusing him of having his friends make disparaging, deceitful comments against me. I do not know where this will end, however I do know I will not stand by while I am attacked with slanderous, untruthful words.
It is my belief that Mr. Smith did not make the attacks himself, however it is my belief his supporters made the attacks for him. In discussing and reviewing other political contests with which Mr. Smith was involved this same type of political agenda was carried forth by Mr. Smith's supporters. In the case of the current political attacks they appear to be scripted, intentional, slanderous and deceitful.
It is my hope this political contest will be based on issues not personal attacks, unfortunately the attacks have begun. I am a fighter and will not ignore spiteful, hateful, malicious, deceitful, slanderous attacks from anyone, I will not just "roll over," I will counter all attacks and gain an understanding of why and who is initiating the attacks.
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