(article updated Wed., Oct 19, 2011)
Tonight was a City Council Work Session. 1) Taxi Cab discussion. The current Scottsboro Ordinance dates back to 1945 according to Mr. Kennamer, City Attorney. The history of the old ordnance relates to the bootlegging of liquor by the local taxi service. It was suggested the council repeal the current city ordinance and rely on the state law regarding insurance, license and background investigations. The Business License Ordinance will need to be updated regarding taxi cabs.
2) Discussion concerning vacating city property next to Randy Thompson, a gravel road involving 9/1000 of an acre on the corner of Hancock Rd. and Bob Jones Rd. A public hearing on this issue will occur next Monday.
3) City Right of Way discussion by Vickie Everett involving the Willow Chase Homeowners the Everett's and the City of Scottsboro. Essentially the city owned the property and there was a problem with visual clearance. Property exists on Wynn Rd and Willow Chase.
4) More on the continuing saga of Golf, Plantation Point and Goose Pond Colony. To highlight, Mr. Arthur Davis accused the President of the Scottsboro Parks and Recreation Board, Mike Bagget, of alleged "Criminal Conflict of Interest" as the Vice President of the First National Bank and Board President of the Parks & Recreation Board regarding loans issued to the park from the bank.
Mr. Davis and City Council Member Keith Smith have expressed concerns because the Park Board is closing Plantation Point during the winter months and cutting hours. The Board says they can not afford to keep the Plantation Course Open. Davis and Smith claim mismanagement, lack of advertising and allege criminal conflicts.
Mr. Davis stated losses of money in areas such as the Snack Bar of $139,500 as evidence of mismanagement since 2008. The Park Board has stated they will lease the snack bar.
Mr. Davis mentioned another revenue loosing operation was the Docks Restaurant. He suggested the restaurant should be leased for $2000 per month, it is currently leased for $600 per month. Davis went on to say this has resulted in a loss of revenue of $154,000 over the years.
Mr. Davis also stated the current manager of the Goose Pond Colony facility is not qualified.
The bottom line, Mr. Davis called for the removal of park board members and requested the States Attorney General provide advice on removal of the Park Board. Council Member Smith also said he would request formally an Attorney General's opinion at the next meeting.
The former Judge continued on chastising the current City Attorney and the Park Board Attorney for allowing the City Finance Officer to be placed as Chairman of the Park Board 8 years ago.
8 years ago Goose Pond Colony was in serious trouble. There was missing equipment, giving away of services and goods. The complex was near Bankruptcy, according to reports, vendors refused to extend credit to the complex.
The City Council at that time developed a plan to place the City Finance Director as chairperson of the board in the attempts to "save" the complex from bankruptcy. The plan violated law, but accomplished the job. I filed an Attorney Generals complaint concerning the misapplication of power regarding the incident. The City Finance Director performed a fantastic job of preventing the GPC complex from a sure failure. The problem at that time was secrecy, there was no explanation of why it was necessary to place the Finance Director over the park board. All of that is "water under the bridge." The current Park Board has worked tirelessly to manage the facility back into a state of finacial health from a bankruptcy situation.
I spoke to the City Council last night asking the Council to work through this problem for the benefit of the citizens. I suggested to them the council and park board form a seperate corporation to manage Plantation Point as allowed by law.
When the Council President asked if their were any questions, Council Member Keith Smith made a pointed comment to me, "I read what you write all the time (refering to me), you want to send politicians to jail, you complain about all politicians, why are you changing now?" Mr. Smith is wrong and has a problem, in my humble opinion. Unfortunately, Mr. Smith seems to forget the facts in this situation, as he was embroiled in a golf controversy while he was the police chief.
I reminded Mr. Smith he was Police Chief during the time of missing equipment and misappropriation of goods and services over 9 years ago, complaints were filed. However, the Scottsboro Police Department or the Attorney Generals Office would not investigate the problems which were occuring at Goose Pond Colony.
It was obvious Smith did not like my suggestion the Park Board and Council resolve their problems.
Time on the Golf Course-flashback: Former Mayor Dan Deason attempted to discipline the then Police Chief Smith. According to the former Mayor, "the police chief (refering to Police Chief Smith) spent many, many hours at the golf course when he should have been working." Mayor Deason was not successful in any meaningful personnel action to correct Mr. Smith's "working golf game."
There is more to Goose Pond Colony than Golf. Councilman Smith and others attempt to manipulate the system when it fits their personal need, this time it is golf. For Councilman Smith manipulation has been seen previously; examples: as police chief - playing golf on public time and insubordination; as a politician - the Civic Center at Goose Pond Colony, City Audits, the North Goose Pond Island development versus industrial jobs and now golf at Plantation Point are areas where Mr. Smith has been embroiled in mud slinging for political and personal purposes.
The Scottsboro City Council and the Scottsboro Parks and Recreation Board would do well to resolve this problem in a positive fashion without a continuous creation of problems. I'm pretty sure there are cans of the "proverbial worms" relating to unethical conduct that have not been opened.
The Daily Sentinel article on Monday night's council meeting. http://thedailysentinel.com/news/article_9407f2aa-f9e0-11e0-851f-001cc4c002e0.html
Do your jobs public servants and resolve the problems at GPC and the Point for all of the citizens, not just the few golfers!
No comments:
Post a Comment