Scottsboro City Council Meeting 23 May, 2016

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

Jackson County Commission Regular Session May 23, 2016

Jackson County Courthouse, south side, photo by G. Morgan.

AGENDA

Click on image for an expanded view.

VIDEO

Jackson County Commission Work Session May 16, 2016 - End of Time for the B.B. Comer Bridge

South Side Jackson county Courthouse, Scottsboro, Al. photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

Click on image for an expanded view.

VIDEO

Ebenezer Baptist Church spokesperson asks the Jackson County Commission to straighten the road, claiming safety concerns. Google Map image, (Fair Use for non-profit news reporting.)

B.B. Comer Bridge - End of Time (You Tube public video by David Kennamer, Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary.)

Piece by piece the historic icon and engineering marvel is taken apart, like vultures picking the bones of a dead animal, sad.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting Work Session - Public Records Request - May 16, 2016

Scottsboro City Hall photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

2nd Records Request by Garry Morgan, 3 items: 1) Inspection of 

illegal employee investigation report requested by mayor, paid for with public funds, by personnel board member/unlicensed private investigator;  2) Insurance carriers loss control report on management problems/practices; 3) Inspection of financial documents, e.g. billings and payments to Lanier Ford Law firm for 2015 to date. 

VIDEOS

Public Records Disclosure Request

Deep Throat 10 - The Series Continues, Bad Governance, Illegal Activity, Sexual Harassment, Cover-ups, Failure of Transparency

Scottsboro city Hall, photo by G. Morgan

There has been a move to utilize a Huntsville area law firms to represent the City of Scottsboro and the City of Scottsboro School system. http://lanierford.com/ Lanier Ford is an excellent law firm, the reputation and quality of services of Lanier Ford is not the issue.

Mayor Potter, photo by G. Morgan

It is understandable for Lanier Ford to represent the Mayor of Scottsboro due to his indiscretions and unprofessional conduct as stated in legal actions filed against him. However, it is not understandable, nor sensible, for the City's legal services, including the school system, to be taken over for political reasons by a high dollar Huntsville law firm. Particularly when the law firm is serving to update Scottsboro's Personnel Handbook and the same law firm is representing Mayor Potter. The issue with Mayor Potter involves personnel failures and communications failure issues. Further employee disclosures have revealed allegations of harassment/sexual harassment continue and according to employees/officials disclosing information may involve discriminatory conduct by the law firm representatives.

It seems there are political involvements which probably include undue and questionable influences locally. The problem does not appear to be local attorneys competence or professionalism; the problem as demonstrated by historical actions are the result of  negligent, incompetent local politicians and political appointees, and now what appears to be corporate/political outside influences.

We have a criminal problem involving city officials, unprofessional activities problem, political problem and apparently a problem of corporate incursions in Scottsboro's political business instituted by long term political appointees and appointees who are now elected political officials under scrutiny due to misconduct as stated in legal documents and interviews. 

                       VIOLATION OF OPEN RECORDS LAWS

Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary. Credit: www.commoncausewisconsin.org; Florida Today-Parker,  Cloak of Secrecy graphic.

3 weeks ago I submitted records requests to the City of Scottsboro under the laws of the State of Alabama to view contracts the city has with the law firm of Lanier Ford. There are no contracts according to the City Clerk of Scottsboro. There is a 2013 agreement stipulating charges for services - attached (in part), which was provided me.

Page of agreement contains rates for fees, click on image for an expanded view.

I also requested documents for inspection related to the amount of public funds paid to Lanier ford for the year 2015 to date (paragraph attached), that was not provided. 

Paragraph in the records request for inspection of financial documents- payments to Lanier Ford, click on image for an expanded view.

Scottsboro City Clerk  Whitney Phillips, on left, supplied the Lanier Ford document agreement for service charges but failed to provide inspection times for financial discloures regarding payments to Lanier Ford Law firm, photo by G. Morgan.

Failing to provide public records is a violation of the laws of the State of Alabama Criminal Statutes, but this is not the first time elected and appointed officials of the City of Scottsboro have intentionally violated Laws of our State regarding the disclosure of public records. Paragraph 2 and 3 below of 13A-10-12 were intentionally violated by appointed and elected officials of the City of Scottsboro; the City is not transparent in the conduct of their business and not reflective of good governance. The failure to produce some of the records may be an attempt to cover-up wrong doing; apparently, some in our local and state government think laws are for all others than public officials..

Evidence demonstrates public officials practice criminal conduct and unprofessional activities as a practice in their operations locally. Worse, there is no effort to curtail the wrong doings of specific City of Scottsboro officials and their negligent activity. This unprofessional and illegal activity includes more than the failure to disclose public records, the public records requested in part would disclose unprofessional conduct and illegal activity. 

Unfortunately, broken state and local prosecutor branches of our government refuse to do any thing about intentional violations of open records laws by public officials when a citizen demonstrates concerns. Apparently public officials are above the law, at least that is how some of our public officials see themselves in practice - that ladies and gentleman is the precursor to a fascist, tyrannical government. 

Alabama rates a failure grade "F" regarding transparency ranking 48. When prosecutors and government officials believe they are above the law or have no reasponsibility to transparency or enforcing open government laws what should the citizens expect, broken, irresponsible government for politicians instead of the people.  https://ballotpedia.org/Alabama_Public_Records_Law

Right to Inspect a public record in Alabama: http://codes.lp.findlaw.com/alcode/36/12/3/36-12-40

Criminal  Law - Reference: Section 13A-10-12 - Tampering with governmental records.

(a) A person commits the crime of tampering with governmental records if:

(1) He knowingly makes a false entry in or falsely alters any governmental record; or

(-->2) Knowing he lacks the authority to do so, he intentionally destroys, mutilates, conceals, removes or otherwise substantially impairs the verity or availability of any governmental record; or

-->(3) Knowing he lacks the authority to retain a governmental record he refuses to deliver up the record in his possession upon proper request of a person lawfully entitled to receive such record for examination or other purposes.

(b) Tampering with governmental records is a Class A misdemeanor.

The elected and public officials of the City of Scottsboro should be warned - if it becomes necessary for me to sue for disclosure of public records I will bring forward the issues of personal negligence of officials who have violated the criminal statutes of the state relevant to these issues. When you violate criminal law intentionally, that is a negligent action. Consult an attorney for the meaning of that charge as it may apply to legal representation..

Transparency of our government is extremely important for our values of open government and that of our Republic to continue under our Constitution.

Alabama's records laws are plain and purposeful, there are exceptions to disclosure, but the exception must be stipulated in writing in any refusal to produce records. In the case of my Scottsboro records request there have been no exceptions stipulated in writing, worse the City Attorney has not been involved in the latest refusal to produce records. Apparently the refusals are originating from political officials in City Hall exclusively. 

There is much more to this story, I will not disclose all the details at this time as legal action may be necessary which will include the prosecuting of negligent individuals in civil action for refusing to provide records for inspection in violation of the criminal statutes of our state.

-->There is a bottom line - legal action does not have to happen. Provide for inspection what I have requested: 1) The illegal Bray Investigative report with photographs ordered by the Mayor and paid for by public funds. 2) The loss control report from the insurance carrier involving management shortcomings and or needs of the city which would prevent financial losses either to the people or the insurance carrier. The loss control report does not involve protected Workers Comp medical information protected by law (Workers Comp is a seperate report), this involves reports and suggestions regarding potential logistical, financial and/or administrative shortcomings of management and needed improvements. 3) Provide for inspection, documents which indicate all payments to Lanier Ford Law firm or their attorneys for the year 2015 to date.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting May 9, 2016

Scottsboro City Hall, photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

Jackson County Commission Regular Session May 9, 2016

South Side Jackson County Courthouse photo by G. Morgan

AGENDA

VIDEO

TVA Quarterly Meeting in Buchanan, Tn. on May 5, 2016 - More on Bellefonte May 6, 2016

TVA Board Meeting and Financial Report Video Segments

CEO - CFO Segments and media Q&A May 2, 2016 on TVA's FY 2016 Report


TVA Board Meeting, Dus Rogers, CEO Jackson Co. AL. Economic Development Authority


TVA Board of Directors, the vote - as the song says, "Who do you think you're fool'n?"

$4 billion dollars later and a sale estimate of $36.4 million, who was the appraiser?

VA President and CEO Bill Johnson says the 1,600 acre site will be sold at auction to the highest bidder. It has been appraised at $36 million." http://whnt.com/2016/05/05/tva-board-votes-to-sell-bellefonte-nuclear-plant-to-highest-bidder/

TVA Board continues their abandonment of the people of Jackson County Alabama. TVA's debt continues to grow due to nuclear power expansion, Watts Bar Nuclear and a Small Modular Reactor project is another river sinkhole up on the Clinch River near Oak Ridge, Tn.

TVA's decision is the result of gross negligence, debt and waste of ratepayer and taxpayer money for over 40 years. "Today's decision may be challenged by future revisionist” says Mr. Satz, TVA Board  member, I say an excuse for a continuous series of failed nuclear projects never intended on completion - Yellow Creek, Phipps Bend, Hartsville and Bellefonte, but filling the pocket-books of nuclear corporations, resulting in 26 billion dollars of power bond debt for TVA ratepayers. Not counting the potential for a $4 Billion loss in the Bellefonte Plant.

The truth about Bellefonte from a nuclear engineer in 13 minutes. Politicians and appointed officials thinking this cannibalized nuclear plant will ever go critical and produce electricity demonstrates the a failure to accept the reality of facts regarding the Bellefonte Nuclear Facility.  https://youtu.be/OV4KR8GAhTg


BREDL/BEST/MATRR, SACE and the Union of Concerned Scientists have been telling local leaders about the facts for more than 8 years. No one in local political power, elected or appointed, has the good sense to accept the truth. Instead, they buy the nuclear special interests propaganda and deceit. Facts from everyone which have demonstrated the risk of failure is huge - GAO, UCS, Rockbridge, American University School of Communications, GE CEO, NIRS and various news reporting agencies across the U.S. Still they hang on to nuclear promises of deceit. Government officials gross negligence has cost the TVA ratepayers in excess of $50 - FIFTY- Billion Dollars - $50,000,000,000.00, that amount does not reflect the entire future commitments as reflected by TVA's SEC 10-K Report; this also does not include the potential for the $4 billion $4,000,000,000.00 loss of Bellefonte to cover TVA bad management. http://bestmatrrmoneysink.blogspot.com/

Federal elected political and appointed officials in the executive and legislative branch of our Federal government, TVA Executives and Board of Directors have failed the citizens and caused serious harm to TVA itself.

Report on Bellefonte Usage - Public Comments  https://www.tva.com/file_source/TVA/Site%20Content/News/Bellefonte/Bellefonte%20Nuclear%20Plant%20Site%20Comment%20Report.pdf

BEST MATRR's Letter to the TVA

March 17, 2016

Dear Ms. Quirk and the TVA Board of Directors,

The members of BEST-MATRR recommend that you do not sell the Bellefonte property. We  again advocate for developing TVA’s Bellefonte site as a model utility-scale solar power plant,  with back-up generation provided by river turbines, wind, and/or hydro-storage capacity. We emphatically oppose the sale of this valuable TVA asset, because we think that is shortsighted  and would deprive future generation of this asset in order to reduce the debt that TVA has  amassed with its unwise nuclear expenditures at this site and elsewhere in the Valley – thus adding insult to injury for ratepayers in the Tennessee Valley.

TVA has made the proper decision in withdrawing the license applications for Units 3 and 4.  TVA should do the same with the construction licenses for Units 1 and 2.  For a detailed  analysis with the many reasons that Units 1 and 2 should never be finished go to the 2011  report prepared by the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy and Fairewinds Associates:   http://www.cleanenergy.org/wp-content/uploads/F_SACE_Bellefonte_Rpt_080911.pdf .

TVA was created to improve the well-being of Tennessee Valley residents through flood  control and production of electricity, to provide environmental stewardship for the Tennessee River Basin, and to lead the nation in energy innovation.

Rethinking development of Bellefonte gives the TVA an opportunity to lead this nation in  renewable sustainable energy, by using the installed grid and building on the infrastructure  already invested at the site. Bellefonte is a good location for both photovoltaic (PV) and  thermal solar dish-engine arrays, and could be a model plant for showcasing utility-scale solar  potential in non-desert environments.

Bellefonte is also ideal for providing sources of backup energy for solar from river turbine  generators powered by the swift current there or from pump storage hydro energy from the  mountain plateau directly across the river. There could even conceivably be heat storage  sinks in the existing empty reactor cavities, to store heat energy collected by thermal solar dish arrays for 24/7 heat engine Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) generation.

Thank you for your consideration and for your service.

Sincerely,
Stewart Horn, President
Gretel Johnston, Vice President/Secretary
Garry Morgan, Treasurer
BEST/MATRR
Bellefonte Efficiency & Sustainability Team (BEST)   Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation (MATRR)   best@matrr.org