Alternative news and discussion for Scottsboro, Jackson County Alabama and the Tennessee River Valley as I see it. Responsible comments to articles welcome. As always, "Watch for Snakes," particularly those wearing suits.
JAMES MADISON QUOTE - 1822
"A popular government without popular information, or the means of acquiring it, is but a Prologue to a Farce or a Tragedy; or, perhaps both. Knowledge will forever govern ignorance; and a people who mean to be their own governors must arm themselves with the power knowledge gives."
Mike Ashburn (Credit - unknown photo of Mike Ashburn from web - Fair Use for non-profit news reporting) Mr. Ashburn will replace current Jackson County Chair Matthew Hodges on October 1, 2017 Mr. Ashburn is currently the Director of the Jackson County Emergency Management Agency
Current Chair Matthew Hodges recently resigned due to taking a full time job in Huntsville, Al. Mr. Hodges resignation date will be September 30, 2017.
October 21, 2017 The Scottsboro Band Boosters will host a Marching Band Competition.
more information to follow. Thus far it was reported that 6 teams have signed up for the competition, 7 minutes and 35 seconds into the video the presentation of the Band Boosters begins.
The 2017-2018 Scottsboro High School Marching Band (Fair use for non-profit news reporting, Scottsboro High School Marching Band.)
Take a close look at this bridge, the bridge and road repair was accomplished by professionals. Professional Highway Technicians of Jackson County Alabama that are underpaid. The citizens of Jackson County should be very proud of the staff of the County Highway Department for the people of Jackson County. But that is not all they should be proud of, all over the county we have First Responders, Peace Officers, County Civil Servants in the court house who work for the citizens of Jackson County.
There is much more you need to know, Jackson County receives no sales tax money and the TVA-in-lieu-of-tax has been cut by approximately 34%and it will continue to be cut. Take a closer look at that bridge, it represents Jackson County. Road and Bridge Infrastructure taxes, via fuel tax, has not been increased since 1994.
Jackson County's General Fund Budget this year will be $8.1 million dollars, 12 years ago the budget for the General Fund was over 12 million dollars, a cut of 4 million dollars between now and then, half the amount of the current General Fund budget. If your home budget was cut by 1/3rd how much of a problem would you have in paying your bills with inflation? But yet the county continues, one way it continues, the Emergency Operations funds, or the rainy day fund is tapped. Folks, if you want services you have to pay for it. You do not receive services for free. County budget videos and info via this blog: http://arklite.blogspot.com/search/label/Jackson%20County%20Commission%20Budget
A deceitful opposition to a county sales tax, lies were told, a PAC was formed by Republican Party extremists whose sole concern was power brokering for out of county industrial resources. Local citizens were suckered in to oppose the tax which would have served to boost industrial recruitment. The entire idea was to keep industrial recruitment resources, via funding, out of Jackson County, they were successful. Unfortunately local political powers were not willing to wage WAR against this deceitful faction. It cost us jobs, now you know the rest of the story! Here is one video and story of their deceitful planning, a PAC representing out of county industrial recruitment disguised: http://arklite.blogspot.com/2015/07/opposition-to-1-sales-tax-in-jackson.html
1) Public Hearing - Special Event Alcohol License, Susan Webb DBA Jackson Events LLC; this event is for the BBQ Cookoff
2) Resolution to raise subdivision and site plan cost/permit; raise from $150 to $200
3) 2017-2018 Employee Health Care and Life Insurance Contract
4) Equipment Operator 2 Job Description for Cemetery Department
All items were approved.
Meeting was continued until Thursday at 6PM for Budget Hearing at City Hall.
There were 3 delegations that met with the City Council.
1) Complaint regarding the property behind Maples Industry, brush has been allowed to get out of hand. This area is due west of Garden Drive.
2) Kelly Goodowen for the BBQ Cookoff, Tourism fund grant request for $3000; event to be held on Oct. 14, 2017. Request to block off Laurel Street on the Square related to the BBQ cookoff on Oct. 14, 2017.
3) Scottsboro Band Boosters, competition on October 21, 2017; request for Tourism Grant $5,500.
Jackson county Courthouse, south side. photo by G. Morgan
AGENDA
There were 2 commissioners present, 3 must be present for a quorum. Mr. Hodges and Mr. Guffey were present.
There was a budget hearing on September 4, 2017. I discussed the 2018 budget with the Commission Chair Matthew Hodges; the 2018 budget has not been approved, but preliminary indications are the budget will be $8.1 million with a $25-30K budget deficit.
All Rights Reserved for writings, video, photographs and art by Garry L. Morgan.
U.S. Copyright Office Fair Use Rule: "Section 107 contains a list of the various purposes for which the reproduction of a particular work may be considered fair, such as criticism, comment, news reporting, teaching, scholarship, nonprofit educational purposes and research. Link: http://www.copyright.gov/fls/fl102.html
Total "In the Boro" Pageviews
Scottsboro Police Department Web Site
""The police are the public, the public are the police. The police are the only members of the public who are paid to give full time attention to duties that are incumbent on every citizen in the interest to community welfare and existence." - Sir Robert Peel, 1829 https://www.scottsboropd.org/
The Sunlight Foundation uses cutting-edge technology and ideas to make government transparent and accountable. Click on image to learn more.
THE FEDERAL BUREAUCRACY
"I can say with confidence that the federal government needs a major overhaul. Don’t get me wrong, most public servants in government are highly educated and dedicated professionals who are committed to “the greater good.” At the same time, the government has become a bloated bureaucracy that is based on past conditions and in too many cases, federal programs and policies can’t demonstrate that they are generating real results that benefit the American people."
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David Walker President and CEO The Peter G. Peterson Foundation http://www.pgpf.org/ ; former, recently served for 10 years, Comptroller General of the United States and head of the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO).
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NPR's story on David Walker: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=124460237
"public intelligence"
"What is Public Intelligence? Public Intelligence is an international, collaborative research project aimed at aggregating the collective work of independent researchers around the globe who wish to defend the public’s right to access information." http://publicintelligence.net/
A Nuclear Engineer's Report on the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant
Danger Zone: Aging Nuclear Reactors
Incident at Browns Ferry (PBS 1977)
History of nuclear power safety issues which the 1975 Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant fire brought forward. This video has been censored by the nuclear industry. The trillion dollar multinational nuclear death industry prefers to keep you the citizen in the dark and feed you crap.
Renaissance artists including Michelangelo, Sandro Botticelli, Pietro Perugino, Pinturicchio and others. Click on image for a tour. Left click & hold mouse to move image.
Bellefonte Efficiency and Sustainability Team/Mothers Against Tennessee River Radiation http://www.matrr.org/
"TVA at the Crossroads" a SACE Film.
"America is at an energy crossroads and the Tennessee Valley Authority has a choice to make: Will it cling to old coal power because of its historic significance or will it retire its oldest, dirtiest and least efficient plants and lead America into a clean energy future?" TVA At The Crossroads from SACE.
****************************I'm GARRY MORGAN, a Christian, U.S. Army (AMEDD) retired, Race Relations/Equal Opportunity Specialist (U.S.Army, Retired DOD-DRRI-DEOMI) a citizen of Scottsboro Alabama, a Baylor University grad-Go Bears, a political activist and a political Independent as I believe political parties divide the citizenry whom they are suppose to represent. We must learn the lessons of our history or we will surely repeat our mistakes. I think the greatest problem facing our nation is the massive national and personal debt.
