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."
Bellefonte, from an unrealistic delusional dream, 4 nuclear reactors, to the Zombie Nuclear Reactors.
Photo in TVA, Environmental Assessment documents for Bellefonte Units 3 and 4. Fair Use for non-profit news reporting and commentary. Photo Crop and research provided by G. Morgan
ALL THINGS RELATED TO BELLEFONTE NUCLEAR POWER FACILITY ON THIS BLOG, LINK:
Quote Regarding the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant Cannibalization: "Dr. Bob Doggart, a former senior engineering specialist at TVA who now serves as the managing lead assessor for the British Institute of Nondestructive Testing LLC said. “To allow outsiders to come in and remove key equipment for virtually nothing was unbelievably foolish.” Chattanooga Times Free Press on March 29, 2009"
Quote (pg14): ". . . licensure and operation of TVA’s Bellefonte Units 1 and 2 pose a grave risk to public health and safety without an entirely new construction permitting process, Quality Assurance Program, and environmental data analysis. . . "
CURRENT NRC STAUS AND DOCUMENTATION ON THE LICENSE TRASFER
AUGUST 18, 2020 - CURRENT NUCLEAR REGULATORY COMMISSION INFORMATION ON BELLEFONTE
Latest Documents link Nuclear Development, LLC (ND) to Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) June 16, 2020 (note pages 120-126 of document; pages 211-222 pdf related to Quality Assurance):
Here we are again, a newly formed private corporation states it will purchase the 44 year old Bellefonte Nuclear Plant by early November of this year for $111 million dollars, $22 million dollars has been tendered to the TVA as earnest money toward the pending purchase. Preston Swafford, previously with TVA, currently the Chief Nuclear Officer with SNC Lavalin, primary nuclear engineering contractor for Nuclear Development LLC, briefs politicians, special invitees and the press on July 30, 2018 in a meeting sponsored by The Jackson County Economic Development Authority. Photo by G. Morgan
UPDATE: August 23, 2018 No Documented Loan Guarantee
No mention of DOE nuclear loan guarantees for Bellefonte in this June 2018 report, 60 days ago.
FROM CONGRESSIONAL RESEARCH SERVICE REGARDING FUNDING FOR ENERGY AND WATER DEVELOPMENT PROJECTS, FY 2019 FUNDING AND REPORT, Dated July 17, 2018, 30 days ago. Take note folks, there is no discussion of the Bellefonte project for 2019 appropriations from Department of Energy, DOE, regarding nuclear loan guarantees. https://fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/R45258.pdf
Bellefonte does not meet the requirements of the DOE Title XVII Nuclear Loan Guarantee Program as the Bellefonte Project DOES NOT, quote -
The political issues
involving campaign contributions by the owners of Nuclear Development, LLC, and
the structural integrity of the Bellefonte facility were brought forth to the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, NRC, during the public’s comment and question period.
The NRC gave no assurances
or definitive commitments that they could protect the public, which is their
mission, from unscrupulous political pressure. Statements that the NRC is an
independent agency regarding their political appointed commissioners are not
assurances in the current political climate.
The NRC did confirm there
are known serious problems with the structural integrity of the former cannibalized
nuclear plant. Note: Arnie Gunderson's, Fairewinds Report, video in the right column of this blog regarding the problems of Bellefonte's structural integrity and age related issues.
VIDEOS of Today's NRC Proceedings
Introduction and Tour - Part 1
VIDEO Recording of the meeting, Part 2 (Suggest you turn the sound all the way up, then adjust down if needed.).
Bellefonte Nuclear Brief Video from the Bellefonte Nuclear Plant - July 30, 2018
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An Associated Press News Report Video regarding this activity from July 30, 2016. Fair use of video for non-profit news reporting and commentary, video available on You Tube public access.
THE QUESTION, WHO WILL BUY THE POWER IF NUCLEAR DEVELOPMENT COMPLETES THE CONSTRUCTION, TVA? MO BROOKS PROVIDES DETAILS. RATE PAYERS SCAMMED ONCE AGAIN SO THAT PRIVATE CORPORATE CONCERNS REAP PROFITS FROM RATEPAYERS. SIMILAR TO TVA VARIABLE INTEREST DEBT, V.I.E, DEBT TRANSACTIONS. BUILD THE PLANT, SELL IT, THEN BUY THE POWER OR THE PLANT BACK. Trouble in North Alabama, his name is Franklin Haney - "Franklin Haney - Bible salesman turned billionaire . . . He buys politicians like the latest iPhones, and it doesn't matter their make or model. He slathered money on Barack Obama and Donald Trump ($1million), funded Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley's inaugural and the dark money group that paid his (Bentley's) sweetheart." https://www.al.com/news/index.ssf/2018/08/you_got_trouble_alabama_and_it.html
SHH, WE HAVE SECRETS - CONGRESSMAN MO BROOKS VIDEO
Jackson County Courthouse, North Entrance. photo by G. Morgan
AGENDA
Agenda items 2,3,4,5 - pertains to the Google Data Center Project as it relates to their property management proxy, Wiesner Enterprises LLC, approximately $60,000 donated to Jackson County for road entrance lighting and road access improvements including property transfer legal fees. Agenda item 7 - Road resurfacing contract bid awarded to Charles E. Watts, Inc. for $212,959.00. Agenda item 9 - appointment of Schools Safety Board member to disburse donations for County Schools Resource Officer funding.
Mr. Mashburn was absent; agenda items 3 and 4, payments
for equipment repair budget amendments for the Street and Sanitation
Department were tabled.3 citizens spoke
regarding alleged public nuisance issue, 2 citizens expressing
concerns involving neighborhood vacant property appearance due to alleged
neglect. The other issue involved Jackson County Transit Authority, bus service
times.
AN EXAMINATION OF FAILED LEADERSHIP, NEGLIGENT ACTIONS AND POLITICAL EXTORTION
Council Member Keith Smith stated he wanted to remove the Mayor from the supervisory chain of Mr. Eddie Blizzard, Department Head of Streets and Sanitation Departments.
Mr. Smith's Comments Video
Mr. Smith may suggest anything as a seated council member, he may not act in violation of the laws of the State of Alabama. It appears there is an intentional effort by Mr. Smith, Mr. Blizzard and outside influences to interfere in the legal day to day operations of the City of Scottsboro in a strange political extortion attempt by removing the Mayor of Scottsboro from supervising the Street Department and Sanitation Department Director/Department Head by attempted improper, if not unlawful action.
The City of Scottsboro has serious Personnel Policy issues created by past Mayors and City Councils. The current relationship between the current City Council and the Mayor is hampered by the actions of Smith, Blizzard and others who have a misguided, vindictive political agenda. This vindictive agenda does not have the best interests of the Citizens of the City of Scottsboro at heart.
IMPROPER/ILLEGAL CONDUCT
Documentation regarding Mr. Eddie Blizzard and Mayors actions.
(Click on image for an expanded view.)
HEALTH-DISABILITY OR CIRCUMVENTION OF PERSONNEL POLICY, LAW VIA A POLITICAL EXTORTION SCHEME
The sick leave excuse from Mr. Blizzard's attending physician should be called into question, it is not a physician's expertise to state that a hostile working environment is a reason to excuse an employee from work for medical reasons, for an indefinite period of time. The sick leave excuse now appears to be utilized by Blizzard and Smith as an unscrupulous plan to remove the Mayor from Blizzard's supervisory chain. If there is a hostile work environment, as Blizzard and Smith claim, this is a legal/personnel issue and there is no proof offered in the open council meeting that a hostile work environment exists.
Council Member Smith does not seem to realize what the resulting actions would be on the efficient operation of the City of Scottsboro, nor the requirements of law regarding the Mayor's responsibilities, duties, including fiscal responsibilities. The Mayor MUST NOT SET SILENT regarding these wrongful, attempted actions on the part of Blizzard, Smith and other unstated parties.
This question must be asked - Is there a serious medical problem regarding Mr. Blizzard, or is this a political extortion attempt? If Mr. Blizzard is suffering from some sort of stress or Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome (PTSD), shouldn't he be evaluated by a qualified person such as a Psychologist or Psychiatrist, then City Officials or appropriate authorities should consider permanent disability so that Scottsboro may fill the job if there is a true PTSD issue. If the issue is heart related, then a Cardiologist should provide input and permanent Disability should be considered if medical evaluation warrants. Has the Mayor caused this one Department Head all of these problems?
Because of Smith and Blizzard's actions, there should be a large question if Blizzard's problems are medically related or an action of unscrupulous political extortion?
LEAGUE OF MUNICIPALITIES, DUTIES OF MAYOR AND COUNCIL
This article from the Alabama League of Municipalities, The Duties of the Mayor and City Council, very clear and concise duties regarding the Mayor and Council including their relationship as stated by the Code of Alabama (Current Code References listed). http://trussville.org/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/Duties-of-the-Mayor-Council.pdf
UNNAMED SCOTTSBORO OFFICIAL SOURCE REPORT OF MEETING BETWEEN MAYOR SHELTON, MR. BLIZZARD, CITY ATTORNEY AND CITY COUNCIL PRESIDENT
Paraphrased quote from Mr. Blizzard: 'I do not work for you Mayor, I work for the City Council, you can't fire me.'
FAILED LEADERSHIP AND OVERSIGHT
It is beyond ridiculous that one person manages the Street and Sanitation Departments. This occurred as a result of unprofessional management practices of the former Mayor, a broken personnel management system, an uninformed City Council, and personal favoritism benefiting an unqualified employee by the former Mayor of Scottsboro.
The lack of a trained replacement, second in command in the Street and Sanitation Departments separately is a demonstration of a lack of leadership on the Department Head, Mr. Blizzard; fixing long time standing problems with equipment function and breakdown is the responsibility of the Department Head, Mr. Blizzard. The Mayor and City Council are also responsible for this failure of leadership and personnel management.
The failure to provide Capital Expense oversight for equipment replacement and repair is the responsibility of the Department Head, Finance Director, Mayor and City Council.
INVESTIGATION NEEDED
There should be a full investigation by an outside agency to determine if law was violated and-or if legal/criminal actions should be pursued, and the extent of problems in Scottsboro's Personnel Management which still exist and exasperate the current personnel and legal problem. The investigation should also determine if there is a valid or bogus medical claim regarding Mr. Eddie Blizzard.
Investigation should also include violation of Bid Laws of the State of Alabama. Information has been obtained from a source that the invoices listed below were all on one invoice. It has been reported that a Scottsboro City Official requested the breakup of the invoices so they would not appear to violate the State Bid Law.
SEPARATE ISSUES - PERSONNEL AND EQUIPMENT REPAIRS
Equipment Repairs
Five separate invoices with one date - July 17, 2018 All invoices are from one vendor, "Tractor and Equipment Company" of Birmingham Alabama, Decatur, Alabama location.
2) Invoice W21530 Same Equipment as above, bulldozer - Repair - broken bolts, removal of rock guard and rollers; cost $769.50
3) Invoice W21529 Same equipment as above, bulldozer - Repair - cab air conditioner and heater; cost $8868.47
4) Invoice W21528 Same equipment as above, bulldozer - Repair - radiator, clean, repair, re-core; cost $9126.92
5) Invoice W21526 Same equipment as above, bulldozer - replace undercarriage; cost $17,210.49
Total for this equipment repair, a 2006D61EX12 Crawler, Komatsu Bulldozer - $37,385.84
A similar Komatsu D61 Bulldozer Fair Use rights for non-profit news and commentary, photo by machinerytrader.com (photo crop by G.Morgan)
Click on image for an expanded view.
Invoice sample, there are 4 more multi-page invoice documents as noted above. Note date and time stamp, they are all the same, also note name as purchase order block.
CAPITAL EXPENSE PLANNING THROWN OUT THE WINDOW?
A question that must be asked, what has happened to the City of Scottsboro's Capital Expense Program planning?
AGENDA
A short Budget Meeting was held after the council meeting, the video will be provided later.
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.
