Jackson County Commission - Secretive Deliberations - Discretionary Fund - Jackson County Legislative Deleagtion - Involves Millions of Dollars

  

Treating the tax-payers like a money tree is nothing new for Alabama Legislators. Alabama Senate District 8 Republican Shad McGill and the Jackson County Legislative Delegation gives new meaning to a lack of openness in distributing Public Funds. The infamous "Discretionary Fund" raises its secretive, non-transparent hand once again. 

 

JACKSON COUNTY LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION SUED OVER QUESTIONABLE EXPENDITURES OF PUBLIC FUNDS  "The Legislature cannot ... execute the laws it enacts." Julian Butler of Huntsville is former County Commissioner Horace. Clemmons' attorney.

"SCOTTSBORO, Alabama -- Lawmakers for Jackson County violated the state constitution by setting themselves up as the Jackson County Discretionary Board, a four-man group in charge of millions of TVA dollars in an unrestricted account, according to a legal challenge filed Wednesday. " http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/01/sen_shadrack_mcgill_sued_over.html

 

 This is nothing new, as the previous Democrat Senator, Lowell Barron, had also utilized the public funds as a reelection tool. Up until recently Senator McGill and the other legislators had been quite about the funds distributions. As we approach election season pictures are appearing. Seems that Mr. McGill and Mr. Barron have the same self interests. Senator McGill being the fine principled politician would never hide the deliberative process on the distribution of public funds-right? We shall see come Tuesday October 22 at 2PM. The County Commission Chairman, Mr. Matthew Hodges indicated the Delegation Office was supposed to issue a press notice. I've not seen one, but I appreciate Mr. Hodges informing the public of this meeting as it was unannounced until last Tuesday. 

The Jackson County Commission passed a resolution Tuesday, October 15th to place a member of the commission on the Discretionary Fund Committee. Mr. Hodges places the Issue before the Commission for a vote. Agenda and other issues posted below.

 

LEGISLATIVE DELEGATION PURCHASES BUILDING-THEN EXPECTS THE COUNTY TO PERFORM UPKEEP ON THE OFFICE SPACE "SCOTTSBORO, Alabama -- State lawmakers from Jackson County have taken the unusual steps of incorporating as a nonprofit and buying an office building on the courthouse square in Scottsboro. The trio of lawmakers last summer bought the pink brick building, formerly a nail salon, with $100,000 that lawmakers awarded to themselves out of TVA-in-lieu of tax payments. The delegation members in Jackson County also provided themselves $2.3 million last year to hand out to private and public agencies without restriction." http://blog.al.com/wire/2013/02/jackson_county_lawmakers_passi.html   

The creation of a not-for profit entity for the distribution of public funds gives new meaning to abusing law and public position - particularly when those public funds are utilized for their reelection and wasting of public funds.
                                                                        
                                                                        AGENDA

 

VIDEO of Commission Meeting

Alabama Senator Shad McGill (State Senate district 8 Republican), Caviar, Paddlefish, Russians, Department of Justice, Teachers, Religion and Politics

The Paddlefish used to be plentiful in Lake Guntersville and on the mighty Tennessee River, including other waters in the State of Alabama. The species is now threatned primarily due to the Caviar Industry which harvests the fish, takes its roe then sells it on the open market as Russian Caviar. Siltation of the river and tributaries is also a factor in the species decline.(photo by Alabama Dept. of Conservation Polyodon spathula, Paddlefish or Spoonbill Catfish)

Department of Justice Photo of caviar tin which was not as advertised. The contents when tested for DNA revealed the roe was that of American Paddlefish, a protected species.

Prosecution of cases by the Department of Justice concerning fraud ...and the taking of protected species: http://www.justice.gov/enrd/3367.htm "The undercover agent, in cooperation with Sutton Place, purchased caviar from Connoisseur Brands, which was then DNA tested by the FWS National Forensics Laboratory in Oregon. The DNA results showed that the vast majority of Russian Sevruga caviar – one of three types of commercially available caviar – purchased from Connoisseur was in fact fish eggs from the American Paddlefish, a protected species indigenous to the United States and found in the Tennessee and Mississippi Rivers. "

Recent Paddlefish Caviar Prosecution: "CINCINNATI, Ohio, January 17, 2012 (Environmental News Service) - Two Kentuckians and their caviar companies pleaded guilty today in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Ohio to trafficking in and falsely labeling illegally harvested paddlefish, Polydon spathula. Steve Kinder, along with his wife, Cornelia Joyce Kinder, both of Owenton, Kentucky, owned and operated Kinder Caviar Inc. and Black Star Caviar Company. Those companies were in the business of exporting paddlefish eggs as caviar to customers in foreign countries." http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/jan2012/2012-01-17-093.html

Alabama State Senator Shad McGill's statement in the Dekalb County Times Journal- (State of Alabama photo of Senator McGill on left) ""McGill said one bill he was developing was to open the state's waters to the harvesting of American paddlefish. McGill said the fish's roe sold as caviar and sells for as much as $90 a pound. "I'd never heard of a paddlefish," McGill said. "Some foreigners might like it, I'm not sure. I'm drafting legislation for this. It has the potential to open up thousands of jobs."" http://times-journal.com/news/article_bf20e02c-4b94-11e1-804b-0019bb2963f4.html  (Legaly obtained American Paddlefish Caviar sells for aprroximately $80.00 per 3.5 oz container. A similar size of Russian Beluga Caviar sells for approximately $700.00; reference Amazon.com search)

Senator McGill wants to open up thousands of jobs based on illegal activity?? It is illegal to possess or take Paddlefish from Alabama waters. There is one exception, that is the commercial spawning of the fish in grow out ponds as licensed by the Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. http://www.outdooralabama.com/fishing/freshwater/fish/paddlefish/reg.cfm
(From the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources: "220-2-.94 Prohibition of Taking or Possessing Paddlefish (Spoonbill): It shall be illegal to take or attempt to take paddlefish (spoonbill) from all public waters of Alabama by any method or to possess paddlefish (spoonbill) or any part of a paddlefish (spoonbill). Any paddlefish (spoonbill) accidentally captured shall be immediately returned to the waters from whence it came. This regulation does not apply to commercially packaged paddlefish (spoonbill) products imported from out-of-state or to paddlefish (spoonbill) cultured at hatchery operations or grow out ponds permitted through the Commissioner,  Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.")

DeKalb County Times Journal Editorial: "Paddlefish Bill is a bad idea" http://times-journal.com/opinion/article_2ab7f274-4b97-11e1-94b4-0019bb2963f4.html

McGill's proposal involves illegal activity of  "harvesting of the American Paddlefish from state waters." Appropriate authorities should be asking who has put McGill up to this scheme and has there been any money exchanging hands in this schemes development?


UPDATE: Feb. 7, 2012
Senator McGill on Religion and Teachers pay.

More on Senator McGill from WAAY TV http://www.waaytv.com/news/content/vote/story/McGill-Responds-to-Controversies/ECx6gqrHuE26PKjFRxlCWQ.cspx

Dekalb Co Times Journal  http://www.waaytv.com/news/content/vote/story/McGill-Responds-to-Controversies/ECx6gqrHuE26PKjFRxlCWQ.cspx

More: ""I don't believe you keep God out of state. Church represents the body of Christ, Christ being the head of that body. No, I don't believe in that separation," said Sen. McGill."

http://www.waaytv.com/mostpopular/story/Jackson-County-School-Board-Sides-with-Bible-Man/9L6CFjmae0WrdqgZi-StQA.cspx

 Thomas Jefferson interpreted the 1st Amendment in his famous letter to the Danbury Baptist Association in January 1, 1802: "I contemplate with sovereign reverence that act of the whole American people which declared that their legislature should 'make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof,' thus building a wall of separation between church and State."

Jackson County Commission

Senator McGill at the Jackson County Commission meeting. Senator McGill commented on his first experiance in Montgomery, "very humbling, like a 12 year old's first trip to Disney World." http://thedailysentinel.com/news/article_5ba94d3e-e918-11df-922e-001cc4c002e0.html

Senator Shadrack McGill delivered the invocation at today's Jackson County Commission meeting after an introduction by Chairperson Sadie Bias..

Jackson County Commission Meeting Agenda. (click on image for expanded view)

Reference item F under new business. After the meeting I inquired of Ms. Bias, Chairperson Jackson County Commission how the money appropriated to the Chamber of Commerce would be utilized. Apparently a feasibility study is necessary for a new business prospect which is looking to move into our area. She suggested I call Mr. Bailey at the Chamber of Commerce for more information. According to Ms. Bias the Legislative Delegation will be contributing a similar amount for this study. The Mayor of Scottsboro commented there had been no decision made concerning their portion of a feasibility study.

Election to Watch, Senate District 8

The Barron(D)--McGill(R) election for District 8 Alabama Senate will be the election to watch come November. Will the Tea Party organization and Jackson County Patriots, both Republican organized, make a difference in the upcoming November election?
>

Jackson County has been a traditional ultraconservative Democrat bastion. The political attacks pointed at President Obama via Fox News and other Republican Party mouthpieces are effective. The Democrats have done a terrible job countering the attacks of the Tea Party/ Republican Party propaganda mouthpieces. The Democrat counter arguments have been fractionalized and noneffective. The Democrats lack luster counter arguments concerning protecting the conservative wing, Blue Dogs, (Senator Barron) will be costly this November. I think the District 8 election will be separated by less than 500 votes.
>

The Ballotpedia site lists stats on past elections and other info on Senator Barron. http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Lowell_Barron
>

What is interesting to note is the necessary numbers to win an election. The magic figure is 17,400, less than 2500 votes separated Barron and Stout in the last election. With less than 60 days out from the election I've seen Shad McGill ads on TV, his wife and children made a showing at the Labor Day First Monday event, not much visibility from Senator Barron at this point.

>
Senator Lowell Barron's Site: http://senatorbarron.org/

Mr. Shadrick McGill's Site: http://www.shadrack2010.com/