Scottsboro City Council Meeting

Tonight was a work session meeting and was very short. 1) Discussion of early retirement benefits for approximately 9-14 Scottsboro employees. Incentive pay for the early retirement will range from a payment of $25K to payments of health insurance in the amounts of $300 per month for 7 years to $350 per month for 6 years. The exact number of employees that will take advantage of the early retirement offer is yet to be established but it was stated there will probably be between 9-14 employees. 2) Mr. Marvin Holcomb made a proposal to the city to maintain 3 boat ramps in the city for a fee of $500. 3) Council discussion concerning the proposed Grant Writer contract. 2 proposals have been received. A decision will probably be reached at the next council meeting. 4) Mayor and Council Members Reports: A) Communications Tower lease discussion. Happy Thompson has the current lease for 20 years at $300 per year. That lease is up for renewal. B) Storm debris cleanup is nearing and end. Slated to end by July 1, 2009. C) This weekend will be Scottish Days at the Goosepond Amphitheater.

Democrat Party, Censorship and Other Despicable Acts

The Democrat Party of Jackson County, like this picture of "Ole Boss Tweed," beating the poor, education and supporting ignorance and corruption. What rights will be "beaten" by the powerful Democrat Party? The party also has undue influence over local media, "al.com" Scottsboro forum,"al.com" is a publication of Advance Internet, part of the Advance Publications family of which the Huntsville Times and the Birmingham News is part of the family. Censorship occurs within the media giants discussion forums on behalf of the Democrat Party over the Courthouse Security Issue.

Political repression and no security takes place in this building. The site of the local repressive Bourbon and White Rooster Democrat Party whose Jim Crow political philosophy brought you the Scottsboro Boys, participation in political censorship and the philosophy that ignorance triumphs over education and good sense.

Local media tyrants participate with the Democrat Party thugs of repression to censor political speech on local talk and discussion forums, al.com, Scottsboro Discussion Forum. Post #6439, linking the poll on this site concerning Courthouse Security was removed yesterday after remaining there for 2 days.

The symbol, Democrat Party's Jack Ass on a ball, of political repression growing in our county, state and nation. The local Democrat Party participates in censorship of political speech I wonder how long it will be before they attempt to take personal firearms like the National Democrat Party is attempting.

>

What are the extremists of the Democrat Party up to these days. HR45: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h45/show Mandatory 5 year Licensing to own firearms.

HR2401: http://www.opencongress.org/bill/111-h2401/show This bill would further specify the scope of the Second Amendment by prohibiting individuals who are prevented from boarding an aircraft because they have been put on the TSA's no-fly list from selling, transferring, or possessing firearms or ammunition. While this may seem like an innocuous bill to some, the so-called "No Fly" list is a highly inaccurate collection of names of suspected terrorists and completely innocent citizens. Even Sen. Ted Kennedy was placed on the no fly list due to error.

>

An all out attack on gun ownership began several years ago. It has only become possible at this time to support the Marxist leanings of the social revolutionaries due to our current elected leadership. It is obvious that those who favor the Socialist Democracy over the Republic have no respect for the Bill of Rights and the meaning of gun ownership in our nation. By all appearances there are those who will attempt to disarm Americans thru the color of law.

>

Marxist love the Democracy, in Communist philosophy the Democracy is a prelude to the socialist state and eventually Communism. Karl Marx's quote on the issue, " Democracy is the road to socialism." Pay close attention to those who give the message of Democracy building, it is Democrats as well as Republicans. Building a Democracy has never worked, it is a lie and it is a prelude to a socialist state and control by a few called the Central Committee, part of the Communist doctrine. How many czars does Pres. Obama have at this time? http://www.examiner.com/x-12465-Washington-County-Independent-Examiner~y2009m6d12-Whats-with-all-these-Czars Seventeen, 17, the Central Committee model grows.

>

What else has President Obama been up to? Like some of our local Democrat crooks he doesn't like investigators prying into his crony's rackets. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090612/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_national_service_inspector_general

Moral to the story, politics takes precedent over law. Pres. Obama just another crooked Democrat supporting corruption?

>

Making matters worse, just the discussion of these issues results in folks being called a conspiracy theorist, crazy and a threat. Wake up folks and realize what is happening. It ain't a conspiracy, it is the destruction of our nation and individual rights as outlined in the Constitution all for a political party.

>

Unfortunately many national media corporations participate in the democratization of our nation by supporting ignorance. Many worthwhile news items are passed by or given little or no emphasis. Instead of reporting the news, many in the media supports the party line and publishes propaganda concerning political positions of the party line. It is news mixed with political propaganda, it is the way of the socialist Democratic state striving to support a majority position. An attempt to grab a majority thru propaganda, such is news in a Democracy.
>
Locally, the despicable conduct of the Democrat Party of Jackson County and its influence over local media rises to the surface. Posts linked on the al.com Scottsboro forum, http://www.al.com/forums/scottsboro/index.ssf?initial=true to this site, post #6439 Courthouse Security Poll were removed after remaining on the forum for 2 days. The poster zz99aa also appears to have received a temporary ban as if to say, "we will show you." It is impossible to have any type of open political discussion on al.com's forums due to intentional political censorship of topics. This has been a ongoing issue with Advance Publications, owner of the Huntsville Times, Birmingham News and "al.com." Allowing a political party and government officials to influence their content to the point of censorship of political topics demonstrates the tyrany of Alabama politics and unethical editorial practices of the previous mentioned media outlets.

Jackson County Courthouse Security Poll>>>

In the right column you will find a new poll on Jackson County Courthouse Security. The poll question and answers: What do you think about the Jackson Co., Al. Courthouse Security Plan?

>

Total Votes: 62 (3% error + or -)

--1. I favor only 2nd floor Security for the Courthouse where the Circuit Courts are located. Results for this question: 4--7%

>

--2. I favor securing the entire Courthouse by securing the 1st floor, 1 entry, other doors exit only. Results for this question: 36--58%

>

--3. No security is needed other than what exists presently. Results for this question: 7--11%

>

--4. Secure not only the Courthouse but also need perimeter security. Results for this question: 15--24%

>

WAFF-TV, Ch48 stories on Jackson County Courthouse Security. http://www.waff.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?vendor=wss&qu=jackson+county+courthouse+security

Update: Jun 12, 2009- Daily Sentinel article on Fire Marshall inspection. http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=6fea5092b35c520b

>

Please feel free to comment.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting

Old Business: The final 10% of the 2008-2009 City Budget was approved.

>

New Business: 1) Approved the Holiday Sales Tax Ordinance for August 7-9, 2009. 2) Approve the use of a small, 576 sq. ft. section of the Airport for a NOAA Weather Station. 3) Declaration of Surplus Property was approved for a sanitation trash compactor at Solid Waste.

Jackson County Commission & Courthouse Security

At the John Carter Brown Library, Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island there is a verse about the lessons of History inscribed on the front outside wall in large block letters, it says "SPEAK TO THE PAST AND IT SHALL TEACH THEE." Unfortunately members of our Jackson County Commission have failed to heed the lessons of history. When history's lessons are not heeded, that are often repeated.

>

The County Commission as a public body has lied to the people of Jackson County repeatedly concerning their financial ability to fund Courthouse Security. They have on previous occasions violated ethics and rules of law without being held accountable for their irresponsible actions. The citizens of Jackson County have received what they asked in the public officials they have voted into public office, some repeatedly. There will come a time when poor decision making and repeated flaunting of unethical, illegal and uninformed actions of the Jackson County Commission will result in costs to the people of Jackson County they can't afford.

>

Violating standards of government such as open meetings and records disclosure laws may seem like small, insignificant problems to some, but those small, insignificant problems disclose a larger systemic malady which if not corrected may result in the financial ruination of Jackson County for future generations. This lack luster attention to standards of practice concerning the function of our local county government brings us to this point in our history, NO SECURITY IN OUR COURTHOUSE. A serious issue in this day and time. An issue which 3 elected officials on the Jackson County Commission have failed to heed the lessons of their history. These 3 Commissioners place not the lessons of history into their decision making process, they place their own personal values of ignorance and a lack of leadership into the decision making process of our county government.

>

To live in historical ignorance is folly, our times require constant vigilance to insure the protection of citizens within our government's buildings and institutions. The most important vigilant assurances come from citizens. Citizens who are informed concerning issues, citizens who vote in an educated informed fashion, citizens who know their elected officials. There is nothing concerning the security situation at the Jackson County Courthouse that is surprising to me. I have been following the Jackson County Commission intently for the past 16 years. The sum of the decision making process of the local County Commission's leadership reflects the history of the Jackson County Commission, deceitful, lackluster, backwards, non-responsive, non-accountable, ignorant, lawless, unethical, irresponsible and now just plain stupid actions on several issues of vital importance. An uninformed citizenry has received their choice.

>

Local news coverage links of the events concerning Courthouse Security: http://thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=53e05a80e1c066ad other Courthouse Security issues from the Daily Sentinel: http://thedailysentinel.com/search.lasso?source_form=&all_of=Security&from_date=2009-05-11&to_date=2009-06-10&show=10&skip=0&nb_b64=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5uZXdzbGlicmFyeS5jb20vbmxzZWFyY2guYXNwP3JlZ2lvbj1nZG5iJnNvcnRfbW9kZT1kJTNBaCZhY3Rpb249c2VhcmNoJmRicXVlcnk9KCU1Q1NlY3VyaXR5KSUyMA==&nb_hits=0

WAFF-TV Report: http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=10498668&nav=0hBE

Huntsville Times: http://www.al.com/news/huntsvilletimes/local.ssf?/base/news/1242983757119090.xml&coll=1

http://www.al.com/mobilenews/articles/paper1.ssf?/base/news/1243934136145070.xml&coll=1
>

National Sheriffs Association Physical Security Checklist for Courthouses: http://www.ncsconline.org/D_Research/TCPS/Forms/Form_121.pdf

>

The U.S. Marshall"s Service reports the following most common weaknesses at county courthouses:
-no screening for weapons;
-public access directly into the judges’ offices; and
-unprotected access to utilities.

>

A search on Yahoo for a list of Courthouse Shootings reveals 2,900,000 entries. http://search.yahoo.com/search?p=courthouse+shooting+list&y=Search&fr=yfp-t-501&fr2=sb-top&xargs=0&pstart=1&b=21&xa=W6ig4FUq9xJrEtgkTY7Wkg--,1244719646 Coast to coast and in foreign lands Courthouse shootings occur. The Jackson County Alabama County Commission's failure to insure Courthouse Security is implemented, cancelling the Security Resolution then submitting an uninformed resolution which accomplishes creating more of a problem is nothing short of sheer stupidity. Even after Ms. Debra Parker and her Attorney, who has a civil case pending due to the last shooting at the Jackson County Courthouse, pleaded with the Commission to properly secure the Courthouse, the 3 Commissioners refused to act on the matter properly.

Scottsboro City Council Meeting and Work Session

Last night was a regular council meeting and a work session of the Scottsboro City Council. The regular Council meeting was a continuation of the meeting from May 26, 2008. Mr. Hodges was out on business, Mr. Thomas served as Council President.

>

Regular Council Meeting, Old Business: 1) Approval for the Mayor to sign contracts for the FEMA Cleanup due to storm damage. There was a bid opening for debris cleanup awarded to CTS for the amount of $6.25 per cubic yard of debris removed. 2) Asphalt Hot Box purchase approved for Street Department in the amount of $25,699.00.

>

Work Session: 1) Discussion of Sales Tax Holiday Ordinance to be held Aug. 7-9, 2009. 2) Presentation by Mr. Fred Wallingsford concerning the up keep of Finney Cemetery located off of Bob Jones Rd. near the old Temperance Hill School. Mr. Wallingsford asked for help from the city in maintaining the cemetery. Mr. Kennamer, City Attorney, stated he would need to do a title search to determine the owner of the property. Mr. Kennamer also mentioned that municipal property or services can not be given away due to state law. Mr. Speers and Mr. Thomas stated that the Boy Scouts would be contacted to determine if they could undertake the project. 3) David Thornell made presentation concerning his services as a Grant Writer. It was stated that there is $787 Billion available under the American Recovery and Investment Act. City Attorney stated that the contract for a Grant Writer would fall under professional services and would not require the bid process to take place. It was recommended that the the city "shop" for the least expensive service available for Grant Writing. 4) City Clerk announced vacancy on the Zoning Board. Contact Cathy O'Shields, City Clerk at 574-3100 if interested in this vacancy. 5) Discussion concerning early retirement incentives for several Scottsboro employees that are near retirement. Discussion concerning amount of money that would be saved from early retirements of city employees. It was stated up to $530K could be saved due to early retirements of city employees. 6) Joe Williams made presentation concerning the Weed Control Project on Roseberry Creek. He expressed concerns about damage to the fishery and Bass Fishing tours that have stated they will not return to Scottsboro due to the application of defoliants. 7) Citizen Presentation: Mr. Marvin Holcomb made a presentation concerning the declining condition of boat ramps at North Sauta Creek and Mink Creek. He requested assistance from the city in ramp maintenance for these areas. 8) Reports: Mayor Potter reported that the new Scottsboro Web Site is up and running. Link: http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/index.php?option=com_frontpage&Itemid=1 Check it out, looks great and is a positive reflection on the City of Scottsboro. The Mayor also reported that a property appraisal is needed for the old Police Station and the property behind the old police station.