Scottsboro City Council Work Session

Scottsboro Police Department and City Jail

Monday night work session agenda. 1) Discussion on review of CDA, Commercial Development Authority, applications. Appointments will be made for next Monday. 2) Discussion on reclassification of Department Heads from appointed officials, non-classified, to hired officials classified. There are two positions within city government that must be appointed, non-classified positions, the City Clerk and the Police Chief. 3) Discussion on Public Hearing for new Zoning Ordinace. Zoning Ordinace draft may be viewed at http://www.cityofscottsboro.org/index.phpoption=com_content&task=view&id=121&Itemid=207

4) Discussion on whether sale of old Police Department building should be by sealed bid or public auction. 5) Solid Waste Methane Recovery Project discussion, CDG Engineering proposal brought forward. Related to the Solid Waste Department, an ADEM Grant has been approved for Scottsboro's Recycling program. The grant amount is unknown according to Mr. Blizzard.

Citizen Remarks: Mr. Marvin Holcomb requested a contract be approved for him to mow the city boat ramps. This is the third time Mr. Holcomb has requested he be paid to mow the boat ramps in the city limits.

Reports: 1) Boy Scout Troop 220 delivered the Pledge of Allegiance, Mr. Spears gave a special recognition to the Scouts. 2) Fire Department received a $24,000 cost share grant for the purchase of new equipment. 3) Mr. Smith: "We hope the CDA (Commercial Development Authority) will be successful... some have had negative comments about the CDA. We all win if the CDA is successful and we all loose if it is not.

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TVA, Tennessee Valley Authority, Board Meeting April 16,2010, TVA Debt and Environmental Stewardship

TVA Board met in Knoxville, Tn. on 16 April, 2010. Bellefonte Nuclear Plant discussed.

New Board Chairman effective May 18, 2010. Dennis Bottorff of Nashville, TN, serves as chairman and partner of Council Ventures, a venture capital firm. He was chairman of AmSouth Bancorporation in Nashville until his retirement in 2001 and previously was chief executive officer of First American Bank. His term expires May 18, 2011.

Current TVA Board Chairman Mike Duncan resigns effective May 18, 2010. Chairman Mike Duncan of Inez, KY, is chairman, chief executive officer, and director of Community Holding Co.; chairman, CEO, and director of Inez Deposit Bank. He is a director of the regional Center for Rural Development. His term expires May 18, 2011. Chattanooga Times Free Press article of chairman change. http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2010/apr/16/tva-elects-new-chairman/?breakingnews

TVA Board Meeting April 16,2010 video link may be found at http://www.tva.gov/abouttva/board/ Scroll down to the April 16 Board Meeting, click on the video link.

The following is my 3 minute presentation made to the TVA Board during their listening session for TVA Stakeholders..

"Honorable members of the TVA Board, this opportunity to speak before you is greatly appreciated. My presentation today concerns TVA Debt and Environmental Stewardship."

"TVA Executive Management is requesting the debt ceiling be raised from the mandated Congressional Cap of $30 Billion dollars to an undisclosed increase in the debt ceiling."

"TVA's debt is approximately $23 billion, debt interest is $22 billion, long term commitments and contingencies are approximately $66 billion which includes debt and debt interest. These are the figures reflected in TVA's February 2010 10Q quarterly Financial Report filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission."

"Ladies and Gentleman of the TVA, to raise the debt limit to an undisclosed or for that matter any increase is unacceptable."

"The TVA Act requires you to produce affordable power for citizens of the TVA area. You do a wonderful job at keeping the lights on and the machines running. You know and I know that upgrades of current power production facilities are needed."

"With current trends of decreased electricity demand can you afford to proceed with the astronomical cost of nuclear power?Don't you think 800 mega watt combined cycle natural gas plants are far more economical?"

"The TVA Act requires environmental stewardship of the natural resources under your purview. Ladies and gentleman of the TVA you are lacking in this critical area."

"You have neglected your coal fired plant operations to such an extent engineering failures have occurred and polluted the resources which you are responsible. That is not all you have neglected."

"You have neglected the fishery by not controlling aquatic nuisance weed species. Your neglect in this area has resulted in environmental vigilantism by private citizens attempting to poison and control aquatic nuisance weed species on Lake Guntersville in Northeastern Alabama. "

"It is your responsibility to control nuisance aquatic species. TVA's failure to do so has resulted in the uncontrolled use of poisons on Lake Guntersville. TVA should be partnering and working with the Alabama Department of Conservation and Alabama's Aquatic Nuisance Species Task Force to resolve this complicated problem. Why are you not working in a partnership to facilitate a long term solution to the weed control problem on Lake Guntersville instead of encouraging environmental vigilantism?"

"Our local legislators have informed the community that poisons such as battery acid, anti-freeze and even military defoliants are being dumped into Lake Guntersville to control aquatic nuisance weed species."

"Please be responsible and fulfill your environmental stewardship responsibilities."

"Do not raise the debt ceiling, get your debt under control."

"Thank you for your time."

The big questions, does anyone care that the TVA has a massive debt and they are failing to meet their environmental stewardship reponsibilities?

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Jackson County Commission-COMMISSION ABOLISHES AUTHORITY OF JACKSON COUNTY PARK BOARD-Mediation Secrecy!

Jackson County Park Board. After today's Jackson County Commission meeting there is a big question concerning the existing Jackson County Park Board and park employees. The County Commission is incapable of taking care of their business, now they must mess up the rest of the county. If last years storms did not create enough damage, the county commission now inserts their incompetency into the county parks business. Mr. Allen and Mr. Smith did not vote to further exasperate the county parks problems. Mr. Clemmons, Mr. Stone and Ms. Bias were the decision makers in this problem creation.

Have you incompetent rascals of county government not messed up county government enough? Now you attempt to destroy the park as well!

Remember your current Jackson County Commission come election time. From left to right: Mr Gaylen Stone, Mr. Horrace Clemmons, Ms. Sadie Bias-Chairperson, (Ms. Sandra Erickson is our County Administrator seated between Ms. Bias and Mr. Smith, we are very fortunate to have Ms. Erickson. I shudder to think of the condition of our county government without her expertise.) Mr. Jack Smith, Mr Jack Allen.

Note item N on the above image. Seems the commission decided on more than procedure and decorum in the mediation session. (Click on the image to expand view.)

The big news for today's County Commission meeting, Commission abolishes authority of Jackson County Park Board. Mr. Stone and Mr. Clemmons voted for a resolution to create a Jackson County Parks and Recreation Board, managing all parks within Jackson County, Mr. Smith and Mr. Allen voted no on the resolution, Ms. Bias broke the tie vote. The decision also included extending all employees and contracts for the Jackson County Park for the period of 30 Days. After that, who knows?? (It has been revealed the statement by the county attorney extending contracts and employees for 30 days was all smoke and mirrors. The Park Boards attorney, Mr. Gary Lackey, revealed at the Apr. 28th Park Board meeting there is no extension of contracts or employees.)

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The County Attorney responded to questions after the meeting concerning this issue. The resolution passed will terminate/abolish the authority of the current Jackson County Park Board. However, the current Park Board will remain in place but have no authority. In its place the County Commission will appoint a county wide park board to manage all Jackson County Parks. The resolution, according to the County Administrator, can not be released until after the next regular commission meeting.

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In other SOUR news from the county commission circus. Apparently the mediation which took place resulted in other decisions not so ordered by Judge Holt. Seems there were changes decided upon concerning the Jackson County Personnel Policy. The sole purpose of the mediation was to work out commission decorum and proceedures policy in accordance with the laws of the state. According to today's agenda, item N on the agenda page pictured above, the mediation went beyond that scope and apparently a decision was made to amend the personnel policy of the County Commission. The formal decision today was merely a rubber stamp action.

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The Alabama Open Meetings Law requires all deliberations be performed in the open meeting. Apparently a new loophole for secrecy has been discovered by our elected politicians. I do say politicians, leaders they are not, creators of costly problems and subversion of open government under the pretense of mediation is the new avenue for secrecy. It is this writers opinion the Jackson County Circuit Court bares part of the responsibility in this action.

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Mediation, the new tyranny of government action, our local county court and county commission devise plan of secrecy. The county courts and the commission have a history of secrecy. Since when have mediation rules enabled violations of Alabama's Open Meetings Act? What's next county commission and courts, more secret decision making?

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How much damage will this commission cause to our local county government?

County Court and County Legislative Body schemes of secrecy, there have been stern warnings about legislative interaction with the judicial branch of government. The court's decision allowed the government body to conduct deliberations in secret. A clear violation of the Open Meetings law. The commission's agenda, item N, is prima facia evidence supporting the claim.

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UPDATE: April 15, 2010, Articles link from Scottsboro's Daily Sentinel. "Its a Merry-Go Round "http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=3955295bf40909ee

"Commission Reverts to Old Personnel Policy" http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=9669f385a4c481c1

Scottsboro City Council

The Scottsboro City Council meeting consisted of a work session and a short, continued, regular meeting to accept a bid to remove trees from the cemetery.

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Work Session: 1) County Park Manager, Carl Barnes, discussed the Cat Fish Festival and requested $1000 in support of the event. The 10th Annual Cat Fish Festival will be held May 15th 2010. 2) Yours truly, Garry Morgan, requested the vendors of 1st Monday be refunded half the money paid for spot rental. The current City Ordinance, # 502, states spots are to be rented for $5 per spot. However, the Mayors Office began charging $10.00 per spot without authority to do so as the new ordinance reflecting the change in First Monday Fees has not been codified. The vendors have been overcharged for their spots.

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Council Member Keith Smith, in last evenings and other sessions when I spoke, attempted to intimidate me for my requests to the council concerning First Monday. On previous occasions Mr. Smith has stated the First Monday Event is "more trouble than it is worth" and accused me of being an "Obama Czar" for attempting to preserve the First Monday event. Councilman Smith has not been seen at First Monday except during election time. Mr. Smith's intimidation attempt was in response to a previous article on this blog. http://arklite.blogspot.com/2010/04/mayors-office-of-scottsboro.html It is apparent to this writer Mr. Smith is only concerned about how HE PERSONALLY sees this historical Scottsboro event and is not concerned about any benefit the First Monday event brings to the City of Scottsboro.

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3)Funding for the Scottsboro Boys Museum. Ms Sheila Washington made a presentation and answered questions from council members concerning this project. Museum staff have until the 15th of April to purchase the building or the leadership of the United Methodist Church have stated they will sell the building. 4) Mr. Rick Wheeler made presentation concerning GASB 45 reporting requirements. 5) Discussion concerning changing some Department Head positions from appointed-unclassified positions to classified positions, hired as any regular, classified employee. 6) Discussion of surplus property at the Solid Waste Department. 7) Reports: Mr. Gene Airheart received the Bronze Star Medal for his actions during World War 2 at 4PM at City Hall prior to the council meeting. Article from The Daily Sentinel: http://www.thedailysentinel.com/story.lasso?ewcd=4dd49be32140c4f8

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Regular City Council meeting continuation from March March 22, 2010: There was one item on the agenda, bid approval for Cedar Hill Cemetery tree clearing. The contract was awarded to A-1 Tree Removal.

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NRC calls into question safety issues at Bellefonte, denies hearing in favor of TVA and Nuclear Construction Industry.

Today the Atomic Safety and Licensing Board of the NRC, Nuclear Regulatory Commission, ruled, the Blue Ridge Environmental Defense League, BREDL, and the Southern Alliance for Clean Energy, SACE, had failed to prove any charge that would require a hearing, however the NRC admits several concerns but decided in behalf of the nuclear construction industry and the TVA while ignoring the facts of a stripped and decaying 4 decade old nuclear plant. The NRC agrees there are several safety concerns, admitted in their conclusion, but ruled in favor of the nuclear industry and the TVA in typical NRC RUBBER STAMP action. (Knoxville News Sentinel link: http://license.icopyright.net/user/viewFreeUse.act?fuid=Nzc4Mzc4Mg )

The NRC states in their conclusion: "...the apparent absence of any AEA, Atomic Energy Act, adjudicatory process applicable to the already-approved TVA request to place the [Bellefonte] units in deferred status, as well as any forthcoming TVA request to resume plant construction...and the application of the largely-superseded reactor licensing process have the overall effect of “backloading” a number of issues of potential significance to the safe and environmentally-responsible operation of Units 1 and 2."

"[Petitioners state] areas of concern, one of the most prominent undoubtedly being whether the facilities, which were not subject to the NRC’s deferred plant maintenance and preservation requirements for several years and from which various safety-related items such as steam generator tubing and reactor coolant piping have been removed, ultimately can be restored and completed in a manner that is fully consistent with the agency’s QA/QC and safety requirements."

Bureaucratic "double talk." The NRC admits there are issues of high risk and safety related to the stripped reactor units but refuses to identify or list specific action to insure safety. They readily and boldly admit the quality assurance, control and safety requirements are lacking.

The NRC further recommends: 1) "Bellefonte units cannot be treated as “business as usual” facilities;" 2) "complete transparency on the part of TVA regarding the details of both its planning for, and implementation of, the restoration and completion of Bellefonte Units 1 and 2;" 3) "significantly enhanced vigilance on the part of the staff in reviewing and inspecting TVA’s QA/QC and restoration/construction efforts associated with those units." 4) "TVA’s “off again/on again” approach to their construction, in combination with what is likely to be the span of some four decades between the Units 1 and 2 CP and OL proceedings, has generated a unique set of circumstances such that, to ensure all safety and environmental matters of substance regarding these two units are thoroughly vetted in a public forum."

SAY NO TO RADIOACTIVE NUCLEAR POWER AT BELLEFONTE


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Mayors Office of Scottsboro violates 1st Monday ordinance, intentionally overcharges vendors.

The city of Scottsboro has had the opportunity to update their First Monday Ordinance, they have not done so. Vendors have been sent out letters informing them of new rules, however, no new rules have been codified. The current Scottsboro city Ordinace concerning First Monday Fees is Ordinace # 502, signed the 21st of June 2005 establishing a fee of $5.00.
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The Mayors office has refused to recognize this Ordinace and has arbitrarily implemented a proposed ordinance change without the approval of the City Council, ignoring existing law as codified by the City of Scottsboro. As a result 1st Monday Vendors are being overcharged for their spots by 100%. The coordinator of the 1st Monday event, the Mayors Secretary, likewise refuses to recognize the standing city ordinance.

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It is my belief the lack of concern and the intentional creation of policy outside the scope of any existing laws of the City of Scottsboro is intentional with the sole purpose of denigrating the historical 1st Monday Event. The current 1st Monday coordinator has made rules up without following the city ordinance, made up rules to the point of "running off" long term vendors. A formal complaint was filed with the Mayors Office 4 months ago concerning the arbitrary making of rules outside the scope of any city ordinance.

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The Mayor of Scottsboro and the 1st Monday Vendors Committee has meet with the Mayor and select council members several months ago, November 2009 and January 2010, reaching an agreement concerning proposed rule changes for 1st Monday. However, the city failed to implement any new rule changes and now overcharges the vendors for their spot fees without concern to existing law. The Mayors Office and the City Council has had over 3 months to implement the change and comply with the requirements of the law and has failed to do so. It is important to point out that the Mayor has frequently been reminded for several months of the necessity of codifying the law prior to any changes being implemented and has failed to act except to initiate a non-existing, arbitrary set of rules prior to their being signed into law and properly announced as required by the laws of the State of Alabama .

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City leadership, in reference to 1st Monday, has acted in a manner not in keeping with standards and practices of good government. The result is the denigration of the 1st Monday event, which includes improper and arbitrary rule making including an intentional overcharge of First Monday Vendors.

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First Monday Vendors should be refunded the excess money paid, overcharge of spot rental, as a result of the arbitrary rule making by the Mayors Office in violation of the First Monday Ordinance. I will speak to the City Council Monday evening at 6PM concerning this situation.

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