City Council Still Deaf to People's Concerns
Posted in Greensboro City Council
Feb. 15, 2008 at 15:47
by BrendaBee
John Hammer reported in this week’s The Rhino that fully half the time spent answering questions at the Mayor’s staged Town Hall Meeting were about the GPD. And today’s N&R quoted Council man Mike Barber as stating that “surprisingly little” of the nine hours of closed session discussion concerned David Wray. Now doesn’t that strike one odd that a topic so much on the voters minds would receive so little attention from their elected officials? Doesn’t it strike you odd that a topic that has received so much news print during the past two years, and more recently has been the biggest scandal and embarrassment to hit town for some time apparently deserves so little thought from our elected officials? What, are they not listening at all?Mayor Yvonne was woefully ignorant of the facts of the Wray case if her answers at the Town Hall Meeting are to be an indication of her grasp of the facts. The members of the audience knew more of the answers than she did. And yet this woman has been sitting on the City Council for 14 years now. If this is the case for a relatively intelligent person such as Yvonne Johnson then might it also be the case with the other five members who have been so involved with this case during the past two years? This case and Mitch Johnson’s deplorable actions towards David Wray has taken hours and hours of the Council’s time in damage control. This item that was discussed at every candidate forum held before the elections, caused the Council members to receive a bushel full of e-mails and burned up the phone lines with phone calls. This topic that caused one council person of long standing to lose her seat in the election. This subject which made this special meeting necessary when the City Manager was caught once more trying to withhold public documents concerning the subject from the public in order for the truth of his culpability to remain at the very least an undocumented belief of the greater part of Greensboro’s population and not a fact worthy of the court room. And yet they remain clueless.
We must remember that five of the current Council members were on the previous council and very much involved in lending support to Mitchell Johnson as he first blundered badly in his handling of the Wray case, and then during the past two years has cost the City tax payers a huge if yet unknown amount of money trying to justify his actions. Mayor Yvonne Johnson, Diane Bellamy-Small, Goldie Wells, Sandra Anderson Groat and Mike Barber at least should be very well informed on the topic. Yet it seems that they are not and know only what the City Manager has told them. The key words here is “told them” because it is obvious they did not bother to read any of the limited documentation which he allowed them to see. It is also obvious they as a group never thought to ask a question concerning what they were shown or what they were told. One wonders why this was, and apparently still is, the case.
Two new members won their seats by campaigning loudly to “ask hard questions about the David Wray case”. So far Trudy Wade and Mary Rakestraw have been careful about pushing this agenda, but at Thursday’s special meeting that was called specifically to discuss Mitch Johnson miserable record as a City Manager they did speak up and demand that he be fired . The vote as 7 to 2 against this action. Robbie (sneak thief and liar) Perkins vehemently offered the motion to keep Mitch Johnson and ignore the public’s demands for action. And, Mike Barber and Sandra Anderson-Groat did not stand with Wade and Rakestraw as expected. Instead Mike Barber offered the compromise of retaining Johnson on probation for one month and giving him specific goals to achieve during that time. There must have been some heated debate because it took the Council two hours to finally agree on the compromise motion.
After coming out of closed session and making this announcement the Council went back into closed session for another apparently heated and grueling six hours. It was during this time that Mike Barber told the press that “surprisingly little” time was spent discussing David Wray. I would have liked to have been a fly on the wall in that conference room because when the Council came back into open session to adjourn the meeting not everyone was a happy camper. The camera only gave a close up of Mayor Yvonne, but body language indicated the lady was not at all happy with what had taken place. It can only be hoped that she is at least a bit better informed of the David Wray fray and the problems his and his entire command staff’s Mitch Johnson generated forced leaving the GPD has contributed to the complete demolition of the Greensboro Police Department.
Yesterday’s vote by Council was a big disappointment, but not unexpected since Big Bobble-head Melvin spoke up and brought his bought and paid for minions into line against any meaningful action against Johnson. It now behooves the citizenry of Greensboro to speak up a bit louder and let our officials know that the times have changed and we will not stand for the kind of government we have had under Mitch Johnson’s direction. Whether the people will stand up or merely shrug and walk away is yet to be seen. There are times when only a shout will get thru to the deaf. BB
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Feb. 15, 2008 - city council meeting on 2-14-08
Well, it seems Mike Barber feels that the council did a very good job yesterday and the way he knows that is "everyone is unhappy".No matter how much Mary and Trudy want to change the situation, I think chances are slim for that to happen unless we can replace some of the other council members who consistently protect the status quo. I thought that meeting Mayor Johnson conducted was a big fat joke. One thing it did do was to show the voters and residents how little Mayor Johnson knows about the happenings in Greensboro in regard to city staff, police, etc. Unless she really does know about these things and chooses to "play dumb" or give rambling and evasive answers.
Betty Almond
Posted by Anonymous
Feb. 15, 2008 - Untitled Comment
Betty, I don't know if you read my former post where I admitted I had been dressed and ready to go to the Town Hall Farce, but decided at the last minute that with my problem tolerating fools I would end up embarrassing myself. And what's more I would have probably been sitting with Blogger friends and have embarrassed them too. I am used to being considered an ass at times, but would hate to do this to my friends.I believe Greensboro is long over due for a tax payer revolt. I mean a marching on City Hall waving banners revolt. I mean packing the City Council meetings and signing up to speak month after month after month until. the Council does what the people want done. I am just not the person I used to be so I can not lead this one. Dam! BB
Posted by BrendaFayBowers
