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NEWS & RECORD

Greensboro, North Carolina

 2009 Candidate Questionnaire

 The answers to these questions will be published at news-record.com and will be used to compile a voters’ guide that will run in the newspaper before the primary and the election. This questionnaire will also be used by the editorial department in gathering information for endorsement interviews, which will take place in October.Questions? Please contact Amanda Lehmert at 373-7075.

Background and qualifications

1. Candidate name:  T. Dianne Bellamy Small

2. How would you define your leadership style? Please give an example of a time you led a group that describes this style.

My leadership style is inclusive/empowering others. Example: Bringing together the Transitional Resource Day Center group. This group has people from government, human services, clergy, grassroots, homeless, retired, colleges, and every socio-economic level. And putting in place the opportunity for the group to be self-determining, the results: the pilot day center at Bessemer United Methodist Church. My motto is: “there is room at the table for everyone who wants to serve the greater good.”

 3. What skills or qualities set you apart from your opponents?

 I have a common sense approach to things, 35 years of experience in a variety of human services, determination to get the job done, integrity tested, and a servant leader. 

 4. What community or business interests could possibly create conflicts of interest for you on the council, and how would you handle them?

 I do not know of any. I try to take a fair approach to situations that are presented to me and work for the greater good.

 5. What is one thing you have done to make the city a better place? Please use an example of something that would not have happened without your effort.

There are several: the resolution for water and sewer upsizing policy, GTA Route 15, ½ price 31 day bus passes for college summer school students, the day center and funding. (for more examples go to: www.bellamysmallforcouncil.com or refer to my 2008 and 2009 annual report.)

 Communication

6. How do you plan on reaching constituents if elected? Please be specific.

I am reaching constituents through face to face, in the street, attending community meetings and functions, participation in community events, mailings, an annual report, internet, mass media opportunities, and phone calls.

 7. Describe a time when you had to work with somebody toward a common goal, but you vehemently disagreed on how to reach it? How did you resolve this difference? What was the outcome?

The unfair firing of the former city manager, I disagreed with. I volunteered to serve on the committee for the search firm to look for a new city manager. I supported the hiring of the new city manager and fought hard for him to get the salary he requested.

Goals and issues

8. What is your vision for the city of Greensboro? Please describe specific steps you will take as a council member to achieve this vision?

1. I will continue to develop the parity plan for east Greensboro which focuses on economic development and bring a balance of “live, work and play”. A committee has been formed and funding for a market study is in place. I will continue to take the leadership role to inform the public, get tools in place to help development and the communities such as policies to support the ideas that are needed to have this plan work. Push of the infrastructure funding and encourage as many different players to get involved as possible.

2. Getting the council to move back towards a more constructive manager-council form of government by encouraging training for the new council, using my experience to support the mayor and focusing on supporting the new city manager.

3. Supporting programs for the youth, seniors and the disadvantage by working with jobs programs, supporting funding with partnerships, encouraging social capital development at all levels.

 9. What is the number one problem facing Greensboro? Please say specifically how you, as a council member, will address this problem.

Getting through the recession is a problem for everyone, government included. I will continue to support ways to “grow jobs” from small to large businesses. One of the ways of doing this is to strengthen the role of our MWBE program to assist businesses with the “how to” of doing business.  Support efforts to do more with less without over taxing city employees. Look for partnerships to work with the city to enhance services to the community for example, encouraging more Community Watch programs. Use federal and state funding to supplement city needs. And encourage citizens to be proactive instead of reactive to concerns in their communities, it will cost less in the long run.

10. How would you address the problems surrounding poor planning and communication for the Urban Loop that has resulted in development being approved in the path of the highway and some home buyers not knowing the road was coming?

I have encouraged staff to use all communications tools available to the city to communicate with citizens on any matter. The LDO, if passed, will address some of the concerns with developers needing to communicate with citizens on such issues. As a member of the MPO, I have supported the city and the state in taking a more proactive role in providing information. There is now a new tool on the city’s website to help the public see a map of the proposed Urban Loop and where they are by address.

Fiscal issues and management

11. Where do you stand on merging some city and county? Which services should be considered and how would you help make that happen?  

 I think where it is logical and feasible some services could merge. The difficulty lies in that Greensboro is not the only city in Guilford County. Possible merger considerations could be: Parks and Recreation, Economic Development, Legal, Housing and Community Development and Fleet Maintenance. There are some cooperative efforts between county and city now such as Workforce Development and Libraries.

12. What should be Greensboro's long-term plan for household waste disposal? Is reopening the White Street Landfill part of that equation? Why or why not?

 I will not support re-opening the White Street Landfill. It is a moral issue and a promise made by the city of Greensboro. I think the path of looking at new technology for the long term disposal of household waste is something we must do. Finding a way to reuse the land at White Street for something other than a landfill could be in the city’s future development plans if the right approach can be found and the city is willing to make that kind of investment.

13. What is one city expense that you question?

 I have questioned continued funding of the downtown BID.  In my opinion, they have successfully grown to the point they can take on the cost we are still paying for and the funding was only supposed to be temporary.

14. Please describe specific steps you will take as a City Council member to encourage job growth in the city?

I have supported incentives for companies. I have worked on and encouraged policies to reduce barriers for businesses to grow. I have asked staff to look at internal barriers to businesses doing business with the city. I have encouraged the MWBE program and our economic development division to work more closely together to provide information and training to help small and medium sizes businesses more effectively develop in the city. I supported various enterprise zone designations in the city.

City policies

15. What, if anything, needs to happen next to bring closure to the lingering wounds created after the resignation of former Police Chief David Wray? What role should City Council play?

 It would be helpful to get media not to continue to write erroneous and inflammatory accounts of what happened. The city council has and will seek legal closure to the issues around the police scandal. The new city manager will be directed to look at this situation and help the council with resolution.

16. Should the council also be graded against a set of objective goals and measures? Would you pledge to set up such a system? If you failed to deliver on a majority of those goals, would you agree not to seek re-election?

The citizens already “grade” each member of council. They communicate their concerns and pleasure with the job of council in many ways. We had 12 objectives for this current council and I have addressed each of them. I think the voters will decide how well we do our jobs by their vote in October and November. I did ask my constituents if they wanted me to run again.

Your turn

17. What question would you ask your opponent(s)?

How can we work together for the needs of District 1?

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I think it is important to me for the comments of the  editor of News and Record be acknowledged. The only thing I ever asked the newspaper to do, was to say I was not their source. If this is as close as they will come, so be it. FINALLY ! TDBS 

Now let's move on with the 2009 campaign and the needs of Greensboro for the future . www.bellamysmallforcouncil.com

Council, leaks and polygraphs
Posted by John Robinson  of the Greensboro News and Record on Saturday, August 29, 2009 at 8:17 am

Wouldn't it be fun if City Council member T. Dianne Bellamy-Small called for all council members to take polygraph tests to determine who leaked the selection of the new city manager?

As you'll recall, a previous version of this council -- one in which most of the members remain -- agreed to take lie detector tests to find out which among them leaked the RMA report. Bellamy-Small declined -- all the others did and "passed" -- and, consequently, she was widely presumed to be the leaker, a charge she denied.

It was, in my opinion, one of the more embarrassing episodes of Greensboro's recent history. But given what she went through, who could blame her if, just to watch the other members squirm, she called for a polygraph. Or if a polygraph goes too far, perhaps an affidavit, as member Mike Barber championed.

It's only fair. And consistent.

Reply To This Comment
lexalexanderAugust 29, 2009 - 4:46 pm EDT
Forensic analysis found that it definitely was Bellamy-Small's copy of the RMA report that was leaked --

http://www.news-record.com/content/2006/11/08/article/analyst_leaked_rep...

-- but I don't recall whether there was any conclusive evidence that she did or didn't do the leaking. Just out of curiosity, was there?

Reply To This Comment
John RobinsonAugust 29, 2009 - 5:24 pm EDT
Not that we ever reported, Lex, and not to my knowledge.

Reply To This Comment
gsostudentAugust 30, 2009 - 12:04 pm EDT
Are you kidding me?? First of all, you're wrong- he was terminated prior to his courtdate, then he was found NOT GUILTY on both charges, and THEN he held the press conference. So you've got your order wrong which is essential in presenting the news.
Second of all, I'm NOT asking you to print that Mike Barber bribed him. I am saying it's your JOB to print that he has been accused of bribery. And not by an anonymous commenter on your site, but by a police officer who is very much in the public eye. How can you not report the allegations? If someone well known alleged that, for example, Bellamy-Small made a mis-step, you'd report it (as shown above). Why is it that allegations of bribery (as you stated, a serious charge) go completely unmentioned by the N&R? Don't you have a responsibility to report that, especially since the press conference was newsworthy enough to get coverage? Why were key elements of his statement (the police tape and Barber allegedly trying to bribe him) not printed?

What you are doing is taking sides and protecting his image based on your discretion that this is somehow not worth reporting. That's why I made the comment that your organization is in bed with him. It means that you are taking sides and are not nearly as unbiased as you'd like to pretend.

Reply To This Comment
Spag August 30, 2009 - 2:08 pm EDT
The N&R knows who the leaker was. I understand they have to protect their sources. That said, if Bellamy-Small was the leaker and the N&R knows she was the leaker, then they should have reported that as soon as she started denying it. In my book, that is an elected official deliberately lying to the public and that alone is newsworthy.

Reply To This Comment
John Robinson August 30, 2009 - 2:55 pm EDT
I agree, Spag. And we didn't report that Bellamy-Small was lying to the public. You can draw the conclusion from that, I think.

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The dishonorable, unprofessional, immature behaviors of the current city council have to be addressed. This council has shown reckless disregard for any rules or roles a city council should follow. Even after it was voted on, not once but twice, to keep the process of selecting a new city manager closed, detailed information about the candidate and what happened in the last closed session found its way to media sources anyway. Information leaks during this council’s time in office have been the standard and it has been harmful to our governing process. And yet the word transparency has been bantered around like a badge of honor when, in fact, members of this council have acted with lack of respect and discounted the rules even the ones that they voted to follow. Transparency does not mean disregard for the rules and laws that keep us in check just so one can say he or she is being transparent. 

Three years ago, I endured the most insidious ordeal from that city council on an accusation of leaking. Never mind leaking was going on before and during my time on council. Both staff and council members sought to prove that I had not gone along with the rules and was a disgrace to the council. There were obviously double standards on who made the rules, played by them and how.  I maintained by innocence but my reputation and spirit were harmed greatly by the mean spirited efforts to get rid of me. And though the attack was very personal, the council still functioned and respected its role as a policy board carrying out the business of the city of Greensboro. And the voters decided for themselves that I should stay in office.

This council has not honored the manager-mayor form of government that has been the way we’ve done business in Greensboro for years. This was quite evident in the way the current council sought to undermine the leadership of the mayor and the responsibilities of the former city manager. Members of this council have disrespected, attacked and even intimidated staff when they could not get their way or the answer they wanted on something that did not go their way. Members of this council have disrespected other members of this council by implying members could not be trusted if 2 or more members wanted to meet to get information. Yet at least 5 council members met without the knowledge of the others to decide to fire the city manager and felt no obligation to tell the others why or listen to their concerns about what was being done.

There are council members who say they have respect for others and yet they cuss, say inappropriate things, show inappropriate behavior, rant and rave, throw things and yell either at the group or at individuals when they can not have their way.  Their mantra has been if I pitch a loud enough fit or cry, I will get my way. And when other members of council have tried to be a voice of reason, they were accused of not wanting to do things for the good of the council or the city. And staff has been left with no clear understanding of who is in charge or in what direction they should do their jobs. Staff has been directed to spend exhausting hours at taxpayers’ expense on reports or findings that either never has gotten looked at by the council, were not the wish of the majority of council or have ever been acted on. Thousands of dollars have been spent on reports with recommendations that have either been ignored or not acted on.  And there has been no mention about the waste of these resources yet it was said it was being done for the good of our citizens.

The concerns of this the current council’s failure to perform its functions properly has been largely ignored by the mainstream media and twisted by other outlets. And though the media has been present at many of the going ons of this council, they have chosen to not raise concerns or have distorted it. Yet, the business community has come to this council to ask for a proper decorum to be adhered to even with a workshop with governmental professionals to give some advice on how elected officials should conduct themselves.  These efforts have been dismissed or ignored by some.  And yet, the public has been watching.

 This council has not acted in the true best interest of the city. There have been many delays of projects and decisions that the council should have made but because this council would not meet or wanted meetings schedule around their golf or work needs at the exclusion of others, has not worked well together and used tactics to cause disruptions rather than working on solutions, staff has struggled to meet our obligations in running the city properly. City staff has been frustrated, confused and reluctant to carry on their assigned tasks because of a lack of clear direction from the council. Council members who have had not expertise in an area have refused to accept the advice or recommendations of the seasoned professionals in that area. City staff displayed their unhappiness with this council with a 26% approval rating in the "not so free" employee survey, that was laughed at and a party was suggested as a way to get them over it. Members of this council has been publicly abusive to staff and each other. And this behavior has been pointedly directed several times at one race and sex. Trying to reason or disagree with some members of this council has caused another level of dysfunction such as the selection of the search firm for the new city manager. The council did not follow policy in looking at the lowest bidder and all council member did not see the credentials of the firm selected. The committee acted in an autocratic manner and anyone who disagreed was accused of not wanting what was best of the council.  

The city of Greensboro can not make the needed progress even with a new city manager regardless of how talented he may be unless the new council can take up its proper role as a policy making body and allow the public administrators the ability to do their jobs at all levels. There must be respect of the chair and exercise true honesty, integrity and mutual regard for a more honorable way of doing business by each individual on the council for the good of the city. Greensboro can not afford another 2 years of disruptive, non focused behavior by its elected officials. If this city is to get back on a progressive track, the governing body will have to:

stop sowing seeds of distrust,

stop disrespecting set rules of conduct,

work respectfully with all staff and each other,

take individuality and political grandstanding out of the mix for a true greater good,

work with true honor and integrity with other council members,

learn not to take disagreements to a disagreeable level;

and respect the leadership of the council.

There is one final truth. If the city council does not clean up its act, the citizens will. My reason for voicing my concern is because I care about the city of Greensboro, the reputation of council, the citizens and the staff.  I have been personally disappointed and sadden by the behavior of this council. I am member of this council so I have to acknowledge that I am either apart of the problem or the solution. I am willing to speak out because I want what is best for our city.  This city deserves the best government we can give it. Without effective, sincere governing, particularly at this time in our national efforts recover economically are so important, our future will not be as bright as it could be if something does not change. If we are to move on from the past and chart a new course for Greensboro, the leadership (the council) has to redirect itself to the proper roles that council members should follow. A nation that does not learn from its past failures is doomed to repeat them. A new city manager alone will not make the difference what happens in Greensboro if the city council does not do its part and play an apposite role. The success or failure of our city government is more in the hands of the council than a new city manager. My vote is that we get back to the appropriate way of doing business for Greensboro and on the City Council.

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This current council has been extremely difficult to work with. There were new people who came on council with their own agendas and did not care what it would take to accomplish their goals. They immediately joined forces with older council members and set this council on nearly 2 years of lack of focus.  There have been so many seed of discourse and distrust that have been sown when it was totally uncalled for. There have been many successful attempts at causing confusion to keep the business of this policy setting board off balance.  There has been total unreasonableness in hearing the facts on very critical issues that this board should have been handled that were either dealt with unreasonably, have been tabled not to come back up or just left hanging in the air. The city employees' approval rating for this council was a sad 26%. The media has even labeled this council as “dysfunctional.” We have a good mayor, but she needs a board that has respect for the board members and her leadership. I have tried to be a voice of common sense leadership during the past two years.

 Yet through the concerns about this current council, I have attempted to stay focused on the needs of District 1 and the city.  Just taking a look at the 12 priorities this current council set in 2007, this is what I feel I have to accomplished:

(1)          Business Friendly – Supported reasonable incentive request, advocating for more business-friendly practices, supporting MWBE as an important program to assist small business development. 

(2)          Communication –Attended functions all over Greensboro.  Several mailings have been sent to community leaders in the District including our schools. Met with new school superintendent, and attended working meetings with county commissioners.  Going on learning experiences with department heads and staff. Some relationships have been built with media and  I have a web presence;

(3)          Employee Morale – Requested a cultural audit for the City to deal with the “isms”.  Supported Police; intervened in attacks on the City Manager and advocating for employee right to be respected, visited various work sites to understand what the city employees need and feel.

(4)          Equity -  Attended Civil Rights Conference – questioning resources and pushing for parity in East Greensboro; 

(5)          Gangs – Attended Gang Forums; supported funding Police Gang Unit; provided parent information with Gang 101 material; attended seven Back-to-School functions; advocated for Youth Programs like summer jobs, youth leadership programs, GYC, NCLM Youth Summit and Parks and Recreation Youth Summit;

(6)          Homelessness – Taken the leadership role for the Traditional Day Resource Center; 

(7)          Public Trust – Continued to be available; developing communication tools such as this annual report, distribution of City materials and information.

(8)          Jobs – Taking lead in “Growth for East Greensboro – A Quest for Economic Parity”.  This will lead to the development of a 20-year plan.

(9)          Police – Advocated for computer equipment for the department, a new position for a fingerprint specialist; advocated for fairness in treatment of Black Police Officers involved in the Police scandal, sharing law enforcement experience with council to help explain some concerns about law enforcement.

(10)      Social Capital – Appointed young professionals to Boards, encouraging more citizens to involve themselves in their community; participated in Bicentennial activities and distributed Bicentennial activity books for kids as well as other materials relative to the Bicentennial and other City functions;

(11)      Transparency – Attended twenty NNO programs and distributed City information; appeared on radio and television shows to try and explain the going ons with the council, attended neighborhood meetings and held town meetings

(12)      Transportation – Led the effort to get funding for new route to Brightwood Community; advocated for summer bus service for GTCC; served as liaison for GTA, TAC, PART; advocating for transit for non-traditional riders, requested half price fares for summer school students using GTA, supported new GTA transportation hub in District 1, advocated for the Nealtown connector

In addition:

Intervened in Gateway Garden and Barber Park neighborhood concerns

Supported the Glenwood Neighborhood Plan

Development of the Southeast Neighborhood Coalition

Convening the organizational planning group for the Transition Day Center and securing 2 years of funding with a pilot program at Bessemer United Methodist Church; Held a concert and fund raiser to purchase bus passes for the Washington St. center which purchased over 900 bus passes

Collected food and personal items for persons in need

Advocated for jobs, training and entrepreneurship opportunities for ex-offenders

Downtown Greenway project beginning Phase 1 in Warnersville

WiFi in all the public libraries

Provided leadership training at GTCC and support water/sewer resource for GTCC’s Northwest Campus

Sidewalk projects on Bessemer Avenue and Randleman Road

Supported bringing NFBPA Conference to Greensboro in 2010

More support and enhancement to NC A&T Homecoming Pavilion

Requested the Completion of the report by Human Relations Commission on the Truth and Reconciliation Commission

Opposed re-opening of the White Street Landfill

Supported youth programs such as Midnight Basketball, Youth Leadership program, Catholic Summer work program, SMART, SAVE, Hayes Taylor YMCA, LYFE and HOPE Project

State President of NCBEMO and participant in the Black Summit, an alliance of Black Elected Officials

 There are many reasons I feel my task has not been completed as the District 1 representative and much of that lies in what the “everyday” people have told me over the past 6 years. They have said, “We are proud of you.”, “Stay the course.”, “Ain’t you, that lady?!”

My platform is serious, but simple:

1.       Support diverse economic development to keep and bring jobs with livable wages

2.       Provide leadership for economic and resource parity in East Greensboro

3.       Create program structures for youth, seniors and the disadvantage

4.       Provide fair and balanced leadership to the City of Greensboro

It is my desire that everyone in District 1 feels empowered to lead and make Greensboro the best place to live, work and play for all of its citizens. I have tried to be inclusive of everyone who lives in District 1 and I hope the voters of District 1 will support me for another term on the Greensboro City Council as their representative. Thank  you.

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The America that has developed over the past 300 years has always had race in the mix. America's preoccupation with race is destructive and debilitating. I think any candidate for any office who is not willing to address racial concerns will set him/herself up for problems if you intend to serve a broad base of constituents. This week Barack Obama took a brave step in addressing race. His words say it best. I suggest that we listen and try to understand. Race is a factor in our lives but it does not have to color how we act, live or treat people.

http://my.barackobama.com/hisownwords

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