County Commission Meets
Oct 27th
The whole
point of a public meeting is to keep an eye on those that are
spending our tax dollars. State Code even says just that.
Despite the dimly lit views of Dave Mullins, elected leaders
are required to give the public time during public meetings so
they can express their views, ask questions, or otherwise
contribute to the items at hand.
Some of those Clayberry gatherings actually provide the taxpayer with information. One of those agencies that discusses at least some of the stuff in public is the Clay County Commission (CCC) which meets the 2nd and 4th Wed of each month.
For the Oct 27th CCC meeting, all three Commissioners were on hand plus around 15 or so seated in the peanut gallery for the 10am start time.
Terry Martin was on hand to discuss free money. He's the guy that is the County's liason for Federal $$$. From Mr Martin and condensed and perverted to meet our needs: Clay Health Dept is applying for a few million in freebee COVID funds; the idea is to build a new or add on to their existing facility or used the free $$$ to do about anything they can think of. Deadline for submission is Nov 1st. During a recent public hearing, one guy offered, they don't need a new building. Instead they should buy Frank Murphy's lot next door to their building and turn the lot into a green-space / playground.
Before you get all torqued up over wasting tax dollars, think of it this way. Clayberry sucks the hind tit on everything. We're so far behind, we can see our own hind end just around the corner.
So.. since the $$$ is going to be spent somewhere, why not here. True the Health Dept does little, if they get a larger more cushy building, maybe they will be more comfortable while sitting on their thumbs!
FYI. While at the CCC meeting, Terry Martin also spoke on a $1billion initiative from DC directed toward improving broadband, DSL service in rural America. Doesn't that sound grand? To have 21st Century when on the web? Our hope is, it's not peed away on some other suck face hand out to Frontier Tele Communications. Remember, if it's not 25 mbps, it ain't high speed. Actually, many areas of the state regularly attain 50 to 100 mbps and consider that to be just OK.
Here's one of much interest. The Town of Clay has been toying around with growing a Municipal Court as a way to raise funds for their operation. Ok Ok, the Mayor says it will be a new way of "managing" the municipality. It's not unusual for other small place (Gauley Bridge for instance) to use the Court to fleece anybody unlucky enough to be in the town.
Item 12 on the CCC agenda was to change the game if the Town goes on and makes a Municipal Court a reality. The unanimous vote was to force the Town to pay their own jail bills, pay the cost of transporting prisoners, drug testing, mental hygiene petitions and any other cost associated with Court findings.
Currently, the County Commission pays all those fees for Green Shirt, Black Shirt and Brown Shirt arrests.
Item 12 was a very slick move on their part to restore sanity to Town actions.
From the peanut gallery came: Why don't you opt out of paying the fees for Green and Brown Shirts? From Fran King, we can't. What she should have said, no one has of yet tried that suggestions.
As we mentioned up above, the CCC allows the public to seek answers while in meeting format.
Some of questions and answers included: What are you doing about getting Black Shirt Deputies hired? Just in time to provide an answer, Sheriff King responded, there are two new Green Shirts stationed in the county and he wasn't sure about having the funding for new Deputies.
During the last four months Commissioner David Schoolcraft provided: people are interested in renting the old Nutrition Site in Two Run. At one point he said the Solid Waste Authority would take over that building and offer space to renters with one private contractor already interested in the spot. In the way of an update, progress, Schoolcraft provided none.
It was Commissioner Schoolcraft that pressed thru buying the old Coonhunters building on Triplett Ridge four months ago. The unanimous vote by the CCC passed without a mention of sale price. In response to an update, Schoolcraft told the assembled he had not spoken with David Mullins because that guy refuses to talk to him. AS for a sale price, it's a done deal, the price is $2000 per acre , surveying will begin soon and they plan to help find another spot for the hunting group.
Back in the Summer Schoolcraft commented, the busted up Courthouse Square will be repaired (bricks and lighting) by the Apple Festival... Ahhhh he didn't say which Apple Festival back then. For this questioning and from Schoolcraft, the work has to be "bid" out. Translation, nothing has been done.
Citizen Bernie Howe asked about a planned "Fall Festival slated for this November. We think he was raising COVID concerns. Quickly Fran King and Dave made it certain with: we don't have anything to do with that festival or group and "It won't be happening on Commission property". Both added, they didn't know anything about the activity until just a five days ago.
Know what's up readers?
The 49th running of the Big Apple Festival was cancelled last month when the CCC refused to allow the group to hold their fun event on Courthouse property due to fear of the spread of COVID, a super spreader event. Before that vote, the CCC read letters from the local Medical Officer, the Ambulance service, and their insurance provider, all of which recommended, don't allow it to happen this year. They took the advice and stopped the Big Apple on County property.
Citizen Jan Derby asked if there would be a Badge presence during Trick or Treat. Sheriff King said he would be on vacation then. Note: King is the only licensed Black Shirt in the county at the time.
As for the Fall Festival, Allen said vehicles would be available for that activity.
How about not having any Black Shirts on the payroll? From the Top Badge, there is one applicant that has passed so far and that person (untrained) may be on the job in just a few weeks.
Commissioner King reminded the Top Badge of a new law (House bill 2891) that tightens background checks on applicants and stops anyone from a job if they have had a DUI ticket or an issue with drugs. Additionally, that new recruit must be supervised by a certified Badge at all times.
Feeling the heat, Sheriff King tried to offer some morsel for the gathered. He said he would hire part timers to help out if he could pay for em and find such trained officers.
Note: that Department's budget provides funding for four full time Deputies and those funds are still in the coffer. Also, our only trained, certified Badge, Randy Holcomb opted to go into retirement. His reason? He wanted $20 / hour to make it feasible for him to continue.
$#@!!@!@ $20 per hour ???????? Well, in reality, McDonalds is offering $20 per hour and a signing bonus to flip hamburgers. Hobby Lobby is starting unskilled workers $17 per hour. Doesn't sound so unreasonable now does it?
Finally, from the peanut gallery, Dave Derby asked if the Judicial Annex building would ever get finished. Dave Schoolcraft : we're waiting on grant funding; some stuff like insulation has been donated as well as $5000 given by Go Mart. As for using COVID dollars already on hand for the Annex project, nope came from Commissioner King.
How about that for an informative public meeting!
AW
Some of those Clayberry gatherings actually provide the taxpayer with information. One of those agencies that discusses at least some of the stuff in public is the Clay County Commission (CCC) which meets the 2nd and 4th Wed of each month.
For the Oct 27th CCC meeting, all three Commissioners were on hand plus around 15 or so seated in the peanut gallery for the 10am start time.
Terry Martin was on hand to discuss free money. He's the guy that is the County's liason for Federal $$$. From Mr Martin and condensed and perverted to meet our needs: Clay Health Dept is applying for a few million in freebee COVID funds; the idea is to build a new or add on to their existing facility or used the free $$$ to do about anything they can think of. Deadline for submission is Nov 1st. During a recent public hearing, one guy offered, they don't need a new building. Instead they should buy Frank Murphy's lot next door to their building and turn the lot into a green-space / playground.
Before you get all torqued up over wasting tax dollars, think of it this way. Clayberry sucks the hind tit on everything. We're so far behind, we can see our own hind end just around the corner.
So.. since the $$$ is going to be spent somewhere, why not here. True the Health Dept does little, if they get a larger more cushy building, maybe they will be more comfortable while sitting on their thumbs!
FYI. While at the CCC meeting, Terry Martin also spoke on a $1billion initiative from DC directed toward improving broadband, DSL service in rural America. Doesn't that sound grand? To have 21st Century when on the web? Our hope is, it's not peed away on some other suck face hand out to Frontier Tele Communications. Remember, if it's not 25 mbps, it ain't high speed. Actually, many areas of the state regularly attain 50 to 100 mbps and consider that to be just OK.
Here's one of much interest. The Town of Clay has been toying around with growing a Municipal Court as a way to raise funds for their operation. Ok Ok, the Mayor says it will be a new way of "managing" the municipality. It's not unusual for other small place (Gauley Bridge for instance) to use the Court to fleece anybody unlucky enough to be in the town.
Item 12 on the CCC agenda was to change the game if the Town goes on and makes a Municipal Court a reality. The unanimous vote was to force the Town to pay their own jail bills, pay the cost of transporting prisoners, drug testing, mental hygiene petitions and any other cost associated with Court findings.
Currently, the County Commission pays all those fees for Green Shirt, Black Shirt and Brown Shirt arrests.
Item 12 was a very slick move on their part to restore sanity to Town actions.
From the peanut gallery came: Why don't you opt out of paying the fees for Green and Brown Shirts? From Fran King, we can't. What she should have said, no one has of yet tried that suggestions.
As we mentioned up above, the CCC allows the public to seek answers while in meeting format.
Some of questions and answers included: What are you doing about getting Black Shirt Deputies hired? Just in time to provide an answer, Sheriff King responded, there are two new Green Shirts stationed in the county and he wasn't sure about having the funding for new Deputies.
During the last four months Commissioner David Schoolcraft provided: people are interested in renting the old Nutrition Site in Two Run. At one point he said the Solid Waste Authority would take over that building and offer space to renters with one private contractor already interested in the spot. In the way of an update, progress, Schoolcraft provided none.
It was Commissioner Schoolcraft that pressed thru buying the old Coonhunters building on Triplett Ridge four months ago. The unanimous vote by the CCC passed without a mention of sale price. In response to an update, Schoolcraft told the assembled he had not spoken with David Mullins because that guy refuses to talk to him. AS for a sale price, it's a done deal, the price is $2000 per acre , surveying will begin soon and they plan to help find another spot for the hunting group.
Back in the Summer Schoolcraft commented, the busted up Courthouse Square will be repaired (bricks and lighting) by the Apple Festival... Ahhhh he didn't say which Apple Festival back then. For this questioning and from Schoolcraft, the work has to be "bid" out. Translation, nothing has been done.
Citizen Bernie Howe asked about a planned "Fall Festival slated for this November. We think he was raising COVID concerns. Quickly Fran King and Dave made it certain with: we don't have anything to do with that festival or group and "It won't be happening on Commission property". Both added, they didn't know anything about the activity until just a five days ago.
Know what's up readers?
The 49th running of the Big Apple Festival was cancelled last month when the CCC refused to allow the group to hold their fun event on Courthouse property due to fear of the spread of COVID, a super spreader event. Before that vote, the CCC read letters from the local Medical Officer, the Ambulance service, and their insurance provider, all of which recommended, don't allow it to happen this year. They took the advice and stopped the Big Apple on County property.
Citizen Jan Derby asked if there would be a Badge presence during Trick or Treat. Sheriff King said he would be on vacation then. Note: King is the only licensed Black Shirt in the county at the time.
As for the Fall Festival, Allen said vehicles would be available for that activity.
How about not having any Black Shirts on the payroll? From the Top Badge, there is one applicant that has passed so far and that person (untrained) may be on the job in just a few weeks.
Commissioner King reminded the Top Badge of a new law (House bill 2891) that tightens background checks on applicants and stops anyone from a job if they have had a DUI ticket or an issue with drugs. Additionally, that new recruit must be supervised by a certified Badge at all times.
Feeling the heat, Sheriff King tried to offer some morsel for the gathered. He said he would hire part timers to help out if he could pay for em and find such trained officers.
Note: that Department's budget provides funding for four full time Deputies and those funds are still in the coffer. Also, our only trained, certified Badge, Randy Holcomb opted to go into retirement. His reason? He wanted $20 / hour to make it feasible for him to continue.
$#@!!@!@ $20 per hour ???????? Well, in reality, McDonalds is offering $20 per hour and a signing bonus to flip hamburgers. Hobby Lobby is starting unskilled workers $17 per hour. Doesn't sound so unreasonable now does it?
Finally, from the peanut gallery, Dave Derby asked if the Judicial Annex building would ever get finished. Dave Schoolcraft : we're waiting on grant funding; some stuff like insulation has been donated as well as $5000 given by Go Mart. As for using COVID dollars already on hand for the Annex project, nope came from Commissioner King.
How about that for an informative public meeting!
AW
Our regal County Commissioners at the ready.
That's Terry Martin on the far left followed by Jan Derby, Dave Derby, Bernie Howe, and Gary Stuber standing on the right.
aw