Nov 9 2021
Town Council held
their rescheduled monthly meeting on Nov 9th in the Wawa Plant
on Main Street. For the first time in months and months, all
Council persons were in attendance.
In the peanut gallery were reps from the Apple Fest Committee and the organizers of the just completed Fall Festival group.
Financially, the County's only municipality has improving account balances. Since last month, the Town's bank account increased $9000; the Wawa account increased $12,000; and the Log Factory increased $1,900.
Get this folks. Every Council person actually sat there and read the financials (asked questions too) before OKing the document. You don't see that much in Clayberry!
Last month a small band of locals came to the elected body with plans to grow a Fall Festival event and to ask for $$$ to finance the fun event. Instead of spending $5K they used just $3500 with most of that going to bouncy toy rental fees.
As with many things in Clayberry, there's a problem.
The group left last month's meeting thinking, they had a $5000 budget to work with with checks being written out of Town COVID funds. As a matter of fact, as we heard it, that's exactly what Council, supplied a budget to work with.
For this meeting, Council person Jason Hubbard thunk differently. He remembered that the funds could be spent on a couple items no matter what the total allotment allowed. Playing the hard arss, he prevailed. For the other items and after a lengthy debate, to cover the expenses like live music, balloons, etc. COVID funds were not spent there. Instead, Council persons Hubbard, Barry Peyton, Renee Moore, and Mayor Shamblin covered those expenses out of their pockets totaling $380 more or less.
Note. It sounded like, during the one day Festival, things got dicey. We think that because, during the Nov 9th meeting, one of the organizers proclaimed, she would never do it again.
Here's a cutey. A couple Council persons made public, there had been a bunch of backlash by the Clay County Commission which didn't want the Festival to happen.
In the peanut gallery were reps from the Apple Fest Committee and the organizers of the just completed Fall Festival group.
Financially, the County's only municipality has improving account balances. Since last month, the Town's bank account increased $9000; the Wawa account increased $12,000; and the Log Factory increased $1,900.
Get this folks. Every Council person actually sat there and read the financials (asked questions too) before OKing the document. You don't see that much in Clayberry!
Last month a small band of locals came to the elected body with plans to grow a Fall Festival event and to ask for $$$ to finance the fun event. Instead of spending $5K they used just $3500 with most of that going to bouncy toy rental fees.
As with many things in Clayberry, there's a problem.
The group left last month's meeting thinking, they had a $5000 budget to work with with checks being written out of Town COVID funds. As a matter of fact, as we heard it, that's exactly what Council, supplied a budget to work with.
For this meeting, Council person Jason Hubbard thunk differently. He remembered that the funds could be spent on a couple items no matter what the total allotment allowed. Playing the hard arss, he prevailed. For the other items and after a lengthy debate, to cover the expenses like live music, balloons, etc. COVID funds were not spent there. Instead, Council persons Hubbard, Barry Peyton, Renee Moore, and Mayor Shamblin covered those expenses out of their pockets totaling $380 more or less.
Note. It sounded like, during the one day Festival, things got dicey. We think that because, during the Nov 9th meeting, one of the organizers proclaimed, she would never do it again.
Here's a cutey. A couple Council persons made public, there had been a bunch of backlash by the Clay County Commission which didn't want the Festival to happen.
Mayor Shamblin
Josh Shamblin
addressed the group with stuff along the lines of: I apologize
for the mess up.... I thought we were good for spending up to
the $5000....
Next up for
the meeting was the Big Apple Fest folks. That's them
pictured just above.
That group wants to put on a Winter Fest including Santa and reindeer, a parade, activities, hot chocolate, an ice cream with Santa affair, and set up a story book character adventure among other things.
The event will be held sometime in December but we didn't hear an exact date certain.
What they were really there for was $$$. It's the ole good for the goose and then the gander scenario. In support of the annual event, Council gave the thumbs up unanimously for them to hold the Fest. As for COVID funding or partial COVID funding of the event, look for that decision during the Dec Council meeting.
Before you get all pithy about spending COVID $$$, look at it this way. Those millions will be wasted away one way or another on lawyers, designers, engineers, and other butt wipes. Right? Right. So, why not use the free $$$ to do something nice for the taxpayer and kids.
That group wants to put on a Winter Fest including Santa and reindeer, a parade, activities, hot chocolate, an ice cream with Santa affair, and set up a story book character adventure among other things.
The event will be held sometime in December but we didn't hear an exact date certain.
What they were really there for was $$$. It's the ole good for the goose and then the gander scenario. In support of the annual event, Council gave the thumbs up unanimously for them to hold the Fest. As for COVID funding or partial COVID funding of the event, look for that decision during the Dec Council meeting.
Before you get all pithy about spending COVID $$$, look at it this way. Those millions will be wasted away one way or another on lawyers, designers, engineers, and other butt wipes. Right? Right. So, why not use the free $$$ to do something nice for the taxpayer and kids.
Hunter
Sizemore was hired as a temporary worker a few months back for
Town clean up duties. The lad has been doing a commendable job
according to the Mayor. But there is a problem. Young Mr
Sizemore does not have a driver's license which makes getting
to some job duties tougher to handle.
After discussion, Council agreed to extend Sizemore's job for another three months but with a caveat. During the next 90 days, Hunter has to get a driver's license or else, Off With His Head!
Now for the main events.
Think that spewing of raw poo (from the Log Factory) into the Elk River has been fixed. Nope would be the correct answer. for many months, at least all of last Summer, Council has been hesitant to spend the $13,900 needed to get the Log Factory working properly.
Why hesitate? The elected body felt, since a new Log Factory will be built in the next couple years, why spend $$$ on the old unit?
After a talk with the DEP, ahhh... yelp they have to correct the plumes of log mush right now.
Council voted on the 9th to spend the money.
For some odd reason or lack there of, Mayor Shamblin and with a renewed push by Council person Hubbard, efforts are underway to form a Municipal Court. Although not sayin as much, the idea is is to grow a new source of revenue. At one point, the Mayor commented, this is a way to "manage" the Town.
County Commission put a squash on that plan in Oct when they voted, if the Town creates their own City Court, they will have to pay their own jail bills, mental hygiene petitions and ANY other expense associated with the Court.
So for the 9th meeting, lots of time was spent on growing, hiring a Badge for the hamlet. They feel the gob of COVID funds can be used to cover the new Badge Dept.
Discussion the debate, it sounded like they didn't anticipate sending people to the costly slammer. And, if they did, the bad persons wouldn't be in there very long.
Wrong! Many infractions of the law have minimum sentences mandated.
So how have they figured a way around not having a local Judge? Answer, all the offenders will be sent thru the Magistrates at the Courthouse.
Not sure if that will work even if they hire certified Badges. Certified law enforcement Badges are hard to find. Just ask the Sheriff's office. Word came from around the table, Randy Holcomb may know Badges that would be willing to come into the hamlet on a part time basis and serve.
It sounded like Councilpersons Renee Moore and Barry Peyton would be in favor of a Badge presence if they were used for night time duties.
Note: Our elected Mayor is also a Chief of Police according to State Code. The Town has tried using the Mayor in the past. Examples are Ryan Clifton and Jack Brown. Problem was, the local Magistrates would not hear any of those criminal complaints. Before those two, Council hired Gene King as a night watchman but that quickly morphed into a policeman. Gene had zero training for those duties.
We didn't hear a vote to hire or even proceed but readers, it's comin
AW
After discussion, Council agreed to extend Sizemore's job for another three months but with a caveat. During the next 90 days, Hunter has to get a driver's license or else, Off With His Head!
Now for the main events.
Think that spewing of raw poo (from the Log Factory) into the Elk River has been fixed. Nope would be the correct answer. for many months, at least all of last Summer, Council has been hesitant to spend the $13,900 needed to get the Log Factory working properly.
Why hesitate? The elected body felt, since a new Log Factory will be built in the next couple years, why spend $$$ on the old unit?
After a talk with the DEP, ahhh... yelp they have to correct the plumes of log mush right now.
Council voted on the 9th to spend the money.
For some odd reason or lack there of, Mayor Shamblin and with a renewed push by Council person Hubbard, efforts are underway to form a Municipal Court. Although not sayin as much, the idea is is to grow a new source of revenue. At one point, the Mayor commented, this is a way to "manage" the Town.
County Commission put a squash on that plan in Oct when they voted, if the Town creates their own City Court, they will have to pay their own jail bills, mental hygiene petitions and ANY other expense associated with the Court.
So for the 9th meeting, lots of time was spent on growing, hiring a Badge for the hamlet. They feel the gob of COVID funds can be used to cover the new Badge Dept.
Discussion the debate, it sounded like they didn't anticipate sending people to the costly slammer. And, if they did, the bad persons wouldn't be in there very long.
Wrong! Many infractions of the law have minimum sentences mandated.
So how have they figured a way around not having a local Judge? Answer, all the offenders will be sent thru the Magistrates at the Courthouse.
Not sure if that will work even if they hire certified Badges. Certified law enforcement Badges are hard to find. Just ask the Sheriff's office. Word came from around the table, Randy Holcomb may know Badges that would be willing to come into the hamlet on a part time basis and serve.
It sounded like Councilpersons Renee Moore and Barry Peyton would be in favor of a Badge presence if they were used for night time duties.
Note: Our elected Mayor is also a Chief of Police according to State Code. The Town has tried using the Mayor in the past. Examples are Ryan Clifton and Jack Brown. Problem was, the local Magistrates would not hear any of those criminal complaints. Before those two, Council hired Gene King as a night watchman but that quickly morphed into a policeman. Gene had zero training for those duties.
We didn't hear a vote to hire or even proceed but readers, it's comin
AW