Lumberton Informer

I had a conversation with LVFD Fire Chief, Jerry Walters this morning and he responded to the comments that were left about the fire department. Informer: What type of training does your department have? Walters: Everyone must get 40 hours of training each year, we must complete an 80 hour course and we must pass a written comprehensive exam; anyone that fails any portion of their training will not receive their certification. Informer: What would you like the citizens of Lumberton to know about you and the LVFD? Walters: I want people to know that we are here because we love this city. It's obvious that we are not doing this for fame or fortune, we are doing this because we want this city to thrive and they need a fire department. I get tired of people sitting back and laughing at me whenever I ask them to join the fire department. Th first thing they ask is "How much does this position pay?" and when I tell them that is a volunteer fire department, they respond by sayin...

The special called meeting with the auditor was cancelled because there wasn't a quorum. Mayor Protempore Gibson, Alderwoman Hale and Alderman Rogers were at the meeting but Kent Crider and Timoty Johnson could not make it to the meeting. It's interesting that they were able to drop everything and make it to a meeting to suspend Captain Franklin and Officer Fortenberry, but they couldn't free up their schedules to hear the auditor's report about the finances of the city. Gibson said that they will schedule another meeting for tomorrow.

It's been a week since board appointed chief Dennis Hobson took over the Lumberton Police Department. So far, two seasoned officers were suspended without pay (one for having the audicity to ask about the cancellation of her insurance and the other for refusing to turn over the keys to Chief Fortenberry's office), one citizen was arrested for either questioning the city clerk about not receiving her child support payments and/or because she made a reference to a civil rights violation, at least three women were allegedly threatened by Hobson with a tazer gun and on Saturday a new hire told citizens that they couldn't ask about the fire investigation and that they were dealing with "the new Lumberton Police Department." When Roy King was arrested for impersonating a police officer, WDAM and the Hattiesburg American were all over the story, but when a citizen was charged with disorderly conduct because she wanted to know why she wasn't receiving her child suppor...

When I checked my inbox for Lumberton Informer, it was loaded with e-mails about what happened Saturday evening. Unfortunately, another resident of Lumberton lost their home due to fire. This is the third house within a one mile radius of the Lumberton Fire Department that burned to the ground, but that's not what the e-mail were about. There are several residents that are upset that some of the firemen that responded to the call were taken to the hospital. Here's a sampling of the emails I received. Gimmeabreak2011 said: "I think this is all a game and these firefighters are just looking for a way to make the city pay out more money. They have the city paying for their insurance and they need a hospital report to make a claim for the disability insurance. Whatsgoingson22 said: "Those responding to the fire looked like a gang of meth heads and they didn't know what they were doing. Where did they get their training and whey were they still hanging around hours aft...

Contrary to popular belief, Jack McMullan did give us a teachable moment--petitions do not work. The only way you can send a message to elected officials is to vote them out of office. The other day, there were several citizens protesting the madness that was taking place in the City of Lumberton. The journey of a thousand miles begin with one step, and they have taken the first step. Next, we must realize that those serving in Lumberton, namely Bobby Gibson and Timothy Johnson, do not take us seriously. So, it time to do something to get their attention. In order for them to realize that we are serious about change in Lumberton, our next move is to make sure Ben Winston is not elected to a second term as District 2 Supervisor. Tim and Bobby are not part of the solution, they are part of the problem and everything they're doing at city hall is done with the blessing of their leader, Ben Winston. You might be wondering why I'm linking Ben Winston with Bobby Gibson and Timothy Jo...

I noticed that WDAM and the Hattiesburg American reported that the board voted 4-1 to suspend the two police officers without pay. Either they were misinformed or Bobby Gibson is so clueless to his duties and responsibilities that he also cast a vote. At this point, it's easy to believe either scenario. Not long after the news crew left Lumberton, board-appointed chief Dennis Hobson, suspended police clerk, Sharese Pearson. Prior to the board meeting, Hobson and his crew of supporters filled the hallway like members of the Lumberton Aryan Brotherhood; surprisingly, even the ones down with the swirl were at his side offering their support. So let's recap the recent events: Franklin was suspended for not giving Hobson keys to Chief Fortenberry's office, Cassandra was suspended because she wanted to know why her insurance was cancelled and Sharese was suspended for. . well, I still don't know why Sharese was suspended. Whatever the reason, I'm certain that the board wi...

I remember when I first saw the movie Friday and thought how funny it was when Craig was fired on his day off, but when life imitates reality; it's not funny. On Hobson's first day as board appointed chief, he was ready to clean house; Chief Fortenberry included. Chief Fortenberry was on the coast attending an officer's training conference, but he had to cut his trip short to find out what was going on in Lumberton. When Chief makes it to Lumberton, Bobby Gibson and Kent Crider ordered Chief Fortenberry to turn over his keys and told him that he was suspended pending termination. Wait, the chaos does not end there. Kent Crider also informed Cassandra Fortenberry and Franklin that they were suspended because Hobson said they did not follow his instructions because Cassandra had the nerve to question the city clerk about her cancelled insurance. For those of you that like to keep your heads in the sand and make the claim that all of this is not about race--you need to ta...

Just a few minutes ago, new chief, Dennis Hobson, and assistant chief/board member, Kent Crider, told Officer Fortenberry and Officer Franklin that they are suspended and do not come back onto city property until the next board meeting. These saltines have gone crazy. WTBS. I must retract a comment I made in a post earlier this year. I once said that Timothy Johnson was the one behind the group of aldermen that are revolting against law and order, but now I have been corrected. Apparently, Kent Crider is the Grand Wizard behind all of this chaos and he has the full support of the two house ninjas (Gibson and Johnson). First of all, is Hobson certified to work in an administrative post. Secondly, who's gonna approve the overtime pay needed to cover the shifts of these two officers. Franklin was suspended for allegedly tampering with city property. I wonder if that's listed in any of the personnel policy? Fortenberry was suspended for a public disturbance on city property. Appare...

The administration of Chief Fortenberry has been marred with conflicts and controversy. The Lumberton Board of Aldermen has micromanaged his department to a fault. Recently, they avoided the guidelines that were set forth in the official minutes for the City of Lumberton and started interferring, again, in the day to day activities of the Lumberton Police Department. At the last board meeting, Chief Fortenberry requested training for his police officers and the request was not granted. So, on June 30, 2011, the Lumberton Police Department will lose it's certification and Lumberton will be without police protection. Will this board let it go this far? I doubt it. It's part of a bigger picture. In my opinion, the board is going to pass everything they rejected when it was presented to the board by Chief Fortenberry. In an effort to make Hobson look like an effectual replacement, the board intends to grant a hail Mary support for the officer's training, they will approve overt...

On Wednesday, March 16, 2011, I included the following comment in a blog post about Dennis Hobson: “Is there any truth to the rumor that Kent Crider, Bobby Gibson, Timothy Johnson and Rebecca Hale promised Dennis Hobson that they would make him Lumberton’s next Chief of Police? According to the information I received, Hobson was allegedly told to hang in there, keep doing what we want you to do (including turning the other way when our family is involved) and you are a sure shot for the chief position.” Well, last night, their promise came to fruition. Chief Fortenberry went into executive session and after he left, Crider and Hale made the motion to appoint Dennis “The Menace” Hobson as Interim Chief of Police. According to the stament made by Mayor Protempore, Bobby Gibson, Chief Fortenberry was going to a training session in Biloxi, MS and he would be taking some vacation time to get ready for the election. Gibson also stated that the board decided that Hobson would serve as Chief d...

The City of Lumberton is the epicenter for stupidity. At the regular board meeting there was an agenda item to override the mayoral veto to hire Laci Lawler as deputy clerk. Since the mayor was ill, there was not enough votes to override the mayor's veto. Naturally, you would think that the board would put a period and move on to something else; not this board. After realizing that they wouldn't have the votes to override the mayor's veto until she returned, the city clerk devised a clever plan for the dumb and dumber crew so they can avoid the law and hire Laci anyway. Our city clerk put the motion to hire Laci Lawler back on the agenda, but this time she had her down at a pay rate of $8.50/hour instead of $7.25/hour. She said that she talked with someone at the attorney generals office and they said that it was legal and that she would present an "official" opinion from the attorney general's office to support her claim that the board can avoid state law by ...

This is a story for anyone who has ever had a dream of a second chance, and anyone who has the guts to fight for what they really want! If you live close to Lumberton, Mississippi, then there is no doubt you have heard the name “Terry Grant.” Terry was a high school superstar from Lumberton in Football, Baseball, and track. In football, Terry came within 2 touchdowns of tying the Mississippi record for most touchdowns, finishing with 113 for his career. As a senior, he ran for 2,700 yards and scored 36 touchdowns. He was named Mississippi`s 2005 Mr. football. He was a member of the national honor society and graduated with honors. With a resume like this, Terry was highly recruited for College Football. He received a scholarship from Alabama University and quickly became a major part of the Crimson Tides offensive backfield. As a redshirt freshman in 2007, Terry was the teams leading rusher with 891 yards on 180 carries (4.95 yards per carry), both freshman records for runnin...

Here's your opportunity to do what other's have been threatening to do for the longest--you can shut down this blog. I didn't give in to threats, lawsuits, egging of my car, or even when I was threatened by a police officer, but the one thing that will shut me down is the facts. I have been posting for over a year, and have been called everything except a child of God. Wait a minute, I was called a child of God and then they said I was a hypocrite. Interesting. I've been threatened with being put out of church and the library, but still I rise. Some people say that I've been threaten with banishment because there are so many people that hate me. . since I don't know who most of the anonymous posters are I don't know if that is true or not, but I do know that there are some that support what I do and there are some that don't. . pick a corner and stay there. This blog is not for everyone, you can either like it, lump it or leave it. However, I still don...

REMEMBER: Cell Phone Numbers Go Public this month. REMINDER..... all cell phone numbers are being released to telemarketing companies and you will start to receive sales calls.... YOU WILL BE CHARGED FOR THESE CALLS To prevent this, call the following number from your cell phone: 1-888-382-1222. It is the National DO NOT CALL list It will only take a minute of your time.. It blocks your number for five (5) years. You must call from the cell phone number you want to have blocked. You cannot call from a different phone number. HELP OTHERS BY PASSING THIS ON .. It takes about 20 seconds. For more information log onto: https://www.donotcall.gov/default.aspx

People are wondering why Mayor Holder won't veto some of the items that were approved at the last board meeting and there is a good reason why she won't veto the pay raise for the deputy clerk, the pay raise for the public works department and the purchase of a dead bolt lock for the city clerk's office--it's not a legal action. Some of you may say that the board's action to re-hire Lindsey Carter wasn't legal and you would be correct, but unlike the board of aldermen, Mayor Holder is not willing to break the law in order to get her way. It is what it is and you need to know. At the last board meeting, LVFD Chief, Jerry Walters stated that there were several items still missing from the fire department. When Jerry Walters took over the fire department, he stated that several chain saws (valued at $599.00) and two pitot gauges (valued at over $1,500.00) were loaded onto someones truck and never returned to the fire department. Walters stated that he reported the ...

At last week's board meeting, the board failed to approve training for the Lumberton Police Department. All year, the board of aldermen delayed training for the police department. Now it's crunch time and the board has failed to approve Chief Fortenberry's request for certification training for his police officers. They did, however, approve funding for the ammunition needed for the training, but failed to approve the time needed for the training. I respect and admire Chief Fortenberry, but there are times that I wish he would just go slap off on the board and let the dust settle where it may, but I guess that's not the behavior I should expect of a department head. WTBS, after the board approved to pay over $600 for non-mandatory training for the city clerk, approved a $2.00/hour pay raise for Susan Guidry, approved the hiring of an additional grass cutter for the public works department at a rate of $8.50 hour and also approved to restore all pay cuts that were made i...

Why did certain employees get raises, while others are still making minimum wage? The City of Lumberton is coming to the end of another fiscal year, and will have to return to the drawing board to determine what cuts need to be made. But instead of waiting to see how the city looks financially, the board of aldermen decided to give Susan Guidry and the public works department works a end of the fiscal year bonus. There was no mention of any raise for the police department, the re-reinstatement of Mayor Holder's salary, money for the LVDF or for police clerk, Sharese Pearson. A few months ago, the board terminated Betty Speights due to budget constraints, but they've found enough money to hire another clerk and give her a raise. They refused to pay Melissa Pack more than minimum wage and that resulted in the City of Lumberton losing a good court clerk, but now they've seemingly pulled some additional funding out of the air to hire more public works employees and give out bon...

It seems that each day brings a new adventure. I'm either threatened with a lawsuit or threatened with being banned. The stories usually varies, but the purpose remains the same. I was questioned yesterday about the blog and the fact that there are people that were trying to get me banned from the library. . . again. For those of you that don't remember the Hale-storm that was brewing some time ago, I will refresh your memory. When Becy was a fair, forward thinking representative of her ward, she asked me to document the incident where Bobby Gibson wanted to have me banned from the library. Apparently, Becky thought I knew about the incident; it never dawned on her that I was never told about the threats. Anyway, after the story came out, everyone denied that it ever happened; hoping that the story would eventually die. Well, fast forward to this week and it seems that the quest to get me banned has resurfaced. When one person asked me what was going on and trying to get some i...

Recently, the email box for lumbertoninformer@yahoo.com has been filled with people wanting to know “Why is the Mayor stealing from the city clerk’s office?” Well, I am certain this question is a direct result of the clerk’s request to have a deadbolt lock placed on her office door. For the record, the city clerk did not say that the mayor was stealing from her office; she just insinuated that the mayor was breaking into her office. Stephanie said that for the last 5-6 months, she’s noticed that her office door was ajar, things had been removed from her desk, and that she was missing a notepad that contained all of her information. Again, she never said that the mayor was responsible for any of these things happening; she just made an inference that the mayor was the culprit. There are only two people with a key to the city clerk’s office and that’s Stephanie and Sue. Sue may no longer have a key, but when Betty was employed with the City of Lumberton, Sue had a key to Stephanie’...

Apparently, the City of Lumberton has money to burn . . . Last night, Mayor Holder was absent and Team Stephanie was on a spending spree. Chief Fortenberry was basically pleading with the board to allow his officers to get their necessary training and the board could care less. The officers need this training to keep their certification, but the board would not approve the hours needed for this certification process. As a matter of fact, two officers attended the training, but they did not get paid. But it’s not because of a lack of finance on the part of the City of Lumberton. Last night, Stephanie presented paperwork that apparently showed the board of aldermen how much money they saved since they made budget cuts back in November. This paperwork was used to support a raise for Deputy Clerk, Susan Guidry (but I guess there wasn’t quite enough savings for Shares Pearson or Mayor Holder) but there was also enough money to hire another public works employee and to restore the public wor...

I know you’ve been waiting . . . so here’s my review of last night’s board meeting. There was a full crowd at last night’s meeting and there were several individuals on the agenda to address the board. Before the meeting started, the board was informed that Mayor Holder wasn’t feeling well and wouldn’t at the meeting. (Side note: I’m praying that Mayor Holder is feeling better and that all is well.) The first thing I noticed was the dirty board room. You mean to tell me that we have people sitting at city hall hours upon hours day after day and they can’t use a vacuum cleaner. Interesting. When the meeting was opened, they went into citizen’s comments, but they forgot to get a motion and a second on hearing citizen comments. Don’t fret. After all the citizen comments were made, they made a motion and seconded the motion to hear from the citizens. This should give you some indication how the rest of the night went. Roy King addressed the board about the fact that impersonating a police ...

How many public works employees does it take to empty a waste basket at city hall? This really shouldn't be a question since any one of the clerks is more than capable of taking a bag out of the wastebasket, but why do such strenuous work when you have three men that are more than willing to take out the trash for you in exchange for your silence about them sitting at city hall for hours everyday. The city is currently being audited and I don’t need Dionne or any of her psychic friends to know that the City of Lumberton is losing money in the water department and on payroll. The board is constantly going over the Fuelman account for the police department, but there is never any mention about the increase in gas usage for the garbage truck or in the public works department. We always hear talk about the police not doing their jobs but mums the word when it comes to the public works department. Why was it necessary to hire additional workers for the grass crew if the biggest par...

June 10th will be here before you know it and for most of the residents in Lumberton, that means you better have your water bill paid or you will be charged a late fee. Somehow, despite this being the guideline for the City of Lumberton's water department, this rule does not apply to all residents of Lumberton. There is an elite group of citizens that have membership in the unofficial City of Lumberton Friends and Family Water Bill Waiver Program. As a citizen of Lumberton, I would like to know how to get into this program. I am certain that there are other members of the community that would love to know that they can be exempt from paying late fees, reconnection fees, etc. I guess that's one explanation why the clerks don't want any non-Caucasian clerks working in the water department. Just recently, Susan Guidry allegedly said, in the presence of the auditor, that they [the clerks] like to help people when they can't pay their water bills. Well, this is news to my ea...