Recap of January 6, 2015 Board Meeting

Before starting this post, I would like to let the coward that keyed my car last night know that they just boosted my ego. You were withing feet of me for two hours last night but you wasn't man enough to confront me but instead, acted like a teenage girl and keyed my car. May you forever reign among the eunuchs. Merlene did bring her husband to the meeting last night, I guess he was her personal security. I wonder if theres any correlation between the keying of my car and his attendance last night? Probably not but now they have an excuse for him to sit at city hall all day. Well, about last night. The first item on tbe agenda was to vote to file an application for Hub Zone Municipality. Winston didn't want to explain to the public what this entails but he gave a brief explanation. It involves the Cooper building but not enough details were presented. Apparently, they have discussed this in private sessions outside the scope of a board meeting because everyone knew the details except Quincy Rogers. Just like everyone knew about the next agenda item except Q. Rogers. Interesting. I dont know what Ben is hiding but we all know he made his money by using others and by getting used. Out of the blue, there's this city saving grant that, at this moment, costs nothing and will greatly benefit the city but first we must get rid of any entity that may ask questions, like the planning and zoning committee. What's that saying, " scratch a lie, find a thief." I'm almost certain that Winston lied about this program just as I'm certain that he's looking to benefit from this application. If the city was the benefactor, I would be all for it, but this is to help Ben and more than likely, its going to be at the detriment of tbis city. I'm waiting for them to crawfish and announce how much this application is going to cost. Next on the agenda was an item to pay Richard Rose for services rendered in the amount of $1,060. For months, there has been questions about when Rose was hired and for months, Merlene lied and said it was in the minutes. Unfortunately, we could never verify that information because the minutes were not completed in a timely fashion. All of a sudden, Merlene fessed up and distanceed herself from the lies told about this illegal transfer of funds. Yesterday, I talked with a friend and she tried to explain that Merlene sought legal help because I was calling her a liar in the blog. Well, according to Webster's, a liar is a person who lies. For months, Merlene said Rose was hired by the board and its reflected in the minutes and thankfully, I have it on video. All of a sudden, her story changes. Last night, she said Rose was hired by a poll of the board and she didn't conduct the poll. Wait a minute, if you didn't conduct tne poll, who did and how was it supposed to be included in the minutes? Now here's the kicker, Rose polled the board to get approval to prepare a budget because the city clerk does not know how to prepare a budget. But get this, Rose was already working on tne budget and had been given full access to everyone's files, social security numbers and net pay. Rose polled the board members while at city hall. Surprisingly, he contacted every board member except Quincy Rogers. Now I'm not voing to go into details about how Merlene tried to convince Quincy that Rose had called him but her statement indicated she was there, which means Rose was working in the office and then polled the board to get permission for work he was already doing. At several board meetings, they would never say the name of Richard Rose. Jay McGraw would just say he knew someone that could help. The day I met Rose, he was in the office, sitting behind a computer, Merlene was bringing him files and Rose was asking McGraw where can he go get some beer to go with his lunch. At this time, Melissa was working as deputy clerk. I asked who was he and I dont know who responded, Merlene or Melissa, but the lie I was told was "he's from BBI." Rose was hired and paid illegally and that's why I asked, on camera, who took part in the poll and who voted to hire and pay Rose. Cora Rogers said when she was polled, she was told he was working free of charge but we later found that was not true when Winston cut Rose a check and gave him a motorcycle he had to go retrieve. To be honest, I don't know why we have an attorney because he never corrects the board. Tbe way Rose was hired was a blatant disregard of the law. Votes can be taken via a phone poll but the date of the vote must be posted, all of the elected officials must be on the conference call together, announcing their presence and the ckty clerk must be there to record the votes in the minutes. The fact that the person looking to be hired is granted access to all confidential records and documents, then allowed to start work and later ask permission for work after it's completed is ludicrous. Next, they voted to allow Rose to serve as arbitrator regarding the delinquent loan owed to the Department of Environmental Quality. C.Rogers wanted to get a letter from Rose stating that he is not charging the city for this job but Winston said Rose cannot get a letter to the noard because he's in New Jersey. I guess fax machines don't work when you're out of state. I'm sure Winston and his three stooges (Jay McGraw, Kent Crider and Tommy Dukes),already know we're getting charged for this service as well; that's why they don't want a letter on file saying the services are free. Keep in mind, everyone except Q. Rogers and the residents of Lumberton have met Rose. Another note, the side jobs being performed by Rose, for a stipend, are part of the city clerk's responsibility but we're outsourcing many parts of her job and the board cannot understand why they're exceeding the budget.

The board approved the minutes for the December meetings and water deposit refunds were approved for Hunter L. Phillips, Anthony Bourdoin, Shawna Jones, Jimmy Hulsey, Robert Taylor and Pamela Nealon. The board voted to close tne Hurricane I Issac account. The department heads gave their reports. I posted the videos on the Lumberton Informer Facebook page. The police department is still understaffed. Chief Cowart pleaded with the board to hire some part time officers; something that's not going to happen. It's amazing that we can have three police officers at the board meetings but not on patrol. I guess the board wanted protection but could care less about the unprotected businesses and citizens. I wonder why Cowart won't establish an auxiliary police department. She can do so without board approval. Now, I'm not talking about the kind like the one established by Strahan. Cowart could form an auxiliary department of officers from otner agencies. There's a lot of part time officers, and many of them need hours to keep their certification. Why not reach out to other agencies to see if any officers are available and use that information to start your auxiliary department. Just an idea. I haven't went over the numbers presented by the city clerk but I will listen to the tape again and compare them with previous months. Merlene said the water bills were higher this month because it's for a 35 day cycle. She apologized for tbe meters not getting read. She said the guys couldn't read the meters because it was raining. Speaking of water meters, Danny Davis said he would hold a seminar to teach residents how to read their meters. The board approved this offer and the date will be announced once there's room on the schedule. Dukes said tbe board has access to money to announce the date of the event via public service announcements on the radio and television and through the distribution of flyers to local churches. Do keep your eyes and ears open for the dates because they will not be shared via the Lumberton Informer. I guess that was Dukes way of trying to make me feel left out the loop. They're so focused on being petty when they should be focusing on progress. Ben gave a report. The only thing I heard was Family Dollar was having a ribbon cutting on January 22, 2015, after that, I started responding to texts I received.

The board approved unpaid claims for the month of December, 2014 in the amount of $62,271.34, paid claims in the amount of $46,543.20 and December, 2014 payroll in the amount of $45,797.41. The board then voted to transfer a 2005 F150 truck that was seized by the police department and paid for out of the police department budget budget to the public works department. The truck has not been declared surplus by the police department and the chief wanted to keep tne tuck. No one know how it got placed on the agenda with the complete VIN number but it was passed because the four man crew of the public works department only had three trucks and they needed another one. In the City of Lumberton, it's important for every department to be granted everything they need to function. Well, every department except the police department. The board voted to surplus the motorcycle Ben tried to give to Rose. They voted to request copies of designs for the beacon for the airport from O'Neal-Bond Engineering. They accepted a quote from Dixie Wholesale for a hydro remote meter panel in the amount of $375. The board wants to assess a fine for those who don't pay the city to pick up limbs and debris left on the roads. Either way, you're going to pay. There will be a public hearing on January 20, 2015. I almost forgot, Q.Rogers tried to get the board to waive the late fee on the water bills since they were late but Winston said everybody knows when the bills are due, so the waiver did not go through and Merlene will probably get the bills out even later next month since she's rewarded, again, for her lack of due diligence. McGraw, Crider and Dukes voted to disband the planning and zoning committee. Crider said the planning and zoning is a speed bump to progress. Somehow, Lamar County, Forrest County, Hattiesburg and Poplarville are thriving with planning and zoning committees in place, so I don't think they're the problems. Most likely, this move has something to do with tbe Hub Zone application and they know the chairperson is going to ask questions. Well, that's good news for those wanting to put up trailers, etc. You no longer neecd permission to do anything. Also, the disbanding of the planning and zoning committee means there's no need for a building inspector. That will save you a few dollars. The board went into executive session for personnel matters but no actions were taken.

For the readers of the Lumberton Informer Facebook page, I announced I had an offer that would please those that hate this blog and those that are tired of this administration. During citizens comments, Ben couldn't answer a citizen's question because he wanted to say the blog is running away business. He said a representative from BP decided not to help Lumberton get assistance because of the blog. Please explain how we qualify for an oil spill grant? As a matter of fact, this blog was in place before he was elected. Did the blog run off those people you said were waiting for you to get elected to bring jobs to Lumberton? Well, let me get to the point because I'm not about to argue with a man that walked away from what he said God called him to do because he has nothing to loose. Since Winston and McGraw think my blog is causing a halt in the growth and development of Lumberton, I will make a deal with them. I will stop blogging about this board if they tender their notarized letters of resignation. They say they love this city. Well, love it enough to walk away. Hell, Jay already has his house up for sale; this will give to time to get it sold because he spends an awful amount of time in the office. I'm sure it's difficult serving as a board member and deputy clerk. And Ben, there would be no need for you to go the market place because I'm offering you an answer to your prayers for a better Lumberton. You think I'm the problem and I know you are the problem, so we will just eliminate all the problems. I know some of you think I left out the major problem but with a new mayor and the elimination of one of the stooges, I'm almost certain, the city clerk will be fired. So how bout it fellas? You can submit your letters of resignation at the public hearing on January 20, 2015. You say you love this city, show us. Remember when Solomon told the women to split the baby, the one who really loved the child was willing to give it up. I'm willing, are you? The ball is in your court and I'm serving like Serena Williams at Wimbledon.