Wilson NC - Dew draws mayor's ire during council meeting
Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 6:06 AM
Posted in ElectriCities
by DCN
Mayor Bruce Rose directed a police officer to escort Ricardo Dew to his seat in the City Council chambers after Dew lingered at the podium following concerns he voiced about the city's electric rate and its role with ElectriCities.
Dew, who ran an unsuccessful campaign for mayor in 2007, has been a frequent critic of the mayor and, more recently, electric costs in Wilson.
Dew spoke during the council's public comment period, . . . (Wilson Times)
The editor' response:
It is funny as hell that the Wilson Council do not televise their meetings any longer. The people who do not attend the meetings for whatever reason could see what happened if they watched it on tv. But now the citizens do not have that option. Councilman James Johnson III said that some residents are claiming that the change was made to keep the comment period secretive.
"This experiment I appreciate us doing (is) not to hide something," Johnson said. "If we wanted to hide it, we would close the door."
Johnson wrong answer I believe it is by design so that the people will be in the dark. You see just because the citizens didn't attend the meetings, after watching the meeting on tv they could pick up the phone and call ya'll with their concerns. You say you would close the door. Oh hell to the no you know that is a flat out lie because if you done that you and the council will be breaking the Open Meetings Law. Since you all are a public body you must keep the doors open unless ya'll are acting on personnel issues.
I see Mayor Bruce Rose shut down Dew and had the police to escort him from the podium. I know Dew is the spokeperson for a group of folks in Wilson however some others need to step up to the plate and speak up as well.
The problem I have is that Mayor Rose whom I have been in his presence on many ocassions just don't look like the person he appears to be. I know Councilwoman Doris Jones on a personal note because we served on the N.E.E.D. Inc. Board at the same time. I also used to attend the Wilson County NAACP meetings often when she was the President. I have met with Councilman Johnson when he was seeking to unseat Joe Pat Tolson NC House 24 in which Johnson and I live in Tolson's district. I know A.P. Coleman and I haven't seen where he has said a damn thing.
Johnson said that the council was doing what some residents wanted by taking the public comment time off TV. He disagreed with Dew that the council was not doing what the residents wanted. Well this is a damn shame that Johnson think the council is doing the right thing and not showing the meetings on tv. But I am a little confused now about I thought the none of the meeting was being shown but here Johnson make it appear as if just the public comment time is not shown. If only the public comments are not shown then I believe this make be illegal. I will check on this.
Thank you Mr. Dew for representing the citizens of Wilson who allow you to speak for them. I know you recognize and understand that you do not speak for all of the people in Wilson including all black folks however whatever changes that come out of what you are doing, everybody benefits.
Update: Found out the council air the entire meeting all except the public comments. What kind of damn business is this? I can't believe the council do not want the citizens to know what other citizens are saying at the meeting. The citizens are who the council are suppose to be representing. So what is the purpose of public comments because it is obvious that they don't want public input and they don't want the citizens to know what the concerns are coming from the community. Damn don't these council members know that it is the citizens who elected them to represent them?
See related:
Wilson NC - Rick Dew comments to Wilson City Council meeting Thursday
This is an Example of how Democracy DOES NOT WORK
Blue NC - Important post about ElectriCities of North Carolina at a glance
3 Comments | Post Comment | Email This
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - Rick Dew is a leader
Rick Dew represents leadership and is the man we are missing running the city of Wilson. Good for him. Great Leaders have to stand up.The problem is he knows more than they do and they do not like it. But we need him to keep at it.
The Wilson Mayor and City Council are a joke. Sorry but it appears the Council only thinks what Bruce Rose tells them. They look like they are controlled. Bruce Rose would not know what an electric current is if it shocked him. And when the next bombshell drops on electricities, he will once again have a big egg on his face. He sits at electricities board meetings counting his one grand a month and not understanding a thing. And worst of all he believes and repeats Jesse Tilton lies.
Am I the only one who thinks the ElectriCities Board is a bunch of damn puppets with master Jesse pulling the strings for spewing lies?
Jim
Note: This comment was edited only to separate paragraphs. C. Dancy II - Editor
Edited by curmilus on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 9:38 AM
Posted by Anonymous
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - Board competency?? What do you think?
Based on research:Sam Noble is a small town manager with no expertise in electric markets
Richad Thomas, a mayor and CPA so he probably should see the screw up in the financial side and the mismanagement of public funds
Strib Boynton, a city manager from Arkansas - High Point is screwed up so the less said the better
Jerry Cox, a former everything, fired from everywhere in many cities
Bill Seamone, a utility director without policy experience
Wilson Lacy, can find nothing. he is on the Public Works Commission
Jennie Stultz, should get it, larger city Mayor, but a Keep America Beautiful rep
Linda Story, a clerk turned manager - not much there
Bob Smith, former Duke employee - should get it all, does he?
John Craft, special assistant turned town manager so not much experience
Bruce Rose, a fire chief turned Mayor
Fred Turnage, an attorney who SHOULD GET IT, but sits on the side taking no position. How did he get to be a Mayor and stay there so long?
Mark Williams, a town manager who was in crossfire for not getting a graduate degree
Ron Elks - greenville utilities and should be one to get it with 30 years experience
What do you think? Would you let them manage your business, your money, your state?
Note: This comment was edited only to separate paragraphs. C. Dancy II - Editor
In re: Oh hell no I could not support these jokers. This is just sad. TPA
Edited by curmilus on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 10:41 AM
Posted by Anonymous
Saturday, September 20, 2008 - From JJ in Wilson
Here is an idea Bruce Rose (let's see if he takes this idea, claims credit for its brilliance (I am being sarcastic :) ) and goes with it.IDEA:
People are scared to speak before the camera (or so he says) so he turned it all off, leaving us in the dark
So, leave the audio ON, turn the VIDEO OFF. Then we hear it all but the camera does not scare anyone away.
The public may be scared but if you want to speak in person, you have to overcome the fear. Otherwise, write it down and ask a friend to speak it.
Good website Mr. Dancy. We are lively on the Wilson Daily Times forum on this topic and others - Come on over and join us. I am not on Bluenc but think I need to join.
Note: This comment was edited only to separate paragraphs. C. Dancy II - Editor
In re:
Here is an idea Bruce Rose (let's see if he takes this idea, claims credit for its brilliance (I am being sarcastic :) ) and goes with it.
IDEA:
People are scared to speak before the camera (or so he says) so he turned it all off, leaving us in the dark
So, leave the audio ON, turn the VIDEO OFF. Then we hear it all but the camera does not scare anyone away.
The public may be scared but if you want to speak in person, you have to overcome the fear. Otherwise, write it down and ask a friend to speak it.
(I totally agree.) TPA
Good website Mr. Dancy. We are lively on the Wilson Daily Times forum on this topic and others - Come on over and join us. I am not on Bluenc but think I need to join.
(Thank you for your kind words about my site. Just want to get the information out to the people but sometimes folks don't want to read the truth.
I read the WDT forum however when I got kicked off. A white friend told me what I could do so I could get into the site because I could not read it from my computer. They did me a favor because it was 1 less forum I had to go to and respond daily. But for the past several months I have been able to read it but I have chosen not to re-register there. I may do so in the future however I have so many places that I post.
Please join BlueNC, I like it there.) TPA
Edited by curmilus on Saturday, September 20, 2008 at 11:13 AM
Posted by Anonymous