Cleveland mayor, Bradley County tea party chief defend roles in flier dispute

published Wednesday, August 15th, 2012
Cleveland mayor, Bradley County tea party chief defend roles in flier dispute
By Randall Higgins
http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/aug/15/mayor-tea-party-chief-defend-roles-in-flier/?local

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — Mayor Tom Rowland says the city has no reason to apologize for asking for a police investigation into who was distributing fliers to south Cleveland homes in June.

The fliers, which stated the city was planning to use eminent domain to take more than 300 homes in the name of development, were untrue, Rowland said Monday.

It is the Tea Party of Bradley County that needs to apologize for upsetting families, some of whom have lived in their homes for two generations or more, he said.

“They were in tears,” Rowland said.

At Monday’s City Council meeting, a lively, but civil, debate took place between council members and members of the Tea Party of Bradley County. In the end, the only common ground was that no one will apologize.

Donny Harwood, president of the Tea Party of Bradley County, said his organization has no reason to apologize, either. At the time they were distributed, the fliers were true, according to the latest public information, he said. It is the city that needs to apologize for intimidating the group’s members and seeking to deny them their right to free speech, he said.

The call for an investigation aimed to “essentially hunt down, arrest and expose members of our tea party group as we made efforts to inform the community of horrendous plans for their community,” Harwood said.

“This flier contained truthful information based on the last known public meeting,” Harwood said. The “white paper” on which the flier was based later was changed, he said.

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“We haven’t stopped your free speech,” Rowland told Harwood.

“Have you passed any leaflets out to apologize to the 300 homeowners that this was not true?” he asked Harwood.

Rowland said the investigation was only to determine if laws were violated, and since none were the point is moot.

“If you are man enough, you will go down there and apologize,” he told Harwood.

“There is nothing for us to apologize about,” Harwood responded.

The group, he said, held a town hall meeting to seek explanations but only one councilman, Bill Estes, attended. Other council members, and Rowland, said they got the invitation after the meeting was held.

Tea party member Dan Rawls said that isn’t true because he sent the registered letters.

Councilman George Poe said he got a late invitation to a meeting to discuss something he had no intention of doing anyway.

“We couldn’t afford to buy 300 houses in the first place,” he said. “We have never talked about what we are accused of.”

If Harwood’s group was so alarmed, Poe said, they should have come to the council first with questions.

Rowland and Poe said they have not read the “white paper” from contracted consultants on which the flier was based. Harwood said the paper was handed out during a three-day public planning meeting at Bradley Square Mall.

Councilman Richard Banks, who said he has read the white paper, told tea party leaders they took the “300 homes” statement out of context. The original question was what would happen in the community if Whirlpool stayed in its old location, he said.

Consultants said that up to 300 homes might have to be seized through eminent domain to accommodate the company’s expansion there. But Whirlpool moved to its new Benton Pike site.

It was only a “what-if” discussion, Rowland said.

“There is nothing for us to explain, because there was nothing to it,” he said.

Contact staff writer Randall Higgins at rhiggins@timesfree press.com or 423-314-1029.

Council, tea party leader argue over apology need

Council, tea party leader argue over apology need
by DAVID DAVIS, Managing Editor
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/19800265/article-Council–tea-party-leader-argue-over-apology-need?instance=latest_articles

The Cleveland City Council became embroiled in a 40-minute argument Monday with Bradley County Tea Party President Donny Harwood over who should apologize for deceiving the public. In the end, neither side admitted wrongdoing.

Harwood approached the Council during the regular voting session regarding what he viewed as an action taken by the Council that impinged on party members’ freedom of speech.

The resulting exchange centered around a flier distributed in June by the local tea party and subsequent action taken by the Council on June 18.

“On June 18, I witnessed first-hand the Cleveland City Council and its Mayor Tom Rowland display behavior uncharacteristic of a free republic bound to the U.S., the state constitution and the city charter. With this most recent breach it is safe to say our first amendment rights are imperiled in Bradley County,” he said. “There is still egregious legislation on the books today that has yet to be reversed that limits our freedom of speech.

“Cleveland Mayor Tom Rowland, with a unanimous resolution vote of 7-0 by this Council ordered an investigation using police force to essentially hunt down, arrest and expose members of my Tea Party group as we made efforts to inform the community of horrendous plans for their community, thus criminalizing our free speech.”

Rowland said Monday there was no resolution. It was simply a vote taken after he expressed his opinion at the June 18 Council meeting that whoever anonymously distributed the flier should be publicly identified.

The anonymous flier was in neighborhoods south of the old Whirlpool Plant in downtown Cleveland. It warned homeowners of the impending loss of their property rights, if they did not immediately act. The flier stated 300 homes were targeted for demolition and redevelopment.

“I think this is a very cruel hoax on the citizens of our community. This is sneaky. It’s deceitful. I don’t like it and I don’t like my citizens to be in fear,” the mayor said in June.

He said then it was a gray area as to whether or not an actual crime was committed by distributing fliers containing false information about the future of the area and “whoever wrote this should be exposed to the public and to those people who called Greg (Planning Director Greg Thomas) with fear in their hearts. They ought to know who wrote this.”

The Council voted 7-0 to request the city attorney, police and district attorney’s office to fully investigate the matter to determine if any laws were broken and try to uncover the source of the flier. The matter was investigated. It was determined no laws were broken and no further action was taken.

“I think this flier is very inciting and I don’t find anything, other than some terminology here and there, that’s even true,” Rowland said during the June meeting. “We formed the Southside Development Committee, but that would do nothing but increase values in that area by getting rid of the blight in our city and enhance the value of the property around it.”

Harwood said Monday the flier contained truthful and accurate information based on the last known public meeting where the information was provided.

“The white paper draft plan is the last known information available to the public in a public setting,” he said. Since that time, he said the plan was changed in a private setting.

Thomas said in a June 17 interview the white paper was written by a Knoxville-based planning consultant and it was handed out to the public in April during a three-day planning workshop at Bradley Square Mall. Thomas said that was the first time he saw the white paper and subsequently, he requested that section be deleted. There have been no public meetings since April.

“The bottom-line answer is the city is not going to run in and take anybody’s property,” he said in June.

Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce Vice President for Economic Development Doug Berry said in July references to 300 houses came when talks first began with Whirlpool about replacing its century-old manufacturing facilities. The company wanted to remain in the downtown area where there is historical linkage because it is a big issue for a company to break that attachment.

“When we first sat down with Whirlpool, they told us they needed to develop modern manufacturing facilities, that the inefficiencies of these historic plants were so great it was having a bottom-line effect on the company,” Berry said. “They told us they would prefer to do a rebuild in the area of their existing plant. Their first request of me, as a representative of this community, was to provide them a redevelopment option for them to put two half-million square foot buildings in this corridor.”

Berry said during the July MainStreet Cleveland luncheon that such a redevelopment project has never happened in Cleveland. Ultimately, keeping the plant in its historical location would require the use of eminent domain. Berry said he expressed his concern to the company, but agreed to analyze what it would take to put a million square feet in the neighborhood. In order to do that, he said it would require buying all of the property between Plant No. 3 and Ocoee Street, all the way to Plant No. 2.

“That’s 300 lots. That’s where the 300 number came from,” Berry said. “I then sat down with the company and explained that I did not think this was a viable option because this community has not been through the process and has no history of ever having used eminent domain as part of its economic development program. When you hear about the 300 homes that are going to be taken and bulldozed, that number actually has basis, but it’s not fact in the conclusion of those statements,” he told MainStreet members.

Rowland asked Harwood on Monday if he had apologized to the 300 homeowners.

“They were alarmed that their houses might be taken when that’s not a fact,” the mayor said.

Harwood said, “There is nothing for us to apologize for.”

Rowland said, “You should go back and apologize to those people whose lives you have upset. Would you do that or not? We have not stopped your free speech. You have passed leaflets out since then and during that time you haven’t been stopped. We wanted to know who was doing it so you would know what you are passing out is not true. There is nothing true about it. This Council has not voted on it and you know good and well where it started — when Whirlpool said what if we build down there, it was said you might have to buy 300 houses. Period. Where did Whirlpool move to? That was irresponsible —”

“Well, the information —,” Harwood said.

“Listen to me!” the mayor demanded. “The only people I’ve talked to were in tears because somebody put some kind of information out that has no facts to it at all and if you’re man enough, you’ll go down there and tell them that you were wrong.”

The remainder of the argument centered mainly around Harwood and Tea Party member Dan Rawls asking Council members why they did not appear at a Tea Party town hall meeting to discuss the issue. Councilman Bill Estes, who represents the 2nd District, was the only councilman who accepted the invitation.

In return, Councilman George Poe asked Harwood why he didn’t attend a Council meeting months ago if he had questions.

Eminent Domain once again topic of Cleveland City Council

Eminent Domain is once again the huge elephant in the room at Mondays Cleveland Tennessee City Council Meeting.

After several minutes debating a study on the Ocoee/25th Street corridor construction project with City Mananger Janice Casteel the conversation went to the subject of eminent domain and the specifics of that process.

During the dialogue, as reported in the Chattanoogan, Councilman Banks said “We have to be conscious of the fact that when we vote on this project, that there is going to be imminent (eminent) domain proceedings. There will be lawsuits filed in court……”I think we need to be talking about other funding issues rather than this intersection project.”

The 25th street/Ocoee street Project, I have been told, will result in around 35 homes and businesses losing all or portions of their property. I have been informed by planners that this project will be 7 lanes wide, much like the road through the North Lee area and will be expensive. I asked would it be in the hundreds of millions and he said no that high but high.

First of all the eminent domain issue just last month was a crazy idea. The crack pot tea party types were spreading “false rumors and propaganda” about plans for Cleveland City. The Chamber of Commerce, Mayor Rowland, Editors at the local paper, Mayor Rowland, City and County Planners, 7 City Council members, McBride Dale and Clarion and countless other bureaucrats thought the subject was the worst thing they have ever been accused of. We have had our first amendment rights threatened because we passed out flyers saying the government was going to take your property by eminent domain, demolition and redevelopment and here they are casually doing the exact thing they reacted so strongly against just a month ago.

“False Propaganda” is what our mayor called this action a month ago and this week enacts eminent domain from his throne speaking volumes of a hidden agenda or hypocrisy on a high level. Just a month ago when his plan was uncovered it was outrageous, preposterous and scaring old people and the idea highly frowned upon.

Eminent Domain, rezoning, demolition and redevelopment, takings, outright purchases. Those are dirty words from the pits of hell and would never be uttered from our City government? Right?
Any man that would dare utter those words in my presence will burn in a hot and steamy lake of fire? Right?

Well, that was the sentiment from voices past, now the purveyors of all things unpopular, false, full of propaganda and hateful despicable lies is now the topic of City Council meetings as something that is inevitable.

I understand needing to hide these things. If the public grasps a great understanding of what is really going on in our local government they would not have a seat on our local city council seat for long and their long term legacy would be tarnished, forever linking the elite 8 to eminent domain and taking of the citizens property in such an egregious manner.

I think councilman banks said it best when he rebutted City Manager Janice Casteel with “We have to always be concious about how we appear to the public!”

Notice not one word was uttered that we must be careful or conscious to protect the citizens property rights! Their legacy, social standing in public, reputation will be tarnished are their true concerns, not your property rights! We can’t appear to want to take peoples property against their will, that would not be good, this is my humble opinion.

Councilman Poe in his defense did mention that he must go with the people he represents him on this one! Bravo! But what is going to be the end result of a 90 day study versus a 60 day study? How to take more of your property or at least take it in a more politically correct manner? I don’t know! One thing is for sure though and mark my words just as we have warned you for months now,

EMINENT DOMAIN WILL BE USED AS A VERY EFFECTIVE TOOL TO TAKE YOUR PROPERTY RIGHTS AWAY AND THE CITY AND COUNTY DEVELOPED!

Onward to the Central City Area!

The end!!!!!!

Yep, many are going to be affected by eminent domain, demolition and redevelopment. I guess it just matters as to which side of government you are on as to whether you can say it or not.

Compare these two articles. Both reporting on the same subject, only one mentions eminent domain, the other doesn’t! Why the bias? Why does it seem that the agenda is being hidden by the press? What is the benefit if the people are locked out of the process. I don’t get it!

Remember, my opinion is only mine and it doesn’t have to be yours!

http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/19560052/article-TDOT-updates-city-on-Highway-60-Corridor?instance=homesecondleft

http://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/7/24/230864/Cleveland-Council-To-Vote-On-Cutting.aspx

“Flyer propaganda” prompts Cleveland Mayor to order investigation on citizen exercising free speech

There is no Propaganda! There is nothing being made up! There are no mistruths in the much discussed flyer that was handed out in the central southern downtown area.

The only thing that did happen was a lone patriot took it upon himself to warn some friends and neighbors of the up and coming drafted plan to demolish and redevelop their homes.

Many of these mostly blue collared and retired citizens just south of the old whirlpool have only one entity to live in fear of and that is the actions of their locally elected officials who are supposed to represent them and protect them.

The Mayor, his council and their hired consultants and Greg Thomas drafted a plan that called for the demolition and redevelopment of 300 homes in downtown Cleveland.

Only when the citizens were informed of their demise did the mayor and Planner Greg Thomas go on the offensive and look as if they had no part in the published draft for the BCC 2035 downtown growth plan which was handed out at the last public meeting and at the time of the flyer handout was the only known draft.

Only after the Mayor, Greg Thomas and editors at the Banner ranted at the sick and demented acts of a single Patriot for 6 days did we suddenly all realize that a private meeting was reportedly held and the planners and Mayor miraculously came up with another plan and the Flyer guy was handing out old “outdated” information.

“This area would be best served by demolition and redevelopment!” as quoted from the last public notice of the last updated public plan draft. This quote came directly from the consultants hired by our local government using a 3 to 2 vote by City Council to go forward with redevelopment that gave the go ahead for the consultants and planners to draft the plans with the above ominous sentence.

Until the very recent discovery of a “new draft plan” the area south of the old Whirlpool Plant with 300 homes had been targeted for DEMOLITION AND REDEVELOPMENT!

The above statement is confirmed in the draft of the plan handed out to the public at the last public meeting at the Bradley Square Mall. If you recall many were sorely disappointed at the drafted plans on that date and over 73 percent of those in attendance for the three day event disagreed or strongly disagreed and more than 80 percent disagreed with the Central City plan.

The Consultants, Planners and Elected officials took a deaf ear stance to the cries of a citizenry that did not want to see this happen in their communities. The cry was loud, even prompting additional purchased adds in the local paper because noone, to include the hired Consultants would publish the results…..”because they were too negative!”

My conclusion to this would be if you had listened to those who attended you would not have been surprised when many called the planners horrified that their homes were suggested to be better served by demolition and redevelopment.

The overwhelming message at the Charrette is you will be violating our property rights and when the people affected discover your vile plan the Mayor and Greg Thomas act mortified and disgusted that anyone would dare tell a citizen about your plan that contained the scary, absurd and crazy message.

Too negative? The outrage from this last public meeting Charrette at Mall was labeled too negative to report the findings. Would you attempt to label something too negative if it meant giving up your property rights? I know not of a single person that addressed this issue and our very verbal concerns but instead chalking up the many who spoke against this development and demolition as “stirring up trouble!”

The local Bradley/Cleveland Chamber of Commerce, in their April monthly newsletter, mailed to every business member in the area and basically condemned our efforts to warn the public of the dissatisfaction with the redevelopment plans for this area that the Mayor has now reportedly vehemently denied will ever happen showed much disbelief that someone would tell those people something awful like that and upsetting senior citizens, Mr Mayor, this was your drafted plan that contained the bad news!

What is happening in this community? Bureaucrats, elected leaders, Mayors, consultants, planners, vested parties, the utility departments, the Chamber of Commerce, the many appointed boards and elected officials turning on the general public and attempting to block, squelch and criminalize anyone that dares to expose this stealthy plan. This same group is surprised when the now informed public learns of their own demise at the hands of our locally elected officials and take a precarious stance to act like it never happened.

I have addressed and dredged up many many reports supporting the facts in the flyer. Read some, read them all and you will be amazed at the amount of trickery, spin and energy that goes into denying the facts. It is almost as if they don’t realize that with 99 percent of what they do or say there is some type of public record about most of their actions. Nothing a little Google search want confirm.

City Planner calls flyer allegations “crazy and scary!”
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/19016093/article-Planner-calls-flyer–allegation-%E2%80%98crazy%E2%80%99?instance=homesecondleft

The Cleveland Daily Banner in an “anonymous” editorial letter in this weeks paper called the actions of citizens “absurd!”

A recent conversation with a Banner reporter which will remain unidentified out of respect for this person, I told him that alot of people are going to be angry over this “spin” and lack of details of this drafted plan for the BCC 2035 growth plan that noone wants to assume ownership of and the local press is only offering one side of the story.

I am now convinced after compiling this data that the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing as this unknown government goes forward with redevelopment. Others have expressed that this is deliberate and the opposing messages being sent to the public are intentional, much like self governance, the unknown government and consensus through techniques like the Delphi!

I do know one thing and mark my word. The demolishing and redevelopment portion of the Central City plan white papers is very real and is the last known draft that the public has been privy to. The Mayor and the City Planner, based solely on their comments and it is my opinion only, no fact to base this statement on but it appeared the Mayor and the Planner at the time of the flyers being passed out were either unaware of the drafted plans by hired out of town consultants or are flat out not being honest with the people that they represent. It has to be one or the other based on the many reactions in shock of the drafted plan and their repeated cries they didn’t know where we were getting these “bogus ideas!”

Let me put another opinion out there, no fact, just my humble opinion, let me put out there another scenario. When the mayor called a press conference and eventually a 7 to 0 vote by his council to criminalize a patriots action why didnt the Mayor or City Planner express to the many news outlets on that Monday, June 18 th and the following 6 or so days that “the news being put out was outdated instead of a farce as they alleged. Why wasn’t the opportunity to inform the public not done initially instead of many days later. Just a thought and again my opinion is he didn’t even know what the planners and consultants had put in the plan.

The day of my interview with Channel 12s News, Bill Mitchell after interviewing the Mayor told me we had been acting on old outdated plans and that the “planners” met on May 31st and changed the wording to say nothing of redevelopment and demolition. How convenient is that! Now that the word is out and the plan changes drastically and not one word to the public or coverage in the local papers. News this big did not make it out to the public for nearly 4 months?

I requested the “newly updated” version of the plan from Corey Divel and it was indeed updated and did not mention demolishing or redevelopment as the original last known draft to the public said. The newly revised plan from Corey Divel had the same date as the original. I’ll let you form your own opinion here.

I requested yet another draft plan, this one from Greg Thomas, this one with the original date and the updated date and of course no mention of the demolishing and redevelopment of 300 homes South of the old whirlpool plant. He later communicated to me that he did not like being misrepresented. I now ask the question, what is misrepresentative about the only current public information we have that says the 300 homes South of the old Whirlpool plant would be best served by Demolition or Redevelopment. I do not see what is false or misrepresented about that?

Perhaps, after reading the many attached articles you can find out where the mistruth is in the flyer that was disseminated by an anonymous flyer man exercising his First Amendment right. I can’t find it! I tried to find a mistruth in it, I honestly did! Then I would be forced to shut up and drop the issue.

Remember, this issue was brought on by our elected body who attempted to warn the public and to criminalize the actions of a few citizens with a stronghand vote from City council and a horrendous media smear of this person! That’s the only fault I have found with this whole debacle!

My many thanks goes out to the Banner for providing much of the information I have displayed! I encourage you to keep reading the Banner for it’s timely reporting of these issue and spend that 50 cents and dollar on Sunday getting the news of our local happenings.

A statement from Mayor Rowland, “This flyer was anonymously passed out in the city. It’s my understanding that over 20 people contacted Greg Thomas because his number was listed on the flyer, who were concerned and some even expressed fear that we’re going to take their property. Nothing can be further from the truth. I think this flyer is very exciting. I don’t find anything, maybe some terminology here and there that’s even true.” He also went on to explain that this person must be exposed and explore any possible criminal activity that may apply!

Tennessee Code Annotated 13-20-201, Kingsporhttp://www.khraredevelopment.org/aboutus.html

3 tools to use under TCA 13-20-201

the Statute T.C.A. 13-20-201. The tools that could be used in a Redevelopment District include:

Tax Increment Financing (TIF):
TIF is the redirection of increased property tax revenues
which occur as the result of a redevelopment project, in support of the project. It is a means of providing funding to spur redevelopment activities. TIF must be approved by the governing bodies involved. A side note- the schools, police and fire as well as many other budgets are affected by TIF financing because of frozen property tax rates and the diversion of tax dollars to the likes of developers and etc.

Ability to Assemble Property:
Are able to acquire property either through outright purchase, or through the exercise of eminent domain, which is defined as the taking of private property for the public good, with just compensation and assistance with relocation.

Bonding Authority:
Are authorized by T.C.A. 13-20-104(a)22 has the capability to borrow funds through its bonding authority in support of projects with a public purpose, with public ownership. This may be at a lower, tax-exempt, interest rate.

Doug Berry communicates with Richard Cathey of KPMG! Bond discussion and or outsourcing conversation? The details of that conversation have not been made public. Wasn’t Bernie Madoff tied up with KPMG at one time? Just wandering why we are dealing with this company. May be no relation, just an opinion!
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/13540791/article-Existing-area-industries-looking-to-future-expansion

Mayor Rowland calls for redevelopment of downtown: Remember, he asked what development in the Chattanoogan article.
http://clevelandbanner.com/bookmark/10902054-Redeveloping-Whirlpool-site-a-key

Tom Rowland Civic Center downtown: “most exciting redevelopment project in our history!”
http://clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/11559088/article-Time-to-start-planning?

Favored developers, raising property values and taxes, Tom Rowland Convention Center:
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/14498402/article-Southside-Redevelopment-seeks-public-awareness

What redevelopment? Favored developers? Quote from Commissioner Banks “With public and private opportunities, I think this Whirlpool property and surrounding property could be a great asset to Cleveland,” he said. “That’s where Cleveland started.”

He said Cleveland businessman Tom Robertson texted him a series of messages suggesting the redevelopment could be based on the creek that runs all the way from Big Spring Baptist Church to the Village Green before it turns north along Keith Street to Willow Street where the Cleveland/Bradley Greenway begins. Some of the waterway is open and some of it runs under buildings.
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/11706070/article-Council-says-OK-to-study-of-south?

Favored developers through public private partnerships? I dont know, you decide! “The spec building is a public-private partnership between Dillard Construction Inc., contractor; Dillard Partnership, the developer; Cleveland/Bradley County Industrial Development Board, the organization that holds the note on the land; and the Cleveland/Bradley County Chamber of Commerce, which is handling the marketing and information distribution for the development.”
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/17040710/article-Economic-development-remains-on-track?

Legislation, HB 1554 introduces TIF as funding source for redeveloping downtown Whirlpool site
http://clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/13484178/article-Legislation-offers-redevelopment-funding-source?

Using a City Council vote to squash freedom of speech and attempting to criminalize a patriot exercising his freedom
of speech and face possible charges if they apply:
http://www.chattanoogan.com/2012/6/18/228576/Cleveland-City-Mayor-Tom-Rowland-Calls.aspx

Chamber of Commerce, Public Utilities, other Economic Development personnel have a “VESTED INTEREST in the region’s anticipated growth over the next quarter century.”
http://www.clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/11134808/article-City-planners-OK-BCC-2035-growth-strategy

Call it Sustainable Development or Agenda 21 it’s still Sustainable Development under the direction of the United Nations 21 Local plan for our County with direct influence of the Chamber of Commerce!

Click to access BCC%202035-1.pdf

Planning efforts draw ire of Rosa Koire:
http://www.democratsagainstunagenda21.com/1/post/2012/06/it-takes-guts.html

BCC 2035 plan as per AECOM consultants to McBride,Dale and Clarion

Click to access 18435%20Cleveland%20Bradley%20Growth%2004.12.pdf

“The biggest redevelopment project the community has ever seen.” The City Mayor was recently quoted by the Chattanoogan, “what redevelopment?”
http://clevelandbanner.com/view/full_story/9584992/article-City-to-seek-grant-for-redevelopment-of-Whirlpool-site?

City Council narrowly approves growth plan, discusses raising property taxes or cutting services to fund it. Also discussed, salary of consultants! “The plan was initiated by the Cleveland/Bradley Chamber of Commerce” in partnership… “At that time, the cost of the study was $221,720. The local share of $171,720 was paid by the participants.”
http://clevelandbanner.com/bookmark/12540647-Council-says-OK-to-growth-strategy

Copy of a quote in the Banner from the above news article by Councilman Banks:
““When we vote on this it’s not just because it looks good in a notebook,” he said as he held the strategic plan in his hand. “We’re setting a course. If you read what’s in there, we are going to have to make some tough decisions and one of them is trying to get a property tax increase in the next 60 days.”

Banks said increasing the property tax might be best, but before raising taxes, he urged department heads to think about where they could save money.”

The Delphi Technique to achieve consensus. That overwhelming sense that no matter what we get back from the public, we will get what we want!
https://bradleycountynews.wordpress.com/2012/03/20/community-gives-growth-plan-thumbs-down-police-called-tyranny-reigns-in-bradley-county/

73 percent of Bradley County residents disapprove of growth plan, 80 percent disapprove of Central City Plan but the plan goes forward as if consensus reached.
https://bradleycountynews.wordpress.com/2012/04/28/73-percent-of-charette-attendees-strongly-disagree-with-bradley-county-comprehensive-plan/

Redevelopment, the unknown Government- Speaks of the same things we are implementing here in Bradley County by hired out of town consultant is the same thing that is destroying California’s economy without a single vote cast by the people!
http://www.sanlorenzoexpress.com/norby1.htm

Strongly ask your self why did our elected leaders act so strongly toward a single taxpaying, constitutionally protected citizen? I would cide with my opinion that they got caught with their hand in the cookie jar and quickly responded negatively against the citizen who did the reporting. This again is the easy thing to do and they clearly took the low road. My daddy used to tell me son, if you are going to say something, you better be willing to back it up! Wished many would have received that advice! Thanks Dad! God rest your soul!

Tea Party leader fires back about fliers

Tea Party leader fires back about fliers

The ironic thing is there is not one mistruth is in this flyer! And our elected officials have stirred up one hell of a balew over it! It is all true! I am holding a document and would gladly provide a copy that clearly states that 300 homes in the downtown area will be “demolished and redeveloped” just as the flyer warns.

The mix up is that it is my belief that not even the Mayor is fully informed of the growth plan that he and his council have voted on and approved recently!

This is the price they pay for allowing 3rd parties and NGOs (Non Governmental Organizations) such as industrial boards, Chamber of Commerce or economic development appointees or committee members to make all the in between vote decisions for them. Then when the informed taxpayer, in this instance, an informed tea partier does his due diligence, researches numerous documents and presents facts to our elected officials they have that deer in the headlight look as if seeing it for the first time.

I have a very alert, well educated and intelligent group of individuals in the tea party and they are willing to go to bat to stop this type of spin on the truth even if it means great personal conflict or loss! It is a belief in the constitution, that if followed will flush out many who do not belong in office.

We can no longer sit back and trust our elected officials with the rings at a full gallop. We must, as concerned citizens, pull back on the bit and slow the stallion down while occasionally having to break them with a steady firm hand.

Our politician bureaucrat types are attempting to discredit and silence any person that speaks the truth in an open venue, such as passing flyers out to the public.

Not one single mistruth permeates this flyer! The biggest lie told on this story comes from a very misinformed Mayor and council that is not even aware of the plans inside the plan they voted to enact just a few short months ago.

To make up for their information inadequacy they strike at the first person who happens to tell them something they have never heard or seen and instead of researching the data or “googling” the information as suggested, they assume the information is false and start a campaign against this valiant man and his family!

The campaign hoisted by this administration is irrehensible and truly has hurt those in it’s path! The ability of one person and it’s seven henchmen along with a willing press to do absolutely no research of any of the data in question is the true destructive component of a government and it’s governors that are sorely inconsiderate of their electorate.

I would truly be ashamed if this were my doing and hurting a family the way some have. The mental anguish this has placed on this person is almost unbearable and has caused a fine upstanding citizen to go underground to avoid tyranny from a runaway government.

Not a single reporter or elected representative that I am aware of has even bothered to raise a hand to research the facts. If they did they would clearly see that the information that is being hotly contested would bare out the truth and provide the answers and end the debate over truth or non truth.

It’s like Nancy Pelosi suggested on the Obamacare health care bill, sign it then we will read it later! The taxpayers are pretty aware of what is coming down the pike, it’s the elected officials that would sign on a paper bag without knowing what was in the bag, if it meant federal dollars coming their way!

Source: http://www.timesfreepress.com/news/2012/jun/20/tea-party-leader-fires-back-about-fliers/?local

CLEVELAND, Tenn. — The head of the Tea Party of Bradley County said Tuesday that Mayor Tom Rowland should resign after taking a stand against a flier — written by a tea party member — that says the city wants to destroy the homes in some Cleveland neighborhoods.

Donny Harwood, local tea party chairman, said Rowland thinks he is king.

The Cleveland City Council also voted unanimously to request a police investigation into the flier, a decision that Harwood says is “to basically manhunt down the source of the flier and have him arrested or brought up on charges.”

Harwood said the man who put out the flier recently joined the Bradley tea party and is “now in fear of his safety and well-being. I had to listen as his family wept in the background on a phone conversation because this mayor unjustifiably put out a bounty on his head!”

In his emailed statement, Harwood said the mayor and all the City Council, plus city planner Greg Thomas, should resign.

Rowland said Tuesday that “the job of city government is to protect its citizens and that includes misinformation that could put fear into senior citizens.”

Rowland has said there is no plan to destroy homes in the neighborhoods through a plan being developed by Bradley County, Cleveland and Charleston to accommodate growth for the next 25 years.

“The neighborhoods where the fliers were circulated are established neighborhoods where people have lived for two or three generations,” Rowland said. “They should not be given misinformation that creates fear.

“The council simply asked for an investigation to determine the source of the fliers so they can be given correct information. Of course, if any criminal laws are violated, that is a different matter,” Rowland said.

Calling the city government “runaway,” Harwood said that if he or the man who put out the flier are harmed, that the mayor, the council and Thomas “should be held responsible and investigated to the fullest extent of the law!”