After a nearly five-hour long closed session, the Town of Mooresville called for internal and external investigations into its police department's Cops for Kids organization. Additionally, Police Chief John Crone has been removed from "any association" with the organization and is no longer supervising the police department's evidence room.
Mayor Bill Thunberg, reading from a prepared statement after closed session at Monday night's town board meeting, said that Interim Town Manager Erskine Smith has initiated certain steps, “including but not limited to” the following:
· Directed Crone to remove himself from association with Cops for Kids, including any financial transactions;
· Cops for Kids records will continue to be secured at Town Hall;
· The evidence room will be under the sole supervision of Maj. Carl Robbins;
· An external audit of Cops for Kids will be conducted;
· An inventory will be conducted of the police department evidence room “to ensure its integrity is uncompromised”;
· An external investigation by the District Attorney’s office will be requested; and
· The town will launch a “complete internal investigation by an independent, outside party."
Additionally, Thunberg stated, the process will be supervised by Town Finance Director Maia Setzer, and all future questions about the matter will be referred to Town Attorney Steve Gambill.
Crone was not at Monday night's meeting.
More tomorrow …
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45 comments:
A great move by the board regardless of what you lynchers want to do. The truth will now come out in a few days or weeks. Every one should only write on this site the truth and not make accusations that you cannot prove or don't know your self to be the truth.
I for one would love nothing more than to lynch any corrupt police chief who has been taking out of the mouths of the needy in this community to put into his own mouth and the mouths of his family and friends and their kids.
The fact they've taken the evidence room supervision away from Crone tells us this is a whole lot more serious than he wants us to believe.
I went to the meeting last night, but when the mayor mumbled under his breath that “the presentation” (he didn’t even mention the Police Chief or Cops 4 Kids) would not happen, I got up and left in disgust. I noticed about half the room did the same. But somebody hit the nail on the head in an earlier post. Erskine Smith was up there right next to his latest Sugar Daddy (Thunberg) looking real safe and confident. I noticed they even look like each other now. The mayor’s got the city manager’s back and the city manager’s got the police chief’s back, and the rest of us be damned. The sun rises on another day and they’re all still on the payroll.
not commenting, having a closed session, referring all other questions to the town lawyer....
I smell a rat does anyone else?
This is actually a disturbing turn of events. The commission’s removal of Police Chief John Crone as the custodian of the evidence room strongly points to the existence of concrete proof that the evidence room has been breached. In that event, it is very troublesome that the police chief continues to have full authority over the rest of the Mooresville Police Department and all of its assets and powers – weapons, police vehicles and staff, surveillance equipment, search and seizure powers to name a few. If there is indeed sufficient evidence that would warrant removal of the police chief as the custodian of the evidence room, then there is sufficient evidence to suspend him immediately pending the results of a full investigation by an outside entity such as the SBI. Failure to do so constitutes gross negligence on the part of whomever has the authority to suspend him but refuses or fails to. I am not certain whether in Mooresville that would be the town attorney, town manager, mayor, or the commission by majority vote. Indeed, if the police chief commits an unlawful and/or harmful act using such resources it is my strong belief that the town could be held liable.
Somebody gave me the heads up to tape the newschannels last night. Well I did it. Watched them this morning and I had to keep going back and forth cause the cup wasn't matching the saucer. So I took a pen & paper & wrote word for word the chief's words. See for yourself. Maybe it's just me but something ain't adding up:
on WCNC 11:00 o’clock news
“the Chief says he has receipts for every donation and every check written.”
on WSOC 11:00 o’clock news
“the Chief says he hasn’t done a great job of record keeping but denies any wrongdoing.”
on FOX News at 10:00
Crone says “I know that there isn’t a penny misspent. There is not a penny that was given or anybody got that they shouldn’t have gotten. I may not have every record. I’ll acknowledge that something might have gotten lost. I don’t know.”
Didn't the town manager put a gag order on the chief?
okay people, rise and shine! I was at the meeting too last night. What a joke. The (dis)Honorable Mayor was the biggest joke of all. His town is going up in flames, there's an army of TV news in town, his under-serious-fire police chief is nowhere to be seen, and he's sitting there like it's another day at the park (La De Da. Let us all hop and skip through the pretty little flowers). Like we're supposed to look at him and fall under his spell of "there's nothing wrong in Mooresville (you're getting sleeeepy)... there's no corrupt chief of police with all sorts of powers (you're getting sleeeeepier) ...everything is going to be okay (you're now fast asleep)...When you wake up all this will have seemed like a dream to you, I will have slapped the police chief on the hand and we'll all be Evens Stevens."
We don't have a mayor people. We have a Joker.
Lord have mercy Jaime. I turned around and you have had 40,000 hits on your blog in four months. I marked the start of your blog (3/3/08) and I will celebrate its special birthday every year.
You are absolutely amazing. You are courageous and you practice rigorous honesty. Even the people you expose have never, not once, been able to point to a single fact that can dispute what you report. They will never love you, but we will - with all our hearts.
You have become my personal litmus test. This is how I and so many others in this town know the good guys from the bad. You are our hero...And you are their villain.
Here is how I am going to vote next time around:
Mayor: Miles Atkins (Write in)
with a specific request to make Chris Carney town manager and Jamie Gatton Assistant Town Manager. They seem to be the only ones interested in cleaning up this town. Throw out the trash - don't sweep it under the rug!
And to the "lyncher" post at 5:34 am: If Crone and Smith were as innocent as they claim to be, wouldn't they be the very people who would want internal and external investigations to clear their name? If you don't have anything to hide - then welcome the investigation with open arms and let the third party find the truth that you say will come out. I believe the saying goes "The truth will set you free." Bring it on!
Wow. For there to be so much chatter on this website, I would have expected "standing room only" at last night's town meeting. Reality is - there were a lot - a LOT of empty seats. Put your money where your anonymous mouths are - be seen and be heard.
That being said, Gilwood Presbyterian Church in Cabarrus County has on it's outdoor sign:
"My obligation is to do the right thing. The rest is left to God."
While non of us mortal human beings can see into a man's heart, God can. Our omnipotent creator is the only one who can serve true justice where it is due. While it does seem a lot of folks want a "lynching" how about everyone hit their knees and pray that God will give everyone involved (the accused and the accusers)the wisdom, the knowledge and the actions to clear everything up.
Save your self-righteous mumbo jumbo for when you teach Sunday school to your captive audience. Not everybody out here believes what you believe. BUT we all pay taxes and we are OWED explanations by government officials, whether you like that or not. As for meetings and such, who are YOU to tell US how to protest our government? We will do so in a timing and manner of OUR choosing. You stick to your preaching, and we'll stick to our corruption exposure.
Okay so let me get this straight. From one side of his mouth the mayor says this: “the process will be supervised by Town Finance Director Maia Setzer, and all future questions about the matter will be referred to Town Attorney Steve Gambill.” This kind of makes us think they’re finally taking this out of Erskine Smith’s lying hands, right?
But wait a minute! Not so fast. Cause just earlier from the other side of his mouth, the mayor had said this: “that Interim Town Manager Erskine Smith has initiated certain steps”, including:
“An external audit of Cops for Kids will be conducted; An external investigation by the District Attorney’s office will be requested; and the town will launch a complete internal investigation by an independent, outside party."
Well, here is the problem. Are we to believe when Erskine Smith “initiates” these steps, he’s going to be forthright and honest? That would be a first. The more likely scenario is that he will wink and nod to these investigators and auditors to make it look like there’s really nothing there, that this is all a big mistakes, on and on.
So which is it mayor? Is Erskine Smith involved in this or is he not? No more Thun-Speak. We want plain honest English – for once – from you.
To the July 8, 2008 7:35 AM poster who said:
Here is how I am going to vote next time around:
Mayor: Miles Atkins (Write in)
You wont have to write him in. He has never quit campaigning. Atkins is Cliff Homelsey's puppet and and Cliff Homesley will make sure his Miles Atkins is on the ballot for Mayor.
7:35 - I'll vote right along with you. But in all fairness, Mac Herring really has put his money where his mouth is with this police chief fiasco. I also have heard out in the community that Commissioner Houston is not going to back Crone's misconduct either. On the other hand Rader is out there still trying to explain all this away, even if he is only talking to himself and doesn't know it. And Thunberg is so slippery that nobody knows what he's really thinking, maybe because he doesn't know himself? His goal in life is to maintain status quo because status quo has been good to him so far.
I watched the TV coverage last night on Fox News. I was especially struck by a scene where Police Chief Crone was conspicuously pointing at an African American child on his screen. As an African American I have learned to recognize and be sensitive to race baiting, and I saw this simple action as a transparent effort to mislead the viewers into believing that the Cops For Kids funds have been going to black children as well as white, all in an effort to distract our attention from the fact that he spent charity dollars to pay for vacations for himself, his wife, his child, and even a former mayor's grandchild. If indeed this was a distraction tactic, I find it very offensive and unseemly.
We fought this war against corruption in the beautiful town of Mooresville for years. Jaime is the guardian angel of your Town and carrying the torch of honesty. God bless you Jaime and continue the fight. You have at last found a media in which to let citizens know what is really going on in town.
I watched the news last night too and I heard them say Crone took these kids to baseball games in Atlanta and rock concerts in Buffalo. What the heck do these things have to do with COPS 4 KIDS? And who got to go? My teenager wasn't asked if she wanted to go. Who gets the special treatment and why? What a great way to get in good with a few people in town. Just use charity dollars to take favored kids on trips and their mom and dads will go to bat for you when the time comes.
You could really tell by body language at the town board meeting that the RATS definitely live. Their energy was just bunched together like a great big dark cloud. Hail to the Big Four!
MAJOR KUDOS to Chris Carney for breaking free of the "Thunberg Trance" he has been under. Just in time before his soul was swallowed up!
I read in an earlier post that the chief of police was in his office sifting through CFK records over the weekend so that he could make a "presentation". So where was the presentation? If there was going to be no presentation then what was he doing sifting through the records? Everywhere I look I hear a damn lie. It is starting to get real irritating being lied to right and left. I want my donations back.
First, demand that the District Attorney involve the SBI in the planned investigation.
Second, demand that the internal investigation by an independent entity be, in fact, INDEPENDENT and FAIR.
Third, keep an eye out for who actually audits the evidence room.
Fourth, assume your getting a line of propaganda from your city officials.
Fifth, keep the heat on. You'd be surprised how much this blog and the media attention is affecting this situation.
Sixth, be fair and objective. If these allegations are substantiated, hold Crone's feet to the fire and DEMAND termination and prosecution.
Crone absent at the meeting after spending all weekend preparing his presentation?
Why? Has he been told to shut up? To stay away from the media?
If I had nothing to hide, I'd be sitting in my usual spot.
Somebody said in an earlier post that the room had alot of empty seats last night? When I got there at six o'clock sharp the room was almost full. It's only when the mayor broke the news that Crone was a no-show that the place cleared out.
Suspend Crone. Suspend Smith. It is preposterous to allow these men to remain in their positions given all that has transpired within the past two weeks.
We have a police chief who can't be trusted with the evidence room?
How many cases are going to be thrown out because of this?
I agree that I would like to see the requirements of being on the mayors cabinet or these other clubs that get to go on this free trips. I have a few pretty good kids myself, where should I fill out an application for them?
I go to the high school. I'd like an application too. The trips sounded great. I guess I just wasn't born to the right people.
This is a joke, like my mom letting me clean out my own closet. The outside audito will be Potter & Co. and back to business as usual.
Too little Too late, Way to leave the fox in the hen house. If the town really wanted to make a statement they could and should have put the evidence room in the control of the DA's office. NOT ONE OF THE CRONEIES.
the town board is to be commended. this is a step in the right direction. more is needed, but this is a promising sign. thank you for fulfilling your public duty!
Hi Stephanie J.
You say you were disappointed last night because there were "empty seats". I was at home with my elderly father and feeling rather elated because of how many people were posting on this blog and how many news broadcasts there were on my TV. It is the year 2008 and it is a whole new world. People are learning that they don't have to go sit at the foot of a mayor and town manager they don't respect or trust in order to be "heard". Besides, it looks like either way Crone got the last laugh because all those people showed up for nothing.
Jamie,
Thanks for your commitment to providing accurate and honest representation of this situation.
Seems to me that we should organize ourselves into an actual coalition and get involved in elections and such.
Citizens for Sound Government. Ay takers?
OK. 7/8 8:08 poster: "Self righeteuos mumbo jumbo"? "Captive Sunday school class"? I don't know of a church in the United States that makes Sunday school mandatory - and I don't even teach. Just a believer reminding everyone that we all will face judgement for all of our actions and God hands out better judgements that anyone on earth can dish out. I agree that we are owed explanations by our government officials - I believe this in a capacity you will never comprehend. I also believe this needs to be investigated to the fullest because my tax paying money is involved as well. To Tracy posting at 11:29 - first of all kudo's to you for signing your name and not hiding behind anonymity. Good job. I applaud you for caring for your elderly father. I still stand behind coming to town meetings and making an appearance is crucial. I do not consider my time wasted just because Crone did not show up (or rather may have been advised to do otherwise, shall we say.) Unfortunately, not everyone has a computer or computer access. Time will tell. Everything will come out in the wash - patience, patience. Time will tell.
let those of us opposed to corruption not be divided. some of us participate by computer, others in person. some are believers, some are not. some are newcomers, others life-long residents.
but what unites us is greater than what divides us. we demand a government that serves the people and is intolerant of corruption. let this be what occupies our time on this site and in the community! let us not waste our time unnecessarily attacking each other!
ok, I confess. I wrote the 8:08 post about "mumbo jumbo". Then I read the post at 12:07. I agree with every word this person has written. So, I want to be the first to wave the white flag. This entire situation has truly stressed me out and everybody suddenly starts to look ominous after a while when you have police chiefs and town managers and mayors behaving unethically. It kind of does a number on the old "trust" thing. Thank you again 12:07 for bringing the focus back. "We" are not the enemy. Corruption is and so is anyone who participates in it in any shape or form.
I certainly hope that the Cops for Kids program pays for this audit. In the real world, when a corporation (profit or non-profit) requires an audit, that organization pays for it. The taxpayers of Mooresville should not get stuck with a tab of several thousands of dollars. Either let the program pay for it or deduct it from (former) Chief Crone's pay.
Between the budget disaster, tax increases, water/sewer fee hikes and questions about the police chief, it is clear that the needs of the citizens of Mooresville are far ahead of the talents of the people now in office.
It seems obvious that you have uncovered evidence of ineptitude in the Mooresville Town government. So what's new!?! The Mayor hasn't said anything since he announced that he was running for the office and the citizens elected him! The former Town manager (McLean) was not a good example of professional management and now we are paying for his retirement. His replacement was the best $60,000 manager money could buy, (OPPS we paid him $100,000 plus????!!!) And another $100,000 plus for an assistant?????!!!!!!! Oh well,gee.
The Golf course was mismanaged and that investigation was never released from the DA's office so that was never resolved and now the Town plays "hide the hat" with the golf course expenditures. No one seems upset that they lost money in the operation that had no debt service.Oh well,gee. And we spent money for the investigation and we pay the DA's salary,but we are not privileged enough to be told the truth.
There are so many more examples of similar "events" that when you uncover another example of "Ineptitude" the good citizens say Oh well, gee.
Last night at the board meeting several of us watched Mayor Thunberg give the evil eye to Commissioner Atkins every time Atkins opened his mouth to make a comment about the police chief and Cops For Kids situation. All I have to say to Commissioner is this: watch your back and be prepared for some very nasty tactics from this mayor. Many of us know how he operates. He is sneaky, petty and vindictive. The only way to handle him is call him out each and every time he employs one of his underhanded tactics. He can't stand scrutiny and he does not hesitate to spread a lie. He is not happy about the fact that somebody on "his" board is actually going to start holding people accountable. Why? Because he never had any intentions of doing that and now you are making him look bad. It's all about him. The heck with the rest of us lowly peons.
Gosh! Does this mean that the "educational trip" we were to take with the Chief to Las Vegas, land of slot machines, crap tables and bare boobs, is cancelled?
July 8th, 8:33-
Why DANNY BEAVER! is that you ?? I took pleasure in helping to vote your crooked behind off as a commissioner. Nothing like sour grapes, huh buddy since YOU were being groomed by good old Joe and Grady for the mayor's office.
I almost danced in the street when I heard you were ousted.
Was there truly a trip being planned to Las Vegas? What in the world is there in Las Vegas for CHILDREN? And what kind of parents were going to allow their children to go to Las Vegas for God's sake? So that they can be window dressing for the police chief while he engages in his debauchery?
Yes, let's hear more about the planned trip to Vegas. Who was it for? Who was going? Were Cops for Kids funds going to be used? Have they paid for the plane tickets and hotel rooms yet? Is this for real? It seems beyond belief that they were taking an "educational" trip to Vegas. Absurd. Hey let's learn about which game has the best odds. Hey you get free alcoholic drinks while you play. Oh, that's right, prostitution is legal in Nevada. Okay, is that where Tupac got shot? Boy, that was a big buffet. Thanks for the handouts on the street with the pictures of the naked women. Do you really have to walk through the casino to get to your hotel room, no matter where you stay? And don't forget to play the slots one last time before you get on the plane. Well, I mean they do have a roller coaster at New York, New York. So, that would be educational, right. Or at least appropriate for kids. Let's face it, the place can be a big educational trip for an adult. Can always learn a lesson or two in Vegas.
I heard Crone had just gone to Las Vegas on his own vacation just about a month ago, too. Sure seems drawn to the place.
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