Last night's candidates forum for Mooresville's town government was (dare I say it?) a little boring.
Questions for the candidates - Mitch Abraham and Eddie Dingler (Ward 1), Thurman Houston and Billy Hendrix (Ward 2), Bobby Compton and Skip Alexander (At-large) and Miles Atkins and Jared Esselman (Mayor) - "were submitted by the general public, chamber members and the media," according to a forum handout. "The criteria for a question being included in the forum is that it deal with either current or future issues facing Mooresville and Iredell County, and be within the purview & authority of the races represented..."
The questions were all softballs: How great should the town board's role be in business and commerce? Why are you running for office? What are the top issues facing Mooresville today, and how will you address them? And my personal favorite: If a genie were to appear and give you three wishes for Mooresville, what would they be?
At that time, I finally gave up and put my pen down.
Where was the substance?
A specific question about MI-Connection - and how to deal with it - was not raised, even though every candidate I have spoken with has said MI-Connection is the primary concern being raised by citizens, followed by water/sewer rates, during this campaign.
Candidates were able to squeeze in a comment here and there about MI-Connection or water/sewer rates. But they weren't put on the spot and asked about it. So the candidate(s) who didn't want to address the hot potato of MI-Connection didn't have to. They got off easy.
Candidates were not allowed to address or even reference one another. Questions from the floor were not allowed.
I personally left the forum feeling disappointed - like I was fed a lot of bread crumbs when what I really wanted was meat and potatoes.
I think the public's questions and concerns are important. And here, we have a forum to have them addressed publicly by our would-be government officials.
So, here's your chance.
Do you have a question for the commissioner-hopefuls? The would-be mayors? It can be directed to all of them or to one in particular. Have a question or concern about your ward? The future of the town as a whole?
The floor is yours. I will do my best to ask every question submitted. No rules, just please keep them reasonable and relevant. If I receive a number of questions about the same topic, I'll compile them into one question for the candidates.
Post your questions here, in the comments section, or send them to me at jaimegatton@gmail.com, by Monday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m. As soon as I've compiled them, I'll send them to the candidates and provide a week for them to respond. Then, I'll post their responses here, one candidate at a time.
Meanwhile, if you want to check out footage of last night's forum, please visit the Mooresville Tribune website and scroll down to the latest headlines. Clips are already being posted.
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226 comments:
1 – 200 of 226 Newer› Newest»What can be done about the potential traffic back up on Brawley to Highway 21 after another Mooresville "gateway" opens at Exit 35. Think about it now rather than later. Traffic is a primary concern for Mooresville citizens.
What are going to do with MI? Are you going to refund most of the $16 million in reserves to the rightful owners, the taxpayers? Are you going to put town employees pay and benefits on par with the taxpayer? Are you going to stop the firetrucks from running up and down the road wearing out the trucks and wasting gas? Are you going to sell the golf course? Are you going to cut water and sewage rates? Are you going to take away town cars and just pay mileage when the workers are in town at the office?
If we always do what we have always done, we will always get what we have always gotten......
What specifically should we do with Mi-Con? What will ever happen that might possibly make it a viable (sellable) business venture? If it can't generate a consistent profit, should it be auctioned off?
We keep increasing water and sewer capacity and claim that we must increase rates to pay for it. Doesn't the additional capacity generate additional revenue?
Mooresville water and sewer rates are some of the highest in the southeast. What would you propse to bring them back in line?
Would you support a change to the full-time mayor concept vs. the town manager form of government and why or why not?
What opportunities to reduce town spending do you see and how would you realize them?
Would you pledge to hold all taxes at their present rate by adjusting spending to address inflation and not vote to increase them during your elected term?
Would you be in favor of establishing a committee of non-elected, non-government employed, citizen volunteers to investigate charges against elected official's integrity as it applies to selling favors or otherwise realizing improper gain while in office?
Questions for all candidates.
Commissioners take a sworn oath prior to taking office to uphold Mooresville ordinances.
1. Mooresville sidewalk ordinance states that property owners are responsible for the cost of sidewalks …. why are tax revenues being used to pay those costs now?
2. Mooresville garbage ordinance states that garbage is to be collected in 96 gallon (town provided) containers only …. why are bags and boxes of garbage picked up daily?
3. Mooresville garbage ordinance states that building materials, carpet and padding placed at the curb will not be accepted for pickup ………. why is it being picked up daily?
4. Mooresville parking ordinance states that vehicles are to be parked along the curb facing the direction of travel ………. Why is it not enforced today?
5. We have had a traffic engineer for two or three years now and there has been no improvement what so ever in downtown traffic flow …….. how and when is this going to be addressed?
6. We have had a traffic engineer for two or three years now and the State spends $46M on Brawley, complete with 100 yards of two lane bottleneck between 77 and 21 …….. how and when will this be addressed?
7. Mooresville spent $100K to install fiber optic cable for Cornelius Park this past year …….. what possible justification can there be for this expenditure, when entire towns can operate on four fibers ………. when will these misappropriations stop?
There seems to be a great deal of throwing around of other people's money, in other words, our money.
I quite agree that we have some of the highest water and sewer rates in the southeast and will further add to that by saying the water quality is not all that good.
Furthermore, we have one of the highest paid public officials in the area in Erskine Smith. I would submit that there is not good value in that investment either and given the fact that he does not hold public confidence, what do you propose to do about him?
Mr. Gregory raises valid points about wasting gas. I see firetrucks basically just joyriding around town. It's quite irksome when some of us are working two jobs and selling things on the side just to get by with no health insurance and we see a fire truck at Target. I was also one of the people very angered by the story raised in this forum about the trash department burning gas and man hours by throwing trash back onto the lawn of a sick senior citizen and her caregiver. This is, criminal activity being subsidized by the taxpayer and nobody is answering for it or being held to account for it. An email from Mr. Smith was put in this blog. This is a misdemeanor committed by employees working for us, paid by us, against citizens living here.
At the same time, we have developers and good old boys making money hand over fist who are affiliated with people like Smith who are in on some of these gateway type deals mentioned above who don't bid or bill high fees for their services and so on, while the rest of us struggle day to day to make ends meet.
In short, we are NOT getting value for our tax dollar and have NOT been getting value for our tax dollar and we want to know when we can expect to start getting value for that tax dollar and why we are not getting value for that tax dollar and what you are going to do to make sure we get that.
I am a 42 year old single mom who works full time and has ok insurance but my income and child support is barely cutting it. Last year I was diagnosed with MS and while I am doing OK, I have bad spells and find I have to go to Charlotte or Winston-Salem for services that I need that are not necessarily medical but involve other issues. There are disabilty resource for seniors or for school age people but not for those in my age bracket here. Why isn't there a disabilty resource person or even a volunteer in a town this size? I should not have to call a social worker in Charlotte to see where I might need to look for rehab. We need resources here to help people with disabilities become more productive members of society. I am going to need this in the future if, God forbid, my MS gets worse. I need to be able to plan for this and do not know where to turn.
what taxpayers are town employees specifically to be "on par" with. I believe Town engineers make significantly less than engineers in the private sector; I know for a fact that private sector attorneys make more money than our town attorney; I believe most private companies that employ 300+ people pay their CEO more than what Erskine Smith makes; HR directors for companies that size generally make as much or more than the Town pays; etc etc etc.
As for the Fire trucks riding around town, do you know what they are doing? They go to various businesses around town on a regular basis and conduct inspections to protect YOUR safety. They also inspect fire hydrants to protect YOUR safety. And if you see them out at night it might just be because they went to your neighbors house because he had a medical emergency! You ASSUME they are just joyriding. If they stop by the grocery store to pick up dinner while on the way from an inspection or maybe even an emergency call..well big freaking deal! So you tell me, what exactly do you mean "on par?" What do you do for your paycheck Larry?
and while I am at it, you want to see what lowering services and investment in the community will get you? Then take a ride to Statesville and look around. They chose not to embrace growth many years ago, and they are still paying for it. Their downtonw is dead while ours is thriving in this economy.
As for enforcing rules, who would be complaining if the Town didnt pick up stuff on the curb and it laid there for months. You want to cut taxes, but you want our Police to enforce parking rules? I would hate to think that the 6 officers on duty are too busy writing traffic tickets to come to my house if I had an emergency.
I believe I recall from what was posted on here, that the trash put back in the yard, was something that laid on the curb for a month, and didnt get picked (should have been a clue) up until it was hidden in a trash can. That could have done thousands of dollars in damage to a very expensive truck. So which is worse?
11:37, how is placing rubbish in a trash can hiding it? I read those emails and have been following this saga for some time. How are a couple of women supposed to know that this is going to damage a truck? The emails the town sent them said that it was policy for the town to communicate with residents, yet the town did not communicate with them. Who was falling down on the job then? They were paying for a service, not vice versa.
Are you now trying to say that two wrongs make a right? Why then, if this was so wrong, did they not come to the door and face these women and make their complaint known instead of sneaking the trash back onto the lawn without so much as a citation?
This taxpayer is infuriated and wants to know the names and pay grades of all those involved, including those who gave the order to do this and approved it. Then this taxpayer wants to know what discipline was applied. Were they made to repay the gas and man hours they wasted? Was this made known to the commissioners? Are these sort of "practical jokes" a regular part of employee team and morale boosting at our expense? Perhaps the occasional potluck or pizza party might be a better idea.
11:22 we all know what you do for your paycheck Erskine. Not nearly enough. That's the second time this month we've seen that sad song about CEO's making more money bossing around 300 people. Maybe we don't need all those people for one thong and maybe it's high time some of them take some cuts like the rest of us have had to just to keep our jobs.
I think 11:37 is exhibiting the bottom line several of us are trying to get at. We feel that there is a total lack of respect and/or appreciation for us, the taxpayers. We are not all megabucks contributors but each of us feel the pain and we are entitled to respect which we are not getting. The trash toss was a symbolic statement to all of us, like it or not.
Jamie apparently people do not read your story. This section is to ask questions that you want answered by the candidates for commissioner or mayor not to vent their fustrations about other things. There is other blogs on the Gatton Report where they can talk all about other items than this site where questions only are to be asked.
Ms. Gatton,
Please ask the candidates this question. Do you think that a persons religion views would interfer with them being a good mayor or commissioner, and if so why?
Thank You
To 5:38 AM...
10:22, 10:47, 11:32, 12:26 and 1:17 more than likely all Sybil the cat lady who is only here pretending to care about local issues so she can promote her own agenda of problems she created herself.
All the candidates touted the sidewalk program but West Wilson Ave. that is a main gateway to "Historic Downtown Mooresville" has none. What does each candidate propose to enhance this boulevard style street that leads to downtown?
Many municipalities have passed ordinances prohibiting parking cars on front lawns. Many homes have multiple cars & trucks parked on the lawn and this is perfectly legal according to current zoning. What would the candidates propose to do about this unsightly practice which also causes the front lawns to deteriorate let alone give the impression that the town is a rural, backwoods place.
The golf course has been a financial drain for many years and unfairly costs taxpayers to the advantage of non residents. Will you finally lease this business to private enterprise? This will immediately stop the cash (tax money)from being squandered for the advantage of the few.
I have a question for the candidates: In the movie Tarzan, was that tiger really dangerous?
The cat lady has been sick, in no small part because of the abuses heaped on her and her friend by the town. Her friend was up in the hospital in Winston-Salem this week for some procdures related to her cancer so I think they've been a little preoccupied.
And haven't you heard? It was in the news this week. Sybil was made up by a group of women for fun and profit. So it was a sham. That being said, you might want to quit stigmatizing people with mental illness since so many of our returning veterans are affected.
I think the point a few people are trying to make and I agree is that the town leadership seems to have no respect for the regular citizen, the family that struggles. We are fighting 2 governments here, the town and our HOA and we should have some town oversight of the latter because now we see on the news that the EPA has sued the developer of this subdivision and the HOA is telling us that what is in the pond is harmless when a google search indicates it isn't. This is part of the water drainage system. We are all paying for it. Who is accountable?
And I'm guessing 7:51 is Erskine Smith on his way to the golf course. Better get polishing up your resume boy and start clipping coupons because if you are lucky enough to find another job it's not going to pay what this one does. Face it, weasel, we are all fed up with you.
7:51, who put you in charge of who gets to ask questions or vote? Getting a little hot in the kitchen for you?
Why is the town in the cable tv/Internet/phone service business anyway? And wouldn't there be a temptation to violate email privacy on some level or another if the city is involved?
1:50 if you check it was 5:38 who brought up the fact that people were on here bitching with personal grievances instead of asking questions for the candidates. Get you facts straight CL.
All politics are local. And all grievances are personal. Never send to ask for whom the bell tolls, it tools for thee.
When one person is harassed or disrespected, it costs us all and reflects upon us all and I think all of us are entitled to explanations.
If you don't like it, Erskine, perhaps you should shop your skills around elsewhere. A lot of us are getting tired of paying for your overblown salary and golf junkets. The cat lady blew the whistle on your misbehavior and a lot of us are grateful to her for it.
Getting rid of you is not a personal grievance. It's the first order of business for many of us. We want to hear if the candidates support that. You are a holdover from the Crone affair and we want the last of that gone and done with, if nothing else. We want a commission that will give us a fresh start, a clean slate, and one that will clean up the dirty deals that have been going on for far too long in this town.
Face it, Erskine, you've been throwing trash at all of us for far too long. This time, you just went too far and you got caught. Too bad there wasn't any money in it for you.
I would like to know if the candidates would approve a forensic audit of the town's finances for the past several years to finally put an end to all of the rumors and perhaps find ways that this town can be run efficiently and responsibly?
I was really impressed with the turnout on Tuesday night. It's nice to know that many people care.
Here are my impressions...
The mayors race is interesting. They were obviously the most prepared of the 8 candidates on the stage. I was impressed with both of them. Atkins was pushing "I know what I'm doing on day one, I know the players, I know how to get things done on a town, regional, and state level". Esselman was pushing the fact he was born here and went to Mooresville schools, attended Harvard, served in the military, etc. His message was the "we need new ideas". I still need to do more homework on this race. I see pluses of both.
In the at large race, Compton came across to me as a humble local guy. Alexander had better answers but I wanted to yell at him to stop smirking at me.
In Ward one Eddie Dingler told the audience we needed "to embrace MI Connection" without elaborating. He's going to have to explain to me why I should pay for inferior channel offerings at my house just because Thunberg/Carney/Herring/Radar thought this was such a great idea. I think Davidson needs to embrace MI Connection so that their yearly percentage of the bill will be higher than ours. Abraham could've reminded people that he voted against it but he didn't even mention it.
In Ward two Billy Hendrix mentioned what a valuable resource the golf course is and how the town could make so much money off of it. I don't think Mr. Hendrix understands that the golf course is nowhere close to breaking even and that the entire town pays for the entertainment of a small minority. If only the town would come mow my lawn.
Two weeks to election day...and I still am uncertain on some races.
Any chances the candidates would be willing to do a "peoples chat" before election day...a public meeting where we could go ask questions? (My duties as a Dad prevented me from lingering Tuesday night.)
Thanks again for the platform, Jaime....
11:22, thank you for reminding me that along with that overpaid, arrogant, useless town manager, we have a piss-poor excuse for a town attorney and I'd like whoever is elected to examine his qualifications. Perhaps the reason that he is working for less than he could get in the private sector is because he can't get a decent job in the private sector.
And I'm sure that the guys sitting in Showmar's eating with their firetruck parked outside several weeks ago were busy doing a very thorough inspection. Come on, we've all seen them just cruising town. We're paying for that gas and when we have to dig in the sofa cushions for gas money to get to work, that's just disgusting.
Hey Jim,
I do realize that the golf course is not anywhere near breaking even. That's why it will be my "pet project" if I get elected.
I could have easily just said, MI-Connection, Water Bills, and Traffic. But, I realize that the golf course is also a "drain" on our tax dollars. This is a field I'm somewhat familar with and I want to help try and right that ship. Thanks for being involved.
Billy Hendrix
I don't remember Dingler saying embrace MI Connection. He did say wish he could go back before it was bought in one of the ridculous questions about a Genie
5:29AM,
Dingler says we need to "embrace" MI Connection in his answer to te first question. (You can see it posted on the Tribune website.)
He also says we need to get on board.
Jim
Oh wow, 9:14, you mean our firemen can actually eat while on duty?! OMG Shouldnt we lock them in the fire department...oh wait, then they couldnt get to you if you had an emergency.
Hi Billy,
I appreciate your answer. You are right. For candidates to talk about how they are going to have the magic wand to fix traffic (primarily a state problem) or the water costs (the check has already been written) is really just wishful thinking.
Previous town boards felt the way to make the golf course not lose so much money on paper was to bury the upkeep and maintenance of the course in to the town budget.
There's an interesting article in the Tribune today about how higher rates mean fewer people playing the course. I may be in the minority but I'd rather the town spend money on police officers or teachers than golf pros. What would you do?
I can't remember which candidate said "if it can be found in the yellow pages the town doesn't need to do it". I love the sentiment...a little late for Mooresville...but a great line.
In all the comments listed on this item the one most costly to the taxpayer is the the daily missuse of municipal vehicles. We have more than 300 vehicles that are used daily for going to lunch and shopping throughout the region with no one monitoring their travel. I say park all the vehicles at the end of the day and each employee pay for his on personal travel to home or shop. When they go to lunch it is in their own car not the taxpayers.
9:13 if firemen or police go to lunch leave the truck or car at the station, drive there own vehicle so they can drive 20 min. back to the station to answer a call,better just tell them they can't eat lunch like the rest of us do.Then you could come on here an bitch because it took them so long to answer a call at "your" house!!
9:13, I used to have a company vehicle. While this was a private sector job, I drove my car to work and home and also had a clip board on which to record mileage and I'd better not go off my route for lunch either. Gas cost the company money and it costs the town money.
What about the big old garbage truck that took tras back to those ladies and burned gas and man hours while committing misdemeanor littering? Was that an emergency, 9:13?
I keep seeing this about trying to get Miles in as Mayor - just remember his wife is already on the town payroll and they want to get Miles on too. We have had one king and queen we do not need another one - talk about a huge conflict of interest!!!!!!
Since the director of the Chamber of Commerce left a few weeks ago this leaves a space for another person related to Atkins to get a gravy train job at a high salary if he is elected and don't forget that Chris Carney has a brother that works in the same building and maybe a job for one of his family members.
If Esselman gets in he'll bring in all his Harvard buddies for deputies to serve at his pleasure. How's that going to work for you?
1:41 I love this comment. you do know that for a change to the town charter a referendum must be petitioned by at lease 10% of the registered voters and then voted on by the citizens. see NC General Statute 160A-104.
http://law.onecle.com/north-carolina/160a-cities-and-towns/160a-104.html
And it doesn't bother you one little bit that a "true son of Mooresville" who has never voted unti all of a sudden is going to try and shove this down the throats if those who have been voting all along?
Hey Jim,
I think Mr. Esselman had the yellow pages comment, maybe in the what role does the board play question.
I agree that the money could be spent in better ways. I'm in the process of getting a better look at some of the finances. The "shell game" with the upkeep and maintenance is a concern for me. Again, I'm trying get some more specific numbers. I have several ideas on cutting costs and possibly increasing revenue. I've already had a couple ideas "borrowed" ;), by other candidates and would rather not go into any real specifics (sounding a bit like a politician, sorry not normally my style), also I don't have all my long term projections nailed down. I'm not a throw everything against the wall and see what sticks kind of guy.
The golf course should be able to stand on its own. I'm convinced I can help make it happen.
Those savings will be passed onto other areas.
2:22 if you don't like what he is saying then that is your decision. The only point that I am trying to make is that the people would have to want this also. One person cannot go in, make all of the decisions, and create the radical changes that have been discussed here. The people would have to agree to these terms and then vote on it, then send it off to the state to have it approved.
And also I guess that serving in the military and going to college is a bad thing when running in politics. without being here he wouldn't have voted here. he would have voted where is was living at the time and for the issues in that community while at school. How many soldiers do you know that will vote for their hometown elections while serving for our country overseas.
3:12 thousands of soldiers serving under fire in combat zones take time out to vote absentee. They have that right. Dubya made damn sure the people he put in harms way got to vote and their vote counted and this boy just didn't give a shit. Pure and simple. Now he wants us to believe he is the salvation of Mooresville. Well pardon me if I'm not buying it. He couldn't be bothered with us then and I'm not gonna bother with him now. His silence during 12 long years says a whole lot to me.
Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't Billy Hendrix the son of Dennis Hendrix, who happens to be a neighbor of Charlie Roberts who has been running the golf course into the ground for as long as I can remember?
Face it folks. The system is rigged in this town. And one of the ways the Usual Suspects rig the system is by using “legitimate organizations” such as the Chamber of Commerce. Here’s the short version of the story. First they sucker their members by collecting yearly dues in the hundreds of dollars. Then, they get in the ears of elected officials and manage to get their dirty little fingers on our tax dollars. Then they create these little “committees” where the same greedy and power hungry handful (the Randy Marions and the Bill Thunbergs and such) sit on year after year. And then these so-called “committees” control all the money they’ve siphoned off the members and the taxpayer, and nobody is any the wiser. They laugh at all the suckers while they use the ill-gotten money to grease the right palms, collect more political capital, throw their weight around, and throw bones here and there to collect loyalists. And for all of this “hard work” they pat each other on the back and call each other “community leaders” and pat each other on the back. Easy scam. It’s been working for years – until now. Now it’s time to blow the lid off of it.
4:50, so now your eligibility or ineligibility is based upon who your parent's neighbors are? I see. Kind of stretching it, aren't you? If I see little green men landing on Erskine Smith's lawn, does this mean we can finally fire him because he's an alien?
I don't trust the Chamber and never have so it didn't surprise me one iota to see the ridiculous softball questions they handed to candidates on a silver platter lest they should delve into more serious issues that could bring the attention back to some of their own.
No questions about Cable Gate? Surprise surprise. No questions about an incompetent town manager? Surprise surprise? No questions about a golf course that needed to be closed or sold off about twenty years ago? Surprise surprise.
What did we expect with a bunch of bozos cherry picking the questions.
5:48 PM, no Carole. I wouldn't fire him because of that. I would fire him because he's a scumbag playing dress up as the town manager who's making sure your worthless brother doesn't lose his job.
Are you all telling me that Charlie Roberts is STILL on our dime? What the hell happened with the SBI investigation into all the stuff that went walking out the door under his nose?!
The Chamber of Commerce sucks. My advice to anybody running for office in this town and anybody already in office? Stay far away from them. The shit’s getting ready to hit the fan and you don’t want any of it to get on you. You won’t be able to wash that stain out.
Somewhere in this town there’s copies of a big fat binder filled with exact grievances against Smith and all the town policies and ordinances he’s broken through the years. Find that and you’ll be golden.
Erskine Smith isn't just protecting himself. He's also protecting a handful of others, and they in turn are protecting him. We've got to bust up that little party, because we're the ones paying for it.
5:51, I am not Carole, and I don't know who her shiftless brother is, but I would be interested in knowing. Who I am is somebody who knows that Billy Hendrix and his father helped Mrs. Fitzgerald and didn't do it for any recognition. So excuse me if I don't give a rat's hindquarters over who somebody lives by. Who is Carole and why should I care? Is she Mrs. Erskine Smith?
It is high time that the plantation mentality be addressed around here. Erskine Smith and that merry band of thugs who are running the show around here, Marion, the chamber, etc, are keeping the average citizen here down with their boots on our throats. Erskine Smith defended former Chief Crone for one thing and the reason he is still manager is?
Thank you, Ms. Gatton, for providing an opportunity for us to pose questions to candidates. I would like to submit the following question and sub-questions:
Are candidates aware of who (elected or non-elected officials) has town-issued credit cards and how they are used?
What is their opinion on upper management having such credit cards?
How closely would they supervise the usage of such credit cards?
7:11, I wanna know who this Carole is and who her brother is too. Sounds like we got us another deadbeat on the public dole.
As for you, excuse me if I don't give a rat's hindquarters over who Billy Hendrix and his father helped or did not help. I need somebody in town hall who I know isn't gonna pour money into Charlie Robert's pockets because they grew up next door to him and been brainwashed by his fast talking!
I didn't "grow up" next door to Charlie Roberts. I am the son of Dennis Hendrix that lives on Academy. Mr. Roberts does in fact live down the street.
I did live with my parents for around a year in 2000 or so while we were building my house. I'm not looking to "throw" money at the golf course, or pour any money into any pockets. I'm simply trying to save taxpayer money and be an accessible representative for the citizens.
I appreciate that Billy Hendrix is the only candidate with the spine to show up on this blog.
My next question is where do I go to file a formal grievance against Erksine Smith and Attorney Gambrill for that matter? Not that I expect it will do any good, but it will be in that binder, if it ever turns up.
I am sorry, Mr. Hendrix, but we do not need any more Charlie Roberts sycophants on the board. He has been a scourge, and this town is finally very near to being rid of him. The last thing we need is a Charlie Roberts resuscitation that will continue to cost the taxpayer. We are still unhappy about the fact that he was never disciplined for the blatant misuse of public resources several years ago and escaped from an SBI investigation due to having the right friends on the town board at that time.
If high-ranking officials, elected and non-elected, have town-issued credit cards, then we are paying the bills. Presumably this is voted on at commission meetings. Why aren't these expenses printed up in the paper so we can all see what we are getting for our tax dollar? I would love to see the $16 martinis that Smith buys for every damn contracting pimp that comes down the pike, case in point the latest opportunity that came in our mail this month offering to protect our water lines for $4.25/month or $44/year. Of course, there must be loads of expenses for his little golf junkets too where he gets together with his fellow city managers to discuss how to screw over the locals and have them thank them for it. I'll bet we're paying his grocery bills and car upkeep too. It's all part of the perks of sticking it to us mere mortals and being one of the highest paid officials in the area.
I don't golf. Who is Charlie Roberts?
9:32, not a problem, but I'm not another Charlie Roberts. I'm not sure we've had a commissioner with my experience in the golf field. But, I can understand your concern and appreciate it. Charlie has been the Head Pro at the golf course for quite a while, maybe 20 years. As far as no discipline, I think he may have got a "demotion" and a pay cut, obviously I'm not privy to that info. I seem to remember a town salary article several years ago that had him at $90,000+ and the one that just came out had him around $64,000. That's from memory and may not be entirely accurate. I'll try to confirm it.
I'm interested in saving your (and my ;)) tax dollar not spending it.
Current salary for Charlie Roberts, $62,010. I'll try and get that other number confirmed. It was probably 10-12 years ago and sent out by the town.
I think the plantation analogy is a fairly apt one. The powers that be around here act like they are the town and we peasants or serfs better hop go it when they speak from on high. They have it backwards. We are the town and they work for us. No more of these sweetheart developer deals for Friends of Erskine and his pals.
Charlie Roberts is the director of the Mooresville Golf Course and has been for at least fifteen years.
In the early 2000's, the golf course was going into the hole by hundreds of thousands of dollars per year. At first, this was fairly well covered up, but then citizens caught wind of it, and it became center stage and Charlie Roberts began to get scrutinized.
Some local citizens began to investigate the finances at the golf course and reported their suspicions of misappropriation of funds and inventory to the media. There was then public pressure to bring in the SBI. To this date, there has never been a satisfactory completion of that case, and many believe it was swept under the rug by influence of certain officials who were loyal to Roberts.
During this entire debacle, Erskine Smith was the immediate supervisor of Charlie Roberts and refused to discipline him. In fact, Charlie Roberts' pay was increased after these events, and continue to increase.
That is, until this year, when the current town board began to really put its foot down fiscally. Only then was Charlie Roberts' pay decreased, in the hopes that he would go away, but of course he did not, because he has a very sweet deal here even with this long overdue pay cut.
The issues surrounding Charlie Roberts and Erskine Smith are festering sores that will continue to spread as long as our elected officials fail to show the leadership required to replace them with people of honesty and integrity.
I wander, do any of you have any real PROOF of these things you are saying? All of this conspiracy and dirty deeds? Good grief, there doesnt seem to be a single town employee that you guys are not convinced is an evildoer, evidently including the SBI.
Oh noooo. We would NEVER believe that the S.B.I. would be in on anything bad. That would just be out of the realm of possibility. Anybody knows THAT for Pete's sake!
Actually, the director of the SBI, Robin Pendergraft, had to step down due to corruption in the organization. So, it would not be at all surprising to find that the SBI was somehow complicit in covering up corruption here in Mooresville if the right people had asked it to.
8:34 AM, interesting comment. I've read the articles and all the comments, and I didn't see any reference to "all town employees" being "evildoers". I did see lots of people saying that we've got several problem children up there, including the town manager and the golf course director.
Perhaps you know more than they do? Are there other problem children to address?
8:34
The people you see posting here on this blog KNOW NOTHING, they get all their information from others writing on this blog and from the Mooresville Tribune which tries to stir up trouble because this sells newspapers.
If these people really knew bad things they could report it because not all law enforcemnet officers are bad, MPD,SBI or the FBI.
These people love to mess up others lives by posting things they know nothing about.If they new evrything they would run for office and fix all they problems but no they just want to try and keep ruining people and their lives.
Remember when you go to vote read the tribune and then vote the opposite way because you will let Dale Gowing decide your vote. Dont let this blog or the media sway you, vote your way.
Contact the candidates and call them and if you can't get a answer remember they maybe busy. Or go to their homes or write them a note, the addresses are on the Iredell Co Board of elections web site.
A couple of investigative journalists from Raleigh and CNN did a big expose on the SBI this summer and at least 2 innocent people convicted of murder have gone free because of SBI malfeasance. So it's no surprise to me that the SBI comes and goes around here with almost no consequence.
Didn't the cat lady file littering charges? What came of those or doesn't it count when you work for the town? You're free to steal and commit all kinds of assorted criminal acts when you work for the town. I'd love to see what Smith has helped himself to.
Ok, 10:34, so nobody used the term evildoers, but I have not seen anyone post a single thing on here that is positive about anyone that works for the town. All I have seen is claims of stealing, being on the take, conspiring, harrassing, corruption, etc. etc. etc. And honestly, what motive would the SBI have to cover up something as mundane as a small town golf course? And again, where is the proof of any of this? What do you know that we dont? And "someone said" is not real proof.
Everybody knows that the former police chief (John Crone) was on friendly terms with Robin Pendergraft (SBI director). He was also on friendly terms with Charlie Roberts' boss, so it was the usual good ole boy You-Scratch-My-Back-I'll-Scratch-Yours deal. You help me make my problem go away, and I'll help you make your problem go away when the time comes. There are people like the poster on here who don't want us to know all this, and they sure as hell don't want us telling others about it. Tough.
To the ass kisser who wrote in at 1:25 pm you’ll have to forgive us lowly country folk for not kissing your and your friends asses on this blog. This is where we come to get stuff off our chest that's been laying heavy for some time. We are here and we will blow the whistle and there’s nothing you & your ilk can do about it.
Questions to the candidates having to do with the golf course - Do they know how many pros we've got on the payroll? Do they know how much we're paying those pros? Do they think we need that many pros for a golf course that's been losing money for over ten years? How exactly do they plan on cutting costs at the golf course? Are they willing to sell the golf course? Are they willing to close the golf course? Are they willing to change the golf course into something that'll either make money or at least be usable by more people than a handful of golfers?
1:25 Brown nose much?
Looks like 2 pros, Charlie Roberts and Jeremy Elliot.
2010 salaries...Charlie $96198, Jeremy $55451.
2011 salaries...Charlie $62010 (no longer listed as Director of Golf), Jeremy $57601.
2 is not a bad number, I think it was 4 at one time. Most courses probably carry 3 on average.
See,I am now sn ass kisser and a brown noser because I ask questions you dont agree with or want to answer? I have not even said you are wrong, just that if you are going to go on here and bash everybody, then maybe you should provide some proof for what you are saying. Otherwise, what kind of whistle are you blowing? Go back and read my post, exactly whose ass am I kissing there?
1:25 went to the Erskine Smith and Charlie Roberts training program of cover your ass any way you can. Obviously they are classmates of Phil Redmond as well.
4:36,
You ask some very good questions regarding the golf course. I've wondered some of the same things.
I'll help the candidates out. In a quick web search, we apparently have 2 golf pros....one at $62K and one at $57.6K.
What is not as clear as you go through the town salary list on the Mooresville Tribune website is how many of the numerous building and grounds people are dedicated to taking care of the course.
I'd love to see answers to your other questions and I applaud Billy Hendrix for at least attempting some answers.
Should the other candidates tip toe in to this site here are some other questions......
Would you consider a plan to make MI Connection reimburse the town of Mooresville for their budget shortfalls, assuming they eventually break even?
Would you support Mooresville being the end of the red line to Charlotte?
Exit 36 is an example of uncontrolled business growth that strangles the infrastructure. What will you do to prevent the new I-77 exits from turning in to the same?
Any answers...anyone?
Jim....an UNDECIDED voter asking reasonable questions....
October 22, 2011 12:02 PM, yes we have known this for some time. I live in Ward 1 and the problem we got in my ward is that we're caught between a rock and a hard place. Abraham is a good for nothing useless waste of space on that board. Only thing he was good for was trying to push through a company for his church buddy to the tune of tens of millions of dollars. Finally somebody runs against him and that somebody turns out to be Beaver and Owen's puppet and mouthpiece. Both Beaver and Owens got kicked out of office and now they're trying to create their own little shadow government by backing Dingler and Esselman. Problem they've got is there's a whole pasel of ones watching them like hawks. One misstep and there'll be hell to pay. As for Abraham its time for him to get his walking papers.
Hey 1:25 P.M.! I wonder what little tiny bones you’ve been thrown along the years to make you such a loyal and obedient little doggie. At least put your name on here so that your masters will know who you are and can reward you!
Speaking of Exit 36, am I the only one to notice the closures going on in the Walmart area? Plus there seems to be problems along that strip up and down, a lot of empty slots where Little Caesar's is, Big Lots, etc. What the hell is going up where Arby's was? Everything looks just slapped together. Nothing appears to be well thought out and there seems to be similar losses and slippage at Exit 33.
On the subject of the golf course, when you look at the costs and salaries of the pros, when most local governments are being forced to cut to the bone, might it be a good idea to sell the thing or privatize it? We can't afford to subsidize the likes of Charlie Roberts and his ilk. People are not coming up here to golf. It's not a tourist draw and the rest of us who are just struggling to pay our bills can't afford to golf. Working 2 jobs, we don't have time to golf. Dump the thing and dump Smith. Everyone has had to take cuts on the job. Hell, even Walmart employees can't afford their own health insurance. I just saw that on the news.
Why do we have to keep paying for the public employee gravy train here while we get kicked in the teeth by the very people who are supposed to be working for us?
I'd say the smell coming from the town hall for years now has been beyond disturbing. We have dirty deeds at the golf course, a former police chief under indictment, enough dirty development deals to make anyone's head spin, a mayor with clear ethical issues, do I need to go on?
And yet nothing ever seems to change. Indeed no one has even gone to trial yet and we continue, apparently, to be victimized by those we pay to work for us. When, pray tell, does this stop? It would appear that we have several hundred well compensated municipal employees and we are not getting a decent quality of life. These people do not respect us, pure and simple, but they do expect to be paid by us and get their benefits from us. 50 grand for golf plus health insurance? Really? Do any of you even own a golf ball or tee? Does Erskine Smith have to pay to golf there or is that one of his perks? Enough!
somebody on here told us:
"These people love to mess up others lives by posting things they know nothing about.If they new evrything they would run for office and fix all they problems but no they just want to try and keep ruining people and their lives."
No, we don’t all have to run office in order to do that. That’s just what people like you want us to do, so you can single us out and then shut us up. Good luck with that. And if blowing the whistle on corruption is "ruining people and their lives", then I'm all for it!
Hey Jim,
I don't think we want to be the "end line". 1st, everyone between here and Charlotte has to get on board, Huntersville, Davidson, etc. I'm guessing both counties and the state will have a little say so as well. 2nd, the end needs a lot of space, parking, storage, maintenance bays, etc. I think ideally we should run it past Statesville and put all the big ugly buildings North of the city and "out of sight" so to speak.
MI, I would think any profits would be split with Davidson and applied to the town budgets. That is probably too easy and makes too much sense to actually be the case.
I heard a rumor that has the old Arby's lot becoming an International House of Pancakes. I actually have no idea, just spreading the rumor.
I would like to ask if there is a formal grievance procedure against town employees, since the subject has come up. I've had at least one run-in with a disrespectful employee and so have some of my relatives and friends. I complained to Smith's secretary on the phone and, of course, got no response. It seems that the only people who I have had polite treatment from are the women who take the water payments in town hall.
It's a crying shame that citizens have to cringe at the sight of a town employee.
I would like to ask if there is a formal grievance procedure against town employees, since the subject has come up. I've had at least one run-in with a disrespectful employee and so have some of my relatives and friends. I complained to Smith's secretary on the phone and, of course, got no response. It seems that the only people who I have had polite treatment from are the women who take the water payments in town hall.
It's a crying shame that citizens have to cringe at the sight of a town employee.
I am 1:25, and I asked a simple question about proof, then got called an ass kisser and a brown nose, along with some other derogatory remarks. You are proving my point, better than I am. woof. woof.
It is painfully evident that the current Mooresville town manager, Erskine Smith, carries very little credibility and legitimacy with the people of the very town he has been put in charge of managing. If indeed Mooresville wants to move into the future with a progressive vision, its actions must match that desire. You need at the helm a town manager with fresh ideas. Someone who inspires his (or her) staff and earns widespread respect. Someone unburdened by whispers of scandals and corruption. Someone who will restore the public’s trust and confidence in Town Hall. Only then can this town move forward in a united and productive fashion.
It appears that many on this blog do not know squat about the goings on in this town. The golf course is a municipal golf course not a country club. At one time a survey was conducted of public courses throughout the state and only one had a PGA Pro with ours having 4 at that time. Many public officials do not pay green fees among them are Smith, who has never paid a dime to play, then comes some past mayors, and various other town officials. We had one who lived in Huntersville who carried his golf clubs in his town owned SUV never paid anything. One past mayor and his wife never ever paid anything. The course was loosing so much money that all the maintenance costs was taken away and included in with "recreation costs". The many employees working on the course are not listed as course employees. Until this year there was a "Master Plan" in the budget to spend 10 million on the course and close it down for a year for the change over. That is not now the case. A municipal golf course is for the public to enjoy not a few.
I met Miles Atkins one of the candidates running for mayor recently. I was impressed by his calm and friendly demeanor, but what impressed me most was something I just read on his literature. He promises to "push for transparency and accountability in local government." He is going to have my vote, and I am going to hold him to his promise
So I've been taking all this in for several months now and what I'm getting is this, you can steal money, golf clubs, litter, break any number of rules or laws if you work for the town or are affliated with the town or friends with those that are, but if you are just a mere citizen and commit some minor infraction like getting your trash in the wrong place than you get the chair, do I have that right?
Exactly who does this town belong to anyway? I want to get the names right once and for all. I'm getting tired of paying for stuff that is ending up in pockets of crooks. After seeing "Doonesbury" today, I guess I would like to know who I really ought to make my check out to.
There is no transparency in this town and it appears that anyone who tries to object gets squased like a bug.
1:41, that is pretty much it in a nutshell. I have yet to meet anyone who has had any interaction with Smith who has anything positive to say about him, yet he remains the town manager. Furthermore, he is, as many here have pointed out, one of the highest paid officials in the region.
What does that say to us as citizens? It says we don't care about your opinions. We don't care how you want your money spent. We are going to do as we please and to hell with you. This is NOT a community. We are being silenced and told how it is going to be.
I'm sick of it and I'm angry. I'm tired of being held hostage by Erskine Smith and a bunch of commissioners and people like Randy Marion and Mitch Abraham and Thurnburg and the rest of that bunch who think they know what's best for me. It's not their town, it's ours.
Not to rile any feathers...but...
Who called the golf course a country club?
Also, when you said "public courses" I assume you meant Municipal courses. Apples to apples. Of the 44 municipal courses in North Carolina, 27 have at least 1 PGA Professional. Mooresville is 1 of 4 courses that carry 2 PGA Professionals. 3 have 3. Bur Mil in Greensboro has 5 listed but I think it's a training facility, so I threw it out.
Of the 17 that do not have a PGA Professional, 7 of them are 9-hole courses.
Not an attack, just some info I gathered, maybe an attempt to show some credibility on my part, ;).
As far as paying or not paying, I don't know. I was told at one time that Town Employees played for free, but that a board later changed that. Nothing confirmed there, just something that I've been told "on the street". I'll try and get that timeline cleared up. As far as the rest of the post it's pretty much the same as what I have heard.
Mr. Hendrix, I for one really appreciate your willingness to try and answer questions in such a courteous manner. Having said that, here's the bottom line with regard to the Mooresville Golf Course:
Unfortunately, it has evolved into a money pit that serves only a miniscule fraction of our population in Mooresville. On top of that, it can only be used if the weather permits it, and only during daylight hours. Pound for pound, it is one of the most expensive extravagances in our budget, even if certain officials have tried their darnest to hide the numbers and muddy the waters. No matter how one looks at it, this golf course is just a terribly inefficient use of perfectly good space.
Yes, Mr. Hendrix, it is quite refreshing on here to see someone do some research and actually have facts to back up an opinion! Good work!
Please also remember that the Mooresville schools golf teams also use the course. I also remember for fathers day they were slammed, although the golf was free for dad's who brought in their Town Voice with the add in it, it was still busy. It was my first time playing there, and will definitely go back. On Saturday and Sunday mornings the golf course is always busy unless it is raining out. So I would say that more than just a miniscule few use the course. To determine the usefulness of the course we first need to see how many rounds are played a month on average, before we try to just shut it down. This is a cost effective for people that want to play golf but don't want to pay $50-$60 or more a round. At $21 dollars for 18 holes for the week and $26 for the weekend walking, this is a steal, $35 for the week and $40 for the weekend to ride.
see http://www.egovlink.com/public_documents300/mooresville/published_documents/Golf/Fees/fees.pdf for more details
Is the golf course bringing in money or is it operating in the red? In this economy when people who have been laid off from good jobs and have to take $9/ hour jobs with no benefits, having to pay for something like this seems a bit of a slap in the face. If the golf course is paying it's way including the pros, then fine, let's keep it. Otherwise put it up for sale and pmd privatize it. That is millions in savings to the taxpayers and I'm sure something reasonable could be worked out for the golf team.
I intend to vote for you, Billy and I respect that you see some possibilities for the golf course but in this economy I wonder if ot isn't more realistic to just cut that thing loose v
The Mooresville Municipal Golf Course is in the red and has been for about as long as it has had its current manager, Charlie Roberts. If they'd caught it early enough, a competent manager might have been able to turn it around, but now I think it's just too little too late.
The biggest problem is that Erskine Smith brought Roberts on board and has had his back ever since. Most likely because Roberts let Smith and his friends use the golf course as a personal playground. Smith then convinced certain elected officials to hitch their cart to Roberts' horse, and the rest has been history.
Ironically, those same elected officials got kicked out of office, but Smith and Roberts are still there collecting a hefty paycheck.
This Golf Course needs to either be sold or changed into something else. The money we're sinking into it can go to much better uses.
Then either sell the thing or bid the operation out to a private contrctor who will bring in their own workers who are not as highly paid as Charlie Roberts and those like him and may actually run a clean operation and turn a profit for the town. There are any number of municipal golf courses and other recrational operations being run just like this all across the country. Time for the good times for those select few here to stop. A 50K golf pro is a bit of a luxury when some of us are barely making over minimum wage.
I would like the Town to give me $1,000,000 to build a facility that is dedicated to the fine art of crocheting. It would just cost about $1,000,000 every year for upkeep. People can come from far and wide to sit and crochet. I will even offer a concession stand of milk and cookies and a shop where you can buy yarn and crochet needles and gadgets. Do you think the Town would consider this fine offer?
Of course not because it is ABSURD. Just like the taxpayers who have to pay for a golf course even though they don't golf. ABSURD!
Billy, I want to vote for you, but I just can't if you are going to try to make the Golf Course your pet project. It sounds like that is exactly what you are trying to do.
Perfect analogy Betty. Why are the 90% of us paying for the hobby and luxury of the 10% or less? If golf ain't a luxury then nothing is.
Mind you it might be different if we had the only golf course around. But we don't. There are much better run golf courses within easy driving distance so who in their right mind would come to ours?
Hendrix is obsessed with the golf course it is his only speaking point in the forum he would return to the same thing about the golf course being a money maker. Does this sound familiar about MI Connection being a money pit? As far as his point about the red line we do not want to pay for a railroad from here to Charlotte. As far as the point about extending to Statesville obviously he is unaware that the tracks have long been gone from here to there and there is no remaining right of way talk about stupid!! This is crazy talk. About the golf course we can drive to Statesville and play for far less than in Mooresville. Now forget about that money tree!!
In the approved Budget for 2011-2012, from the town website, the golf course looks to get approximately 1.2% of the general fund budget. the Fleet maintenance has more money budgeted to it than the Golf Course. I am not involved in the town government in any way, but think that we need to get people to utilize the course and help to make it make money. If the residents of Mooresville (which get a $5 credit for being a resident off of a round of golf) don't utilize the course then why would others come to Mooresville to play when they can go somewhere else. The course may not be as nice as some of the country clubs around the area, but it is in good condition and is a heck of alot cheaper to play.
I don't trust your "1.2%" figure. Why? Because I've been watching the shenanigans with the golf course budget for years and I know that Erskine Smith and Maia Setzer (the so-called Finance director) have been fudging the numbers, moving this to that, moving that to this, until the figures start looking not so bad. Now they're trying to "hide" it under the recreation so we won't know exactly what it's costing us. It's all a scam, and it's just like statistics. You can fix the numbers to suit your purposes, and their purposes have been to siphon off the taxpayers dole to keep that thing open. One real attractive thing about it for certain people is that it's hard as hell to keep up with the cash that flows through that place. So if it went "missing" nobody would be any the wiser.
Call it like it is 2:53! That is exactly what I have been thinking for years now. Something smells fishy at that golf course. It is this fishy smell that is keeping people away from it too. You just know somethings in your gut.
2:53 that is a great point. the ~1.2% came off of the town budget that was approved by the board earlier this year, under Erskine Smith's recommendations. We as the residents and citizens of Mooresville need to hold these people accountable and force the "bad" out and start fresh with some "clean" minds and fresh ideas for the Town of Mooresville, I honestly think that the golf course has some issues, but also could be "reformed" to make it into a legitimate money source for the town. The potential is there, it just needs to be fixed. I did notice that they are adjusting the staff from this past year of 14 people 5 full-time and 9 temp to 12 temp and 2 full-time. maybe be able to save some money this way. It should be interesting to see what the other candidates think about the Golf Course.
2:06,
Does the 1.2% include the groundskeeping? Without inside knowledge of the golf course books I'm not sure how you could know how many people work in taking care of the course but are budgeted in other areas. These waters were intentionally muddied years ago to make it look like less of a drain on the budget.
I would be curious to know what the percentage of taxpaying citizens actually use the course even once in the course of a year? I think it should be fairly easy to prove that a small minority is using the course.
Betty...I think your crocheting business is a great idea! I bet there is a consulting company somewhere that could show how crocheting is a cash cow! Good luck with it!
Jim
To Mayoral Candidates:
What private sector experience if any do you have and how would that come to bear on your performance as mayor?
Essleman: Education and loading planes aside why are you qualified to be Mayor?
Atkins: What makes you any different than the current status quo?
Essleman: Is it true that you want to change the towns charter and name yourself the Mayor/Town Manager paying yourself a handsome salary and naming lackeys to serve at your pleasure? If its not true why did you send all those emails? If it is true how to you plan to get this past the good people of Mooresville?
The problem with ANY elected official making ANYTHING their pet project is that it is human nature for them to then do anything and everything to make it work out. They start off with good intentions, and then the next thing you know they are throwing good money after bad in a desperate attempt to make sure THEIR pet project does not fail because they begin to see their project as an extension of themselves. In the meanwhile, we are out here paying for a failing pet project of one elected official. This happened with cable. Bill Thunberg made it his "pet project" and we are going to be paying for his ego driven fiasco for decades to come. We are not going to fall for the same trick again with the golf course.
Essleman is an arogant jerk and his campaign is obnoxious. I'm sick and tired of him stating that he "fought" for our country when he was in the rear with the gear. What he did was honorable but don't lie. If I hear one more time how he was fighting I'll show him what the Army Rangers taught me...how to fight for my country. RANGERS LEAD THE WAY!
Here's my question to all the people running this time. What exactly are you going to do about the biggest problem we got in town government right now, Erskine Smith being given the big job of managing this town, all of the town's resources, and all of its current and future problems? He's the definition of untrustworthy.
4:28...I agree with you. The best of intentions can be derailed when a person takes too much ownership in a project. Fortunatly, there are 5 other commissioners all of which will be very wary of spending any money on anything other than growth and essential operating expenses (I hope). This is not an 80 Million dollar project that is still consuming roughly 10% of our Town Budget. It is a drain on the budget of ~200,000 per year from what I've gathered. MI is costing us ~300,000 per month, rough guess probably more. I plan to also be involved other areas of concern if elected. The golf course does happen to be an area that I have some experience in and that I think I can help save all of us some tax dollars.
I could have hid in the shadows, and given the same answers the other candidates have given. But, I've been out talking with a lot of Ward 2, and I'm here discussing the concern of the golf course (and a couple of other things) with you. I know at least 3 of the other candidates read this blog from time to time. It would have been easier and probably safer to stay hidden and take my chances. But, that's not why I entered the race. If you're content with what you have had in the past than stick with it. If you want any hope of change as well as someone that will be accessible and dig deeper and look for solutions, then I'm your guy.
Thank you for clarifying what I have suspected all along, 4:36, that Esselman has inflated his service and other credentials. Flew 300 sorties indeed. The only thing that is flying around him is bovine excrement.
If his record is so almighty great, let him put a true copy up on his web site along with transcripts from both colleges he attended. Put up or shut up.
Oh, I forgot, he is pretty good at copying and pasting, isn't he?
I like the idea about the crochet facility. Maybe we can set one up for trash-tossing too. That way, we can make sure that the town employees selected to harass citizens have good aim and are properly trained to do so. Maybe even get it an olympic event. God knows, there is enough trash-talking from Erskine Smith and his posse.
Billy, we are in Ward 2 and we are going to vote for you because for one thing, Thurman Houston has never answered the phone or returned our calls and you have been on this forum and answering some tough questions. Agree or not, I am wondering, would you consider turning over the golf course to a private contractor or selling it outright if it is that big of a drain on the town budget?
Likewise, MI, being a drain, I am very uncomfortable with this concept in general and I do not know of anyone who uses this service finding it too expensive. Would you consider selling or privatizing this as well? Town employees are paid very well and seeing the salaries for the golf pros alone is very upsetting to me and golf is a luxury item in most people's lives these days. We should not have to subsidize this.
Erskine Smith's contract needs to be a priority after the election is over as well. We really can no longer afford him, financially and in so many other ways as well.
Houston.... Actually I had a problem several months ago with drains being blocked up on a Ward 2Street. I sent an email to Mr. Houston at the town email that is listed. He got back to me the next morning and that afternoon town trucks were there cleaning out the ditches and drains. He answered me much faster than I thought he would.
A former commissioner, Frank Rader, came up with a scheme to hide a big bulk of the golf expenses - its maintenance. He managed to get the golf course maintenance moved out of the golf course expenses and into the general town expenses. He thought he pulled one over on everybody, but next thing he knew he was out on his ass after the election. Unfortunately, that scheme was never fixed, so to this day they manage to hide the maintenance costs of the golf course when they report their numbers.
Man, 6:28, you have got it bad for Esselman. Why dont you tell us what you did to serve your country, or what you are doing to make this town better (besides throwing around a bunch of baseless crap on here)? Oh, and I will just go ahead and sign it Ass Kisser since I know your only response will be to call me names
AK
I think it's rather appropriate that this discussion is taking place around Halloween when the plantation masters like Marion and Thunburg want to make zombies of the peasants like us.
Speaking of the "massas" you can bet that they are NOT golfing on the Mooresville Municipal Golf Course with the great unwashed and they do not give a rat's posterior about it just so long as they get their way about things around here and we snap to and continue to pay for the way they see things should be.
Erskine Smith is their boy and he is being handsomely compensated for keeping the peasants/slaves/zombies in their place and brainwashed to believe that we are progressing and this town is paying its way and the money is well spent.
I'm not drinking the Kool-Aid anymore and that's not the sewage treatment plant, folks, it's pure unadulerated bullshit. Either the government of this town starts stepping up or we have to make it clear we are going to demand it step up.
People are starting a movement all over the world demanding better. It is high time we start that here as well. God knows, we've been paying through the nose for it for how long now?
Dear AK,
Since you asked, I was in US service for 2 years and in my state guard for 15 years. I retired here a few years ago. Both my spouse and I enjoy genealogy and both our families have long histories of service, mine pre-dates the founding of the US, dating back to the Virginia Militia and the French and Indian War. Both sides of our families had relatives who fought in WWII with some having wounds and even a few lost loved ones. I lost a very dear cousin in Viet Nam.
Any more stupid questions? And how have you served your country?
Yeehaw, 11:15, way to tell Esselman, I mean, the ass-kisser.
I think the point about the golf course is that a lot of governmental bodies, be they city, township, county, state, whatever, are ditching things because of the economy. They are either selling or closing things like museums, parks, anything that is not an essential public service.
Didn't we just see libraries on the chopping block in the past year or two in the greater Charlotte Metropolitan area? If we can't afford libraries, how can we justify golf courses? I drive by that place sometimes several times daily but at least several times a week at all hours of the day and it's never that busy.
If it can be made into a local asset that pays its way, that is one thing, but as it is now, I don't see that it's something we can afford. It's a luxury item.
And add me to the list of people who agrees that Erskine Smith has to go. We cannot afford him either. He is destroying this town, even if he works for free.
I'll come to learn to crochet if you serve liquor instead of milk and cookies. What are those gadgets that you're gonna be selling? Anything, ahem, good? Let's make this a top drawer operation. I'm game
so asking what you have done for your country, or town is a stupid question? while you sit hear and criticize others' service, it seems reasonable to want to understand your credentials.
You keep throwing out the 300 Sortie thing, do you know for a fact that it is not possible, or even just reasonable? Did you serve in a war zone, so that you know how many sorties are flown daily? And dont tell me these are stupid questions. If you are going to call someone a liar, you should know the facts. I honestly have no idea how many are flown but I dont think these guys sit around over there playing video games.
Didnt serve in the military because back in the day, they didnt really encourage women to join. But then again, I am not the one criticizing someone else's service (I wouldnt do that unless I knew absolutely for sure that I was right and he was lying).
And by the way, you guys still have not told me whose ass I am kissing because I am asking for facts and such. Didnt know that being well-informed was a bad thing.
AK
AK
There are some on this blog who take great delight in attacking a person of integrity like Esselman who did serve his country, who did get wounded while doing his duty. Now let's look at the Atkins who is now being primed by the town greats such as Randy Marion and company to keep things as they are now being done for their benefit. Jobs have now been placed both for him and his wife in town positions so that the current power figures can continue as before. Smith, and his cronies hav e the golf course locked up and you will not touch it because Hendrix has been brought in to push it.
Uhm, who have I been brought in by?
I'm not trying to "push" the golf course, I want to find out why it is not making money, and try to make it profitable.
Would that line of thinking equate to anyone supporting or embracing MI-Connection as a "pusher" and a puppet of the old board?
Mr. Hendrix, you claim to want "to find out why the golf course is not making money." We all already know why the golf course is not making money. Two words: Charlie Roberts. We have known this for years upon years. Nothing has changed, including the fact that he continues to "run" this golf course, right into the ground. It is truly baffling.
*sigh*
Oh so now Esselman has been wounded? Geez, this just gets better and netter. Do tell. Did he get carpal tunnel typing in the loading calculations? Where is his Purple Heart? Why isn't this up on his web page? Lord God Almighty we have a superhero walking amongst us. If I touch his shirt, will my rheumatism be cured?
Madame Ass Kisser,
I responded to you with my service and who said that men were the only ones who served? I am female and went out from my support position in the service honorably with a shoulder separation and continued in the guard. Women have served honorably in this country for generations.
Any more stupid assumptions?
Did I say that women didn't serve? You might want go back and read again. I said it wasn't encouraged and in my family and my small town that was true 30 years ago. Fact. You obviously take pride in your service history and that of your family, so why do you find it so insulting and unbelievable when mr esselman does the same? Also, you seem to take great joy in namecalling...do you use the word stupid in every post? Or are you capable of grown up respectful debate?
You're the one who has called herself an ass-kisser and disparaged everyone on here who isn't sucking up to Esselman and Smith. You wanted to know what I had done to serve my country implying I had done nothing so I told you. Now you say I should be proud implying that I'm not, I am proud. I do not have to explain myself or my family or anyone else to you because we are not running for office but Jared Esselman who claims to be Superman does have to explain himself. You put yourself in the public eye, you better be prepared to have everything looked at, so as others have said, let's see his 300 missions, his war wounds, his transcripts, grades, everything. He wants our votes, he's been shouting his credentials, put up or shut up.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire, Jared's nose is longer than a telephone wire!"
Sounds to me like all of you talking about Esselman is that all of you are just jealous that you are not that smart.
One thing for sure you must be cause the 30-40 of you that do all the writing on here he is all you can think about
My telephone is wireless
Where is the proof of all this wonderful shit he's done? We're waiting.
Crickets...
Come on. Let's hear the truth. Either he's a big hero and a scholar or he's an arrogant braggert. What is it? We are anxiously awaiting the truth. Let the true savior of the town show himself.
I asked about your service, and that is implying that you didnt? It was a simple question that seems relevant to grown up discussion. I said you are obviously proud, and that is implying that you are not? I called myself an ass kisser to beat you to the punch, as I had already been called that for simply asking if there was proof of all of the allegations made here. It would seem that you are reading implications where there are none and enjoying the name calling. As for disparaging everyone on here, I was simply asking for proof. It is easy to imply all kinds of things on here. A little bit of fact would be refreshing.
I went back to the beginning and read all of my posts. I did not disparage anyone other than to ask for proof of any of these claims and point out that namecalling seemed to be the only response I was getting to my questions. Maybe you are ASSUMING that some posts are mine, when, in FACT, they are not.
AK
Mrs. AK, the problem is, you are sticking up for Esselman and all we are hearing is what he has supposedly has done but we are not seeing any facts.
You're talking a good game but so far all we're hearing is bullshit about his many missions, his war wounds, and on and on.
All we've gotten so far is COPIED and PASTED bullshit.
We're anxiously awaiting the facts.
Election day is just around the corner. In fact, can't we vote early around these parts?
Times a'wasting...
Others have said it, I'll repeat it, put up or shut up.
They want to bore us to death so we will all be sound asleep when they pull more wool over our eyes.
What's that about a million dollar hooker, i mean, crochet palace?
I have a question for Miles Atkins. You have taken a sizable campaign donation from Randy Marion. Presuming you are elected and a matter arises that would benefit him but be a detriment to most of the average citizens of Mooresville, on what side would you come down on? In other words, have you been bought or are you here for all of us since this issue has been raised several times?
Thanks for the question, 4:20 p.m.! Unfortunately, I stopped accepting questions, as stated, on Monday, Oct. 24, at 5 p.m. The questions have already been submitted to the mayoral candidates. However, I included a similar question of Mr. Atkins, so hopefully it will at least come close to answering your concern.
Hope that helps!
It is a downpayment on a road behind the dealership......such a campaign donation will not buy much but will buy attention from the Mayor. The next time the Mayor buys a new car I am sure Mr. Marion will give him a bargain.
Business as usual---pat my back I will pat yours.
Tell you what: I'll send your question, as written, to Mr. Atkins and see if he'll mind tacking it onto the same related question I've already asked. That way, we make sure all our bases are covered. Thanks, again, for the question and the information.
It's a shame the question period is over because today I noticed the recycle bins being delivered by Enterprise Rental Truck. Do you mean to tell me there isn't proper vehicles available in the town? We have to rent them?
Other than that, I was actually shocked this is going to come off on schedule. Well, after several delays. Frankly, I expected it to start in March.
Billy....your full of $hit
9:03, it's "you're" as in "you are" not "your" which implies ownership. Who is full of shit now?
Signed,
Your former (and disgusted) English teacher.
12:16, I didnt realize we were only supposed to post on here if we agree with you rather than "sticking up" for someone else. In grown up conversations, people discuss things respectfully even if they disagree. Since that obviously isnt going to happen here, I guess I will take my exit and leave the six of you to your namecalling...continue on :)
Now that the Q & A deadline is safely past and no one will actually answer this, with the question about a genie and 3 wishes, is this an election or a cartoon?
I know what my 3 wishes would be.
Get rid of Smith.
Get rid of Redmond. (ok, I know that's not inside Mooresville)
Give me about 20 more wishes so I can clean this town up.
Oh, yeah, one other wish, give us a REAL forum.
you say 20...how about sharing 5?
Ok. I like that idea. Cooperation is usually a positive thong.
Wow Skip, just heard a disappointing rumor.
It's one thing to be "looking out for Mooresville", but really?
If it's true, that's a little too low for me, what were you expecting/hoping to find?
This one may have cost you a vote or two.
Let us all in on the rumor. Inquiring minds want to know. Not that I was voting for Skippy. Well, actually I was going to a long time ago even after he blew the lid off Esselman but Bobby has won me over and Skip is just a blowhard.
The rumor you speak of is not rumor, it's fact. Yes, Skip requested the email records of Jared's mother who is a school teacher. Politics is one thing, but mothers are off limits. Your colors are showing Skip, and your stink is sticking to Miles because he knows of your tactics and did nothing to stop you. Going after a candidates mother is as low as it gets.
Well, Jared has had his mommy and daddy fighting his battles for him. It might be intriguing to see how many anonymous posts Mama Esselman has made. We taxpayers are paying for any unprofessional emails she's made on the job but I will agree Skip is pretty low.
Perhaps Mommy has been the source of Mighty Jared's many missions and war wounds. Urban legends? One has to wonder.
yep, 11:57 again.
4:52, that's the rumor I heard as well. He asked for her E-mails from the school she teaches at.
and hey, they're public records and all so fine, but man that seems like dirty pool, I guess all's fair in love and war. Just didn't expect that he would go that low (personal opinion). I'm sure there are several on here that are perfectly fine with what he did. For me, it just lacks class, not someone I want representing my town, but to each his own. Chalk at least two more up for Bobby.
because E-mails are so expensive. I guess if you use MI-Connection we should get to see your e-mails, we're paying for part of it afterall.
But it's ok to attack Miles Atkins' wife? Split hairs much?
The privacy of MI emails in general has been raid before. When a town owns something like this, can Big Brother be far behind? The temptation for some employee to lookmat her nasty neighbo's account or Aunt Betty's emails to see if she knows that Uncle George is stepping out on her might just be a little too tempting.
I missed the attacks on Mrs. Miles. What happened? Other than possible conflict of interest.
And how precisely is Skipper going to make whatever info he gets public? Not much time left now. I see channel 9 ran a story on outside campaign donations in Charlotte. Guess Mooresville isn't big enough to get any press about all the Massachusetts money in Jareds campaign. LOL.
What information could one expect to find in the mother's emails that makes it OK to go after a family member. What's next in Mooresville politics? This is a very sad episode.
I have a hunch that he expects to find that Mrs. Esselman has been posting various claims about Jared's glorious record and credentials as well as casting aspertions on others, both candidates and those who have had negative comments ("Carole" and others, like Mrs. What's Her Name?) and I daresay she might have even been one of the people to hop on the Compton marital rumor wagon, who knows what he expects to find?
I'm surprised someone out there is still surprised at scandal Mooresville style, especially where computers are concerned. I mean, we still have Mayor Talk Dirty Online, on official computers, in office for a little while longer, don't we?
This town can't seem to do anything in an upright manner, from a police chief ripping off kids to trash guys picking on sick old ladies. And you're surprised by dirty politics in this cesspool? Hell, I'd die of shock if there was a clean campaign and election in this town.
Shit, I'd keel over on the spot if they fired that crook Smith and don't get me started on Charlie Roberts.
Posts on here are not emails btw, so they will not show up in an email request. however, he might be looking to see if she is sending campaign emails from her work computer. He is running for At Large seat, not mayor, but he is spending more time campaigning against Jared Essleman for mayor than he is campaigning for himself as commissioner. Just makes one wonder what his real motives are.
Posts on here are not emails btw, so they will not show up in an email request. however, he might be looking to see if she is sending campaign emails from her work computer. He is running for At Large seat, not mayor, but he is spending more time campaigning against Jared Essleman for mayor than he is campaigning for himself as commissioner. Just makes one wonder what his real motives are.
Once again the idiots come forward. It is a far cry from a mother trying to help a son run for office and when the wife of a potential mayor is getting a plum job with the town of Mooresville - listen up stupids Miles and his wife are getting jobs with the downtown mob - they will both be on the payroll in several ways. This is nothing but a huge conflict of interest!! In other ways Randy and company will get a return on their investment. It is criminal for this idiot Skippy to invade this ladies life by attempting get her email traffic. If Miles should win we will be back in the Knox era of paying off campaign debts. He will be getting paid as mayor and also as the manager of a South Iredell Commission - talk about graft!!!!! What you want to wonder about is why Skippy is attacking this highly qualified person who is not running for his job. He needs to worry about Bobby - or if miles wins is he also being paid off?
Skippy continually trys to intiminate people about his being a "Special Agent with the FBI" He has even threatened people that he could use his FBI resources to check their email traffic. This is completely out- of bounds. The FBI Field Office is interested in one theirs using these tactics. You can send them a message at Charlotte.public@IC.FBI.Gov or telephone them at 704672-6100. You will be treated very nicely and your reports are welcome. They now have a case on this issue.
And if Jared wins we have the Massachusetts Mafia running the show and a guy who never cast one damn vote locally until he decided he needed a job at all of our expense. I don't see a whole lot of difference here.
Wonder if Jared learned how to copy and paste from Mommy?
I don't condone any of this but I am far more impressed by Mr. Atkins who has not embellished his background by sending out little brags about his many missions and war wounds on this blog.
We are being conned here. Maybe Skippy is onto something. I don't like him or his methods but better we find out now than after the election. Who needs more of the likes of Montgomery, Crone, and Smith?
easy there Skip, settle down...it'll all be over soon.
First of all, what Skip did was beyond low. He has no place in government, and I wonder like many what promises he has from Miles for doing all the dirty work. And then, let me get this straight, you already know Miles has moved his wife into a cush city supported job - and lowered the taxes on his home, and you think we need to worry about the Mass. mafia. Look around, the mafia is already here.
I havent seen a bunch of posts on here talking about what Jared has done, other that those of you shouting about how it cant be true. Is Skippy talking about FBI any different? I just wish Skip would be honest about why he is campaigning in Sunday school against Jared Esselman. I havent heard much of anything about why he is running for At Large. To me, that just seems strange. What are his real motives? And so what if Jared's mom is supporting his candidacy. It would say much more if she was not.
If Skip was such a great former FBI agent and such a wonderful investigator then.... 1) Tell me why he didn't get in a huff over the firing of Karen Shore? As I know it, two of Mooresville's commissioners were behind her firing. Time will tell their motive. 2) Recently, I heard from a businessman that Mooresville has had several murders occur in town. So is Skip on the town's side to hide this from the public or does he think Mooresville citizens should have heard about this via the media? As of today, my source of information has been business people and neighborhoods?
I found it very strange that Skip had his son going door to door and asking everyone if they heard what happened to his father. My question is why does a man with such a great background need his son running around town, knocking on doors and complaining about everything. Most campaigners knock on the door with a smile on their face and asked you to vote for their candidate. And, then there is last weekend, where Skip had his son driving around town and reporting back via the phone on what signs were in people's yards. What was his wisdom on this? What a waste of time
maybe he wasn't a "great" FBI agent. He has proved that he will "dig deeper", maybe he questionable stuff on enough of his superiors to just let him hang around for 24 years. Half kidding of course. The FBI has many support roles I'm sure, but they probably all call themselves "agents".
They are called FBI for a reason, they are better known as the First Bunch of Idiots. FBI is the most corrupt police agency in the USA
Sorry, 3:00, that was me, not Skip, and I'm just plain sick and tired of the childish and dirty tactics of those in town government and the wannabes. I'm going to be voting for those not in and for those who are conducting themselves like adults so I won't be voting for Jared or Skip.
It would appear we get the government and leadership we deserve. I'm hoping this time around that maybe we can put a stop to this foolishness and stand up and say this is real money and this this is serious business and we demand better.
I don't know about the rest of you, but I'm voting for the adults in this race.
Oh, yeah, and firing Erskine Smith and his pals would be a real plus.
Skippy is just desperate and so is Jared. It's clear the real contenders are taking care of business.
Don't forget Mitch NEEDS TO GO
he has lived off the tax payers long enough
Yes it is time Mitch to go !!!
Does anybody that really knows Mitch trust Mitch? He will tell you one thing and then go behind your back. Mitch is very two faced. When you see him in person he is very likable but when he is going behind your back watch out for that proverbial knife to stab you.
Friday I went to the Shop and Save and across the street (on the railroad side) on a dirt pile I saw a sign asking people to vote for Mitch.
So ironic for the sign of a Dirt Bag Candidate to be on the top of a big pile of dirt.
(At least it was a pile of dirt not a pile of something else)
I don't live in Abrahams ward but I hope he goes. On the other hand, I'm not impressed with his opponent. Good luck to that ward. Heaven hp us all.
Is there early voting? I just want to get this over with.
We are all sick and tired of this so if there is early voting I'm all for it. My mind has been made up. Too bad we can't vote Skip into the Alzheimer's ward.
I still think that Miles has promised a plum to Skippy if he should win the mayor job. Skip has not mentioned his race for commissioner only trying to put down Jarred. For some reason he has made himself the bad guy in all this for no reason but hate. I feel sorry for his children who are blindly following his lead. This guy has a bad case of brain problems.
Early voting is in Statesville at the Board of Elections.
Skip is the reason that I am not voting for Atkins. You may be right,him living off town like Abraham and if elected maybe Skippy gets a big job off our tax dollars and Marion gets his road.
Since when was bringing truth to light dirty work? I'm thankful somebody has the guts to make the truth known, no matter what the cost. We could use more people of that character in the world, most especially in politics. There's no question where my vote is going on election day.
...and where is that?
Skippy is a nut with a nutty grin and nutty ways. If he wins, we can make a movie; One Flew Over the Mooresville Nest
And what "truth" is that?
I have avoided posting on this blog, but maybe it's time. As Jared's father, I can answer questions about him that most can't. Here's some information for you. Was Jared raised in Mooresville? - school district yes, city limits no. Does Jared want to change the government? - No, but he did forward an option that could have been considered when the city manager seat was vacant. It is no longer vacant, that window is closed. Does he vote and pay taxes? - Yes and yes. Is he the evil man Skip has painted? - What do you think, he has faults, but I find it incredible that Skip has devoted his time trying to destroy a young man that has spent the last 10 years of his life following a dream, military service, College of Charleston, Harvard. I know Jared's motivation, what is Skip's? And Skip, you can attack Jared, he's fair game, but going after my wife is truly an act of cowardice. Will Jared be a good mayor? - He's trained for it, the best training, and I know he wants to be. Just know this, Jared has no favors to satisfy and is not a part of the old network. You want a new direction, a break from the traditions of the past, well here it is. If I can answer any questions, be glad to do it.
The verifiable facts about Jared Esselman reported in this very blog, brought to light because of Skip Alexander. Are you actually reading the articles or just the comments section? Open your eyes....
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