25 Nov 2014: Cedric at the Meeting

Oh please....Last night at the meeting there was an agenda item under Old Business.
This item was to "Consider Circuit Judge order for Administrators of the Court (AOC)."

Guess what my Supervisor wanted to do?  He wanted to tell the Judge we can't afford it.  After this order was explained to Burnett, he voted no.

Excuse me?  This is an order from the Court.  You don't get to decide if you want to comply.

Request for Appointment at a BOS's Meeting

25 Nov 2014: Board of Supervisors’ Public Hearing Meeting @ 5p

Thank you for the appointment this evening.

We have 1 subject in our presentation tonight.  This presentation is about the recent publication pertaining to agenda items.  First, a bit of background:

I.             Previously, this Committee has reported to you and asked for your continued vigilance when approving grants.  Our report included a statement about even 100% grants not being free to the County.

II.          I’ve examined the Public Records for Aug 2014 and found the following in the 4 Aug 2014 BOS’s Meeting.  (This information is recorded in Book 165 on page 485):

1. 6-30kw generator for traffic lights: $188,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
2. 1-150kw generator for Robinsonville Community Center: $74,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
3. 3-Retrofit 3 Community Centers with Safe Room: Dundee, White Oak and Robinsonville: $500,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
4. Construction of new Tunica County Emergency Operations Center: $350,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
5. 5 Laptop Computers and 6 Window 7 upgrades for Emergency Operations Center Communications Room: $5889.00

All Supervisors voted in favor of these grants and the resulting expenditures.  These grants will cost the County at least $283,889.00.

This is the result of documentation not being submitted for vetting before the Supervisors are asked to vote on expenses.  With these results, it is understandable that the County Administrator would ask for a 2 week review of internal documents before presentation at a BOS’s Meeting.

However, it is hard to imagine that a citizen’s request for an appointment needs to fall under these guidelines.  Mr. Thompson, would you please consider going back to the 72 hour deadline for citizen’s requests for an appointment?
(Answer: Yes, as long as we are not asking the Supervisors to vote or make a decision on what is being presented.)

Could we agree that a citizen can either call Vanessa and ask her to fill-out the top of your form or come by the office and fill it out themselves…all within the 72 hour deadline?
(Answer: Yes.)

 

An Opinion from Bob

As children, we were taught to do as we are told rather than to think for ourselves.  As teens, we tried to think for ourselves with typical naiveté and often with disastrous  results.  Now that we are adults, thinking for ourselves is required.  Yet, we seem to not know the rules for doing so.  In consequence, we are led by a few disgruntled souls.  We are their tools spreading their trash rather than being those who pursue facts and the truth.

The rules are simple.  First is the foundation, to gather facts.  This is usually followed by critical thinking.  That is, to analyze the facts.  This means to ask: what is their accuracy, their appropriateness to the issue, and their validity.  More steps follow these two steps but we can stop here for the moment. 

For too many months there has been an astounding number of our citizens railing against several of our Supervisors.  Then there are the wild statements about our County Administrator.  We also remember how Mr. Wiley was treated. Who is orchestrating this folly?  Where are their facts?  Why are they not in the open debating the issues and presenting their case?  A worse question is why are so many of our citizens repeating their unfounded and abusive remarks?  Are we followers who move along without thought, soaking up their bilge, helping them achieve their agenda?  Are we satisfied with their unfounded stories, their innuendo rather than fact? 

We do not know why they are behaving in this vengeful manner.  However, we should be asking them to come out of the shadows.  

The only factual statement I have heard is, “He does not live here.”  That is a fact about Mr. Thompson’s place of residence.  How that disqualifies him, somehow puts his solid qualifications in doubt, becomes grounds for rejecting what he has found in this County’s finances takes us back to our teen years; our years of being ineffective, immature, and led by fads and gossip. 

Seek the facts.  Share them.  Explore them for the truth.  Debunk those whose stories from “credible sources” are worse than fiction.  In short, when you are drowning and a boat comes along in the raging waters and you are invited to come aboard and help paddle to safety, do not reject the offer because you heard that those in the boat have not the qualifications to lead us to solid financial ground.

When will Hamp just admit he was wrong????

I am amazed at the comments attributed to the Tunica County Sheriff in the 14 Nov 2014 issue of the Tunica Times article: "Circuit trial reverses Thompson verdict."

"Sheriff  K.C. Hamp said he was not surprised by the verdict, citing Walls' background as a defense attorney prior to being elected as judge.

'He heard it with a defense (attorney's) ear and came up with a verdict,' Hamp said. 'The facts and law remain the same.'

Hamp said witness testimony and evidence presented was gathered during an investigation conducted by the state attorney general's office."

Let's take this paragraph by paragraph:

1. The verdict isn't my fault, it's Judge Walls' experience that caused this verdict.

2. Yes, the facts and the law remain the same.  I sat through every word of the 10 Nov 2014 trial.  The testimony was clear.  You, the Tunica County Sheriff, entrapped Michael Thompson.  Further, when Michael Thompson became ill while in your care, did you transport him to the hospital in an ambulance whose service costs the County $60,000 per month?  No, not you.  You had to show Mr. Thompson just how tough you are.  You, Sheriff Hamp, cuffed Mr. Thompson and shackled Mr. Thompson and put him in the back of a Sheriff's car.  Shame on you Hamp.

3. As I stated before, I sat through the trial on 10 Nov 2014 and the last paragraph of Hamp's statement above is just not true.  There was no evidence presented from the state attorney general's office.

So, where are we?  Just how much money is Hamp's foolishness going to cost Tunica County?  I have no idea but I bet it "ain't" going to be cheap.

10 Nov 2014: Thank you Judge Walls

A big shout out to Judge Walls for overturning Michael Thompson's guilty verdict for driving with a suspended license.   Thank you for listening to the evidence and deciding in favor of Mr. Thompson.

During the trial, I heard evidence that the Sheriff had instructed his employee(s) to open an investigation of Michael Thompson and Alex Wiley.  I was amazed to hear that the Sheriff would be trying to investigate 2 private citizens just because he wanted to.  It is very disheartening to think that an elected official would consider doing this.

This is the United States of America, Sheriff Hamp, not some police gestapo.  Enough said.

Housing Claim: 3 Oct 2014

When the Budget was approved in Sep, there was a $12,000 a month allotment for the Housing Department.


At the 3 Nov meeting, the Supervisor from Beat 1, James Dunn was heard to say he wanted to approve the claims but not the line item for the Housing Department.  I'm wondering why?


Dunn voted to approve the Budget and the Housing allotment was included in that budget.  So, Mr. Dunn, would you like to tell us why you are objecting to this line item now?


Note: The claims for Oct 2014 were approved.

Beat 2 Supervisor's Voting Record for Aug 2014

Beat 2 Supervisor’s  Voting Record for Aug 2014

4 Aug 2014 BOS’s Meeting: All Supervisors present

Book 165: page 382: Burnett voted nay to approving the Jul 2014 minutes even though he voted yes to some resolutions at the Jul 2014 BOS’s Meetings.

Book 165: page 384: Appointment with Allen Godfrey from the Gaming Commission.  Tunica County has not hit bottom yet.  It is expected that our income from Gaming will continue to drop.

Book 165: page 444: Monthly supplies for Road and Bridges: $163,500: Burnett voted nay.

Book 165: page 467: Contract with Lehman Roberts Company for project “State Aid Project No: SAP-72(5)M.  Burnett shown as absent.

Book 165: page: 468: Lehman Brothers contract for local system bridge program for Flint Wood Road.  Burnett listed as absent.

Book 165: page 485:   Grants presented by Randy Stewart:

1. 6-30kw generator for traffic lights: $188,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
2. 1-150kw generator for Robinsonville Community Center: $74,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
3. 3-Retrofit 3 Community Centers with Safe Room: Dundee, White Oak and Robinsonville: $500,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
4. Construction of new Tunica County Emergency Operations Center: $350,000
1. Federal share: 75%
2. Tunica County share: 25%
5. 5 Laptop Computers and 6 Window 7 upgrades for Emergency Operations Center Communications Room: $5889.00

Burnett voted yes to the above which meant he voted for an expenditure of $283,889 by Tunica County.

Book 165: page 493: Claims for Jul 2014: Burnett listed as absent

Book 165: page 496: Travel: Burnett listed as absent

Book 165: page 498: Lease agreements for Tunica Housing and Cribs to Crayons: Burnett listed as absent

Book 165: page 504: Vote to hire Hylon Oliver as HR Manager: Burnett listed as absent.

14 Aug 2014 All Supervisors Present

Book 165: page 624: Payroll: Burnett voted nay.

Book 165: page 624: Request for travel: Burnett voted nay.

Book 165: page 634: Request for manual check for United Healthcare Insurance.  Burnett voted nay.

Book 165: page 642: Request for manual check for Alex Wiley in the amount of $4,000.  Attorney Pittman advised we had to pay per contract.  Burnett voted nay.

25 Aug 2014 All Supervisors Present

This was a workshop with the County Administrator.  All Supervisors were present except the Beat 3 Supervisor who was recovering from surgery.  James Dunn left the meeting after about an hour.

28 Aug 2014 All Supervisors Present

Book 166: page 68: Payroll: Burnett voted nay.

Book 166: page 72: Tunica County Parks and Recreation Travel: Burnett voted nay.

Book 166: page 80: Request for manual check for 3 employees from the Sheriff’s Department to register for a mandatory MS Department of Health certification program.  Burnett voted nay.

Book 166: page 90: Aug 2014 Meeting Adjourned