In a recent Letter to the Editor, Mr. Harry Hipps asserted that I “stated that there is a partisanship in Hickory politics that hasn’t been there before and is ‘a shame’.”
The comment that I made that he so badly misquoted was actually, “Until very recently I have not seen partisan politics brought into City Council, but recently we are seeing that and it’s shameful.” There is a big difference.
I am not going to go into a rebuttal of the rest of the letter, but there are many other inaccuracies, erroneous conclusions and misquotes. I hope that when people try to quote me, they will make an effort to get it right.
Harry Hipps article in the Hickory Daily Record on May 11, 2012:
Monday morning Mayor Wright stated that there is a partisanship in Hickory politics that hasn’t been there before and is “a shame”. The Mayor may have been referring to the fact that more people are looking at Council’s actions and not liking what they see. Well, grow up. Competition of ideas and aspirations are usually present in a healthy democracy, and it’s long past due in Hickory. For too long the Council has done whatever they wanted with virtually no checks on their actions. There’s too much public apathy and little media scrutiny. It’s time people start taking notice and speaking up.
The City was embarrassed at the Council meeting by not knowing about the instructions for citizens removing items from the consent agenda THAT HAS BEEN THERE FOR YEARS. Why’s it just now an issue? Because no one has spoken up before. Council runs partly on autopilot and they obviously don’t read their own publications. Citizen’s awareness is a positive development. The Mayor has stated that they are reviewing the issue and will make it more democratic. I hope so.
We should also have televised meetings like other municipalities. Public documents should be on the internet within days and citizens shouldn’t have to travel to City Hall and grovel for staff to access a document for them. The agenda should be published on the internet with enough time for citizens to review it and plan to comment if desired.
The City has a history of not listening to the public and showing citizens disrespect. Surveys, committee recommendations, and individuals have been ignored when it doesn’t fit their predetermined agenda. So it’s not a surprise that there is not unanimity of opinion on City issues.
These projects seem to come off the cuff. We need a strategic, long term plan to get Hickory back to good health again. We are just drifting and hoping something will turn up if we just put more money into downtown. There is no cost/benefit analysis done, little or no public vetting or input, and no review after the fact to see if public dollars did lead to a return on investment. A little more professionalism and public dialogue would go a long way to getting the public to buy in without acrimony. Partisanship is not the problem, a government that is not adapting to the 21st century is. (Link to Harry's Unedited version as presented on the Hickory Hound)
The following is where I believe the Mayor is saying that "Partisan" politics were brought into the hallowed bastion of non-partisanship that is the Hickory City Council Chambers:
Two Resolutions were brought forward by the Catawba County Democrat Party and their Chairman Elizabeth Glenn at the City Council Meeting of May 3, 2011:
Recognition of Persons Requesting To Be Heard
Ms. Elizabeth Glynn, Chairman of the Catawba County Democratic Committee desires to present to City Council two (2) resolutions that have been adopted by the Democratic Party Committee
RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF THE RIOGEVIEW CITIZENS FOR EQUITY IN GOVERNMENT
WHEREAS, the Catawba County Democratic Party's VISION declares that we are to be an "advocate for the people of this county who share” and
WHEREAS, that same Statement also declares that we will work to build a community which respects diversity…" and
WHEREAS, furthermore, it is a goal of the Party to "hold government 1eaders accountable for their political actions and policies by insisting upon openness" in government; and
WHEREAS, recent actions by the Hickory City Council with regard to closing and demolishing community pools in Ridgeview and Longview were taken in a sudden and somewhat high-handed manner without sufficient concern for community input; and
WHEREAS, the poor and minority community in Hickory has no effective voice in city government due to a lack of representation on the City Council;
THEREFORE: BE IT RESOLVED that the Catawba County Democratic Party declares its support for the Ridgeview Citizens for Equity in Government in their efforts to address the various issues facing the poor and minority communities in Ridgeview and throughout the City of
Hickory.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Catawba County Democratic Party respectfully requests the Hickory City Council to seek and implement ways to show greater sensitivity for the legitimate concerns of under-represented minorities in this community.
Passed unanimously by delegates at the Catawba County Democratic Party annual convention on April 16. 2011.
Elizabeth Glynn, Chair, Catawba County Democratic Party
RESOLUTION SUPPORTING A MAJORITY/MINORITY WARD IN HICKORY, NC
WHEREAS, in 1970, the City of Hickory changed from a pure ward system to a modified at-large system for electing City Council members; and
WHEREAS, this change created an electoral system which has eventually led to the under-representation of poor and minority citizens in elected positions; and
WHEREAS, for there to be a truly representative democracy in city government, it is essential for these under-represented minorities to have an effective voice in civic affairs; and
WHEREAS, the modified at-large electoral system now in place essentially denies that possibility and thus insures that representative democracy is diminished in our community;
THEREFORE: BE IT RESOLVED that the Catawba County Democratic Party urges the City of Hickory to act to either return to the pure ward electoral system or during the upcoming redistricting from the 2010 Census, re-establish a Majority/Minority Ward in Hickory to assure just representation for all on the Hickory City Council.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this resolution be presented to City Council at the earliest possible date following its approval by the Catawba County Democratic Party.
Passed unanimously by delegates at the Catawba County Democratic Party annual convention on April 16, 2011.
Elizabeth Glynn, Chair, Catawba County Democratic Party
The Hound: As one can see, these documents are hardly politically partisan documents. The Democrats are only representing their constituents on an issue of interest to their constituents. This would be no different than the American Medical Association or the American Dental Association bringing forward a resolution in the interest of Dentists or Doctors or another constituency to the City Council. Ms. Glynn did not say anything about Republicans so I don't see how this could be labeled as bringing "partisan politics" into the City Council chambers in anything other than a superfluous manner by the Mayor.
When the folks with the Catawba Valley Wildlife Club brought their issue forward to City Council on December 6, 2012 related to the City looking to ban guns in City Parks, the Mayor did not fuss about "Partisan Politics" being brought before the City Council; but if one is going to look towards issues of advocacy as being partisan, then this is also a divisive issue is it not?
I believe that Cliff Moone was blocked from being appointed to Hickory's Community Relations Council because of his connection to the Democrat Party and the Presentation of Ms. Glynn above. Mr. Moone addressed this issue at the City Council meeting on October 18, 2011.
All I'm doing here is helping you put the pieces of the puzzle together. The Mayor and other Powers That Be in Hickory hope that you will compartmentalize issues and not put two and two together. The Mayor does not address Harry's concerns. There is a pattern here and I will show that in my next article related to this subject. The Mayor seems to desire being the center of all things Hickory, but when he is confronted on the issues at hand, he doesn't wish to address those issues and most times he is the one who has introduced the subject, then ducks and dodges any retorts.
The Mayor says that Harry misquoted him. I am not speaking for Harry, but I personally believe that this is nitpicky to say that Harry misquoted him. Harry even states "more people are looking at Council’s actions." How could this even be questioned that Harry is referring to the City Council? I think Harry fairly paraphrases the Mayor in this submission. The Mayor doesn't even explain himself or his position in this submission.
It is ridiculous if the Mayor is saying that you can separate Hickory as a City/Community from the Legislative Body that is supposed to represent Hickory and what is the point anyway? The Mayor got nowhere near the HDR's 400 word limit for submissions to the "Letters to the Editor," which limited Harry's presentation in the HDR forum, and the Mayor does nothing to address the issues at hand. Why does this mayor think that the public should accept what he decrees/says without question? What are those "other inaccuracies, erroneous conclusions and misquotes." Why does he refuse to discuss issues with the public? Who is being evasive here? What is Mayor Wright afraid of?
4 comments:
So Rudy is trying nail Harry down on a contextual quote rather than a verbatim one. Quite frankly, I fail to see such a distinction being necessary. The Mayor says that partisan politics is becoming involved and he's never seen it before. How you could go that long with your eyes and mind shut to the obvious is beyond me, but ok.
Fact of the matter is, the Mayor is wanting to point out and highlight to everyone which side of the partisan line he stands on and which side of the line is stirring the pot. As if no one could have guessed where the Mayor stood. Hard to tell the players without a program sometimes, except in Catawba County. And everybody knows what political party holds the juice and has for 30 years. But just now, partisan politics has reared its head.
Sure it has Mr. Mayor, sure it has.
if more people paid attention to what was going on in this town they would not let the city council make their UNANOMOUS DECISIONS WITHOUT A PUBLIC VOTE ! WHO DO THEY THINK THEY ARE MAKING PERSONAL DECISIONS WITHOUT CONSULTING THEIR CONSTITUENTS....I am ashamed that i have never been asked by my councilwoman what i think.....she just votes and says what is HER!!!!!! own opinion without knowing what the public wants. What kind of government is that......GO SPEAK YOUR VOICE....IF THEY WILL LET YOU ON THE CONSENT AGENDA. IF THESE MEETINGS WERE PUBLICIZED EVEN ON 14 INSTEAD OF ALL THAT RELIGION, THE PUBLIC WOULD BE MORE AWARE OF WHAT IS SLIDING UNDER THE TABLE...THAT IS FOR SURE...
I didn't intend to quote the Mayor verbatim, but he could at least enlighten me as to what the great distinction is between Hickory politics and Hickory council specifically. My interpretation of this is that diverse opinion may be ok on the street, but diverse opinions aren't welcome in Council chambers. Since there aren't many people in this City that are on council, influence council, or even follow council, we are pretty much talking about the same crowd.
As far as a general statement by the Mayor that I had numerous inaccuracies and incorrect conclusions, what are they? I don't even know what to respond to because this is just a blanket characterization without any specific argument that I can respond to. Other than the fact that he disagrees with me there is nothing of substance to this letter.
I try to keep an open mind but this letter didn't convince me in the slightest that I made any errors in facts or opinion. Please, Mr Mayor, if you really do have a point to make, make it on this blog. Make your case.
That's the whole thing Harry, I don't think he has one. He has rhetoric, blame, sarcasm, and indignation to spread around on those that don't see things in the exact same precise narrow manner as he does.
He couldn't let your letter go unanswered though and that was the best retort he could formulate. It does leave him room to maneuver in the whisper campaign though. He knows if he hangs a specific comment out in public, he'll be held accountable. We can't have that.
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