We have already shown you how the "New Mules" called BARD and the "Big Mule Coalition" tie together. Now we are going to take that a step further and use history to give you another perspective to look at the issue with. If you will free your mind and contemplate it, the rest will follow.
Something occurred in Alabama after the War Between the States and continued up until the 1940s that was known as "Slavery By Another Name." A book has been written on it with the same title, and worth reading to fully understand Alabama's early industrial historic attitude towards human rights; there were none. (Links to the right)
"New Slavery" was the forcing of blacks into industrial servitude, which demanded a cheap and continuous labor force to work the mills and factories. Any digression that could even be considered a crime was enough to have them forced into these factories to pay off their debts; whatever the fine was as well as the paying off the sheriffs fees and any witnesses against them. Many did not survive their sentence and died within a month or two.
Some of these companies were part of the "Big Mule Coalition" and have roots in today's "New Mules":
US Steel was by far one of the worst offenders in the book.
US Steel is a BARD member today.
One could argue that with such a long and scurrilous reputation for taking advantage of a particular group of people, as the "Big Mules" did, that those long standing ingrained philosophies are no different with the "New Mules"; they have just taken another form.
The twenty first century and current human rights attitudes would not allow such atrocities to happen in the present, but it is replaced by another type of new slavery committed by the "New Mules" in the form of coercion of political figures through bribery, pushing their way into communities and the forcing those citizens live with their environmental assaults and/or dangers. Some do not survive those sentences either, but most of them die years after.
There are two black members of the official city boards who have done nothing to help their own, and turned a deaf ear to the concerns of the folks on the River Loop, despite their pleas for help. One is related to the families there. They appear to be actively campaigning for the quarry at every step. Why? What is the difference between those actions now and the actions of the masters from the past?
This quarry is being placed contiguous to the River Loop residents and their church. Most of these residents, as it already been reported, are black. No one, it seems is thinking about their human rights in present day Alabama, certainly not Stephen Bradley and company.
One form of servitude replaces another in the name of profit at any cost.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Monday, April 12, 2010
Fish Or Cut Bait
Most Southerners know this expression well and have heard it often from their older relatives who knew the importance of "doing what needs doing" no matter how hard the chore may be.
Fish or cut bait means to "make a choice about what you intend to do" or "either get to work in a productive manner or get out of the way and let someone else do what needs to be done."
This election year we need to "fish or cut bait" folks.
Particularly with our situation here in Vincent and the apparent "tone deafness" of our local Senators and Representatives who seem more interested in their own political hides than those of their citizens.
Take the time to visit the Secretary of State website and see who contributes to your representatives. Those records are open records and available to anyone who wants to browse them. If you don't know how to do that, send this site an email and instructions will be posted.
Break out of the two party mindset and do not assume a "D" or "R" beside their name is going to be what you really want from them despite your political inclinations. See what they have done, look at their records, follow the money on their contributors/PAC list and hold them accountable.
(*PAC definitions and contributors are also on the Secretary Of State website. Contact this site if you need help with that too. We are working on compiling that information, but it takes time).
On the Alabama Legislature home page, you can put in your zip code and find your local Senators and Representatives easily; many have home phone numbers listed and can be interrupted in the middle of "Sunday laundry" to talk with you.
They work for you and should be available to you, and they are if you make the effort, remember that.
Be respectful and to the point as you would to anyone that you wanted to listen to you, don't put them off with a barrage of complaints delivered in an angry, impatient tone. Think of how you would want to be spoken to and act accordingly. You catch more bees with flowers and since you are calling them at home, you have to temper your approach. That said, let them know you realize the power of your vote and that you will exercise that right when you fill out the ballot.
A secret; emails are not the most effective way to reach them. Letters and phone calls are by far the most effective means of getting their attention.
Nothing changes without a strong desire to effect change. If you want things to be different, then you as a citizen, must decide, if you are going to fish or cut bait.
*Please familiarize yourself with the "18 plus one" rule under the "Big Mule" Coalition links to the right located within the Encyclopedia of Alabama article. It illustrates how bad influences "buy" our politicians and the importance of holding politicians accountable and exercising your vote and voice during election cycles.
Fish or cut bait means to "make a choice about what you intend to do" or "either get to work in a productive manner or get out of the way and let someone else do what needs to be done."
This election year we need to "fish or cut bait" folks.
Particularly with our situation here in Vincent and the apparent "tone deafness" of our local Senators and Representatives who seem more interested in their own political hides than those of their citizens.
Take the time to visit the Secretary of State website and see who contributes to your representatives. Those records are open records and available to anyone who wants to browse them. If you don't know how to do that, send this site an email and instructions will be posted.
Break out of the two party mindset and do not assume a "D" or "R" beside their name is going to be what you really want from them despite your political inclinations. See what they have done, look at their records, follow the money on their contributors/PAC list and hold them accountable.
(*PAC definitions and contributors are also on the Secretary Of State website. Contact this site if you need help with that too. We are working on compiling that information, but it takes time).
On the Alabama Legislature home page, you can put in your zip code and find your local Senators and Representatives easily; many have home phone numbers listed and can be interrupted in the middle of "Sunday laundry" to talk with you.
They work for you and should be available to you, and they are if you make the effort, remember that.
Be respectful and to the point as you would to anyone that you wanted to listen to you, don't put them off with a barrage of complaints delivered in an angry, impatient tone. Think of how you would want to be spoken to and act accordingly. You catch more bees with flowers and since you are calling them at home, you have to temper your approach. That said, let them know you realize the power of your vote and that you will exercise that right when you fill out the ballot.
A secret; emails are not the most effective way to reach them. Letters and phone calls are by far the most effective means of getting their attention.
Nothing changes without a strong desire to effect change. If you want things to be different, then you as a citizen, must decide, if you are going to fish or cut bait.
*Please familiarize yourself with the "18 plus one" rule under the "Big Mule" Coalition links to the right located within the Encyclopedia of Alabama article. It illustrates how bad influences "buy" our politicians and the importance of holding politicians accountable and exercising your vote and voice during election cycles.
Sunday, April 11, 2010
Lyin' Eyes Part Deux
In this section we are going to back up a bit and describe the atmosphere, as well as go deeper into officials publicly condoning unlawful behavior by one of their own, and the "mysterious appearance" of a great deal money in the city budget.
Before the meeting, a young man arrived, wearing the orange quarry hat, to stand in line at City Hall for the meeting. We asked him if he was from Vincent as none of us recognized him. He said "No" and that he had lived in Talladega and was now in Sylacauga. We then asked him why a Vincent Council meeting was of interest to him, to which he replied, "I'm coming for the job fair."
Job Fair? We have heard that one before and know it is one of the "tactics" used by WRQ to get bodies in Vincent from other areas as a false show of support for the quarry. They promise folks dinner and whatever else they can think of, to get them to come to Vincent, wear a yes quarry t-shirt, hold a sign and pack public meetings so the citizens of Vincent cannot attend their own meetings.
We asked this young man, "Who told you it was a job fair?", he pointed over to the quarry office, where Kathy Copeland (quarry spokesperson) just happened to be standing outside, and he said, "The lady over there, that lady who is in the office there told me it was a job fair."
We told him she did not tell him the truth and would he go look at the notice on the door of City Hall and see what tonight was really about. He did and then went back to the waiting car of the person who drove him up there and they left.
This happens all the time and the numbers of these "trucked in supporters" has dwindled of late probably because word has gotten around that they are being used by the quarry folks. Times are hard and to waste time and money on gas to get to Vincent is not something they can keep doing continually.
It is especially despicable that the quarry folks seem to take advantage of and use people who are poor and in real need of employment as a means to an end for them. Kind of reminds us of the "Big Mule" coalition tactics.
6:00, the doors open to City Hall and the clerk, Joy Marler, passes out numbers on slips of paper as to who would enter the meeting room, and who would have to sit in the overflow room (court room), because the fire code for capacity was being enforced for the first time in a year.
*Note on Mrs. Marler:
A substitute reader was requested for Mr. Frederick Kidd's presentation to the council due to a family emergency, which is reasonable and understandable. Mr. Kidd was going to read the declaration submitted by the Evangel Temple Pastor against the quarry. The substitute reader was requested to be Kim Riggins, a wonderful lady and well-liked by the community.
Mrs. Marler, presumptuously assumed authority to allow this reasonable request was up to her and said "NO" when it was made. The Mayor overrode her allowed it as well he should. The reader should know the requesting parties were black and the Evangel Temple is one of our black churches.
You decide if race was an issue or it was simply Mrs. Marler's attempt to be non accommodating to the opposition against the quarry.
It should also be noted that speakers in favor of the quarry dwindled from five to one: the other four either stepped forward and relinquished their time or left the meeting and did not exercise their time.
Those who sat in the meeting room were unable to sit in the closest seats because "reserved" had been placed on them. One set of seats closest to the council table had been reserved for Jim Hurley, WRQ president and Robert Fowler (BARD lobbyist and WRQ attorney).
When this was questioned by some of the citizens as to why these two had been given reserve seats and not to the other large company in town who opposes the quarry, the Mayor said; "We gave them those seats in case they had something to say about what is presented here tonight, they should be able to respond to what is said here."
Isn't that accommodating of him? He doesn't extend the same "courtesy" to the other business in Vincent that has been here a very long time and supplied residents with over 200 good jobs, but these "outsiders" get a front row seat?
As the Council and Mayor were at the table and before the meeting officially commenced, Council member Ralph Kimble had the city finance sheet in his hands and began questioning the Mayor about the 101,000.00 discrepancy in the city budget and where it came from.
The Mayor said the city had a money market account and the market "Had been up lately." Mr. Kimble said; "That much? I still don't understand why this says 101,000.00 is what we have in the budget, is there an itemized list of the money?" The Mayor them offered; (appearing to the observers to be making it up as he went along) "No. Well, now you know you have sales tax and business license fees in there too, it's all in there, that's part of it too you know."
He wanted that questioning to be over and went on to start the meeting. It is interesting that there was no itemization of the budget and a fair question would be why not and are they required by law to do so?
Something had occurred regarding Zoning Board member Don Driggers (who is also on the Industrial Board, the same people serve on different boards, why is that?) that had some citizens up in arms for good reason that has the entire town calling for "the barn to be cleared" and recall started against the city council and the Mayor.
Mr. Driggers applied for rezoning on a small piece of land for a nursery business in a recent Zoning Board workshop. Zoning was approved, but no site plan was ever presented, no business license had been issued before he opened the business, and he had failed to correct the issue of safe egress and ingress with the driveway into the business which fronts state Highway 231.
A recent purchase had been made for plants that included a receipt in which no tax was reflected. What normally costs a dollar or less in many places for a doggone pack of petunias costs three dollars at Mr. Driggers business. Good grief....
It is rumored heavily in town by folks that know Mr. Driggers well, that the only reason he opened this business is to benefit from the quarry needing landscape material for their berms. Unless "special treatment" is given to Mr. Driggers yet again, it was overheard in public that the quarry can only buy from "certified nurserymen/landscapers", which Mr. Driggers is not.
It is our understanding that when Mr. Driggers was told that by the planners involved with the quarry that he reacted as if he had been punched in the stomach, and got all twisted and flapped up about it like rusty tin on an old house in an ill wind.
If this is true, the rumor, which we do not claim it is, then it goes along with all the rest of them trying to profit from their official positions from this quarry.
Without a business license, there is no EIN number and proper reporting to the state of Alabama on any tax collected from sales. A huge violation of federal and state laws, people go to jail for this as well they should. Had it been a regular citizen I am sure there would have been consequences, but since it was Mr. Driggers and he is "one their own" this is what happened next:
1. Mary Lee Reynolds moved that Mr. Driggers be granted a business license immediately.
2. City Attorney, Corey Moore told Mrs. Reynolds within earshot of the closest seats, but quietly enough that he probably didn't think anyone was paying attention, that; "We could just give him a business license" when Mrs. Reynolds asked him; "Can't we just do that, give him a business license?"
So there you have it. Our city "leaders" at work, condoning violations of the law, administering no penalties and giving cover to Mr. Driggers unlawful behavior.
This brought about loud protesting from the meeting room, especially in response to Ann Gibbons' words of protest, which ended with thundering applause from both rooms.
Demands are being STRONGLY made by an overwhelming majority of citizens for the immediate resignations of Mrs, Reynolds, Mr. Driggers and city attorney Corey Moore.
The looks on the officials faces was priceless, but still that same aloof attitude of "I do not care, I am above the laws of this state as a city official and can do whatever I want" was as thick as red clay on the soles of farm boots.
This is why the observation has been made that the officials run this city as if it were their own private business rather than a municipality and subject to prescribed laws and ethics as well as the citizens wishes.
The question has been raised by one astute thinker that perhaps the city has already issued a business license to WRQ, before the city council vote, and that is where the "mysterious money" has come from.
It is an excellent question and the city has so far refused requests for the records and a reasonable explanation.
The question was also raised as to why the same people serve on so many boards.
Another excellent question that deserves a reasonable explanation to the citizens of Vincent.
When the meeting ended, Mrs Jordan-Smith was surrounded by Jim Hurley, Stephen Bradley and Rob Fowler like bees buzzing on crimson clover. They were all laughing and exchanging pleasantries and saying how glad they all were to see each other.
They walked out into the night smiling and laughing as if they were all "old friends." Mrs. Jordan-Smith bid them goodnight with; "It was so good to see all of you!"
Mrs. Gibbons who was standing nearby said; "Well, hello Bridgette, aren't you glad to see me too?" Mrs. Smith responded with a curt, "NO" and walked away from one of her own citizens in favor of the "terrible trios" company as they left.
Is it any wonder to you readers and observers of this situation, why WE are hotter than two dollar pistols here in Vincent?
It is past time for some trips to the woodshed to commence and justice to come riding into this town on the white horse called accountability.
Before the meeting, a young man arrived, wearing the orange quarry hat, to stand in line at City Hall for the meeting. We asked him if he was from Vincent as none of us recognized him. He said "No" and that he had lived in Talladega and was now in Sylacauga. We then asked him why a Vincent Council meeting was of interest to him, to which he replied, "I'm coming for the job fair."
Job Fair? We have heard that one before and know it is one of the "tactics" used by WRQ to get bodies in Vincent from other areas as a false show of support for the quarry. They promise folks dinner and whatever else they can think of, to get them to come to Vincent, wear a yes quarry t-shirt, hold a sign and pack public meetings so the citizens of Vincent cannot attend their own meetings.
We asked this young man, "Who told you it was a job fair?", he pointed over to the quarry office, where Kathy Copeland (quarry spokesperson) just happened to be standing outside, and he said, "The lady over there, that lady who is in the office there told me it was a job fair."
We told him she did not tell him the truth and would he go look at the notice on the door of City Hall and see what tonight was really about. He did and then went back to the waiting car of the person who drove him up there and they left.
This happens all the time and the numbers of these "trucked in supporters" has dwindled of late probably because word has gotten around that they are being used by the quarry folks. Times are hard and to waste time and money on gas to get to Vincent is not something they can keep doing continually.
It is especially despicable that the quarry folks seem to take advantage of and use people who are poor and in real need of employment as a means to an end for them. Kind of reminds us of the "Big Mule" coalition tactics.
6:00, the doors open to City Hall and the clerk, Joy Marler, passes out numbers on slips of paper as to who would enter the meeting room, and who would have to sit in the overflow room (court room), because the fire code for capacity was being enforced for the first time in a year.
*Note on Mrs. Marler:
A substitute reader was requested for Mr. Frederick Kidd's presentation to the council due to a family emergency, which is reasonable and understandable. Mr. Kidd was going to read the declaration submitted by the Evangel Temple Pastor against the quarry. The substitute reader was requested to be Kim Riggins, a wonderful lady and well-liked by the community.
Mrs. Marler, presumptuously assumed authority to allow this reasonable request was up to her and said "NO" when it was made. The Mayor overrode her allowed it as well he should. The reader should know the requesting parties were black and the Evangel Temple is one of our black churches.
You decide if race was an issue or it was simply Mrs. Marler's attempt to be non accommodating to the opposition against the quarry.
It should also be noted that speakers in favor of the quarry dwindled from five to one: the other four either stepped forward and relinquished their time or left the meeting and did not exercise their time.
Those who sat in the meeting room were unable to sit in the closest seats because "reserved" had been placed on them. One set of seats closest to the council table had been reserved for Jim Hurley, WRQ president and Robert Fowler (BARD lobbyist and WRQ attorney).
When this was questioned by some of the citizens as to why these two had been given reserve seats and not to the other large company in town who opposes the quarry, the Mayor said; "We gave them those seats in case they had something to say about what is presented here tonight, they should be able to respond to what is said here."
Isn't that accommodating of him? He doesn't extend the same "courtesy" to the other business in Vincent that has been here a very long time and supplied residents with over 200 good jobs, but these "outsiders" get a front row seat?
As the Council and Mayor were at the table and before the meeting officially commenced, Council member Ralph Kimble had the city finance sheet in his hands and began questioning the Mayor about the 101,000.00 discrepancy in the city budget and where it came from.
The Mayor said the city had a money market account and the market "Had been up lately." Mr. Kimble said; "That much? I still don't understand why this says 101,000.00 is what we have in the budget, is there an itemized list of the money?" The Mayor them offered; (appearing to the observers to be making it up as he went along) "No. Well, now you know you have sales tax and business license fees in there too, it's all in there, that's part of it too you know."
He wanted that questioning to be over and went on to start the meeting. It is interesting that there was no itemization of the budget and a fair question would be why not and are they required by law to do so?
Something had occurred regarding Zoning Board member Don Driggers (who is also on the Industrial Board, the same people serve on different boards, why is that?) that had some citizens up in arms for good reason that has the entire town calling for "the barn to be cleared" and recall started against the city council and the Mayor.
Mr. Driggers applied for rezoning on a small piece of land for a nursery business in a recent Zoning Board workshop. Zoning was approved, but no site plan was ever presented, no business license had been issued before he opened the business, and he had failed to correct the issue of safe egress and ingress with the driveway into the business which fronts state Highway 231.
A recent purchase had been made for plants that included a receipt in which no tax was reflected. What normally costs a dollar or less in many places for a doggone pack of petunias costs three dollars at Mr. Driggers business. Good grief....
It is rumored heavily in town by folks that know Mr. Driggers well, that the only reason he opened this business is to benefit from the quarry needing landscape material for their berms. Unless "special treatment" is given to Mr. Driggers yet again, it was overheard in public that the quarry can only buy from "certified nurserymen/landscapers", which Mr. Driggers is not.
It is our understanding that when Mr. Driggers was told that by the planners involved with the quarry that he reacted as if he had been punched in the stomach, and got all twisted and flapped up about it like rusty tin on an old house in an ill wind.
If this is true, the rumor, which we do not claim it is, then it goes along with all the rest of them trying to profit from their official positions from this quarry.
Without a business license, there is no EIN number and proper reporting to the state of Alabama on any tax collected from sales. A huge violation of federal and state laws, people go to jail for this as well they should. Had it been a regular citizen I am sure there would have been consequences, but since it was Mr. Driggers and he is "one their own" this is what happened next:
1. Mary Lee Reynolds moved that Mr. Driggers be granted a business license immediately.
2. City Attorney, Corey Moore told Mrs. Reynolds within earshot of the closest seats, but quietly enough that he probably didn't think anyone was paying attention, that; "We could just give him a business license" when Mrs. Reynolds asked him; "Can't we just do that, give him a business license?"
So there you have it. Our city "leaders" at work, condoning violations of the law, administering no penalties and giving cover to Mr. Driggers unlawful behavior.
This brought about loud protesting from the meeting room, especially in response to Ann Gibbons' words of protest, which ended with thundering applause from both rooms.
Demands are being STRONGLY made by an overwhelming majority of citizens for the immediate resignations of Mrs, Reynolds, Mr. Driggers and city attorney Corey Moore.
The looks on the officials faces was priceless, but still that same aloof attitude of "I do not care, I am above the laws of this state as a city official and can do whatever I want" was as thick as red clay on the soles of farm boots.
This is why the observation has been made that the officials run this city as if it were their own private business rather than a municipality and subject to prescribed laws and ethics as well as the citizens wishes.
The question has been raised by one astute thinker that perhaps the city has already issued a business license to WRQ, before the city council vote, and that is where the "mysterious money" has come from.
It is an excellent question and the city has so far refused requests for the records and a reasonable explanation.
The question was also raised as to why the same people serve on so many boards.
Another excellent question that deserves a reasonable explanation to the citizens of Vincent.
When the meeting ended, Mrs Jordan-Smith was surrounded by Jim Hurley, Stephen Bradley and Rob Fowler like bees buzzing on crimson clover. They were all laughing and exchanging pleasantries and saying how glad they all were to see each other.
They walked out into the night smiling and laughing as if they were all "old friends." Mrs. Jordan-Smith bid them goodnight with; "It was so good to see all of you!"
Mrs. Gibbons who was standing nearby said; "Well, hello Bridgette, aren't you glad to see me too?" Mrs. Smith responded with a curt, "NO" and walked away from one of her own citizens in favor of the "terrible trios" company as they left.
Is it any wonder to you readers and observers of this situation, why WE are hotter than two dollar pistols here in Vincent?
It is past time for some trips to the woodshed to commence and justice to come riding into this town on the white horse called accountability.
Thursday, April 8, 2010
Write No Evil, Link No Evil, Post No Evil
The Shelby County Reporter just jumped the proverbial shark.
They have chosen to purposefully suppress all comments on certain recent news stories with high comment logs and factual, previously published media linked stories containing revealing and damaging information on what exactly may be going on in Vincent, Alabama considering the "players" involved.
It seems that the closer we get to "the real truth" of this quarry situation the more "big nerves" we are striking.
THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW and no media organization should ever be in the business of willfully suppressing information the citizens it serves need to know on serious issues with real consequences.
Clearly, they do not serve all the people of Shelby County with unbiased and honest reporting for their citizens, and are now actively engaged in dissuading comment on the contentious issues they write about in regard to the Vincent quarry.
The supposed "champion voice for the community" which the Editor, Tim Prince, so proudly pronounced the SCR would be when he was installed as Editor has now become the "champion of the special interests community".
This newspaper has now gone from reading material to premium birdcage liner.
They have chosen to purposefully suppress all comments on certain recent news stories with high comment logs and factual, previously published media linked stories containing revealing and damaging information on what exactly may be going on in Vincent, Alabama considering the "players" involved.
It seems that the closer we get to "the real truth" of this quarry situation the more "big nerves" we are striking.
THE PUBLIC HAS A RIGHT TO KNOW and no media organization should ever be in the business of willfully suppressing information the citizens it serves need to know on serious issues with real consequences.
Clearly, they do not serve all the people of Shelby County with unbiased and honest reporting for their citizens, and are now actively engaged in dissuading comment on the contentious issues they write about in regard to the Vincent quarry.
The supposed "champion voice for the community" which the Editor, Tim Prince, so proudly pronounced the SCR would be when he was installed as Editor has now become the "champion of the special interests community".
This newspaper has now gone from reading material to premium birdcage liner.
**addendum**the Terms of Service for posting have also been rewritten in the past week in such restrictive and sweeping terms that anything said could fall under "their new violation of terms".
AS OF SATURDAY APRIL 10, ALL COMMENTS ON THE MOST RECENT VINCENT STORIES HAVE BEEN REMOVED AND THE COMMENT FORUM COMPLETELY DISABLED because of "multiple violations of the terms of service"
The Newspaper is "threatening" under "we reserve the right" to expose the poster's identity, any IP address(s) and any other information we have on you if you violate our Terms of Service.
Expose it to whom exactly?
I presume they intend to just hand you over to the quarry lawyers and quarry people so they can do whatever it is they decide to.
What if any of those people were not scrupulous and something bad were to happen? I am not accusing them of that behavior or trying to be a conspiracy theorist, but stranger things have happened over a lot less and we are talking about powerful individuals and entities with hundreds of millions of dollars in potential profit from this operation.
The newspaper is acting in a dangerous and reckless manner including that language and by stating they would resort to such a violation of a person's privacy.
This is not a CIA agent outing that may have a bearing on national security, these are everyday people from a small town just trying to expose important public information and exercise their right to free speech.
HOW DARE THIS NEWSPAPER THREATEN ITS OWN CITIZENS IN THIS WAY!
It is absolutely reprehensible and a public demand should immediately be made that they drop this "threat" from the Terms of Service, as well as truthfully disclose any violations of privacy THAT MAY HAVE ALREADY OCCURRED in detail to any other party, PUBLICLY.
An additional clause "declares" anything you post from the public domain (links, etc.) in their forum is a declaration by you that you are claiming the original material to be yours and therefore open to copyright infringement.
Furthermore, they warn you of the "prohibited use" of multiple user names and if you have signed up using incorrect information then you are also "subject to violation" of the Terms of Service.
These are only small parts of "their recently revised Terms of Service", which appear to be written by the attorneys for the quarry, with Bradley's influence all over it, in a heavy handed attempt to dissuade all comments on any of the newspapers stories about the quarry, that do not follow the Communistic style restrictions now placed on any individual poster.
It's enough to make Hugo Chavez proud isn't it?
Welcome to the RED county of Alabama, in which a town that was formerly Vincent, is now Cuba, Alabama.
You Can't Hide Your Lyin' Eyes
• A liar is uncomfortable facing his questioner/accuser and may turn his head or body away or look down to avoid direct eye contact.
• A liar might unconsciously place objects (book, coffee cup, papers, appear to be writing etc.) between themselves and you.
From: "How to Detect Lies"
At our recent city council meeting, both were on display from our Mayor who appeared to be looking to White Rock Quarries president Jim Hurley for "reassurances" when valid points were made regarding the detriments of the proposed quarry.
In two of the allowed five minute presentations made by the opposition to the quarry, after 33 of these "reassurance seeking glances" we stopped counting. Once he figured out he was being watched so intently, he shifted to downward glances, taking up his pen and "reading" whatever was in front of him and a nervous facial tick replaced the sideways glances when he did look at the speaker.
His body language said enough to write a novel.
The rest of the council was just as interesting to
"read."
Council member Bridgette Jordan-Smith was on her Blackberry the entire time Anne Gibbons, a retired lawyer and class act of a lady, was speaking and did not bother to look up once, that is until the timer went off and Mrs. Gibbons speaking time had ended. Mrs. Gibbons has a lawsuit filed against the Zoning board for violations of their ordinances as well she should.
When Jo Mudd, another former lawyer, was speaking about property values and the mathematical models used to obtain them by experts, Ms. Smith made a weak attempt to dismiss them in calling them "academic" by selectively choosing one of the six forms of the adjective application of the word that suited her.
She wanted to appear smarter than she actually is and clearly did not have a full understanding of the material covered in English 101. Perhaps she missed that lesson or was distracted and daydreaming of her next theft of property scheme instead of paying attention to the instructor.
(She was convicted twice of theft, one a felony that was plead down to a misdemeanor which allowed her to run for City Council).
Not the kind of person that should have access to money belonging to the community, especially as "sketchy" as the record keeping is here in Vincent.
Alabama theft of property law is contained in Alabama Code § 13A-8-2. Theft of property -- Definition.
A person commits the crime of theft of property if he or she:
(1) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(2) Knowingly obtains by deception control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(3) Knowingly obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of a law enforcement agency which was explicitly represented to the person by an agent of the law enforcement agency as being stolen; or
(4) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over any donated item left on the property of a charitable organization or in a drop box or trailer, or within 30 feet of a drop box or trailer, belonging to a charitable organization.
The state of Alabama has to prove three elements to convict a person of theft of property.
* that the defendant knowingly obtained the property of others
* defendant obtained that property by deception
* and defendant intended to deprive the others of their property
Note: Even if a record is expunged, it is still traceable through court records as to why it was expunged.
She is one of three council members that have publicly said they would vote their district citizens wishes. Most of her district is against it, but she publicly says they are for it.
Council person Mary Lee Reynolds, Mary Lee, Mary Lee, where to start with you.....this self appointed Queen of Vincent is a real piece of work. She spends 90% of her council meeting time actually looking the other way when anyone, including experts in their professional fields, says anything in opposition to the quarry. The look on her face resembles one who has sucked on far too many lemons. She makes no attempts to hide her disgust and disdain for anything other than what she believes.
She has been actively involved with the so called "Friends of Vincent" an opposition group to oppose annexation of Vincent into the neighboring community of Harpersville. That town has a no blasting ordinance on their books and the quarry would be a non starter with that ordinance in place. Vincent claimed to be setting the same ordinance up in their December 2008 recorded minutes, but it was never mentioned again after that one city council meeting.
Annexation into Harpersville would mean all the city officials would be out of a job and Vincent would have its first black Mayor in its history.
Mary Lee has read the "Friends of Vincent" petition twice now in public, the first time she specifically asked that it be off the record, the second time she did not. She was seen being congratulated in public, by WRQ lawyer Rob Fowler who told her: "Thanks for all your hard work on the No Annexation signs, we really appreciate it." (What does he mean when he says "we"?) To which she replied; "Oh it wasn't just me, folks from the church (that would be the Baptist church downtown that is the heart of money and power in the community as well as the church Mayor McCallister attends) helped too."
She would not attend her own district citizens meeting to address and listen to their concerns about the quarry because it was held in a church (to accommodate all the citizens who attended) and against her Southern Baptist beliefs. WRQ atty. Rob Fowler defended her by accusing her district citizens of wanting to hold "a political rally in a church rather than a district meeting."
I am sure he is attendance every Sunday at his local church and a leader in the church for christian values based on his behavior in Vincent.
Council person Johnny Edwards comes to these meetings looking like he just got off the bass boat from Lake Martin; dressed in a fishing t-shirt, blue jeans and a baseball cap. His casual appearance as a council member, in city meetings solidifies his casual attitude towards the quarry; he will go whichever way the bobber above the "lure" drifts.
Mr. Edwards spends most of his council meeting time looking down at "papers", but is not as egregious as Mayor McCallister in that regard.
He has publicly stated he would vote his district citizens wishes on the quarry, which is an overwhelming majority against. We do not have any reason to believe he will be a man of his word on that public statement.
Council person Larry King has a strong case for conflict of interest with this quarry and should recuse himself. He has been the operations manager for Nomis Seismographs for 17 years, which is the exclusive distributor for Saul Seismic who has been hired by WRQ.
He is one of two council members that actually look at speakers from both sides when they are addressing the officials.
He is the third and last council member that has said publicly he will vote his district citizens wishes and almost all are against.
Since he stands to gain financially from his official position, we doubt that he will do what he says and be a man of his word.
Council person Ralph Kimble is the only member opposed to the quarry. He tries every meeting to hold the rest of the officials accountable in different areas and is thwarted every time.
He proposes reasonable requests such as; to have the meetings held in venues where all the citizens can attend and hear what is being said.
Silence from his fellow members and "motion failed" is becoming the familiar tune.
At this last meeting, he proposed a delay in voting on the quarry and the Mayor, who thought he was talking low enough to not be heard, was overheard saying; "I am tired of this." One can only imagine what he was tired of since he already refused an area vote by the citizens on the quarry saying; "It will only delay things."
They are ready to get "their bonus" and move on, much like Robbie Greene did. (See the Long Hot Summer of 2007 posting).
There is more to the meeting and other shenanigans that were out in full view that night that will be covered in another post soon.
This will include discussion on the 101,000.00 discrepancy in favor of the city that "just magically appeared" in the recent budget.
We are watching them like hawks looking for the twitch of a mouse in tall grass.
Someone should because none of you have any respect for the laws of Alabama or your citizens.
Part II coming soon.
• A liar might unconsciously place objects (book, coffee cup, papers, appear to be writing etc.) between themselves and you.
From: "How to Detect Lies"
At our recent city council meeting, both were on display from our Mayor who appeared to be looking to White Rock Quarries president Jim Hurley for "reassurances" when valid points were made regarding the detriments of the proposed quarry.
In two of the allowed five minute presentations made by the opposition to the quarry, after 33 of these "reassurance seeking glances" we stopped counting. Once he figured out he was being watched so intently, he shifted to downward glances, taking up his pen and "reading" whatever was in front of him and a nervous facial tick replaced the sideways glances when he did look at the speaker.
His body language said enough to write a novel.
The rest of the council was just as interesting to
"read."
Council member Bridgette Jordan-Smith was on her Blackberry the entire time Anne Gibbons, a retired lawyer and class act of a lady, was speaking and did not bother to look up once, that is until the timer went off and Mrs. Gibbons speaking time had ended. Mrs. Gibbons has a lawsuit filed against the Zoning board for violations of their ordinances as well she should.
When Jo Mudd, another former lawyer, was speaking about property values and the mathematical models used to obtain them by experts, Ms. Smith made a weak attempt to dismiss them in calling them "academic" by selectively choosing one of the six forms of the adjective application of the word that suited her.
She wanted to appear smarter than she actually is and clearly did not have a full understanding of the material covered in English 101. Perhaps she missed that lesson or was distracted and daydreaming of her next theft of property scheme instead of paying attention to the instructor.
(She was convicted twice of theft, one a felony that was plead down to a misdemeanor which allowed her to run for City Council).
Not the kind of person that should have access to money belonging to the community, especially as "sketchy" as the record keeping is here in Vincent.
Alabama theft of property law is contained in Alabama Code § 13A-8-2. Theft of property -- Definition.
A person commits the crime of theft of property if he or she:
(1) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(2) Knowingly obtains by deception control over the property of another, with intent to deprive the owner of his or her property;
(3) Knowingly obtains or exerts control over property in the custody of a law enforcement agency which was explicitly represented to the person by an agent of the law enforcement agency as being stolen; or
(4) Knowingly obtains or exerts unauthorized control over any donated item left on the property of a charitable organization or in a drop box or trailer, or within 30 feet of a drop box or trailer, belonging to a charitable organization.
The state of Alabama has to prove three elements to convict a person of theft of property.
* that the defendant knowingly obtained the property of others
* defendant obtained that property by deception
* and defendant intended to deprive the others of their property
Note: Even if a record is expunged, it is still traceable through court records as to why it was expunged.
She is one of three council members that have publicly said they would vote their district citizens wishes. Most of her district is against it, but she publicly says they are for it.
Council person Mary Lee Reynolds, Mary Lee, Mary Lee, where to start with you.....this self appointed Queen of Vincent is a real piece of work. She spends 90% of her council meeting time actually looking the other way when anyone, including experts in their professional fields, says anything in opposition to the quarry. The look on her face resembles one who has sucked on far too many lemons. She makes no attempts to hide her disgust and disdain for anything other than what she believes.
She has been actively involved with the so called "Friends of Vincent" an opposition group to oppose annexation of Vincent into the neighboring community of Harpersville. That town has a no blasting ordinance on their books and the quarry would be a non starter with that ordinance in place. Vincent claimed to be setting the same ordinance up in their December 2008 recorded minutes, but it was never mentioned again after that one city council meeting.
Annexation into Harpersville would mean all the city officials would be out of a job and Vincent would have its first black Mayor in its history.
Mary Lee has read the "Friends of Vincent" petition twice now in public, the first time she specifically asked that it be off the record, the second time she did not. She was seen being congratulated in public, by WRQ lawyer Rob Fowler who told her: "Thanks for all your hard work on the No Annexation signs, we really appreciate it." (What does he mean when he says "we"?) To which she replied; "Oh it wasn't just me, folks from the church (that would be the Baptist church downtown that is the heart of money and power in the community as well as the church Mayor McCallister attends) helped too."
She would not attend her own district citizens meeting to address and listen to their concerns about the quarry because it was held in a church (to accommodate all the citizens who attended) and against her Southern Baptist beliefs. WRQ atty. Rob Fowler defended her by accusing her district citizens of wanting to hold "a political rally in a church rather than a district meeting."
I am sure he is attendance every Sunday at his local church and a leader in the church for christian values based on his behavior in Vincent.
Council person Johnny Edwards comes to these meetings looking like he just got off the bass boat from Lake Martin; dressed in a fishing t-shirt, blue jeans and a baseball cap. His casual appearance as a council member, in city meetings solidifies his casual attitude towards the quarry; he will go whichever way the bobber above the "lure" drifts.
Mr. Edwards spends most of his council meeting time looking down at "papers", but is not as egregious as Mayor McCallister in that regard.
He has publicly stated he would vote his district citizens wishes on the quarry, which is an overwhelming majority against. We do not have any reason to believe he will be a man of his word on that public statement.
Council person Larry King has a strong case for conflict of interest with this quarry and should recuse himself. He has been the operations manager for Nomis Seismographs for 17 years, which is the exclusive distributor for Saul Seismic who has been hired by WRQ.
He is one of two council members that actually look at speakers from both sides when they are addressing the officials.
He is the third and last council member that has said publicly he will vote his district citizens wishes and almost all are against.
Since he stands to gain financially from his official position, we doubt that he will do what he says and be a man of his word.
Council person Ralph Kimble is the only member opposed to the quarry. He tries every meeting to hold the rest of the officials accountable in different areas and is thwarted every time.
He proposes reasonable requests such as; to have the meetings held in venues where all the citizens can attend and hear what is being said.
Silence from his fellow members and "motion failed" is becoming the familiar tune.
At this last meeting, he proposed a delay in voting on the quarry and the Mayor, who thought he was talking low enough to not be heard, was overheard saying; "I am tired of this." One can only imagine what he was tired of since he already refused an area vote by the citizens on the quarry saying; "It will only delay things."
They are ready to get "their bonus" and move on, much like Robbie Greene did. (See the Long Hot Summer of 2007 posting).
There is more to the meeting and other shenanigans that were out in full view that night that will be covered in another post soon.
This will include discussion on the 101,000.00 discrepancy in favor of the city that "just magically appeared" in the recent budget.
We are watching them like hawks looking for the twitch of a mouse in tall grass.
Someone should because none of you have any respect for the laws of Alabama or your citizens.
Part II coming soon.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Because I am "the Emperor French" That's Why
Contribution records as of April 2010
Mr French, in looking at your political contributors, it is no wonder why you have refused to acknowledge the citizens of Vincent, who you are supposed to represent in this district.
Our many phone calls to you and numerous letters you have received from us asking for your assistance in stopping this quarry have gone unanswered and ignored. The same goes for the entire local delegation. SILENCE.
You and some of your other cohorts are in the pocket of BARD and Stephen Bradley.
HIGHLAND PAC (Bradley's direct PAC)
VPAC (Bradley's direct PAC)
ALA BIZ PAC (Bradley's direct PAC)
HORIZON PAC (Bradley's direct PAC)
ALA POWER CO PAC (BARD member)
SOUND ECONOMY PAC (PAC to PAC transfers from Bradley PACS & BARD)
ENPAC (PAC to PAC transfers from Bradley PACS & BARD)
list to be continued....
Mr. French, isn't it you on the CBS 42 story and video linked here on this blog; "PAC TO PAC Transfers" saying this is a problem in Alabama and cannot get voted out of the Senate? You are a member of that same Senate aren't you?
On the other link regarding "Shelby County Legislators 2009, Some Contributions", Al.com link to the right, you and your buddies are listed with a lot of PAC money that came from PAC to PAC transfers.
How is it you are the recipient of PAC to PAC transfers (and who they tie to that is against us), but you are against PAC to PAC transfers when it is convenient for you to get "good" press from it?
It is no wonder you have not responded to your Vincent citizens pleas for help in stopping this quarry.
Clearly you are for sale and influenced, not by your Vincent voters, who helped put you in office I might add, to REPRESENT US, but by outsiders and big business that can give you the big bucks to help your bid for re-election.
In 2008 you voted "NO" on a bill banning PAC to PAC transfers. (link to right under PACS Twists & Turns)
Senator Hank Erwin, represents Shelby County, vote "NO"
Senator Jabo Waggoner, represents Shelby County, vote "NO"
All three of you in particular, who sit on the Shelby County Local Delegation, have remained SILENT to your Vincent citizens requests for meetings, letters and phone calls made specifically to the three of you.
It is time for you to go Mr. French and take your partners with you.
You sir are a "poster child" for what is wrong with Alabama politics.
Monday, April 5, 2010
The Long Hot Summer of 2007
In the heat of another sweltering Alabama summer mysterious things began to happen in Vincent, Alabama that would change it forever.
Strangers began to appear on the doorsteps of friends and neighbors offering unusually large sums of money for their farms.
In the beginning of this, with mostly familiar country folk in the parts, these strangers were not welcomed upon their unannounced arrivals and intent to have what had always been these people's homes for most of them. They were raised on the land, so were their parents and so on. Those ties run deep and are not quick to unbind themselves. Folks were leery of these outsiders and their "ideas."
"What are you going to do with it if I sell it to you?" was the question in their minds and on their lips. The answers were vague and short; "Agricultural purposes, I will give you twice or more what it is worth."
Money is in short supply around these parts and what these strangers were offering was too tempting to close the gate on, even if it did seem "not quite right" and out of keeping with everyday life in this small rural town.
Many of these land owners thought if it stayed agricultural, it wouldn't be so bad to sell their land, after all that was what they said wasn't it? "Agricultural purposes." Which to them meant, soybeans, corn, cotton and possibly timber.
That made the guilt of selling "home" a bit easier. So did the big money and snake oil sales talk by the outsiders.
When they made their way around to the Greene place it was a different story.
Robbie Green enjoyed a position on the local Zoning Board and was likely privy to inside information on who these strangers were. They were not strangers at all, but anticipated arrivals and appearing to act shrewd, she held out on them hoping they would "sweeten" their offer for her place and her Father who lived close by.
It worked better than a ten dollar bill in a dollar game and paid off with the highest price for any of the land sold.
No sooner had the ink dried on the checks, she resigned her position on the Zoning Board, gathered up Papa, who had a nice fat check himself in the deal, waved goodbye to her brother in law, who was soon to be the next Mayor and lit out for another county.
Questions and suspicion followed her like her own shadow. She proclaimed her innocence to everyone and defended herself with a predictable stance; "I didn't know what they were going to do with my land, and we weren't the first to sell you know. I made them a high price and I didn't really think they were going to take me up on it."
Nobody ever bought that load of fertilizer, not for a minute they didn't. Most folks here who have been around fertilizer all their life and seen it scattered on fields far and wide, here, there and over yonder said that was the biggest load of it they will ever see.
It's the beginning of another long hot summer, again, now in 2010 and getting hotter every day that rolls by here in small town Alabama.
Strangers began to appear on the doorsteps of friends and neighbors offering unusually large sums of money for their farms.
In the beginning of this, with mostly familiar country folk in the parts, these strangers were not welcomed upon their unannounced arrivals and intent to have what had always been these people's homes for most of them. They were raised on the land, so were their parents and so on. Those ties run deep and are not quick to unbind themselves. Folks were leery of these outsiders and their "ideas."
"What are you going to do with it if I sell it to you?" was the question in their minds and on their lips. The answers were vague and short; "Agricultural purposes, I will give you twice or more what it is worth."
Money is in short supply around these parts and what these strangers were offering was too tempting to close the gate on, even if it did seem "not quite right" and out of keeping with everyday life in this small rural town.
Many of these land owners thought if it stayed agricultural, it wouldn't be so bad to sell their land, after all that was what they said wasn't it? "Agricultural purposes." Which to them meant, soybeans, corn, cotton and possibly timber.
That made the guilt of selling "home" a bit easier. So did the big money and snake oil sales talk by the outsiders.
When they made their way around to the Greene place it was a different story.
Robbie Green enjoyed a position on the local Zoning Board and was likely privy to inside information on who these strangers were. They were not strangers at all, but anticipated arrivals and appearing to act shrewd, she held out on them hoping they would "sweeten" their offer for her place and her Father who lived close by.
It worked better than a ten dollar bill in a dollar game and paid off with the highest price for any of the land sold.
No sooner had the ink dried on the checks, she resigned her position on the Zoning Board, gathered up Papa, who had a nice fat check himself in the deal, waved goodbye to her brother in law, who was soon to be the next Mayor and lit out for another county.
Questions and suspicion followed her like her own shadow. She proclaimed her innocence to everyone and defended herself with a predictable stance; "I didn't know what they were going to do with my land, and we weren't the first to sell you know. I made them a high price and I didn't really think they were going to take me up on it."
Nobody ever bought that load of fertilizer, not for a minute they didn't. Most folks here who have been around fertilizer all their life and seen it scattered on fields far and wide, here, there and over yonder said that was the biggest load of it they will ever see.
It's the beginning of another long hot summer, again, now in 2010 and getting hotter every day that rolls by here in small town Alabama.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
What Did They Have To Hide? SCR Opinion piece on Alabama's Sunshine Law regarding the Vincent officials
What did they have to hide?
Published Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It’s unclear if Vincent’s mayor, town council or zoning board members violated Alabama’s open meetings law. It’s also unclear why those officials did business in unpublicized meetings.
It is apparent, however, that they violated the trust of every Vincent citizen when they agreed to meet on March 31, individually or in groups of less than a quorum, with representatives of the company proposing to locate a lime quarry in Vincent.
We don’t know what went on at those meetings, and that’s the problem. If those meetings were innocent, why not present the information at a town council or zoning board meeting? After all, by the time the meeting took place, the Vecellio Group had completed the vast majority of its purchases of land, which total more than 1,000 acres in Vincent.
The citizens of Vincent are left to wonder, what, if anything, did council members and zoning board members and the mayor agree to in private that they couldn’t or wouldn’t agree to in front of their constituency?
Alabama’s open meetings law is referred to as the Sunshine Law for a reason. Alabama’s residents are best served when the sun shines brightly on every aspect of the workings of government.
Regardless of citizens’ opinions about a quarry locating in Vincent, a shadow has been cast over the project because of the secrecy involved. It will be tough work indeed for Vincent’s mayor, council and zoning board members to win back the trust of the people they were elected to serve.
We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.
This is the only article they have published that has been factual and unbiased on this issue. Since this was published, they have become more of an advocate for the quarry than for the citizens of Vincent.
The ones who attended were also made to sign a confidentiality agreement. Why was that asked for and what did it contain? The paper never reported on that either. *Note on the accompanying link at the end of this post how Council member Bridgette Jordan-Smith does not want to "answer anymore of your questions" when she is asked about the quarry.
They also left out the fact that the land purchases were done through 5 Delaware FLLC shell companies under the guise of "bio fuel operations".
So much for fair and accurate reporting in Shelby County, Alabama.
*Please see link to the right; "Quarry May Be In Vincent's Future"
Published Tuesday, May 12, 2009
It’s unclear if Vincent’s mayor, town council or zoning board members violated Alabama’s open meetings law. It’s also unclear why those officials did business in unpublicized meetings.
It is apparent, however, that they violated the trust of every Vincent citizen when they agreed to meet on March 31, individually or in groups of less than a quorum, with representatives of the company proposing to locate a lime quarry in Vincent.
We don’t know what went on at those meetings, and that’s the problem. If those meetings were innocent, why not present the information at a town council or zoning board meeting? After all, by the time the meeting took place, the Vecellio Group had completed the vast majority of its purchases of land, which total more than 1,000 acres in Vincent.
The citizens of Vincent are left to wonder, what, if anything, did council members and zoning board members and the mayor agree to in private that they couldn’t or wouldn’t agree to in front of their constituency?
Alabama’s open meetings law is referred to as the Sunshine Law for a reason. Alabama’s residents are best served when the sun shines brightly on every aspect of the workings of government.
Regardless of citizens’ opinions about a quarry locating in Vincent, a shadow has been cast over the project because of the secrecy involved. It will be tough work indeed for Vincent’s mayor, council and zoning board members to win back the trust of the people they were elected to serve.
We Say is the opinion of the Shelby County Reporter editorial board.
This is the only article they have published that has been factual and unbiased on this issue. Since this was published, they have become more of an advocate for the quarry than for the citizens of Vincent.
The ones who attended were also made to sign a confidentiality agreement. Why was that asked for and what did it contain? The paper never reported on that either. *Note on the accompanying link at the end of this post how Council member Bridgette Jordan-Smith does not want to "answer anymore of your questions" when she is asked about the quarry.
They also left out the fact that the land purchases were done through 5 Delaware FLLC shell companies under the guise of "bio fuel operations".
So much for fair and accurate reporting in Shelby County, Alabama.
*Please see link to the right; "Quarry May Be In Vincent's Future"
No Benefit For Vincent & Why
We live in unique geology in most of Shelby County, karst terrain that is made up of limestone, dolomite and shale that is intertwined with underground springs and rivers.
Vincent relies on ground wells, literally Mother Earth, for its city water supply.
Our farmland is beautiful and rich as a result of this geology and is prone to sinkholes as well because of it.
The underground springs and rivers hold up our farmlands and keep our entire area from becoming one giant sinkhole, such as what happened in Dry Valley, Montevallo, Alabama in 1972 (49 miles from Vincent) as the result of massive dewatering from a nearby quarry.
The largest sinkhole in US history occurred there measuring 425 ft. across and over 150 ft. deep.
It was even named the "Golly Hole" by the man who found it and "December Giant" by geologists that came and studied it.
Withdrawing massive amounts of groundwater in this type of terrain results in increased sinkholes and greater subsidience (earth movement/collapse) because the land no longer has the support the groundwater provides.
4000 sinkholes have formed in this county from mining and massive dewatering since the 1970s according to the USGS. 1700 additional sinkholes have been recorded in the same Alabaster/Calera/Montevallo area within 2 miles of mining operations.
Shelby County is referred to as the "sinkhole capital of Alabama" for good reason.
This is a problem in an area that already has the risk of sinkholes because:
1. The Colonial pipeline running through it that supplies the eastern seaboard
2. Gas and petroleum lines running through the quarry property
3. Close proximity to the Coosa River (a major waterway), within a mile of the quarry property
4. Proximity to our schools, Elementary 4500 ft., Middle/High approx. 6000 ft.
5. A thrust fault line running slightly to the west of Vincent
6. Spring Creek an untested (by the EPA or ADEM) tributary of the Coosa River very close to the quarry property
7. Excavation to exceed 400 ft. in depth, well below our water table and the depth of the nearby river
8. Reliance of residents on the river loop and surrounding areas on wells
9. Lack of a city sewer system and the great number of septic tanks
The cone of depression (COD) will widen as the quarry goes deeper during operations and will cause wells to foul and or go dry as most wells in this area do not exceed 150 ft. Septic tanks are at risk of rupture from sinkholes, subsidience and perhaps blasting shock waves.
As the COD widens, all water will be pulled towards the quarry and put it at real danger of pulling the river in on it. The flood plain area is contiguous to the property. If they do pull the river in on them, it could be catastrophic depending far down they have gone and how much area would flood before it could be contained to some extent.
This city is not capable of inspecting and enforcing the quarry, no one has the expertise and knowledge to know what to look for. The county is under EPA federal audit for it's non compliance in storm water management.
2009 EPA 34 page document link within article from Alabama River Alliance website and appears at the right:
In the NY Times link at right, all of Shelby Counties' water inspection reporting seems to "cease" in 2006.
The county is not doing their job, ADEM is not doing their job, the EMC who oversees ADEM has failed to supervise and the EPA is also "asleep at the wheel".
Theoretically, we feel we have no oversight with this issue.
This is a very large quarry at 886 acres and with that comes heavy machinery and trucks, diesel storage tanks (no one has mentioned them in any proposals), chemicals used in quarrying operations (also no mention if those and what they are) and the accompanying businesses that are always with quarries such as:
1. Lime production plants
2. Cement Plants
3. Asphalt plants
4. Construction and steel fabricators
In our county, these industries are located with almost every operating quarry and Chemical Lime, Carmeuse Lime and Lafarge North America are persistent and notorious violators according to the EPA records. Carmeuse and LaFarge merged earlier this year into one entity.
Carmeuse and Chemical Lime are Stephen Bradley's clients. Martin Marietta Aggregates is also a client of Mr. Bradley's and operates two quarries in this county.
White Rock Quarries is saying they will ship "95% of the product by rail". Those rail lines run within a few hundred yards of our schools, an added insult to the children of our area.
The quarry claims it will use "wet suppression systems for all operations and trucks entering and leaving the site" to control the dust. What happens when that dust dries or it rains? It runs off into our groundwater or is carried into the air by winds.
They first proposed 40 ft. berms surrounding the site, then lowered it to 20ft. on two sides. The Alabama Industrial Board mining reclamation section states; a "minimum of 50 ft. berms surrounding the site will be maintained throughout the operational period of any quarry".
Why would they "lower" the berm height on two sides? Is it an effort to make it so inhabitable for the River Loop residents that they will want to leave?
The River Loop population is predominantly black. Is this the same tactic used by the "Big Mules" in Alabama previously to take advantage of economically depressed areas comprised of mostly minority residents?
See the links at right on Black Belt "Big Mule" Coalition and "New Mules" keep kick alive in Alabama (Bard and big business carry on bad tradition in Alabama).
Alabama does not need to return to the times of yesterday, but it seems they have through BARD and corruptible politicians.
This quarry marched into town promising:
1. 125 jobs (well below the average workforce of any existing Alabama quarry)
2. Money to our schools (it will go to the county and be distributed, not directly to Vincent schools)
3. 10,000,000 in tax revenue (again to be distributed by the county, not directly to Vincent)
4. New rec center and bleachers to the Elementary school (perhaps to give them a better view of the "beautiful, modern quarry" right on top of them and get them out of the dust?)
5. A new senior center (we have a good one now, but you have got to get the older population on board don't you?)
6. Promises of being a "good neighbor" (straight out of the BARD "handbook")
Who really benefits from this quarry?
1. The county "power players" that are working behind the scenes from Columbiana
2. Alabama Power (also a BARD member and heavy polluter under EPA scrutiny) and other industries such as Chemical Lime, Bowater (Gaston) Steam Plant, etc. that rely on "scrubbers" to reduce their sulfuric emissions. Limestone and Dolomite are used in this process. The dirty little secret is the scrubbers do nothing to remove mercury and arsenic that is also a by product of their coal process.
3. Local officials that can have access to large sums of money from the quarry who already "keep" and "sporadically record" meetings and accounting.
Vincent will not benefit, it will be destroyed.
It will gain national notoriety if this quarry comes in for all the wrong reasons.
No one, it seems, is listening.....
Vincent relies on ground wells, literally Mother Earth, for its city water supply.
Our farmland is beautiful and rich as a result of this geology and is prone to sinkholes as well because of it.
The underground springs and rivers hold up our farmlands and keep our entire area from becoming one giant sinkhole, such as what happened in Dry Valley, Montevallo, Alabama in 1972 (49 miles from Vincent) as the result of massive dewatering from a nearby quarry.
The largest sinkhole in US history occurred there measuring 425 ft. across and over 150 ft. deep.
It was even named the "Golly Hole" by the man who found it and "December Giant" by geologists that came and studied it.
Withdrawing massive amounts of groundwater in this type of terrain results in increased sinkholes and greater subsidience (earth movement/collapse) because the land no longer has the support the groundwater provides.
4000 sinkholes have formed in this county from mining and massive dewatering since the 1970s according to the USGS. 1700 additional sinkholes have been recorded in the same Alabaster/Calera/Montevallo area within 2 miles of mining operations.
Shelby County is referred to as the "sinkhole capital of Alabama" for good reason.
This is a problem in an area that already has the risk of sinkholes because:
1. The Colonial pipeline running through it that supplies the eastern seaboard
2. Gas and petroleum lines running through the quarry property
3. Close proximity to the Coosa River (a major waterway), within a mile of the quarry property
4. Proximity to our schools, Elementary 4500 ft., Middle/High approx. 6000 ft.
5. A thrust fault line running slightly to the west of Vincent
6. Spring Creek an untested (by the EPA or ADEM) tributary of the Coosa River very close to the quarry property
7. Excavation to exceed 400 ft. in depth, well below our water table and the depth of the nearby river
8. Reliance of residents on the river loop and surrounding areas on wells
9. Lack of a city sewer system and the great number of septic tanks
The cone of depression (COD) will widen as the quarry goes deeper during operations and will cause wells to foul and or go dry as most wells in this area do not exceed 150 ft. Septic tanks are at risk of rupture from sinkholes, subsidience and perhaps blasting shock waves.
As the COD widens, all water will be pulled towards the quarry and put it at real danger of pulling the river in on it. The flood plain area is contiguous to the property. If they do pull the river in on them, it could be catastrophic depending far down they have gone and how much area would flood before it could be contained to some extent.
This city is not capable of inspecting and enforcing the quarry, no one has the expertise and knowledge to know what to look for. The county is under EPA federal audit for it's non compliance in storm water management.
2009 EPA 34 page document link within article from Alabama River Alliance website and appears at the right:
In the NY Times link at right, all of Shelby Counties' water inspection reporting seems to "cease" in 2006.
The county is not doing their job, ADEM is not doing their job, the EMC who oversees ADEM has failed to supervise and the EPA is also "asleep at the wheel".
Theoretically, we feel we have no oversight with this issue.
This is a very large quarry at 886 acres and with that comes heavy machinery and trucks, diesel storage tanks (no one has mentioned them in any proposals), chemicals used in quarrying operations (also no mention if those and what they are) and the accompanying businesses that are always with quarries such as:
1. Lime production plants
2. Cement Plants
3. Asphalt plants
4. Construction and steel fabricators
In our county, these industries are located with almost every operating quarry and Chemical Lime, Carmeuse Lime and Lafarge North America are persistent and notorious violators according to the EPA records. Carmeuse and LaFarge merged earlier this year into one entity.
Carmeuse and Chemical Lime are Stephen Bradley's clients. Martin Marietta Aggregates is also a client of Mr. Bradley's and operates two quarries in this county.
White Rock Quarries is saying they will ship "95% of the product by rail". Those rail lines run within a few hundred yards of our schools, an added insult to the children of our area.
The quarry claims it will use "wet suppression systems for all operations and trucks entering and leaving the site" to control the dust. What happens when that dust dries or it rains? It runs off into our groundwater or is carried into the air by winds.
They first proposed 40 ft. berms surrounding the site, then lowered it to 20ft. on two sides. The Alabama Industrial Board mining reclamation section states; a "minimum of 50 ft. berms surrounding the site will be maintained throughout the operational period of any quarry".
Why would they "lower" the berm height on two sides? Is it an effort to make it so inhabitable for the River Loop residents that they will want to leave?
The River Loop population is predominantly black. Is this the same tactic used by the "Big Mules" in Alabama previously to take advantage of economically depressed areas comprised of mostly minority residents?
See the links at right on Black Belt "Big Mule" Coalition and "New Mules" keep kick alive in Alabama (Bard and big business carry on bad tradition in Alabama).
Alabama does not need to return to the times of yesterday, but it seems they have through BARD and corruptible politicians.
This quarry marched into town promising:
1. 125 jobs (well below the average workforce of any existing Alabama quarry)
2. Money to our schools (it will go to the county and be distributed, not directly to Vincent schools)
3. 10,000,000 in tax revenue (again to be distributed by the county, not directly to Vincent)
4. New rec center and bleachers to the Elementary school (perhaps to give them a better view of the "beautiful, modern quarry" right on top of them and get them out of the dust?)
5. A new senior center (we have a good one now, but you have got to get the older population on board don't you?)
6. Promises of being a "good neighbor" (straight out of the BARD "handbook")
Who really benefits from this quarry?
1. The county "power players" that are working behind the scenes from Columbiana
2. Alabama Power (also a BARD member and heavy polluter under EPA scrutiny) and other industries such as Chemical Lime, Bowater (Gaston) Steam Plant, etc. that rely on "scrubbers" to reduce their sulfuric emissions. Limestone and Dolomite are used in this process. The dirty little secret is the scrubbers do nothing to remove mercury and arsenic that is also a by product of their coal process.
3. Local officials that can have access to large sums of money from the quarry who already "keep" and "sporadically record" meetings and accounting.
Vincent will not benefit, it will be destroyed.
It will gain national notoriety if this quarry comes in for all the wrong reasons.
No one, it seems, is listening.....
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