When I wrote my last post to this blog a little over a month ago, I guessed that the blaring news headlines of a new rock solid set of charges against our much-maligned Barry County 911 director would likely vaporize into little more than the newest chapter of the long saga of The Wall of Blue - the system that Mr. Nystrom has used time and time again to attack his accusers and shield himself from the prying eyes of the public. Last year I wrote my first post on Director Nystrom's ability to avoid punishment for his many misdeeds and here we are today with some still not realizing that the very illegal or unethical payments Mr. Nystrom is accused of making to his dispatchers is part of that Wall. How ironic is it that the very people we are supposed to call when we are being robbed are the ones who are picking our pockets?
Very simply for those who still can't grasp the basic facts in this case: Why would anyone rat out the guy who's been giving them taxpayer money that they hadn't earned and weren't entitled to receive? How many of those people would go public, knowing that not only would they likely have to pay that money back but that they'd also have to answer why they took it in the first place? Why did those payments take place in a manner not exactly legal or ethical when there would have been almost no objection from any quarter had they been necessary and well-earned?
That Nystrom's defenders have no answers for any of those questions leaves me convinced that the taxpayers of Barry County just got screwed again. It's in many ways similar to the way Scooter Libby obstructed justice by lying before a Grand Jury in the CIA leak case and then got his sentence commuted by the very forces his lies were helping to protect- how do you prosecute a case when all the witnesses are willing to lie and their lies are condoned by the people in power that they are protecting?
I find it almost surreal that most of Nystrom's defenders have used the line that he personally didn't benefit from the misuse of public funds- as if stealing from someone is OK as you long as you don't keep the money. Is it much of a stretch to understand that those payments are obviously part of his system of favors and punishment that the director has used to keep his Wall intact? While there is no doubt many incorrect allegations have been hurled at the director, it's also true that men and women of reason have to be able to separate unrelated arguments, and the truth or falsehood of the most recent allegations have nothing to do with past incidents, investigations and cover-ups.
The real problem here is that the public has been robbed not just once, but twice. First, Nystrom took money (correct me if I'm wrong, but I've seen very few people argue- even Nystrom himself- against the actual charges but instead they choose to dismiss it as just being nice to public employees who worked hard to keep us safe which has nothing to do with Nystrom's guilt or innocence but makes a neat way to deflect attacks without really mustering a real defense) which was not his to spend on dubious overtime expenses which had no reason to exist "off the books" other than to serve as hush money and to protect his personal fiefdom. Second, Nystrom has received a generous payoff which is his own hush fund, given to him by his long-time enablers on the County 911 Board- the very people who should have discovered the misappropriation of public money and DONE SOMETHING about it! This smacks of yet another corrupt crony Christmas gift which seems to be a proud tradition in local politics. I'm not sure what is more offensive- the bribe to go away quietly or the fact that so many prominent figures are forcing us to eat this turd and tell us how good it tastes!
That the voters have been let down by their elected leaders is the real story. Once again, instead of doing what was right, Nystrom and the 911 Board have failed in their duty to wisely use taxpayer money for the greater good. Nystrom's payments to dispatchers could have been done through legal and ethical means, but they weren't and he should have to face consequences for those actions instead of receiving an early retirement gift and a loud and boisterous defense from his pack of enablers who hide behind talking point as if they were members of the Bush administration- how many more times do we have to hear any complain about our County 911 system countered by the old saw that "we have the best system in the state." Talking points work best when they confuse the issue and distract people from the real matter.
Finally, it seems like we've been most let down by a County Prosecutor who I warned was not up to the job from what I saw in the election campaign. Prosecutor Evans led with his chin and got sent to the mat. Whatever his motives or reason for going public with the case when he chose, it now appears obvious he wasn't ready to press charges. He now seems to be hinting he and the Sheriff will not sign off on the deal, which has been called a golden parachute in the local paper's editorial. I have no sympathy for Prosecutors who choose to try their case in public- it's one of the reasons voters sent a previous prosecutor packing. Evan's opponent likely lost because she was seen as too close to the corrupt system voters were already tired of. But if Evans is unable to effectively manage a case of public corruption then what good is he? Perhaps the biggest lesson from all this is that sometimes people just aren't up the job and that being incompetent is perhaps just as bad or even worse than being corrupt.
If voters want to take their anger out on anyone over this, how about the 911 Board which has always defended Nystrom, instead of doing their job to protect the public from waste, fraud, corruption and abuse? I'd suggest starting with Nystrom's loudest defender, Hastings Township Supervisor Jim Brown. This Brownie is not doing a "heckuva job" since he's loudly trying to tell us what a good deal we got. The only way it would be a good deal is if Brown himself resigned or if the sensible voters of Hastings Township started making some noise about their elected official's involvement in defending the misuse of public funds. I know there's a remedy for when elected officials shirk their responsibility to the public, do you recall? Hastings Township voters are in a unique position to have their voices heard on this issue and they should let Jim Brown know his days of defending the misuse of their money are over.
And should anyone still be confused- acquittal, or lack of prosecution, does not equal innocence. Since OJ Simpson never got convicted does that mean he didn't kill two people? Ken Lay never served a day in prison but he's still known as the guy who defrauded Enron investors. The people who see the lack of prosecution as evidence of innocence need to understand that there is no connection between the two, except that it's one more sign the Wall of Blue is still holding strong.
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97 comments:
Well written! I disagree on one point only. That would be that our Prosecutor was not up to the job! You talk about the scoundrel 911 Board and their "Wall of Silence" and seemingly impenetrable obsession with protecting the director at the cost of their reputations. For that matter, at any cost! They should all resign!
We all knew that this would cost us SOMEDAY! $67,000 is a hard pill to swallow, but I'm willing to take it. To prolong this any longer will cost thousands more.
Jim Brown, OH YES, he has to go. His editorial in the Reminder makes him sound like he is a veteran 911 Board Member, not just a stone cold rookie who "they" placed on the Board to take Judy Wooers (Only Twp Treasurer on Board)position while she was on vacation, totally unaware that she needed to bunker up! She was asking too many financial questions! Imagine that?
So, Brown has studied ALL of the 911 Centers in Michigan himself and has declared ours the best? Where is his proof, other than the words of nystrom and neil.
And, mr Brown, the 911 Center does not function alone. The men and women on the street are part of the entire 911 system that makes it work. There are many outstanding dispatchers and some new and inexperienced ones. They, all of them, often follow the directions of the street fighters who are actually handling the fire, burglary, etc. The street people also assist by frequently rebooting their in-car computers over and over again, knocked off by some mysterious glitch? And, don't forget to reprogram your radios twice a year.
I would venture to say some of the more distant 911 Boards or Directors might take offense to your novice comments.
The half-hearted investigations that "proved nothing" were nothing but sham investigations.
Our Sheriff, Prosecutor, and at least one Board Member, had to play their game, play hardball. The 911 Board put up the wall that these people, and others, knew had to be torn down for the good of the people. To all three goes my thanks and gratitude. You all proved to be stronger than the whole.
mr Brown, your fortuitous motion to have the Township Assn look at the 911 System served you only. It was going to happen, by the PEOPLE, and you knew it. No feather in your cap. Please resign!
To the Sheriff and Prosecutor, absent further evidence, sign the agreement and get on with the business of getting a new Director and Board.
Once again, goodbye!
Did you think that up on your own or is this one of the wives or 8-9 other users of this account talking?
Thank god the dispatchers take direction from the street fighters because they surely couldnt think on their own.
Sounds like the kettle calling the.........
Your an idiot.
While it is commendable to let bygones be bygones,
"Although many are not happy with what they say is a "golden parachute" for the former 9-1-1 director, I think that continuing to ruminate over this issue is counterproductive...it's time to let it go and move on."
people have been punished, lives disrupted, and laws have been violated in the whole 9-1-1 incident. To make matters even more unpalatable, the chief law breaker has been rewarded. Did you know that the supervisor x who brought the financial violations to light did so under the Whistle Blowers Act? This supervisor x has been demoted, endured a pay cut, and been the butt of malicious gossip and innuendo-all in retaliation for telling the truth about the 9-1-1 debacle. Can we say Civil Rights violations? First Amendment Rights violations? Whistle Blower Act protection violations? I realize the whistle blower can not expect to remain nameless; however, the whistle blower is, by law, protected from retaliation. Read the law.
I read reference to a lawyer blogger. Yoo Hoo. Are you there? Can you hear me now? Is the entire legal community in Barry County as corrupt, or perhaps clueless, as the prosecuter?
Protect supervisor x or no one will ever come forward to shed light on government corruption.
Right is right. If you are going to reward the lawbreaker, make his sins right.
See: Barry Home Companion
I have to agree with Ag3. Pol, your analysis of the ol' "wall" o' blue is spot on. Your critique of the prosecutor may be a tad misplaced. I a court of law there are defined rules. In the 911 board system, the deck was stacked in the "wall's" favor.
I see Tom's mistake being one of media relations rather than of legal ability. Frankly, he used a sledge hammer when a rubber mallet was required.
Nearly always dramatic change doesn't go according to script. I applaud Tom for standing up to this cancerous lot and shedding sunlight on this shadowy body. Would it be the way I would handle it? No. However, true reform is coming to 911, an we all should be happy on that account.
P.S. How about considering forgoing the millage and going strictly to a telephone surcharge like neighboring counties?
TS, you want some really good reading to to
"don't date him" !
Nystrom is now and always will be a liar & those who chose to believe him will pay ..one way or another !
misspelled : dontdatehimgirl.com
check it out...type in Nystrom. see what you find.
Recently visited the Witch Museum in Salem MA. Had much of what is seen here plus the comparison to Joe McCarthy
Hello,
The implication has been made that Charlie and his lawyer are contemplating a lawsuit against the county.
This is a marvelous idea. Sue Charlie Sue.
If the rest of you give this any thought, you will see how this could solve many problems.
Consider the process.
For any one who is interested, one aspect of the lawsuit game is called "depositions" This is an element of discovery. Both sides "depose" or question each others witnesses, with their attorneys present, while the witnesses are under oath. This ensures that witness testimony remains consistent over time. The questions asked are usually questions pertinent to the issue at hand, although that is a somewhat grey area, as tangential questions may arise in the process. The witness may not ask questions, only answer questions. Only the witness may answer questions.
The deposition does not occur in a court room but in private, each side deposed separately.
A record of the depositions is made by a court reporter.
Any one who may have information relevant to a case is fair game for being subpoenaed. Any one. Usually both sides will dig into as much detail as they can because both sides want to win and neither side wants to be surprised at trial.
Just something for everyone to consider, especially those who are threatening in an attempt to force the issue.
Sorry to state the obvious-both sides get copies of the depositions before trial.
el grillo,
Interesting response.
"Sorry to continue the obvious, but I refuse to answer questions that tend to incriminate myself in a charge of misuse of public funds..."
I do not think I mentioned any names.
el grillo,
I applaud your willingness to testify on any subject for any length of time.
Once is enough.
to: Polwatcher and all concerned,
This has been informative. You all realize that bloggers can post under more than one blog name, and even hijack existing blogger names, to create the impression of more support than truly exists for any one point-of-view. Analysis of the written word permits a sorting of speakers. Words have multi-dimensional power; to conceal and to reveal as two examples.
Please hear me out. This is truly Trilogy. I am hard to fake.
This precise issue does not need to continue. Monday night could be the end of it, at least as far as officially removing Mr. Nystrom and Mr. Neil from office is concerned.
Then everyone can sit back and take a breath; allow time for other processes to run their courses without the hysteria.
You do need to right some wrongs perpetrated by Mr. Nystrom and to be pro-active in preventing others. You have the power to do so. Now is the appropriate time.
1. Reinstate Supervisor X without any prejudice or harassment by anyone, now or in the future.
2. Reinstate Supervisor X's seniority.
3. Pay Supervisor X the back pay owed from the time of the demotion to the time of reinstatement.
4. If you see fit, compensate Supervisor X for having the courage to speak out. This is not required, but would be appreciated as well as seemly.
5. Accept Ron Neil's resignation.
6. One of the Board members has repeatedly demanded the firing of Supervisor X. It is time for her to stop doing that.
7. Mr. Nystrom must not be reinstated as 9-1-1 Director in February. He disgraced Barry County.
None of these steps are painful nor ill-advised. No apology or admission of liability is requested; no fanfare desired.
The first four items are questions of your honor.
The last three may forestall future problems.
You can put a positive spin on this solution. Polish your image a bit.
In the future, Mr. Nystrom will be easy to for anyone to find; as el grillo said, "follow the money." Nystrom's credibility is very much in doubt because he has demonstrated a propensity for deception that may be costly for anyone involved with him. He has also shown an incredible proclivity for misogynistic behavior that creates substantial risk for any employer or professional ally. Mr. Nystrom has made his bed in this incident, perhaps he should lie in it. With Mr. Neil.
I wiil copy and paste this to the West Michigan Politics blogspot to ensure that my message is not compromised. I will change the salutation.
Not all readers of a blogspot post to a blogspot.
Finally decided to take another looksee. Darkie, I may be an idiot, but at least I read the comments I critique. I re-read my comments you obviously didn't read or maybe just couldn't understand!! My comments implied the 911 People and Street fighters work as a Team. But, YES, the street people are the pure professionals. Most of the 911 operators have not handled the many calls they dispatch. They do a very good job. It's a Team effort!
And, Ellie, good ole boy Ellie! The street people who daily use the police radios and in-car computers that still don't perform proficiently enough TODAY have to continually rant about their safety issues to make their case? The "professionals" that investigated 911 you accept, but the people who protect you and are ready to give their lives for you (As the GR Officer did) you dismiss as knowing nothing and "just ranting until it becomes true!" How displaced your thinking is!
For Van Nortwick, PLEASE Folks, DO NOT LET TOM WING GET BACK IN THERE.
Then Tripp will be back, DeBore, and glamorous McNeal!
What a load of pig manure this "recall" of Jeff VanNortwick is. Mr Hubka, if this sewage vote really got your goat, why aren't you and your buddies from the black lagoon going after the other 6? I guess he couldn't get his other drinking buddies together.
If Mr. Hubka really wanted change (and if he is a good Republican), he should ask his buddy Tom Wing to front him the money to run in 2008, and not waste the time of the taxpayers or the good folks in Deb Smith's office.
I do think the threshold to recall any official needs to be tightened to avoid frivolous recalls such as this. When is easier to go after an official that actually shows up and does his job (unlike Tom Wing - I guess Mr. Hubka likes incompetence...), than one cooking Meth in his shed, there is something wrong with the system.
Readers, please read Barry Home Companion for the full text of Mike Callton's comments on this subject.
Sorry el grillo. Cut and paste is in order. Not every one likes or reads Barry Home Companion.
Hello Mike,
This isn't about micromanaging day to day concerns. The heart of this issue is policy and budgetary concerns.
You cannot see a wrong committed here? Have you gotten more than you bargained for on this site? Is that why el grillo has asked you to remove the gorilla?.
"I'm f'klempt (yiddish for choked up) that you feel that you've found a forum for your voice and feedback...Oy!"?
Mockery Michael?
Perhaps a different forum is in order.
Shalom aleichem.
Trilogy
Mike, why dont you followers take a look a westmipoliticsbarrycompanionwest.
blogspot.com.? We have had the courage to ask questions and then listen to the truth. I am appalled that our fellow citizens, including me have been so gullible and allowed to be have been lead away from the truth. We only had to ask "the man on the street", which included police, dispatchers, township and county officials to learn what the simple truth is. Overwhelmed and several others speak from experience and fact. Just maybe El Grillo, Camden, Overwhelmed, and several others know exactly what they are talking about. Be opened minded and take a peek, you may be surprised. I was.
No mockery Trilogy...
The whole purpose of these local online forums is to create a venue for people to interact with good discussion on the issues.
Whenever one person says that they appreciate this opporturnity, then that really makes it all worthwhile.
Amen Mike Callton....
No one should be attacked for thier opinions...
I 'appreciate this opporturnity' to comment on local issues from my living room and find the issues and discussions on Barry Home Companion more timely and better written then those here on my former boss's blogg...
Ellie, I officially declare your new chat title as "Clueless!" I think the 21 jurisdictions should each file a civil lawsuit against Nystrom and the whole bunch that protected him. It got O.J. didn't it? Make sure Brown and Neil are at the top of the list. Neil backs out from his resignation, such arrogance! What a Jerk! I wish the Banner would quit punishing us by publishing his mugg in their paper. Hold on, made we want to check AMW. How bout another cartoon when they want to picture him or his compadres?
Hey Aggie, If I were Neil I would stay on the job just to watch you go bonkers for another week.
Why cant it be called The Dowling Banner
I think it would be better named "The Barry County Banner" since most of the stuff in there is Barry County but not nessasarily Hastings...
And by the looks of things Ratluvr, you would fit right in being the editor
Camden,
I don't want to be the editor, I know the editor and what his job entails!!
I also know who the editor is but he does not even like rats....whereas I have 9 of them in my living room...
El Grillo,
Actually the cages are not lined with the Banner...the Reminder fits the dimentions of the cage better and is more absorbent...and I don't have to fold over the edges like I would if I used the Banner.
The only other problem is the staples are harder to get out of the Reminder then the Banner, I've broken off a fingernail or two trying to get them out!
I usually give the rats the Banner shredded up for bedding in the cereal or cracker boxes I recycle into nest boxes. Most times they pitch it out all over the living room... I guess that tells us what they think of the Banner!!
HAHAHA!!
I/O: Street people, idiots, drug addicts, con artists, not even you or Clueless will make me go bonkers! I just wonder how long Pennock will put up with one of their officials "husband" pulling all the shannigans he and his cohorts do. When will they pull the plug on this hasbeen cop? Pennock is starting to be shed in a different light due to his connections there.
Mike,
Thank you for your gracious acknowledgement.
One question: Why is this message to me not on your own Barry Home Companon? I see the usual cast of characters is there.
Trilogy...
I'm responding to you here because I came across your comments here. If I had read them on the Barry Home Companion I would have been glad to respond to them there.
I'll avoid the Yiddish in the future since I just seem to make a schlemazel out of myself with it.
Mike,
Any language is extremely slippery, isn't it. Most people do not know nor care that Yiddish has a history of it's own and that it distinctly impacted its own older culture. I thought you may have been disrespectful of that history as well as myself.
Perhaps I over-reacted.
Sincerely,
Shalom
PS: schlemazel/schlimazel: a bit hard on yourself, don't you think.
I've always heard that there are many wonderful and colorful slang expressions in Yiddish. Some have been incorporated into English. Others are virtually untranslatable because they express nauances that the non-yiddish culture hasn't equivalent words for. Does anyone know where I can find a Yiddish dictionary for slang? [In English or course].
elGrillo:
You're undoubtedly right. I guess it was a nerdy question to ask. I have several nieces that have a few drops of Jewish blood but alas it has become rather diluted after several generations and there isn't a vestige of Yiddish culture showing now. Their mother was born in Berlin in 1930.
Perhaps I should google the question.
Hope your trip continues to go well. Enjoy your posts.
My sister's new barn cat had kittens before we could catch her. Now the kittens are 8 weeks old and momma is going in for her spay.
There are five kittens all VERY friendly and short-haired: one female is tiger and white, the other two females are tigers and the two males are tigers.
These kittens need good homes. They are eating solid food well, have been wormed and flea sprayed, litter trained, and seem to be good around my dogs.
Call 795-3341 or come by 1015 West Main Street, Middleville.
Clueless: If you get "much smaller" than Hastings you call it a straight highway.
Can you get there from here? Oh, I just went through there??????
Boy, those Pennock rumors are gettting vicious! Strange how some people are so stubborn they will support a non-relative nut case and jeopardize their family's reputation?
I was asked to clarify Pol's "The Blue Wall!"
There are a number of shades of blue, be it the clothing store, the car lot, etc.
One shade even includes the color brown proudly.
The proudest and finest blue Wall showed up in Grand Rapids a couple Fridays ago, as did the blue supporters that lined the highways and byways with their signs and tears.
The Pol is really disgusted with the "Wall" of the faintest of blue, of heart, of honor , of respect, of Pride, of Guts, of Integrity! It's called the "Shady Blue Wall."
Most in blue and brown do not support the "shady." They often, when silent, are not silent by choice, but from fear and intimidation (sound familiar?), or lack of facts.
But, many of the "Shady" are, in reality, exposed by their own color, even their own partner or Squad. It's human nature to protect and nurture your family, to a point. We all do it, blue, brown, yellow, or black.
Blue must come to grips with the solemn oath they took, and most do. They must not toss and turn in bed
anguishing over good and bad. They sleep well when they choose Good!
mr neal should resign as he promised. Do not tarnish the badge you once so proudly wore. Think deeply of what you are protecting and WHY?
Mr Brown, while not blue, you chose to associate and serve(?) with them. You have failed miserably. Resign! Boysen and Forbes, please follow suit! You have outserved your usefulness. When the Twps and other units get together, we sincerely hope your "service" or suggestions will not influence how to redesign the 911 Board(s). Consider the payout as your parting gift. Should he sue, it should be evenly divided between each of the 911 Board entities they are employed by.
The Bluest of Walls will continue to stand tall and glitter! We will even forgive and take back the sinners. Ask yourselves: Do I stand tall, with my chest proudly extended, my Badge flickering with courage and pride, or will the 911 Saga forever be my legacy? Do the right thing for the real "Wall!"
Agitator 3 said: I was asked to clarify Pol's "The Blue Wall!"
**************
Sorry agitator but your post didn't "clarify" anything. I'm not involved with anyone on the 911 board or in law enforcement. Your post is beclouded by inuendo and "inside" references that have no meaning for me. If you can't explain your viewpoint in plain English why bother?
Sorry Kittens are gone to Barry County Animal Control where no doubt they will be euthanised because there is no funding for CATS there unlike dogs...
Clueless" Does CR have a 911 System?
Does their Director get his degree from the back pages of "True Detective?" Or, is it just your Doctors there?
El Grillo,
Yes you have hit the nail on the head, if the Banner and or it's editor or owner say it is so it must be the truth.
A little more than a year ago, it's owner rant and raved over Mr. McNeill trying his cases in the public.
Now because his man is in the office, it is only right that the public should be told, " Embezzlement" we don't have to prove it we just can say it and the banner will swear to it"
Same thing now on the issue of Charlton Park, the banner now has given it's blessing, much like the pope does and therefore it has become the gospel, but according to who?
I couldn't agree with you more, a park is something that is nice and pleasant, however it is not where a millage should be used at.
There is plenty of money in the general fund, I suspect that most of the current comm. have no idea how much money the county really has. That may be good of the Duo of leaf & engerlth would want to spend it on more fire walls, and swat teams with black tahoes.
Again, I will write, downsize the park to a level that can accomadte all of the old cars, old fiddle players, old tractors and all of the folks that like to sit and look at them. The sell the rest, ther must be at least one developer on the county comm. that could come up with a plane for the property. Or if not I believe that the owner of the local rag has some experience in the area of developement and how to make money on the deal. Let him over see it.
TS
I am still looking for the cost of, and who built the firewall??????
Clueless: Don't read those magazines either, just watch 60 minutes and Dateline, etc. They have your Doctors and other lowcost savings scams on their radar, "I'm Chris Hansen, from Dateline NBC!"
el Grillo said:
"The sky is falling, the sky is falling!"
***************
I hate to break the news to you but Chicken Little has suffered a concusion and is in Intensive Care at Pennock Hospital. She would rather have worms and cracked corn than sympathy cards.
el Grillo, if the dollar keeps losing value in respect to the colon you might find that CR is a very expensive place to live. Do you suppose that they might devalue the dollar anytime soon? One the other hand according to everything I've heard and read CR is one of the most inlightened countries in the new world so perhaps it's worth it.
GET ON WITH SOME REAL BLOGG NEWS ALREADY !!1
El Grillo suggested that we share our findings with you all, may be you can help us get some answers. So far the nottingham trio, the county chair or board won't respond with simple questions like "who really built the wall at the sheriffs dept" or "has all the sheriffs lunch fund monies been audited and accounted for and if so, where is the money... is it going really going in the cooks or sheriffs pocket" "why can't the public eat at the sheriffs dept for a dollar when the sheriff and his cronies can" etc.
Aug 17, 2007 to El Grillo read -
El - like Ms. cichy, we too have the utmost respect for your honest and researched commentaries. We respect your intelligence and the way you do your homework.
We don't want to rehash the so called nasty deeds of the dispatch financial fiasco but....we would like to ask you a couple of questions simply because you are good at research and we've found honest facts and real documentation that aren't half truths. Please bare with us for a minute.
With a FOI letter of request, we requested copies of the 911 budgets, financial records, board minutes and all investigations pertaning to 911. In reality we only wanted information for the last few years. To our demise, they responded with every piece of information we requested way back to 1992. Looks like they don't purge anything and have retained every last receipt and record. It has taken a long time to sift through the infrormation that was furshed. It is obvious to us at least, nothing was left undocumented. We found that for several years the board only asked for 3/4 of a mil because they didn't need the money for building maintenance or equipment upgrades for police, fire or ambulance services. It is well documented in the all 911 finace commitees comments in those particular years. (The 911 millage language that we received from the clerks office allows for "up to" one mil each year. That financial intelligence and principled fore-thought was probably the common sense wisdom of the old timers in the likes of mckelvey, wenger and Mr. Ward Weiler who attended many meetings per the board minutes)
In the writings of all the 911 minutes, it clearly shows that they did send all documents to the county clerk and jim browns office each and every month. With that said, it appears to us that the county clerks office and the administrators office then reviewed all expenditures and then authorized the payments, including time slips and sent them to the county treasury for payment.
Now the questions - If the 911 board didn't purchase througfh their budget the radio's or computers for the cops, fire or ems, WOULD the differant towns or governmental units have to pay for them out of their own budgets? Could have that then allowed the 911 to lower their request to 3/4 or lower for that year? It appears to be well documented that they did.
Heaven knows that computer and radio equipment is very expensive when you include all police, fire and ambulance departments in our county and the towers, patrol cars, fire trucks and portable radio's for all the cops and fireman, they even bought radios for part-time police reserves, the county possey and the sheriffs boat's.
In the documented reports it shows they even pay yearly mic fee's (what ever that means) for all the cops radio's to the state every year that amounts to thousands of dollars. We believe it to be important that our cops can talk to each other on the radio's, especially in this day and age. So to us, we get what we pay for... a necessary evil in these days. Question - could there be a issue of libility if 911 didn't provide good equipment to the cops, fireman or ambulance for safety reasons? If so, would "we the people" have to pay if the countywide system failed and citizens or public safety people got injuried?
Also provided in the information we have received was copy of the plan and by-laws. Do you know that they have a tefchnical advisory committe that is made up of cops, fire and ambulance. It says they do all the policy and procedure and have to submit to the 911 board all equipment needs for the entire commitee. They call the commitee the users because they infact are the responders. It looks like command people make up the commitee. Who better to know and understand what their needs are and how the money should be spent? One funny thing the minutes clearly pointed out was that the police chief from praireville was on the that commitee for fourteen months, but only attended two meetings in that time and he had to be replaced.
Public broadcasts from the Nottingham trio & company, neil wilder and in the local rag and on the blogs we began believing (like so many others did) that the 911 had no over-sight. Then we foi'ed the records. Wow were we surprised how gullible we have been. Heck the board itself has representation from all governmental units from our whole county. Now that seems to be real grass roots representation to us, won't you agree? All the board and commitee minutes for the many years clearly and publicly depict openness to us? In one of the board minutes, Mr. Ward Weiler even commented that "the board and public knows where every penny is spent and when a pencil is bought.... the county commissioners should take a lesson in accountability like this board does....if it saves just one baby it's all worth it". Never met the man, but have heard about him. None of those comments or complete informaqtion has ever been printed in the local paper, but have heard it on our local county station a few times.
From the stacks of documentation, true facts, investigations and recorded minutes we've reviewed and studied, it appears that the nottingham trio & company, neil wilder, the rag have been less than candid with all of us. It appears that they have control and jealousy issues.
Would you please do one of your studies of the 911 records and aticulate your findings? It looks to us that some are not comparing apples to apples when it comes to necessary public funding or funding that is just warm and fuzzy.
Thanks
Personally I think that Nifong should be sentenced to the time those Lacrosse players would have received if they had been convicted plus ten more years for good measure. Also, that stripper who made the original charge should be in the cell next to him. Once again Rev. Jesse Jackson and Rev. Al Sharpton made asses of themselves, bless their racist hearts.
L Greeyo: I used to strip every night in our basement back in the days when I was refinishing furniture..... it was the talk of the neighborhood. I suppose a stripper could be housed in an adjacent cell but it should be well ventilated. Those fumes are tough on the lungs.
There certainly is a strong similarity between prosecuter Nifong and our local prosecuter. Anyone who would go on TV and make the statement he did about a person's guilt should be made to follow through with the charge or step aside. What does the local legal community have to say about this?
So is the investigations still ongoing?
The silence from the two elected offices is deafening.......
TS
Pol Watcher,
As one of the people that you love to write about and that you continue to call a criminal I am reminded of those who hide in shadow to curse others. As a coward you should be able to identify with this statement. You have no idea what I told the investigator, nor have a clue if offers were made to give the money back when indecisions were discovered. Since you can not see the facts from your lofty perch here is my suggestion. Come out from the shadows and step up to the plate. Walk right into the Prosecutors office and provide them with all of your proof of criminal activity that you have. After you leave call me and make arrangements to meet face to face and tell me what you have to say about me. I will put in plain words to you my side of the story and after that, if you still feel the need to speak ill of me then it will be from a informed position instead of the one you currently have.
On a personal not and only after reading your post over the past few months I can honestly type that you are the most uninformed, cowardly, illiterate, and in my opinion delusional person I have ever read, followed closely by your sidekick Agitator 3. Seek help. If your employer does not supply psychiatric counseling then avail yourself to the free County services. Finally, spend some of the money you spend on web access and buy yourself a spell check program so you do not come off like a low paid hack reporter like are used at the Hastings Banner.
Sincerely,
Randy B. Yates
Who unleashed this Randy B Yates character? Didn't know I was your sidekick PW. Didn't know I had accused anyone of being a criminal either. Fact is, I know nothing of the particulars alleged except what I heard on TV. I believe his letter should have been signed "Randy B.S. Yates."
Well this is great the investigation is still ongoing, mow barry barney and hsi det. are hauling all of the former and current 911 bd. members in for questioning and the threat of prosecution unless they talk.
Isn't Barry Co. great....
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