Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Flip Flop: If Robbie Perkins put the proposed Noise Ordinance on City Council's agenda, why would he say it wasn't a good idea?

“The council made a very wise move
by not voting on what was proposed,”
Perkins said at the Downtown Residents Association meeting.

Bullshit.

On the White Street Landfill: Did Greensboro's African American leadership betray their people?

In politics, nothing happens by accident.


If it happens, you can bet it was planned that way.


Franklin D. Roosevelt

"...the results of Tuesday’s elections
were a referendum on the White Street landfill"
 
Robin, Allen and Doug
What happens when the city's budget deficit spikes shortly,
because of higher energy costs and debt payments
and the city has to fire police and firemen
to make up for the money lost by keeping the landfill closed?


If the City of Greensboro’s average employee salary is about $50,000,
and the city could not spend about $8,000,000 per year
by reopening the White Street Landfill and selling the methane,
could Greensboro's City Council have to choose
between shipping our trash to Montgomery County
or about 160 city jobs, sooner than later.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

City of Greensboro Budget Watch:$5.6 million budget gap

"...gasoline costs have been through the roof for the city.

So far, they have spent 30 percent more than last year.

-- The Coliseum's operating deficit was higher than last year,
at about $2.11 million.

...the city will have to close a $5.6 million budget gap
to balance next year's budget, Interim City Manager Denise Turner said."

Amanda

Unanswered City of Greensboro and Guilford County Information Requests Since January 24, 2012

Please provide any documents including communications
involving improvements to water and sewer service
along Interstate 40-85 near Rock Creek Dairy Road.

"Perkins said growth in the area,
including Rock Creek Center, is already near capacity."

WGHP

Noise Complaints Near Center Pointe at 201 N. Elm St. in Downtown Greensboro with Local Developer Roy Carroll Chief Complainer

Noise CFS About or From 201 N Elm St - Jan 2011-Mar 11 2012

The scribd version above will show you the public records request in regards to noise complaints to the City of Greensboro in and around  201 North Elm Street which  is local developer Roy Carroll's Center Pointe high rise building and new resident in the fall in Mayor of Greensboro Robbie Perkins.

Noise complaints from Roy Carroll or in document he goes by Lloyd Carroll or Roy or Roy Terell or Floyd Carroll  happened on
1-22-12 at 8:48 pm
1-15-12 at 11:40pm
1-9-12 at 12:53am unknown but was from 113 n greene street same address Roy was giving
1-9-12 at 12:39am greene street club caller RoyTerrell but we know it is Roy Carroll
12-23-11 at 12:09am from Floyd Carroll
12-12-11 at 12:37am from Roy Carroll
12-9-11 at 12:07am from Roy Carroll
12-8-12 at 11:05am from Roy Carol
12-3-11 at 1:05am from Roy
11-28-11 at 12:47am from Lloyd Carol


Yes Weekly! has a new article out in regards to the noise issue for downtown Greensboro which is a must read  titled
"Roy Carroll says Jump, city springs into action" , CLICKHERE

One of the most interesting part of the story is to see the e mails that are on the Yes Weekly ! blog with a title "emails show source of noise complaint" CLICKHERE

In this post you will see in the e mail that in his penthouse Roy Carroll sleeps with a decibel meter by his bedside. Then Roy calls 911 to let them know if police officers need to get into building to let security officer know. Calling 911 on a noise complaint , really. According to Chief Miller to Assistant City Manager Speedling it seems that in and around December 9th 2011 it looks like Roy Carroll finally moved into his Penthouse and the noise complaints started.

We will see this issue come up in future Greensboro City Council meetings but they need to understand this was all brought up by one person in Roy Carroll with help from his Center Pointe resident in Mayor Perkins and it was all directed at one bar in the Greene Street Club Roof Top Bar which is a great place to hang out in downtown Greensboro.

If Roy Carroll wants to stop the noise then he should have put some sound proof walls and barriers or thicker glass in place on that side of his building.

Welcome to downtown Greensboro where it is not like living off of brassfield road.




Roy Carroll Gives 1 Million to Greensboro College While Next Month He Wants Your Taxpayer Money for a Shovel Ready Site in Eastern Guilford County



Local Developer Roy Carroll just gave a generous gift to Greensboro College in the amount of $1 million dollars  . In a round about way you can say that you the City of Greensboro taxpayer gave Greensboro College a generous gift of a million dollars. But do not worry it gets better because back in the fall on September 13, 2011 TRIADWATCH had a post titled "Pulled Agenda Item #31 Local Developer and Crony Capitalist Roy Carroll Wants $4,176,775 in Economic Incentive Grant and Loan"

in the post was this

"Item #31 from Greensboro City Council agenda with attachments for September 13, 2011 meeting:

Resolution authorizing Economic Development Incentive Grant and Loan, not to exceed the amount of $4,176,775 in total, to Land Port Investments LLC to be funded by appropriating uo to $4,176,775 of voter approved Economic Development Bond funds. (no attachment) COUNCIL IS BEING REQUESTED TO POSTPONE THIS ITEM UNTIL OCTOBER 4, 2011 MEETING OF COUNCIL< WITHOUT FURTHER ADVERTISING.

So who is Land Port Investments LLC?
CLICKHERE none other than our Guilford County CRONY CAPITALIST Roy Carroll.

Now this past week we learn from the Triad Business Journal and Owen Covington with a blog post titled "Greensboro Moves Ahead with 'Shovel Ready' Loan Pool" . In the article here is what was said


Scott said city staff has had discussions with three developers interested in tapping into the fund, which he envisions being used to develop four pads for buildings with between 250,000 and 750,000 square feet of space. Scott declined to specifically identify the properties or the property owners, but said all three sites are in eastern Guilford County, with two on the Interstate 40 corridor and the other on the U.S. 29 corridor

Developer Roy Carroll said in October that he was interested in working with the city to secure funding to prepare a 100-acre site at Knox Road and Interstate 40 for construction, but declined to comment further at this time.
There’s speculation that the other two locations include a site with Rock Creek Center at Interstate 40 near Rock Creek Dairy Road that is managed by Simpson Schulman & Beard and a site adjacent to U.S. 29 near Reedy Fork Parkway owned by Reedy Fork Associates, which was formed in 2000 as a partnership between Greensboro’s Starmount Co. , Winston-Salem’s Hubbard Realty and the D.H. Griffin family.

Then in this article Dan Lynch from the Greensboro Economic Development Alliance had this to say;


"said forming public-private partnerships to develop large-scale sites that are ready for construction is almost a necessity given the upfront investment required and the financing challenges for private developers in today’s economy"
It must be real tough for local developer Roy Carroll who just gave a million dollars to Greensboro College to get financing but am sure that he needed to do this gift now to Greensboro College before he went in front of council to get this taxpayer funded money. Can you imagine if he got this shovel ready approved with taxpayers dollars then sent a $1 million check to Greensboro College that would not look good at all.

When Roy Carroll's neighbor in center pointe is the Mayor of Greensboro then i am sure this will get passed with flying colors and a few years down the road the Mayor of Greensboro will be the leasing agent for properties all over Eastern Guilford County .

Stay tuned for more in future because there is also a new joint water and sewer deal for a complete hand out to certain developers going on in this part of Guilford County.


.

Monday, February 27, 2012

In the beggining: Posted by: Hartzman.blogspot.com | February 21, 2012 at 08:42 AM

"I think this may be about me supporting Billy Yow,
who is running against Howard Coble,
who's campaign website is managed by Roch.

Same thing only different with our differences
on Zack, Robbie and Roy..."

Posted by: Hartzman.blogspot.com | February 21, 2012 at 08:42 AM

Greensboro Summer Camps Have Fun in the Summertime



It is that time of the year to think about having your kids participate in Summer Camps all over the Triad. A great web site to see plenty of options for your kids is a place called Greensboro Summer Camps CLICKHERE.

Robbie Perkins: Anyone notice a pattern?

"The Greensboro City Council voted against buying property
...for development that ...would have profited a landlord
known for violating housing codes.

Didn't Robbie fund those
who eliminated Rental Inspections in Greensboro?

...Landlord Bill Agapion offered to sell his properties ...to the city
for $1.65 million.

...The plan, proposed by ...Robbie Perkins,
...the sale might have netted the city up to a $650,000 loss.

So Robbie proposed a deal that would benefit a landlord
and cost Greensboro's taxpayers $650,000?

If this happened, what is Robbie up to now?

...District 3 representative Tom Phillips responded.

“You talk about setting a bad precedent,” Phillips said. “We've got a lot of buying to do.”

...Most of the recent growth downtown
has involved nightclubs and restaurants...

Which Robbie wants to kill
along with removing personally unprofitable "elements"
so he and Roy can sell condos?

...Agapion is the worst offender among local landlords
in terms of housing code violations, but he finds ways to get away with it.

Other unscrupulous low-income landlords follow his lead
by taking advantage of loopholes in he law that he exposes.

...the landlord had 5,813 documented code violations since 1983."

Yes Weekly

Noise Ordinance: I hear Zack went downtown on Saturday night with a decibel meter

I hear Zack didn't get out of the car.

From Janus Theatres to This Behemoth Monstrosity of a Building off of Battleground Avenue in Greensboro

HAT TIP : Cinema Treasures for the picture
This picture is a blast from the past where plenty of us in Greensboro grew up having our first dates and plenty of hang out time at the Janus Theatres during the 80's and 90's which is off of battleground avenue on northwood street.

Now we see a total transformation of the property to becoming a complete behemoth and a total out of character building for the neighborhood and surrounding area where no other buildings in the area  is more than two stories but this building is a total of 4 stories and a top that makes it look even bigger and completely doesn't blend in at all. Thanks to First Citizens Bank for getting the 2012  award for non conforming monstrosity to the area in regards to rezoning of this property.

As we see from the triad business journal

"And the site has one of the highest elevations in Greensboro, giving Burns the visibility he hoped for.
“It’s like a billboard 24/7,” Burns says"

Below is a picture taken on 2-26-2012 of this new addition to the  Irving Park  neighborhood.






Sunday, February 26, 2012

"North Carolina Concealed Carry Permit Information" and a few statistics for Allen Johnson

"Concealed Permit: Shall Issue to Residents Only

Issuing Authority: Sheriff of the permittee’s county of residence

...since 2003, in states which allow concealed carry,
violent crime rates have been lower
than anytime since the mid-1970s.

Out Of State Permit Issue: North Carolina does not issue permits
to non-permanent residents.

In order to obtain a permit
you must establish permanent residency in North Carolina.

Statistics from the FBI’s Uniformed Crime Report of 2007
show that states with right-to-carry laws have a 30% lower homicide rate,
46% lower robbery, and 12% lower aggravated assault rate
and a 22% lower overall violent crime rate
than do states without such laws.

NICS check: Yes, a background check
is done through the local Sheriff’s office.

More after the jump

Huge Strides in Other States to Make Changes To The Monopoly Newspapers and Legal Notices.

Legal Notice Legislative Update. Huge Strides Made in Virginia and Hawaii.

Legal Notice Legislative Update. Huge Strides Made in Virginia and Hawaii.

Hawaii and Virginia dominate this week's on line public notice legislative activity and in both states bills have proceeded further than they ever have with very large committee and House victories:
  • VIRGINIA- 2 On Line Legal Notice Bills Pass the Va. House of Delegates by Large Margins.

Of the 8 original on line public notice bills proposed in this year's Va. General Assembly, only two remain that could pass:
  • HAWAII-Senate Committees Vote for Bill which Allows for Moving Public Notices On Line

To read how other states are addressing this issue
Click HERE

Will we see our North Carolina Legislature take up this issue without cowering to the North Carolina Press Association because as we have seen they have their own lobbying going on in North Carolina in regards to the issue of taxpayer funded public notices in paid papers , CLICKHERE

Saturday, February 25, 2012

SPECIAL MEETING: TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 2012: 3:00 P.M. GREENSBORO CITY COUNCIL CHAMBER

"1. Motion to appoint an Interim City Attorney.

2. Presentation of Second Quarter updates

- The Interim City Manager and staff
will present the second quarter budget and financial update

3. Presentation of solid waste alternatives."

http://www.greensboro-nc.gov/index.aspx?page=85

Business Journal: "Greensboro moves ahead with ‘shovel ready’ loan pool"

"The city of Greensboro is creating a loan pool
to finance site preparation costs for large-scale industrial projects...

The pool would include more than $4 million
left from $10 million in economic development bonds
approved by voters in 2006.


Funds would be restricted for clearing and grading an undeveloped site,
with the interest-free loan being repaid
once the site was sold or developed...

Why restrict the funds?

Are the funds being restricted
to target money to a few select campaign contributors?

Friday, February 24, 2012

Why would the Rhino and the GN&R bury possibly two of the most important stories of the week?

This was interim City Attorney Tom Pollard's last meeting,
but the council did not name a new interim city attorney.

John Hammer
Last sentence of a relatively long article
that probably deserved a headline

Why hasn't John written about the noise ordinance
that many of his readers care about?


Are John's Real Estate advertisers and the Greensboro Coliseum
more important than his night club advertisers
and many of his readers who go downtown?

The Foundation is financing most task force work,
although the city will pay some costs,
Foundation president Walker Sanders said.

Buried on A2 of the GN&R
Unpublished Online

"A lie of omission is to remain silent
when ethical behavior calls for one to speak up.

A lie of omission is a method of deception and duplicity
that uses the technique of simply remaining silent
when speaking the truth would significantly alter
the other person's capacity to make an informed decision."

The Lie of Omission

Shouldn't City Council Vote
to spend money on a propaganda campaign?




Thursday, February 23, 2012

Has John Hammer heard about the Noise Ordinance?

Why wouldn't John want to write about a Noise Ordinance
proposed by some of his biggest advertizers
that wouldn't benefit his current readers?

Power in America…
is control of the means of communication.


Theodore White
Political Journalist

George Hartzman on Greensboro City Council Concealed Hand-Gun Ban (1 Minute)

GN&R "Editorial: Too noisy to hear": Now that Robbie and Roy didn't get away with screwing downtown business owners, all concerned should now be civil?

"...a meeting last week to discuss a possible new downtown noise ordinance
was in itself a loud and unproductive affair.

...Many ...Center-city business and property owners...
are pioneers who took big chances on investments downtown
when few others were interested.

Except a little less chancy for those who received tax subsidies
like Robbie did for Granite Street and Roy did for Center Pointe?

Except for a few who pushed for an 11pm curfew for teen age residents
and now a prohibitive noise ordinance
who inherited pretty big chunks of their money and/or property?

Monday, February 20, 2012

Dr. Wade Gets Endorsement from Competitor's Uncle



In the new North Carolina Senate Seat #27 with Greensboro City Council member Dr. Trudy Wade competing against High Point Councilman Latimer Alexander and local businessman  Justin Conrad .

It seems like Dr. Wade got a early endorsement from the uncle of Justin Conrad. Here is the quote in the endorsements section of Dr. Wade's web site.


"Dr. Trudy Wade is an experienced conservative leader who needs to be in the North Carolina Senate. Some people may wonder why I have endorsed Trudy Wade, knowing that I have family in the primary. Actually, that places me in an even better position to know that Trudy Wade is the tried, tested, and true conservative leader who should be representing the people of the 27th district in the North Carolina Senate."
-David P. Conrad

This will be a great race to follow.

Sunday, February 19, 2012

John Amberg on Robbie and the Performing Arts Center Process

"Remember, this is the same mayor
who pledged to listen to all sides.

This is the mayor who pledged to let everyone have a voice.

Now this same mayor is saying "this is going to happen."

And the Debate Begins.

http://triadwatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/mayor-robbie-broadway-perkins-on.html

.
.
.
http://triadwatch.blogspot.com/2012/02/greensboro-partnership-makes-deceptive.html

Mayor Robbie "Broadway" Perkins on Greensboro's Downtown PAC and why he should recuse himself

"This is going to happen."

Robbie Perkins
...(c) A public servant shall take appropriate steps,
...to remove himself or herself to the extent necessary,
to protect the public interest
...from any proceeding in which the public servant's impartiality
might reasonably be questioned... 

§ 138A‑36. Public servant participation in official actions.

Mayor Robbie Perkins says trying isn't enough.


"This community is going to get this done," he said Wednesday.

"It's not an option.

This community has got to get things like this done."

Robin, Doug and Allen



"(e1) A member of the board or any other body
exercising quasi‑judicial functions
...shall not participate in or vote
on any quasi‑judicial matter in a manner
that would violate affected persons' constitutional rights
to an impartial decision maker.

Residents have also said they feel the outcome of the task force,
which aims to “create an open, candid and constructive dialogue
around the needs of a performing arts center,”
is a foregone conclusion because of who is leading the process.

The Community Foundation,
which supports creating a new [taxpayer funded] performing arts center,
hired Mayor Robbie Perkins’ former campaign manager [Lobbyist]
...Ross Harris to manage the task force.

...Perkins has expressed his strong support for a performing arts center,
particularly one built downtown...

Ginsburg at Yes Weekly
Impermissible conflicts include, but are not limited to,
a member having a fixed opinion
prior to hearing the matter that is not susceptible to change,
undisclosed ex parte communications, a close familial, business,
or other associational relationship with an affected person,
or a financial interest in the outcome of the matter.

“Necessity; the tyrant’s plea.”


John Milton
If an objection is raised to a member's participation
and that member does not recuse himself or herself,
the remaining members shall by majority vote rule on the objection.

§ 160A‑388.
I object.

George Hartzman

Allen Johnson on the Performing Arts Center: "It will mean extreme openness, from start to finish"

"If anything, this ...should be transparent to a fault,
tell all gladly, to anyone who asks
and give the conspiracy theorists nowhere to go"

Allen Johnson

How about disclosing the Greensboro News and Record's
conlfict of interest on potential sites
one of which is thier parking lot?

Posted Image
http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/3155-downtown-greensboro-developments/page__st__580__p__1160672#entry1160672
The News & Record buildings are directly above the pedestrian bridge.

Hat Tip: Ed Cone

"[Greensboro Partnership] Makes (Deceptive) Marketing Push for [PAC]"

"The [Greensboro Partnership] has reportedly launched a “six-figure, month-long media blitz of television, radio, print and online ads aimed at building public support for a new [PAC].”

In other words, they’re turning up the heat on [Greensboro] — build a new [PAC] or lose [relatively good traveling broadway shows, operas, and classical music concerts].

Never mind that [Greensboro] can’t afford it and that the public would be on the hook for 90% of the (at least) [$70 million] it will take to build it.

Saturday, February 18, 2012

Center Pointe from the top of Greene Street Club

How to completely destroy Downtown Greensboro?

Stupidity is better kept a secret than displayed

Heraclitus of Ephesus

"Councilman Zack Matheny announced several plans
...designed to give police effective tools to maintain order downtown

“It’s vital to the residents of Greensboro that we take the necessary and serious steps
to improve the downtown environment
so that everyone can enjoy themselves in a safe atmosphere,” Matheny said.

“These measures promote not only public safety,
but will hold downtown businesses accountable for the actions of their visitors.”

Among the changes...:

Zero tolerance for quality of life infractions that occur in downtown;
that includes cracking down on loitering, panhandling and other disruptive behavior.

Ed Wolverton and Milton Kern on "Safety," in Downtown Greensboro

"Ed Wolverton, president of Downtown Greensboro Inc.,
worked with Matheny on the proposals.

“A community may say they want the license for any nightclub
that stays open after 11 p.m. or maybe 12 a.m.” ...Wolverton said.

Wolverton said the ...proposal is related to two incidents last summer
when a club had a “teen night” that led to fighting in a parking lot.


Should two incidents = restrictions for all teens?

Milton Kern...was another business leader who helped craft the proposals.

“The nightclub owners have to understand
they have to be responsible business people
and not have a 'shoot ’em up,’ wild night life,” Kern said.

On Noise and What May Actually Be Happening: Went to see Led Head at Greene Street Club Last Night

Looking out from the rooftop bar,
imagining what someone on the patio of the taxpayer subsidised penthouse
would be looking at late in the evening,
I noticed a long line, not in front of Greene Street,
but in front of a club next door.

Most of those waiting in line were African American.

Friday, February 17, 2012

Allen Johnson: "The mayor might want to step away from this"

"at the very least to avoid the appearance of a conflict."

.
.
"(a) ...no public servant...authorized to perform an official action
requiring the exercise of discretion,
shall participate in an official action by the employing entity
if the public servant
...may incur a reasonably foreseeable financial benefit
...which financial benefit would impair
the public servant's independence of judgment
or from which it could reasonably be inferred
that the financial benefit
would influence the public servant's participation in the official action.

...(c) A public servant shall take appropriate steps,
...to remove himself or herself to the extent necessary,
to protect the public interest
...from any proceeding in which the public servant's impartiality
might reasonably be questioned
due to the public servant's familial, personal, or financial relationship
with a participant in the proceeding.

§ 138A‑36. Public servant participation in official actions.

"(e1) A member of the board or any other body
exercising quasi‑judicial functions
...shall not participate in or vote
on any quasi‑judicial matter in a manner
that would violate affected persons' constitutional rights
to an impartial decision maker.


Impermissible conflicts include, but are not limited to,
a member having a fixed opinion
prior to hearing the matter that is not susceptible to change,
undisclosed ex parte communications, a close familial, business,
or other associational relationship with an affected person,
or a financial interest in the outcome of the matter.


If an objection is raised to a member's participation
and that member does not recuse himself or herself,
the remaining members shall by majority vote rule on the objection.


§ 160A‑388.

"Any officer, department head or employee who has financial interest,
direct or indirect,
in any proposed contract with the city
or in a proposed sale of any land, material, supplies, or services
to the city or to a contractor supplying the city,
shall make known that interest
 and shall refrain from voting upon
or otherwise participating in the making of such contract or sale.

Any officer, department head, or employee
 who willfully conceals such a financial interest
or willfully violates the requirements of this Section
shall be guilty of malfeasance in office or position
and shall forfeit his office or position.

Violation of this Section
with the knowledge expressed or implied
of the person or corporation contracting with or making a sale to the city
shall render the contract void."

Sec. 4.131. - Conflict of interest: Greensboro Code of Ordinances, City Charter






Unanswered City of Greensboro and Guilford County Information Requests

Please provide any documents including communications
involving improvements to water and sewer service
along Interstate 40-85 near Rock Creek Dairy Road.

"Perkins said growth in the area,
including Rock Creek Center, is already near capacity."

WGHP

Robbie Perkins and Roy Carroll Texting During Council Meeting, Parody


ROBBIE PERKINS AND ROY CARROLL TEXT MESSAGING EACH OTHER

Thursday, February 16, 2012

Only In Greensboro Will You Name A Downtown Group DRAG

HAT TIP : 99Blocks
Only in Greensboro will you get a downtown residents association to name their group "DRAG". In the article we had this:

"Dianne Ziegler, one of the organizers, says the meeting will be to lay out details of what DRAG is all about and to give a quick look at the short-term initiatives of the organization.
They have two over-arching goals: forming a sense of community downtown and advocating for safety.

After that, Mayor Robbie Perkins, who lives downtown himself, will be the guest speaker"

The Mayor of Greensboro is going to be a guest speaker to inform the residents of downtown Greensboro that i am going to be a DRAG on downtown nightlife with my new noise ordinance where we might just send a violation to the clouds for having too loud rain drops that exceeded the decibel level.

DRAG also has a facebook page clickhere

Guess who wants $22 million for water - sewer?

.Linda Shaw Campaign Finance Filing Posted in Truancy:
Roy Carroll and Richard Beard Contributors
.
Roy Carroll, Developer
Why did Roy and Richard want to not disclose campaign cash
until after the election?
Richard Beard, Developer

Heard a noise complaint from someone at Center Pointe was called in to the police against Greene Street Club last night...,

The great majority of mankind are satisfied with appearance
as though they were realities,
and are often more influenced by the things that seem than those that are.


Niccolo Machiavelli

Dear Walker Sanders: Please disclose the statistical data behind these statements on the Greensboro Performing Arts Center Task Force.

People can foresee the future
only when it coincides with their own wishes,
and the most grossly obvious facts
can be ignored when they are unwelcome.

George Orwell

“As you look around this room,
and you’ll see a lot of different interests,” [Walker] Sanders said.

“Those who are for a performing arts center,
those who are against it.

How many are currently against?

Those who have been for putting it downtown,
those who have been for putting it at the War Memorial Auditorium complex...

How many task force members want the PAC downtown
as opposed to the auditorium site?

This task force is bringing all those perspectives” [Walker Sanders said]

Dawn DeCwikiel-Kane

Please detail the specific percentages
of what you claim to be truthful.

Liberty cannot be preserved
without a general knowledge among the people.


John Adams

Don't Steal From My Kids

George Hartzman

Yes Weekly's Eric Ginsburg on the Downtown PAC: Anybody hear about how our homeless child population just doubled?

“We have a performing arts center right now and it’s a liability to this community. It’s the pits. Something’s got to be done for this city to compete with a performing arts facility”... said Community Foundation president Walker Sanders.

Isn't unemployment really the liability?

Community participation in the process will prevent residents from rejecting the project, especially at the polls, he said.

Meaning the task force intends to sell voters on the debt?

At the request of interim City Manager [and former taxpayer funded Greensboro Partnership Lobbyist] Denise Turner Roth, the Community Foundation [which is part of the Greensboro Partnership] began creating a task force with three committees, a subcommittee and an advisory board.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

Yes Weekly's Jordan Green: "Green shoots, creative destruction"

"...I don’t want to come across as a jerk
or someone trying to score points,
and don’t want to be dismissed as someone
who reflexively tears down civic leadership
or indulges in conspiracy theories.

Considering that part of the point of the annual “State of the City” report
authored by Debbage is to “stimulate discussion,” here goes.

Debbage’s eminence as a local academic
who has been commissioned to write numerous reports
for various economic development partnerships
and the Greensboro Planning Department
and published upwards of 100 op-ed pieces in the News & Record
and the Triad Business Journal actually starves the debate.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Why is the Taxpayer Funded Greensboro Partnership, which rigged a study to sell more debt to taxpayers, a TREBIC Member?, with Robbie and Nancy quotes

TREBIC Member Associations:

Greensboro Builders Association

Greensboro Regional REALTORS© Association

Greensboro Regional REALTORS© Association REALTORS© Commercial Alliance

High Point Regional Association of REALTORS©

High Point Regional Association of REALTORS© REALTORS© Commercial Alliance

Triad Apartment Association

National Association of Industrial and Office Parks (NAIOP) NC Piedmont Triad Chapter

On Skip Alston and Guilford County Finances

Monday, February 13, 2012

Allen Johnson: "Hospital bill heartburn" - How about it Cone Health?

"...I have to sympathize with the guy in Charlotte
who is taking a hospital to court over an exorbitant bill.

The man was taken to Carolinas Medical Center in 2007
...but took issue with a $14,419 bill for his three-day stay,
plus another $5,556 for his hospital room.

Problem is, the hospital did not itemize his bill.

Hypocrisy by the Greensboro News & Record: "Candidate ...suffers messy divorce"

Hypocrisy is the state of pretending to have virtues,
moral or religious beliefs, principles, etc.,
that one does not actually have.

Hypocrisy involves the deception of others and is thus a kind of lie.

Hypocrisy is not simply failing to practice those virtues that one preaches.

Wiki



John Robinson

As posted at John Robinson's Editor's Log
at the Greensboro News & Record website

Hartzman

Sunday, February 12, 2012

2 Public Notice Bills Makes it Out of Committee in Virginia, Will North Carolina Legislators Do The Same?

HAT TIP: Legal Notices Online

2 Public Notice Bills Makes it Out of Committee in Virginia

Two Small Wins for On-Line Public Advocates and 2 losses.
It has been a busy week in the Virginia House of Delegates for legislation involving legal notices. Two losses and 2 small wins for on line public notice advocates.
The Virginia House Subcommitee on Cities, Counties and Towns failed to approve by a vote of 7-3 HB 773 on February 9, which would have given localities alternatives to publication in a newspaper of general circulation in the locality for legal ads and other notices of proposed action for charrter changes, referenda and public hearings .
The House Subcommittee on General Laws' #1 Housing Subcommittee "tabled" HB 812 on February 8, which would have eliminated the requirement that the Department of Historic Resources publish a notice of a public hearing on the designation or nomination of a historic district in a newspaper once a week for two successive weeks . By tabling a bill, I believe this means that they may come back to it but it is not likely.
The good news is that HB 234 that allows for a smaller print advertisement for notices about foreclosures of timeshares has made it out of the General Laws Committee by a large majority 19-2 on February 9. Instead wasting money by including comprehensive information about the property, the notice needs to include a contact who can provide the required information. This could be a blueprint for public notice legislation everywhere. Why not just say . "Hey there is going to be a hearing. Call us up or e-mail us and we will e-mail you or send you the information."
And the other piece of good news is that House Bill 1193 has made it out of committee by an ovewhelming 15-6 majority . For Procurement notices it would make it optional to publish notices in the newspaper for bid requests from the Department of General Services where it used to be required. It now moves to the full house of delegates for a vote.
Virginia has been one of the most active and progressive states for raising legislation to move notices out of print . Last year their were 4 bills proposed . This year 8 so far. But so far nothing has passed. Getting two bills before the House of Delegates is progress from last year, where all of the bills died in committee.
To read how other states are addressing this issue
Click HERE

Sound Familiar?

"Downtown development plan lists six key projects

A consultants’ report says the community should focus on six key projects to spur economic development downtown, including the creation of a college/university building and a performing arts center.

A consultant's report solicited by Downtown Greensboro Inc.,
paid for with taxpayer dollars
that recommends taxpayer money be allocated to benefit "Downtown Stakeholders,"
most of whom comprise Downtown Greensboro Inc.
which is funded by the City of Greensboro?

GN&R Editorial on the Greensboro Partnership's rigged study?: "Touch all bases"

"...The Greensboro Partnership lists seven key initiatives
in its 2012 strategic plan released last week.

No mention of the fact that GN&R Editorial Board Member and Publisher
Robin Saul
was one of an undisclosed list of participants
surveyed for the secret study, whose purpose may be to sell more debt
to City of Greensboro and Guilford County taxpayers?

Saturday, February 11, 2012

Please answer the following Facebook Poll Question: How many who live in the City of Greensboro were informed by our for-profit press, that the Teen Curfew expired at the end of last year?

George Hartzman's Facebook Page

From "Outlook for Job Growth Muted," and the Greensboro Partnership Study that President and CEO Patrick Danahy refuses to release or comment on

"In Guilford County, nearly 24,500 didn't have jobs"

So instead of concentrating on high paying job growth,
let's borrow to build a theater
so wealth created by many can be transfered to the few
who bought a majority of City Council votes with campaign cash?

"...both Guilford and the state
ended 2011 with more people unemployed
than was the case the previous December."

While Greensboro's City Council taxes property owners
more than $8 million per year to keep the White Street Landfill Closed?

"Since December 2007 ...to December 2011,
the local metro area has lost 28,700 jobs
...a decline of 7.7%."

Donald Patterson
GN&R

"Over the last five years the greatest job losses
have come from the Manufacturing industry sector,
down 7,352 jobs or 19 percent.

Over the last five years the greatest job losses
have come from the Production occupational group,
down 5,326 jobs or 18 percent.

In 2009, the inflation adjusted real GDP for Greensboro-High Point
was $28.6 billion...

...6.5 percent below 2008...

Since 2001 per capita GDP in Greensboro-High Point
has fallen below the nation, declining by 7.5 percent."

From a confidential study done by Garner Economics LLC
to produce the Greensboro Partnership's 2012 Strategic Plan
accidentally and very temporarily put online at the Partnership's website
that J. Patrick Danahy, President and CEO of The Greensboro Partnership
refuses to release or comment on

What will Greensboro's press report,
after not reporting on Greensboro's City Teen Curfew expired,
and attendance at the ACC Hall of Champions
and the News & Record's conflicts with a downtown PAC,
and Robbie's tax break from Guilford County
and Robbie's property across from GTCC
and etc....?

What if GN&R editors choose not to report
on important findings in a confidential study
in which the Publisher and Editorial Board contributor
was on an undisclosed list of participants 
surveyed for the secret study, whose purpose is to sell more debt 
to City of Greensboro and Guilford County taxpayers?

Friday, February 10, 2012

Why didn't the Greensboro News & Record mention the Regressive Tax in the Greensboro Partnership's "To Do List"?

'Regressive Tax'

A tax that takes a larger percentage from low-income people
than from high-income people.

"...a one-cent sales tax would generate approximately $29.7 million,
of which the County’s General Fund would be entitled to $28.8 million..."

John Hammer: Whatever Perkins Wants, Perkins Gets: Ross Harris, Downtown Noise and tents

"...In the past we haven't seen much patronage in Greensboro – where people who work on a winning candidate's campaign are rewarded with jobs – but it certainly appears that is what we have with the Greensboro performing arts center task force that has hired Ross Harris as the project manager.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

Guess who walks with cash and profit from this proposal for the Greensboro Performing Arts Center?

Posted Image
http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/3155-downtown-greensboro-developments/page__st__580__p__1160672#entry1160672
The News & Record buildings are directly above the pedestrian bridge.

Hat Tip: Ed Cone

"...rent-seeking is an attempt to obtain economic rent
by manipulating the social or political environment in which economic activities occur,
rather than by creating new wealth.

...spending money on political lobbying in order to be given a share of wealth
that has already been created.

...People accused of rent seeking typically argue
that they are indeed creating new wealth (or preventing the reduction of old wealth)
by improving quality controls,
guaranteeing that charlatans do not prey on a gullible public,
and preventing bubbles.

Many current studies of rent-seeking focus on efforts
to capture various monopoly privileges stemming from government regulation
of free enterprise competition.

The term itself derives, however,
from the far older practice of appropriating a portion of production
by gaining ownership or control of land.

...the expenditure of resources attempting to enrich oneself
by increasing one's share of a fixed amount of wealth
rather than trying to create wealth.

Since resources are expended but no new wealth is created,
the net effect of rent-seeking is to reduce the sum of social wealth.

Rent-seeking generally implies the extraction of uncompensated value
from others
without making any contribution to productivity.

...a more common example of rent-seeking is political lobbying
to receive a government transfer payment,
or to impose burdensome regulations on one's competitors
in order to increase one's market share.

...such behaviors may result in substantial social losses.

Studies of rent-seeking focus on efforts to capture special monopoly privileges
such as government regulation of free enterprise competition.

The term "monopoly privilege rent-seeking" is an often-used label
for the former type of rent-seeking.

Often-cited examples include a farm lobby that seeks tariff protection
or an entertainment lobby that seeks expansion of the scope of copyright.

It is important to distinguish between profit-seeking and rent-seeking.

Some will try to say that rent-seeking is a creation of wealth.

However, profit-seeking should be understood as the creation of wealth,
while rent-seeking includes the use of the power of the state or government
to distribute wealth between different groups of individuals."

Wiki


Posted Image





























Andrew Brown (Greensboro Coliseum) responded to your following questions:

"...(Greensboro Coliseum) responded to your following questions:
how many come to the museum during the acc tournaments?
can you break it down monthly?
what was the total of the receipts taken in?
how many tickets given away?
Did you ask for operating costs/ticket revenue?

Yes Weekly's Eric Ginsburg on The International Civil Rights Center & Museum

"The International Civil Rights Center & Museum
...Attendance rates fell from approximately 75,000 visitors in 2010 to 65,000 last year...

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

Randall Kaplan on the now expired teen curfew

Zack Matheny on the now expired Teen Curfew

I find it hard to believe that very many businesses downtown
– which it is the businesses that told me to create the curfew in the first place...

Zack Matheny

City of Greensboro Police: "The downtown teen curfew has expired" - Remember this?

Stupidity is better kept a secret than displayed

Heraclitus of Ephesus

"Councilman Zack Matheny announced several plans
...designed to give police effective tools to maintain order downtown

“It’s vital to the residents of Greensboro that we take the necessary and serious steps
to improve the downtown environment
so that everyone can enjoy themselves in a safe atmosphere,” Matheny said.

“These measures promote not only public safety,
but will hold downtown businesses accountable for the actions of their visitors.”

Among the changes...:

Zero tolerance for quality of life infractions that occur in downtown;
that includes cracking down on loitering, panhandling and other disruptive behavior.

Anyone want to frequent a behavior regulated zone
where citizens can be ticketed or arrested
for something someone like Nurse Crotchet may think is uncouth?

What if you look at a police officer the wrong way?

What if someone who hates you rats you out
for something you didn't do?

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Mayor Perkins Can't Sleep At Night In Center Pointe Because Greene Street Club Has Roof Top Parties



UPDATE: Greensboro City Council PUNTS on the issue and needs more time to discuss the issue till the March 2012 meeting of council

34. Ordinance amending Chapter 18 of the Greensboro Code of Ordinances with respect to Offenses and Miscellaneous provisions – prohibit outdoor amplified noise.


The Greensboro City Council on February 7, 2012 is requested to adopt a text amendment which prohibits businesses from conducting private or public entertainment during the hours from 11:00pm to 7:00am daily where amplified music, voice, sounds and noise emanate from the building where the entertaimnent is being held.

Background on this issue is certain businesses conducting entertainment with amplified music or sound have caused citizen complaints of the level of noise coming from the busineses during hours when people normally sleep or rest, and the sound levels from the entertainments are disturbing and interfering with the sleep or rest of these citizens. the present noise ordinance is presently insufficient to permit effective enforcement and prevent the disturbance or interference of this amplified sound with the sleep or rest of these citizens, and therefore additional regulation is necessary for the purposes of their health, safety and welfare.

The Greensboro Code of Ordinances section 18-50 may be amended to add this to the ordinance" Time Restriction. It shall be unlawful for any person or persons to make, permit, continue, cause to be made, or to create any noise set out in 18-50 from 11:00pm - 7:00am.

Who are the citizen complaints coming from?

My guess is that it looks like since the new Mayor of Greensboro Robbie Perkins  moved into his new pad at the downtown Center Pointe,  he's not getting much sleep because of a certain club which has Roof Top Parties and a heated outdoor tent at Greene Street Club.

The Greene Street Club on Fridays opens at 10:00pm and promotes having a heated roof top deck to listen to DJ Deluxe play Hip Hop and top 40.

On Saturday Night Greene Street promotes having Greensboro's largest Roof Top Bar, which opens at 10:00pm.

If they pass this new ordinance,Greene Street will only be allowed to play music for one hour on their Roof Top.

Just this past week the Greensboro News and Record reported on temporary tents not in compliance CLICKHERE
in the report the Greene Street Club manager had this to say

"Greene Street Club manager Grady Green said discovery of the ordinance has cost the club and its staff thousands of dollars. As was the case with Sherwood, the business got city approval to raise a tent for 180 days.

The tent, which for the past five years has stood from late October to April, lets the club operate a rooftop bar and dance area.

Green said that sales last week were $12,000 below the weekly average because the club wasn’t allowed to serve customers under the tent, which remains up.

It also meant his bartending staff lost a total of 20 shifts.

“In a sense, that’s 20 jobs lost, not including security, cleanup, the DJ, and whatnot,” Green said.
Green estimated the business could lose $40,000 to $50,000 a month.

The city loses money too, he said, because it receives less tax income from alcohol purchased by the club.

As of Friday, Green said the club was working with city officials to build a permanent covering over the area."

Now Greene Street has more to worry about than just an outdoor tent, but also not playing any music 1 hour after their rooftop club opens.

The club manager is saying this is costing them jobs and tax money for the city, and now let's see if the neighbors at Center Pointe really want to shut the place down for good with this ordinance.

This agenda item may have Mayor Perkins, who at last check is the real estate broker for Center Pointe, and local developer Roy Carroll who owns the taxpayer subsidised Center Pointe and occupies the top two floors, written all over it.

SamH: "G’boro downtown noise ordinance", Roy Carroll, Robbie Perkins, PAC and Grasshoppers Baseball

"The N&R reports the proposed downtown noise ordinance
on tonight’s Greensboro City Council agenda
“was prompted by downtown residents bothered by night club noise.”

Said nightclub is Greene Street and its rooftop tent parties,
and sources tell me said ‘downtown resident’
is high powered developer Roy Carroll,
who lives two blocks away in his Center Pointe high-rise condo.

Triadwatch says Mayor Robbie Perkins
–who reportedly also lives in Center Pointe —- is losing sleep, too.

...this is another unintended consequence
of cites promoting high-density urban development...

like any good central planning scheme,
cascading unintended consequences abound.

W. E. Heasley

"...the idea of placing...a state-of-the-art performing arts center
"downtown" is to drive more human traffic,
which ostensibly would generate more (amplified) noise.

You also have to wonder how the ordinance
would affect an extra-inning game at new Bridge Bank Park,
which Center Pointe overlooks.

I wonder if anyone’s thought about all this?"

SamH

Sunday, February 5, 2012

OHIO- NEWSPAPERS LOSE MULTI-WEEK LEGAL NOTICES. A BLUEPRINT FOR OTHER STATES LIKE NORTH CAROLINA

HAT TIP : Legal Notice Online

*OHIO- Newspapers Lose Multi-week Legal Notices. State saves Money.*

*A Blueprint for other states?*



/*Change in Legal Notice Publishing Requirements is buried in the Budget
Bill*/



As we reported last July
http://legal-notice.org/blog/ohio-state-budget-2012-13-elbows-newspapers-out-public-notice-space,
the State of Ohio, in their Reforms Book of the Ohio State Budget
http://obm.ohio.gov/sectionpages/Budget/FY1213/ExecutiveBudget.aspx for
2012-13 mentioned that they were going to build a state-wide legal notice web
site. In this year's budget bill
http://www.lsc.state.oh.us/analyses129/11-hb153-129.pdf, Ohio stood up and
backed up their predictions.

As reported in the Hamilton County Law Library Blog
http://cincinnatilaw.blogspot.com/2012/01/ohio-public-notice-website.html this
week, beginning this month, courts, judges, and clerks in Ohio required to
publish notices multiple times, only have to publish the first notice in full
in a newspaper of general interest. After that, they can post an abbreviated
notice in the newspaper directing them to a state-wide web site where the
notice will reside.

This little noticed bill could be the beginning of a seismic change in the
requirements of publishing public notices. While Ohio has bitten off a very
small piece of the pie, they have shown other states that there is a path
other than through state legislators who, so frightened by the potential of
the newspapers' bully pulpit (see previous posts about public notices
in Florida
http://legal-notice.org/blog/florida-bill-move-foreclosure-notices-out-print-dies-committee-fla-pols-approval-rating-33-coin and New
Jersey
http://legal-notice.org/blog/nj-legislature-will-not-consider-line-public-notices-2-yrs-nj-has-highest-tax-burden-coincidenc )

According to the Hamilton Law Library Blog, the Ohio Supreme Court's staff
has listed only 12 such instances
http://www.supremecourt.ohio.gov/PIO/news/2012/statutoryRefs.pdf. One of the
12 is foreclosures involving liens of state. The next step to save those
homeowners who are being foreclosed on, would be to replicate this for
private foreclosure notices. Unfortunately, the Florida legislature just blew
that chance.

To read how other states are dealing with this issue

 http://legal-notice.org/blog

_______________________________________________________________

IT IS TIME THE NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL ASSEMBLY TAKE UP THIS ISSUE ON ONLINE PUBLIC NOTICES AND SAVE THE TAXPAYERS MONEY IN THIS STATE.


NEWSBUSTED at NEWSBUSTERS.ORG 2-18-2015