Grass Roots Might Need To Look at Own Web Site

Grass Roots Productions has been in the news for the past few days with the first article from Amanda Lehmert at the Greensboro News and Record titled "Group Loses Non Profit Status" then we have the next article titled "City Says Grassroots Slipped Past Safeguards" .

In the first article
"Betty Cone, the organization’s co-founder, said she was swamped in 2008 and has not filed the tax reports since then."

then later in article this was said

"Cone said she didn’t think the IRS issue would have any effect on Grassroots’ sponsors. But she did not inform them in the last year that the group was no longer a nonprofit.
“I didn’t make any big announcement. I just took the (nonprofit status) information off of our forms and moved ahead,” she said."

Not so fast there Betty Cone because let's go to your web site for Grass Roots Productions and click on the tab that says Fun Fourth Festival and here is what is on the page.

The Fun Fourth Festival has been presented annually since 1975 as a
community celebration of Independence Day for Guilford County and the Piedmont Triad.
The festival is held in the Cultural District of Downtown Greensboro
and at the Greensboro Coliseum Complex.

Over 90,000 people will attend Fun Fourth events this year, including the Freedom Run, the Kickoff Block Party, the Parade and Street Festival, as well as the Pops Concert and Fun Fourth Fireworks Finale. More than 100 businesses help sponsor the events and over 12,000 volunteer hours of assistance are donated.

Fun Fourth maintains all the favorite American Independence Day traditions and offers great entertainment and exhibits free. Put on your red, white and blue and come downtown to celebrate!

The Fun Fourth Festival is produced by Grassroots Productions Limited. This local non-profit corporation focuses on charitable and educational activities which foster interest in local history and events in Guilford County. An advisory board of local business and civic leaders oversees the planning of each event for this 501(c)3 organization.

The Annual Fun Fourth Festival has been recognized as a Top 20 Event by the Southeast Tourism society and as an Outstanding Event by Celebration NC Foundation.

________________________________________________________________________________

Betty Cone can say she took the non profit status off of her forms but is sure looks like she kept this section available for all to see on her web site as still being a non profit status at the fun fourth festival section of her company web site. Let's see how long it will take them to take this oss of their web site.

Third Time's Not The Charm on Guilford County Voters on The 1/4 Cent Tax

regional brief from john locke foundation on guilford county 1/4 cent tax referendum


With permission from the John Locke Foundation CLICKHERE and John Hood this report above is a must read for all Guilford County voters because everyone will be asked to increase their taxes this November and as we have seen in past that it has been rejected 2 times before and with the title hopefully it will not happen and third time's not the charm. Please read the scribd version embedded above in this post.

Here is a quote from the report that sums it all up
"Running up excessive debt during good times and taxing in bad times is not a fiscally responsible way to operate a county. Voters are angry at government at all levels — federal, state, and local — because elected offcials promise to be good stewards of hard-earned taxpayer money and then break their promises with excessive spending. Voters in Guilford County have a chance to send the county commissioners a message on November 2. "

That message is to vote NO for a tax increase on November 2, 2010. Please feel free to forward this post to all voters in Guilford County and share with them our frustration at plenty of our Guilford County Commissioners who decided to do this at the last minute and put this on the ballot.

If you would like a little more enlightenment on the past history please enjoy a post over at guarino's blog CLICKHERE with a title "The Guilford County Sales Tax Increase Proposal".

Then in the past few weeks we learn that the usual suspects over at our special interest lobbyist group from the development industry TREBIC is now involved with making this tax increase happen by forming a referendum committee called Quarter Cent Makes Sense with the first donation of $500 coming from the Greensboro Partnership, how nice.Here is some discussion over at guarino's blog on this angle of the committee CLICKHERE

It is time to send a message to our local politicians that enough is enough and on November 2, 2010 VOTE NO to the 1/4 cent tax increase.

Bribes or Kickbacks Greensboro City Council Member Zack Matheny Talks Trash in Paper

In today's Greensboro News and Record Amanda Lehmert Killian has a below the fold front page article titled"Council may meet with trash companies" CLICKHERE 

In the article we learn something that looks like a time bomb that will probably explode in front of the Greensboro City Council if and when this process for what to do with Greensboro's trash proceeds.

Greensboro City Council member Zack Matheny was quoted in the article and here is what was said.

 Matheny he would like to explore the technology too. But he doesn’t like the fact that some of the companies have offered rewards to the community if they are chosen to run the operation.


“We want companies that are financially stable and offer the best technology, the cleanest. And I don’t want them cutting deals with the neighborhood,” Matheny said.


It looks like the councilman says that there are rewards to the neighborhood but everyone can play with the words but in reality it is a bribe or a kickback either one will do in this instance. The councilman is correct in pointing this out and if any company does sign a contract for a long term deal with the city then there should not be any contract in regards to any neighborhood association or any concerned citizens group who will benefit from this process. Hopefully we won't be seeing some shell non profit company formed to get a reward from this whole process. Good for the councilman to say this in the article and to state the obvious even though he states it as a reward but in reality it is a bribe and in some cases a kickback take your pick.

Let's see if the Concerned Citizens of Northeast Greensboro  will be receiving a reward from one these companies who are trying to win the bid for trash removal in Greensboro because as we know CLICKHERE in first term Greensboro City Council Member Jim Kee is either president or past president of this organization along with Ralph Johnson . This organization is also on the East Market Street Development Coproration(EMSDC) web site and we do know that ex city council member Goldie Wells is a board member of  EMSDC and also is on a board that Jim Kee set up to called the landfill advisory committee CLICKHERE . This landfill committee also has another EMSDC board member on the committee in George Durham. Ralph Johnson is also a part of the landfill committee. Here is a list of all the committee members thanks to amanda lehmert on a comment at inside scoop,

The committee members were Goldie Wells, Kay Brandon, Bob Davis, Melvin DuBose, George Durham, Ralph Johnson, Yvonne Johnson, Gayland Oliver, Roger Pitney and Linda Waddell. I do not know how they paid for the travel, but I will ask. Kee's travel would be covered by his council allotment, but I don't believe that can be used for other people.

We will see what happens for the future of the landfill debate in Greensboro but as we see in the article and the post with plenty of connecting the dots in regards to this issue , it was great to see a councilmember call out the reward to the community but it can be called a bribe or kickback take your pick and all 3 words stink of ethical issues in regards to this landfill process.

Nightmare on Old Battleground Road in Greensboro, Repost from 8-23-2008

This below the red fold post was on Triadwatch 8-23-2008 talking about the Greensboro Landmark Project which was also in today's Greensboro News and Record front page but you can only be a subscriber to the online edition and receive it electronically.

 Also, this project was in the Greensboro Parks & Recreation fall and winter 2008 Leisure magazine which was linked in the post but the newer Leisure magazines doesn't have it in the book and online as well. Just wanted everyone to know the ramifications of this massive project and what is going to happen to Old Battleground road for all those 11,000 riders on this road.

Fox 8 also had a report here is that .

 




__________________________________________________________________________________

The newest addition of the Leisure magazine which is a guide to the Greensboro Parks and Recreation Department for the Fall-Winter 2008 has a interesting article on page 39 but it has been removed from the internet but here is a link to a pdf from the city of greensboro CLICKHERE

The project in question is called "Greensboro Landmark Project" , this is trying to make the Guilford National Military Courthouse, Tannnenbaum Historic Park, and Jaycee Park all inclusive with no drive through traffic.

Upon looking at the map it shows how this project would like to see Old Battleground Road closed to through traffic past British Lake Drive before the entrance to the National Military Park. This road in question gets about 11,000 cars a day that cut through the National Military Park to get to their homes and some like to use the park as a running and biking facility. The nightmare is looking at where all these 11,000 cars would go if this road is closed. This would mean more traffic down regular Battleground Road and if you have ever been down that road towards Horse Pen Creek Road it is over capacity at this time and to add more to the mix would be a NIGHTMARE.

Triadwatch contacted both Adam Fischer from the Greensboro Transportation and also Superintendent Cranfield from the Guilford National Military Courthouse to ask them about this project and to see if they were aware of this closing of Old Battleground Road.

Mr. Cranfield from the Military Courthouse stated that this was a proposed project. It was a long term idea to try to get back the integrity of the battlefield. As you can see from the map in that they want to get grants and funding to make all of this area enclosed and to also have a combined visitor center where it would be more towards Tannenbaum Park along New Garden Road. Some of the ideas that Mr. Cranfield talked about was to try to maybe have a major crossing on Old Battleground where they could have railroad crossings come down at a certain location so that people could cross Old Battleground Road without worrying about safety but in long term future close it all in. There are a lot of puzzle pieces missing to this project and in regards to the urban loop that will be near the Lake Brandt Road intersection with Old Battleground Road.

Mr. Fischer from the Greensboro Department of Transportation was somewhat aware of this but didn't know that it was being published in the Leisure guide of Greensboro for Fall 2008. He wanted to say that there are a lot of things that need to happen before the city can close a certain street and to close a street like this with 11,000 cars a day would mean a lot of public input before this happens and probably a lot of upgrading to the existing roads for this to happen, especially getting the urban loop done also.

It is great to see long term goals for places like the Guilford National Military Courthouse , but when you travel down Old Battleground Road and have lived at Lincoln Green Apartments and know just how many people rely on this road to get to and from places of destination, it is hard to imagine it being closed to through traffic.

It will be interesting to see the future of this project but the needs of the citizens and the integrity of the courthouse need to get together to make a great place to live , work and play.

The video below is the Battle of Guilford Courthouse a Animated Video, if you would like to see a great video , or CLICKHERE check out this 8 minute video.

North Carolina Needs More Ethics Reform and Transparency on Statewide Authorities , Guest Column by Cathy Poole

The State Government Ethics Act does not cover NC General Assembly Chartered Authority members, such as the Global Transpark Authority, yet these officials may have personal development interests, hold positions on multiple decision-making boards, and exercise great authority over private and public development, including the use of eminent domain to seize private property; and have access to state and federal funds without accountability to the taxpayer.


Another example of the need for a code of ethical conduct is the formation of a Regional Transportation Authority in the Triad. In 1997, the NC General Assembly passed Article 27, GS160A authorizing formation of a Regional Transportation Authority. The Piedmont Authority for Regional Transportation (PART) and the Piedmont International Airport Authority (PTIA) that began as an oversight group for the airport, have both evolved into facilitators for land-use and economic development. PTIA is promoting the “Aerotropolis” concept, described as “a powerful engine of economic development” and PART has come under scrutiny for coordinating the “Heart of the Triad” effort as a result of corporate appeal. Significantly, both Authorities have used eminent domain, yet they are not subject to an ethical code.

In another example, Session Law 2008-164 H-2318 authorizes the NC Department of Transportation to enter into private partnership agreements for construction of transportation infrastructure but it does not define an ethical standard for the development and implementation of these agreements.

The undue influence of property developers, corporate interests and a lack of transparency and accountability in land-use and transportation planning is not representative of the population at large and diminishes the public trust and threatens private property rights, agricultural vitality and environmental stability of North Carolina .

Financial systems and democratic government are ultimately based on trust of the administrators, and clearly can and will collapse when administered by avaricious, unethical individuals.

The North Carolina Alliance for Transportation Reform (NCATR) has urged the Executive and Legislative branches of state government to modify the State Government Ethics Act to cover all appointed officials, as well as Authority boards, committees and entities with authority over land-use and transportation planning decisions. Alternatively, we have urged the Executive and Legislative branches to enact a statute to require all such local officials and organizations to create local codes of ethical conduct that address conflict of interest issues and include rigorous enforcement provisions.

This ethical policy should include planners for roads or transportation projects constructed through any public/private partnership arrangement (such as under provisions of H-2318), or through any arrangement where public funds are used.

I have repeatedly requested itemized financial records of funding and expenditures for the "Heart of the Triad" project from Brent McKinney, Executive Director of the Piedmont Authority for Transportation (PART), but he has refused my request. PART was the facilitator of the project. They received an NC DOT grant for an air quality study, but he will not provide the study report or funding amount and they received $50,000 each, from BB&T, Time Warner, and Wachovia which bought seats on the Steering Committee in addition to other private funds. I want to know who the other private donors were and how much they paid to participate. Residents of the 53,000 acre area to be condemned for roads and development were refused a seat on the original steering committee. Three residents stopped their request for $2.25 millon in a Senate Bill, but many questions from numerous taxpayers remain unanswered.

Respectfully,
Cathy M. Poole, Ethics Committee Chair
NC Alliance for Transportation Reform

Disbursements made by City of Greensboro with the Usual Suspects

Looking at the City of Greensboro agenda for 12-15-2009 there are some disbursements that need to be shown and for all the citizens to know what your tax money goes to. Here is a partial list of disbursements made by city treasurer.

- Greensboro News & Record $15,716.62
- Action Greensboro from 10-12/09 $87,500
- Bryan Park Golf payment for the 4th installment, 3rd term per contract $31,250
- Downtown Greensboro Improvement Corp.-2nd quarter contribution for municipal service district services $120,000
- East Market Street Development Corp. 2nd quarter contribution $10,000
- Greensboro Sports Commision 2nd quarter contribution $18,750
- Sit-in Movement - 3rd year commitment funding for International Civil Rights Center and Mueum $250,000

Your tax money at work locally.

Simkins PAC Illegal Contribution from Action Greensboro on Campaign Contribution Form Mid Year

Below is the mid year 2009 disclosure report where Action Greensboro a non profit illegally gave the Simkins Political Action Committee $5,000, but had to send this money to the North Carolina Penalty and Forfeiture Fund.
20090806_77275

Has the Piedmont Triad Become an “Ethics Free Zone”?

Has the Piedmont Triad become an “Ethics Free Zone”?


Corporations and developers who purchase “Stakeholder” seats on land-use/transportation planning committees, allowing no collaboration with anyone outside their inner circles until their “preferred concepts” are in place, have usurped planning in North Carolina to promote financial self-interests. These highly concentrated “Authority and Agency” Boards receive federal, state, and local taxpayer funds and proceed with shameless impunity.

Does the “Global Transpark Authority” membership have financial responsibility to the taxpayers? They don’t have the cash to pay off the $32.1 million they own to NC (Escheats fund) or the $18.1 million they owe to the Federal Aviation Administration according to a 2008 audit.

Last week, Piedmont Triad Partnership President, Don Kirkman who makes $225,102 a year told landowners that the Aerotropolis Leadership Board meetings aren’t open to the public, even though they receive government funding and they are controlling land-use and transportation planning for thousands of acres in the Triad. Aerotropolis is simply the shark who ate Heart of the Triad.

Well, residents are on to a much larger issue. Representatives Pricey Harrison and Larry Brown, agree that PTP is shading transparency and believe that the board is subject to “Open Meetings Law” because it is tied to a group that receives state and local funding. Mike Tadych, Attorney for the NC Press Association agrees. “We believe it is both a public body subject to the Open Meetings Law and a public agency subject to Open Records Law. The fact that it was formed as a not-for-profit corporation is not really relevant to the analysis of whether it is required to comply with these open government statutes.”

It is also my belief that since the Piedmont Triad Partnership is a non-profit 501(c)3 meaning that they are being given tax breaks by the American public, may not be a valid argument for them to attempt to use to justify closed meetings. On the contrary, it may be a further argument that it is improper for them to hold closed meetings.

Shouldn’t all Authorities, chartered by the NC General Assembly and Agencies receiving public funding be subject to NC ethics policies and laws? It’s past time for these public/private partnerships to be held accountable to the taxpayers.

Cathy M. Poole

Coalition of Concerned Citizens of the Triad

Action Greensboro, April Harris, Jim Melvin , Downtown Design Manual and a e-mail from Alex

Triadwatch got a email from a person by the name of Alex, no last name. Alex has a lot to say and here is the e-mail.



"I have some information that I think the public really needs to hear about.


I am sure that you have heard of the Greensboro Design Manual that has been circulating around the city administration office and got continued at the commission hearing. Something that has me really upset is that the city administrators will not put this Manual for a vote. I really liked the effort you made to give the people the vote with your protest petition initiative and think that you could help give us the same right to vote on this ordinance that will change the face of downtown forever. The Manual needs to a vote and let the people decide whether or not we want the city staff to be able to tell us whether or not our house or business is pretty enough to build. We should have that right our self. If the city thinks this is such a great idea, then 51% of the people will vote in favor of it or not. In any case, putting it to a vote, will at least give us a voice.


My real point in emailing you is to show you something I have uncovered but I don't have the right connections or a blog to tell the city the truth. You need to let the public know about this.


My concern is that Action Greensboro has had way too involved with the City with this Design Manual and as a result, their involvement raised quit a stink in my nostrils. Basically, the executive director of Action Greensboro, April Harris, is in real tight with Jim Melvin. Well, Action Greensboro has been real vocal in their efforts to support this Design Manual. I didn't know why until I started to look into the structure of Action Greensboro as a non profit business. I also know that Melvin is still in charge here as we all know it and is in support of the manual and has been in support of taking away our right to decide the buildings we want to build on our land. He wants to replace with the city staff's idea based on these standards that mandate where to get materials from, what the building looks like and so on.


As you probably know, the Greensboro Partnership is the head company that runs three other companies below it - Action Greensboro, the Chamber of Commerce and Greensboro Economic Alliance. These three lower companies must answer to the decision of the Greensboro Partnership Board of Director and are bound legally to follow through with the boards decisions. It's in their governance manual.


Well, just go take a look at the board of directors for the Partnership and you'll see why April from Action Greensboro has been lobbying so hard to get this Manual passed. It's because she is really working for Melvin and a slew of others who have been back dooring the rest of us for too long now. The board members can't take a position on the Manual because they are all have conflicts of interest. This is because, the Greensboro Partnership and the three non profits under it are all funded by the city and our tax dollars while at the same time, all the board members who run these non profits are rich businessmen who all have an interest in the Manual. There are even a couple of people who work for the City of GSO on the partnership--who--April is working for and vocally supporting this legislation. Just call her up. She'll tell you she is supporting it. Of course they want the manual because its puts more restrictions on the type of buildings you can build and only the rich guys will be able to afford to have a hand in downtown. So, you see April is just their pawn, doing all their dirty work. She is doesn't own a business and isn't a developer. But she is under the control of the executive board of directors.


If you do some checking around, you'll find out that the three non profits below the partnership MUST do as the board votes. I heard from someone I know who is on the board of directors that they discussed this and said that the partnership couldn't and shouldn't take a stance on the manual because they all will benefit from it passing. The solution was to get April involved and do whatever is necessary to NOT let the people have a say. I also know that there were a small number of the board members who said that Action GSO should not be behind the design manual and that we should be able to vote on it rather than have the damn board of directors just tell the city what to do with this. As much as I hate to say it, I think the VF corp was against this matter. But even better, even Roy Carroll has spoke out against the manual and even said the people should get to vote! Maybe he's extra cautious these days because of you, or maybe he knows this just stinks. Roy Carroll had been opposing this since day one, despite that he had a guy on the committee, all the other guys on the committee just out voted his guy "Al lenny" or something. His rep said that Roy wants to let the people take it for a vote. Jesus, if Carrol is distancing himself, this must be deep stuff. I'm not sure exactly what's going on but, but this is an awful example of how an enormous amount of power can take away our right to vote on this. This Manual is huge and we need to have more of a voice.


Here is how the structure works:

Board of Directors

___________ Greensboro Partnership_________________

Action GSO Chamber of Commerce GSO Economic Development Alliance


So, you see, the board rules. Well, the guys on the board rule. April is a pawn for Melvin and the scapegoat that gets the board members out of their conflict of interest. Also, DGI is another non profit that is under Action GSO in the mix and have abstained from endorsing this manual as of this time. I spoke with them, and they said that they put it off for now. I think that they are hoping that the city council quickly passes it before elections so the board doesn't have to get reacquainted with the new members. I also know that the reason why they don't want the Manual to go to a vote or have more public meetings is because they will loose.I wish the protest petition would help here, but all the board members own all the land downtown or at least their buddies do. See if you can knock the dust off this thing. "



-Alex