EDITORIAL

posted November 8, 2006, 12:42 a.m. 

ENTERTAINMENT IN SNEADS FERRY: INTERIM COUNCIL MEETING, Tuesday, November 7, 2006

Editorial

I know no other way to write about my experience tonight other than from an editorial point of view. I thought I was going to an interim council meeting, but very shortly learned I had taken a wrong turn and gone to a circus. Someone had left the gates open and the "residents" were running helter-skelter, everywhere. But before I expand on all of that chaos, I will point out a few facts. A new member of the board was elected by the council members, and that new member is Linn Hinnant. Council member, Carolyn Lankas was absent, due to working at the polls, but sent her vote in to the council.

It was quite apparent that some of the attendees were not pleased with the selection of Hinnant and very quickly expressed that opinion. Melvin Shepard accused Hinnant of dumping chemicals in a ditch and indicated that the state just had not been able to catch him. Shepard also said that Hinnant had tried to get waters closed so he could use them for his personal use. Hinnant denied any wrongdoing and immediately defended himself. He asked Shepard to withdraw his accusation or he would file a law suit. He asked if he had ever harmed anyone in the audience. No one indicated that they had been harmed by Hinnant. He said he had tried to help people in Sneads Ferry and was currently trying to help a man get a home. The chairwoman intervened and said the personal accusations had no place in the discussion and would like to keep the discussion issue based.

At the last public meeting, it was announced that the mayor and mayor pro-tem would be elected tonight, however that did not happen due to the absence of Carolyn Lankas. The chairwoman announced the charter was also not on the agenda tonight, but will be on the agenda for November 21st. She indicated that the meeting on that night will be fairly long because the incorporation package is due in Raleigh by November 25th.

Now, after getting the big things out of the way, let me get back to the beginning of the meeting. Mr. Bob Songer (hope I got that name right), stood up and in a loud and resolute voice said he was speaking on behalf of the people, both for incorporation and no incorporation. He said that the council "told people that taxes would not go out of control and it was disturbing that Mr. Howell was trying to remove the cap on the tax." Said they had promised incorporation would not create huge government. The chairwoman said the charter was not on the agenda tonight, but would be on the agenda the 21st. She said "you have five minutes to complete your statement." Songer complained about secret meetings of the council and said they are unacceptable. He reminded the council that they had agreed that if members had missed three straight meetings in a row, they would be removed and said they need to abide by the rules. Said Don Howell should be off the committee. The chairwoman informed Songer the discussion would resume in the public forum of the meeting. At that point, the council carried on with their old and new business.

Now to the open forum. The circus really becomes more interesting at this point. The issue of missed meetings was addressed and became quite an emotional point of the meeting. Scotty Everett said they agreed at their meeting last night that the issue of missed meetings was resolved. "We cannot nit-pick. We're humans, we're going to make mistakes. Do we wallow in the past or go foward? We have to agree on the mission," she said. She said they could not allow Mr. Don to step down, that it was not fair. She said they had never clarified what meeting meant. She said they interpreted the issue differently. She said "this bunch has been berated in public and amongst other people."

(Editorial comment: When Everett said they had never clarified what meeting meant, I was remembering what Bill Clinton said, "depends on what the meaning of is, is.")

At this point, Nick Dichenko, one of the volunteers, stood up and said he resigned last week for a number of reasons. "A lot of it was because of Don," he said, referring to Don Howell. Said that Howell had created a problem with the budget. Said his recommendation fell on deaf ears. Said they wanted caps in the budget but when certain people speak up, they're not heard. "People did not vote for you" he said, "some of you need to be off the council. You do not represent the people." At this point, the chairwoman reminded him that she and Carolyn Lankas had worked on the budget in his absence because they had to get it to Raleigh by the 25th.

To sum it all up, there was much complaining by a number of people at the meeting about secret meetings by the council, missed meetings, betrayal by the board, resignation of a number of their volunteers,  harm to the incorporation mission, lack of trust in the council members, caps being removed from the budget and then, THANK GOD, THE MEETING ADJOURNED around 8:30 p.m.

In conclusion, this observer believes that the interim council and this meeting tonight have done far more to further the incorporation opposition's cause, than it ever did for itself.
                             

Fran Hollowell              
Webeditor
http://sfnc-hot-topics.mysite.com

EDITORIAL

November 12, 2006 

While the fate of one Sneads Ferry fisherman, Johnny Wayne Midgett, hangs in the balance, the political jockeying around this issue has become a stench in the nostrils of some Sneads Ferry citizens, including myself. As practically everyone knows by this time, Midgett moved his business into Eastwood Subdivision, just off Wheeler Creek Road, in Fulcher's Landing in late 2004. Eastwood has restrictive covenants, prohibiting business usage, put in place by the developers prior to the sale of the property. It also has county zoning which prohibits business usage. The property also belongs to a relative of Midgett's wife, who lives in Wyoming, and doesn't have a dwelling on it. It was a vacant lot until Midgett placed a camper-size refrigeration unit, a porch with shelter and approximately two hundred crab pots on it. Midgett says he did not know about the covenants or the zoning until a complaint was filed by some disgruntled neighbors. A complaint was filed, against Midgett, by some residents in Eastwood for violation of the restrictive convenants and the zoning ordinance. That's when he learned about the restrictions on the property. And since that time, it seems that a number of people have wanted to get their "names out there and ride on the back of this unfortunate fisherman." People who dont't even live anywhere near Eastwood have gotten into the fray. Do some of them really care about Mr. Midgett? I doubt it. Some have even tried to make this issue, involving one man and the complaining residents, about the destruction of fishermen and the fishing industry. I hope common sense prevails in this case. Based on this observer's observations, some people aren't beyond doing anything to promote themselves. There have been so many distortions and lies around this issue that its become nauseating. Admittedly, the fishing industry does have serious problems and if some people invested more time trying to find a solution rather than creating more of a problem, perhaps something could be accomplished.

There are property owners, not only in Eastwood Subdivision, but other areas in Sneads Ferry now concerned about what's going to happen to their property rights, if Midgett prevails in this case. And, there are fishermen concerned about their fate if he doesn't. At a meeting of the Onslow County Planning Board, on November 2, the members voted 6 to 1, not to recommend a text amendment to the zoning ordinance. The amendment had been altered, by the board, from the original version, which had been written by Midgett and some of his supporters including a preacher who was "formerly" a politician.

Now it seems that some of the folks involved in NIP "No Incorporation Please," want to get into the mix. Especially those few who have been running around "sucking-up" to county commissioners, state senator, state representative,  and "name dropping" at every opportunity. And, now they're creating themselves a "Planning Commmittee" to be the "Saviour of Sneads Ferry." They had formerly touted a Planning Board, but learned they could not legally do this, so now they're calling it a Planning Committee. For whom are they planning? I can assure you it won't be for this citizen! I don't think anyone in that group is more qualified to plan for me than I am, myself. If I need someone to represent me, I will ask and make sure they have the credentials to do so. And, at a NIP meeting last Tuesday evening, it was determined that NIP and the Planning Committee would be separate entities and would be kept separate because some people who support NIP do not support a Planning Board. Well, it appears, according to today's Daily News that someone just took it upon herself or themselves to just go ahead and do what they wanted to do anyway. IF THAT'S NOT A POLITICIAN, WHAT IS? You can just count me out of any group, as far as incorporation is concerned, I will just vote my convictions when the referendum comes!

And, I would like to say to all of you politicians, "don't use Johnny Wayne to promote your political aspirations." He has enough problems already. The County Commissioners will decide his fate at their meeting on November 20th.

Fran Hollowell
Webeditor
http://sfnc-hot-topics.mysite.com