Monday, September 30, 2013

Liberty's Kids 22, Lafayette Arrives, Battle of the Hook Pre Show

Anti Federalist Paper No.18-20, WHAT DOES HISTORY TEACH? (PART 1)

“AN OLD WHIG,” taken from The Massachusetts Gazette, November 27, 1787, as reprinted from the [Philadelphia] Independent Gazetteer.


. . . By the proposed constitution, every law, before it passes, is to undergo repeated revisions; and the constitution of every state in the union provide for the revision of the most trifling laws, either by their passing through different houses of assembly and senate, or by requiring them to be published for the consideration of the people. Why then is a constitution which affects all the inhabitants of the United States-which is to be the foundation of all laws and the source of misery or happiness to one- quarter of the globe-why is this to be so hastily adopted or rejected, that it cannot admit of a revision? If a law to regulate highways requires to be leisurely considered and undergo the examination of different bodies of men, one after another, before it be passed, why is it that the framing of a constitution for the government of a great people-a work which has been justly considered as the greatest effort of human genius, and which from the beginning of the world has so often baffled the skill of the wisest men in every age-shall be considered as a thing to be thrown out, in the first shape which it may happen to assume? Where is the impracticability of a revision? Cannot the same power which called the late convention call another? Are not the people still their own masters? If, when the several state conventions come to consider this constitution, they should not approve of it, in its present form, they may easily apply to congress and state their objections. Congress may as easily direct the calling another convention, as they did the calling the last. The plan may then be reconsidered, deliberately received and corrected, so as to meet the approbation of every friend to his country. A few months only will be necessary for this purpose; and if we consider the magnitude of the object, we shall deem it well worth a little time and attention. It is Much better to pause and reflect before hand, than to repent when it is too late; when no peaceable remedy will be left us, and unanimity will be forever banished.

The struggles of the people against a bad government, when it is once fixed, afford but a gloomy picture in the annals of mankind, They are often unfortunate; they are always destructive of private and public happiness; but the peaceable consent of a people to establish a free and effective government is one of the most glorious objects that is ever exhibited on the theater of human affairs. Some, I know, have objected that another convention will not be likely to agree upon anything-I am far however from being of that opinion. The public voice calls so loudly for a new constitution that I have no doubt we shall have one of some sort. My only fear is that the impatience of the people will lead them to accept the first that is offered them without examining whether it is right or wrong. And after all, if a new convention cannot agree upon any amendments in the constitution, which is at present proposed, we can still adopt this in its present form; and all further opposition being vain, it is to be hoped we shall be unanimous in endeavouring to make the best of it. The experiment is at least worth trying, and I shall be much astonished, if a new convention called together for the purpose of revising the proposed constitution, do not greatly reform it . . .

Read the rest below;



Enhanced by Zemanta

Gloucester, VA Officials Selling Hand Guns For One Dollar Each

English: Jehrico 941F 9 mm pistol עברית: אקדח ...
English: Jehrico 941F 9 mm pistol עברית: אקדח יריחו (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
PRESENTER: Darrell Warren
               TITLE: Sheriff

Georgette N. Hurley Assistant County Administrator for
Human Services


AGENDA ITEM : Request to Consider Amendment of County Code 22-20 “Purchase of Firearm by Retiring Officers

BACKGROUND / SUMMARY:

County Code 22-20 states that the county may allow for a retiring officer with at least 25 years of service to purchase their issued handgun for $1.00. I am requesting this code be amended to mirror State Code 59.1-148.3 which is much more specific and allows for officers injured in the line of duty and Auxiliary Officers to purchase their handguns at fair market value.

Additionally, attached is a memorandum from recently retired Chief Animal Control Officer Carl Shipley. As a sworn law enforcement officer with twenty-two (22) years of service with Gloucester County, he is also seeking the Board’s consideration to amend County Code 22-20 to reflect State Code 59.1-148.3.  (Why is a county criminal even being mentioned here?)

Oh look.  The county is actually fixing one of it's really bad codes on it's own.  We are all very shocked.  They were selling guns for one dollar, but now are switching over to fair market value.  About time.  We had not found that one yet.  So tax payers have been financing guns to public citizens at tax payer expenses?  So how long has this gone on and how much has it cost the taxpayers of the county to date?  How many can local citizens buy for that $1.00 each before the amendment?

Read more below;

Dear Mrs. Garton,


I am writing to request an amendment to County Code 22-20 “Purchase of handgun by retired officers” which states that the Sheriff, with approval of the local governing body, may allow a retiring officer with at least twenty five years of service to purchase their department issued handgun for $1.00.

I was completely unaware of the county ordinance until I made a written request to you to sell a firearm to a retiring Auxiliary Deputy who has served Gloucester County in this capacity for over 15 years and that request was denied based on our county ordinance. VA State Code 59.1-148.3 G states that any sheriff or local police department, in accordance with written authorization or approval from the local governing body, may allow any auxiliary law-enforcement officer with more than 10 years of service to purchase the service handgun issued to him by the agency at a price that is equivalent to or less than the weapon's fair market value on the date of purchase by the officer.

I am surprised that Gloucester County established a County Ordinance to cover this topic when the State Code covers it with much greater detail. I would ask the Board of Supervisors to consider amending the County Code to mirror the State Code for these circumstances.

Thank you for your consideration!

Sincerely,

Darrell W. Warren Jr.
Sheriff

Our notes:

Darrell Warren was surprised by this why?  Oh wait, that was a slam on Twitching Ted  Willymot now wasn't it?   You can fool some of the people some of the time, you can not fool all of the people all of the time.  This does nothing to stop our next upcoming ordinance violation report to everyone.  The county is loaded with them.

But we really have to be fair and seriously congratulate them on fixing one on their own without us having to point it out to them.  Job well done.  Keep going, only with a lot more and a lot faster.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Rights of Victims of Crime

Open Letter to the Citizens of Gloucester County Virginia


Since County officials are incapable of following the law as shown repeatedly on this blog site; is this why the Board of Supervisors write nanny state laws because they think everyone else is like them?

The Virginia Constitution was written for us to limit the government intrusion into our lives.  Have you ever read the Constitution of the United States?  How about the Constitution of Virginia?

Article 1 Section 9.  Rights of victims of crime.  ” That in criminal prosecutions, the victim shall be accorded fairness, dignity and respect by the officers, employees and agents of the Commonwealth and its political subdivisions and officers of the courts and, as the General Assembly may define and provide by law, may be accorded rights to reasonable and appropriate notice, information, restitution, protection, and access to a meaningful role in the criminal justice process. These rights may include, but not be limited to,….

….This section does not confer upon any person a right to appeal or modify any decision in a criminal proceeding, does not abridge any other right guaranteed by the Constitution of the United States or this Constitution, and does not create any cause of action for compensation or damages against the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, any officer, employee or agent of the Commonwealth or any of its political subdivisions, or any officer of the court.”

The county chooses to ignore their violations of the law putting them in violation of this Article of the Constitution of Virginia by not having criminal proceedings.  Is the Commonwealth Attorney incapable of understanding evidence presented in the blog about the violations being committed in the county?  Not capable of collecting evidence? Collection is easy, go to any business that sells food that is ready to eat.  I was behind a public utility truck traveling up Rt. 17 Tuesday morning about 7:30 until it turned into 7-11.  Does this explain why Virginia will not spend part of the Federal Highway windfall on improving roads in the county?  Why our representative and senator will not support Gloucester in Richmond?  No additional money for the criminals?

County employees spend more time on personal errands than working so it appears by the continued abuse shown on this blog site.  At this point I have to put all of the county employees in the same pot; no one has come forward to point out the criminals so you are all guilty by deed or by allowing it to continue.  Is this the way you were raised?  I have heard many people talking about criminals in DC; why should they be any different if we allow it in our local government?  Until we get our house in order we cannot expect any different behavior at any other level of government.  We are in the Bible Belt it is time we start acting like it and not that we live in Sodom and Gomorrah!

I am not a lawyer and cannot give legal advice.  Our founding fathers used common sense and Christian scripture when establishing our founding documents. 

“For the Common Good. “

Sincerely,

Alexander James Jay

P.S.  "Nothing so strongly impels a man to regard the interest of his constituents, as the certainty of returning to the general mass of the people, from whence he was taken, where he must participate in their burdens."–George Mason, speech in the Virginia Ratifying Convention, 1788
Enhanced by Zemanta

Monday Gloucester Government Employee Corruption Report

























7:45 AM Monday morning, September, 30th, 2013, Van number 226, Gloucester County Government vehicle, pulls into 7-Eleven in the courthouse area along route 17.  One man gets out and goes into the store.  Then what?

























He goes across the way and over to McDonald's.  Here you see him driving around the building checking out his surroundings to make sure he isn't being watched.

























Here is the guy driving that van.  He just finished placing his order at the drive up window at McDonald's.  Sorry the picture is fuzzy but anyone recognizer this guy?  It does not matter, all anyone has to do is look up who had van number 226 today.

























License plate 117-607L.  So this guy starts his little adventure at 7-Eleven and then goes to McDonald's, all on your money.  If anyone doubt's the location, we have plenty more pictures of this vehicle at these two locations.  We only seethe need to post so many though.

NEXT!

























Vehicle number 23, Public Utilities.  Came out of WaWa at 9:05 AM.  We caught them as they were coming out.  This shot is after the fact going down 17 south.  They were not buying gas.  The county has it's own gas pumps for government vehicles.  More government employees playing around on your tax money using officials vehicles for personal use.

As we continue to say and continue to show.  Gloucester, Virginia officials are incapable of following any rules and think that rules only apply to others and not them.  How many months have we been showing this and the county does nothing about it?  Oath of office means nothing.  Laws mean nothing.  Rules mean nothing, except when it works in their favor.  These people have to be so proud of themselves these days.
Enhanced by Zemanta

Gloucester, VA Page Middle School Corruption?

Received From A Local Very Concerned Resident:  This Needs Your Attention Everyone:

I am a resident of Gloucester CountyVirginia, retired from the U.S. Army and former construction site work and utility superintendent.  Since becoming physically disabled and unable to work I have become more involved in what is occurring in my local government and public school system.  Upon submission of a letter to the editor of a local newspaper, I was advised by that editor that the newspaper would be unable to print my letter for legal reasons and suggested I contact the Virginia Attorney General’s Office with my information and contentions.
 
Sometime in May or June 2011 the Gloucester School Board, the Board of Supervisors and the Public Schools Superintendent began publicly disregarding input from Gloucester’s residents and the Gloucester Board of Supervisors on matters pertaining to the rebuilding of Page Middle School which was damaged by a tornado on April 16, 2011.  School Board and Board of Supervisor meeting videos and minutes pertaining to Page Middle School reconstruction clearly document the level of disregard.  It appears that what began as a community disaster quickly turned into the means for the School Board, the Board of Supervisors and the Schools Superintendent and possibly others to assist certain land developers in having Gloucester tax payers and possibly VDOT pay for several million dollars worth of infrastructure that will enable certain developers to make significant financial gains.  Many Gloucester residents believe numerous improprieties and violations of law have occurred throughout the Page Middle School rebuilding process.
 
The acreage of this school site is in excess of the Virginia Department of Education guidelines of ten acres for a middle school complex and contained actively used sports fields with fences, lighting, seating, concession stand and parking.  The lighting, seating and concession stand were removed from the property, but the fields are still actively being used through utilizing a portable concession stand and portable lighting systems.  The School Board ultimately voted to rebuild Page Middle School on Gloucester County owned property that is located across Route 17 from the Page site and about three tenths of a mile down T.C. Walker Road.
 
During the months after the tornado, the School’s Superintendent and the School Board held multiple public comment meetings at which almost all residents requested that Page be reconstructed on the existing site.  Essentially, Gloucester’s residents asked for a quality built, community storm shelter capable, environmentally friendly, shooter safe, technology equipped, low maintenance and fully functional school to be constructed by the most efficient and economical means possible.  The School Board, the Board of Supervisors and the School’s Superintendent also received numerous emails requesting the same even though during a significant amount of the Page reconstruction planning process the School Board’s email account was restricted from accepting emails from accounts outside of the school system.  The Schools Superintendent seemed to be guiding the School Board through the process, acting more like a salesperson than superintendent. During a joint meeting between the School Board and the Board of Supervisors, Supervisors Robert Orth and Andy James expressed their displeasure about how he and other members of the community were left out of the planning process on what to do to reconstruct Page.  The initial site work has now been completed at the new Page Middle School location and the contract to build the school building has been awarded.

  The New Page Middle School will not be usable as a community storm shelter nor will the new undersized gym be usable for competitive sporting events like the gym that was demolished could.  The School Board selected developing new building plans, developing a new site, mitigating wetlands, extending utilities, building turn lanes, placing traffic control lights and making other improvements at the Route 17, T.C. Walker Road intersection over building a full sized, fully functional community wanted and community usable public school building.    
 
Property records reflect that one day prior to the Gloucester School Board publicly voting to rebuild Page Middle School on property it received from the Pella P. Hundley Trust in 2004, local business man and developer Harry Corr purchased all 26.79 acres of Route 17 road frontage property that is connected to the Gloucester County property where the new school is being built.  The Gloucester County property and Mr. Corr’s adjoining property also extend along T.C. Walker Road.  Property records indicate Mr. Corr purchased the Route 17 frontage property from the Hundley Trust for $420,000.00.  This was and is more than four times the assessed value.  When the Hundley property was received by Gloucester County in 2004 it appears the almost 27 acres of land that Mr. Corr purchased was divided from the property intended for Gloucester County and placed back into the Hundley Trust. The reason for this division is unknown.  Mr. Corr owns and controls close to 400 acres of land that connects to the old Page Middle School land and connecting Gloucester public school transportation complex.  The extension of the waterline and other utilities to supply the new school, placement of traffic control lights and other improvements to the Route 17, T.C. Walker intersection will financially benefit Mr. Corr who seemed to know prior to the School Board’s vote that Page would be re-built on the property received from the Hundley Trust. 
 
Property records reflect that along and across T.C. Walker Road from the new Page Middle School there are 1,896.53 acres of land that is owned or controlled by Ingles Investments, LLC and Breckenridge Ingles.  This is about 97% of the land contained within the circle formed by Routes 17, 628, 629 and 614.  Mr. Ingles is a partner in local law firm Martin, Ingles and Hensley, Ltd. Gloucester School Board member Kimberly Hensley’s husband Devin Hensley is also a partner in the same law firm as Mr. Ingles. A significant amount of the Ingles’ land that was once wooded has now been cleared.  Full development of the land will require the improvements and traffic control light placement at the T.C. Walker Road, Route 17 intersection.  It will also require the completion of the waterline loop and extension of other utilities.  Extension of these infrastructure items are normally paid for by for profit developers, but now will be paid for by Gloucester County tax payers and possibly VDOT because the decision was made to vacate an already developed site in order to build on the T.C. Walker Road property.  
 
There is an existing waterline that currently forms an incomplete loop from the Route 17, Shortlane Road intersection down Shortlane Road and partially along T.C. Walker Road. (See attached map)  To complete this waterline infrastructure loop and maximize its supply capability the waterline would need to be extended the rest of the length of T.C. Walker Road and be connected to the main waterline located across Route 17 at the Route 17, T.C. Walker Road intersection.  Upon the School Board’s submission of the Page Middle School site work plans to the Gloucester Building Inspections Office, a requirement from that office to complete the waterline loop was initially made and eventually rescinded due to resistance from the Board of Supervisors and the community.  It was determined that a waterline extended from the opposite side of Route 17 and down T.C. Walker Road to the new school entrance would suffice in supplying the school’s needs and could be connected to at a later date to complete the loop.  This, at the very least eliminates the cost of crossing the four lanes and median strip of Route 17 from the developers budget.  Completion of the waterline loop, other utility extensions, traffic control light placement and other improvements of the Route 17, T.C. Walker Road intersection will financially benefit Mr. Ingles and Ingles Investments, LLC.  During a recent joint meeting between the Board of Supervisors and the School Board, non-elected School Board member Kimberly Hensley suggested the Gloucester Public School’s transportation complex, which connects to the old Page Middle School property, be moved to a new Gloucester County Transportation Division/Public School Transportation Division complex that could be built on 22 acres of Gloucester County owned land located near the T.C. Walker Building off of T.C. Walker Road.  Building the complex proposed by Mrs. Hensley would likely require completion of the waterline loop.  Which would also provide financial gains for the developer.   
 
The continual decrease in Gloucester Public Schools student enrollment associated with the nations economic down turn brought about the possibility of having to close a Gloucester school. RRMM Architects was awarded a contract on April 21, 2010 for the purpose of providing possible solutions for the “Repurposing of Page Middle School into a School Administration and Operations Center. On March 25, 2011 that contract was extended to June 30, 2012.  On April 16, 2011 Page Middle School was damaged by a tornado.  On June 6, 2011 a Purchase Order submitted by RRMM was approved by Gloucester County in the amount of $10,000.00 for “emergency work done to support investigative needs of schools to assess damage”.  On June 6, 2011 another Purchase Order submitted by RRMM was approved by Gloucester County in the amount of $17,000.00 for “emergency work done to support investigative needs of schools to assess damage”.  On June 15, 2011 a Request for Professional Services to “review the potential for reconstructing Page Middle School was advertised.  On July 7, 2011 another Purchase Order submitted by RRMM was approved by Gloucester County in the amount of $13,545.00 for “schematic design/feasibility study-committee facilitation for Page Middle School options study”. 

 This work included creating schematic design options of proposed facilities and locations, facilitating a Schools Superintendent appointed study-committee for Page reconstruction options and presenting those options to the School Board.  At a School Board meeting on July 12, 2011 the Gloucester Schools Superintendent, announced the receipt of eleven proposals in response to the June 15, 2011 Request for Professional Services.  On August 9, 2011 Duane Harver, Principle for RRMM, publicly presented information to the Gloucester School Board pertaining the July 7, 2011 study committee facilitation purchase order.  RRMM was awarded the Professional Services contract on January 10, 2012.  By this time RRMM’s involvement in the reconstruction professional services process was extensive.  RRMM was clearly given an advantage over the other eleven architectural firms who submitted bids in that they were already performing work described in the June 15th Request for Professional Services before it was advertised and the contract awarded.  Having worked closely with project estimators in the past I contacted several of the bidder’s representatives who expressed the same opinion.  One bidder’s representative suggested their company had considered contesting the contract award, but decided against it.
 
The School Board, the Board of Supervisors and the Schools Superintendent have caused the waste of a substantial amount of Gloucester County education money in their quest to vacate adequate and suitable school land containing existing athletic fields, infrastructure and an approved VDOT School Zone during a time of economic downturn and limited financial resources.  More importantly, they did so against the will of their constituents and fellow Gloucester County managers.  In doing so they manipulated the Professional Services procurement and bidding process and took many other actions which raise many questions that Gloucester residents deserve, but cannot obtain answers to.  What caused the School Board and Schools Superintendent to become so rebellious against the Gloucester community during the aftermath of the tornado?  Why have so many of Gloucester’s residents become reluctant to serve on the School Board?   Why did the School Board and the Schools Superintendent manipulate the procurement of professional services process?  Why, after hiring RRMM Architects for the purpose of providing possible solutions for the repurposing of Page Middle School into a School Administration and Operations Center, did they destroy the Page Middle School gym and auditorium and begin discussing the possible sale of the land?  Why do they want to relocate the school transportation complex all of a sudden?  Why did they choose to sacrifice building a complete, fully functional and community wanted school to develop a new school site?  What caused Mr. Corr to purchase the Route 17 frontage property one day before the School Board voted to change the site location?  Why was School Board member Kimberly Hensley allowed to render input and vote on matters pertaining to the T.C. Walker Road land without disclosing a possible conflict of interest?  Not being able to obtain credible answers to these questions, the actions of the School Board and Schools Superintendent since shortly after the tornado, and the underlying land and utility issues have caused many within the Gloucester community to suspect corruption exists within their local government.

Written By:

Kenneth E. Hogge, Sr.    
Enhanced by Zemanta