You Want This Man On Your Jury

Open letter To Wilmington Mayor and City Council:

Some influential and evidently powerful people can declare a crisis and this is the result.  Some are even on appointed boards and commissions for the City of Wilmington.  These influential and powerful people inside and outside government have amassed much power and want more.  They decided there was a crisis and set about “fixing” it using City Government, including the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission, and affiliated cronies to change the rules of the game.  I have been peeling this onion back for some time now.  And, like any investigation, it leads off into other areas.  Lots of personal relationships and back scratching going on.  Lots of things I did not know or really want to know.  Funny how information starts flowing in when you commit yourself to a task.  A lot of people know a lot of things.

Gateway took a beating at the polls.  A real sound beating.  We tried to tell you, Mr. Mayor and Council, this was wrong and, less two Council Members, you refused to listen.  You made us go to referendum.  Now the public has told you it is wrong – 75% is a real clear message.  I know it broke your underhanded ambitions but your constituents told all of you NO.  We did not provide a “map” because no one gives two hoots if it is 379, 378, 13, or even 2 properties.  Citizens see the power grab embedded in all those words, of the original ordinance, a copy of which was provided to them, in a mailer, by their neighbors.  Fellow citizens asked for help and received it.  They would not want it done to them and they are not going to let you do it to others.

Don’t try to salvage any of this Gateway.  Do not repackage it and try again, now or in the future.  I call on you, Mr. Jaehnig and you, Mr. Mark McKay, to come forward once again.  You showed some backbone.  Both of you tried to put a stop to this sleight of hand tomfoolery.  Do not offer up any compromises – not one.  No deal making, front or backroom.  Have the repeal reading and vote.  The public wants to see who votes it up or down.  We all want to see who, “is their own man,” and who is a puppet.  Show us how our form of government is supposed to work. It is your problem.  Quit trying to control private property with legislation.  Let the free market work.  Handle this just like you handled us those nights you voted to pass the map.  Repeal the Gateway, you know, with confidence, determination, energy, and urgency.  Don’t drag your feet or spend one minute fretting over what details and “key” elements you want or were instructed to preserve.  Who exactly are all of you beholden to?  Council was not concerned with any of our details when we tried to point out some hard truths in the recent past.

Repeal the ordinance.  What is the purpose of continued consternation and debate over this unpopular statute?   It is still on the books and those that conceived it and those married to it will be tempted.  Let it be the headlines and the quicker the better.  Repeal that ordinance.  Take your personal opinion and desires out of the equation.  Repeal it and walk away from all of it.  Be a public servant.  Do exactly what you would have done if the vote had been reversed.  Be consistent.

Or… bring it back again.  Repackage it, new and shiny, or even a little bit of it.  Try stealing, with the pen, property rights again.  We will do our best to bring the fight right back.  It will be exposed.  This may fail but we will not stand by silently while this small town tyranny goes on.  The existing Zoning Ordinances are sufficient.  Leave zoning alone. Enough time and tax dollars have been expended on this. Refocus your energy and resources towards more relevant problems inherent to the City of Wilmington.

Sincerely,

Vince Holmes

To Editor;

A belated response to Vince Holme's November 26^th Open letter to Wilmington Mayor and City Council.

Some of the unnamed people attacked in the letter were unable to respond directly because of ethical concerns.

I am under no such constraints, I'm just an observer of the public arena and when I see unreasonable and unsubstantiated attacks on individuals or institutions my curiosity is piqued. Be advised that I have little knowledge of the small details of the G-1 proposal. My purpose is to expose trial by unsubstantiated rhetoric.

Let's enumerate some of the issues presented in the overheated letter.

a. Influential and evidently powerful people whom have assumed power – Who are these people, do they have names or titles?

b. Using the Clinton County Regional Planning Commission – Any one that knows the former director of the commission, Chris Schock and his successor, Taylor Stuckert, the originators of the proposal, would say that they are the least likely people to be used by anyone.

c. Lots of personal relationships and backscratching going on -What relationships with whom and whose back was being scratched. (meaningless innuendo)

d. Underhanded ambitions – No facts given to support this accusation.

e. Power grab -what power grabbed by whom?

f. Mr. Jaehnig to come forward once again – When the letter was written the voters of the ward affected by the G-1 proposal decided that they needed a new representative.

g. Slight of hand trickery – unsupported and beyond the pale.

h. Let the free market work - the market said that a professional office owner wanted to buy or rent a new location. What if the market worked to place an adult entertainment club in location next to your home.

i. Try stealing with the pen - this over the top accusation is close to slanderous.

j. Small town tyranny – By whom to whom for what end?

k. A sound beating at the polls. - In my opinion, approval of the referendum by less than 30% of the eligible voters is somewhat less than a “sound beating”

Paul Hunter, Wilmington