American Express announced this week it will close its Piedmont Centre travel office in North High Point, laying off 103 employees. Many of them were handed pink slips on the spot. Tragic.
This could have been avoided. But now, it appears as though this will become another unwelcome and unwanted issue that has the potential to surface in this fall's municipal elections, along with the lawsuits, the Dept. of Justice investigation, and _____ (name your city hall scandal here).
City Council candidate Joel Landau:Wow...The tragedy of errors that is resulting in several northeast Greensboro residents losing their homes and being relocated at taxpayer expense (“In the Bull’s-eye,” May 3) shows the consequences of our elected officials’ failure to connect the dots and consider all the ramifications of their actions. The City Council in 2000 OK’d what became known as Quail Oaks, a housing development immediately adjacent to the Urban Loop’s future interchange with U.S. 29. Lots continued to be sold there five years later, even after it was known that the highway interchange would need to be rerouted right through the new neighborhood.
As a result, the dreams of many new homeowners have been thwarted, and large sums of taxpayer dollars wasted, while the developers and real-estate company are getting off scot-free.
Elected officials should balance the interests of developers with those of the community as a whole. One reason I am running for council is to make sure that our city better manages its growth.
Ironically, Quail Oaks represents the kind of urban sprawl that is perpetuated by planning centered around building roads like the Urban Loop. Zoning policies should encourage smarter development that takes advantage of existing infrastructure, reduces dependence on cars and enhances the livability of our neighborhoods.
1. W-S mayor Allen Joines being named this week to the state's Economic Development Board (what is that???) by Gov. Bev "no-clue" Perdue.Beware, the Dell and Dash man Joines crooking for good ole Bev now. That should make a good pair and clean the citizens clocks good with lots of losing propositions. "Local economic-development officials said that Joines' chairmanship would benefit the Triad.' just like it did the taxpayers with baseball and Dell investments!!!. What a joke!!Ouch!
Nothing like having "Tin Cup" Alan on your team. Rattling his cup, begging for tax dollars for pet projects. As for "green jobs", his first project should be the grass on the infield of the Dash stadium. Looks like a big dirt pile right now. Maybe he can make that green.
2. So if the honorable Allen Joines will be pitching "economic development," I wonder what he can do to attempt to save the gutted Hanesbrands, one of the so-called crown jewels of Winston-Salem. I swear, if that company lays off any more people, it will be the security guards looking for work.But unlike Dell, which cloaks its layoffs in secrecy, Hanesbrands openly and unashamedly continues to fire Americans in broad daylight, and send their jobs to third-world countries. Last week’s announcement by Hanesbrands added particular insult to injury by not directing the layoffs to come from its foreign plants first, before further decimating the local workforce. And through it all, after two years of this unpatriotic crap, Hanesbrands management seems to be getting a free pass from just about everyone, which is very strange, given the anger most Americans feel toward greedy corporations these days. That Hanesbrands keeps profiting and pillaging in today’s post AIG environment is almost surreal. In fact, this saga has evolved into a full-blown morality play, featuring five distinct groups of actors: A-holes, apologists, apathists, academics and antagonists.Classic.
Among the apologists, Winston-Salem Chamber of Commerce President Gayle Anderson is the most vocal. Anderson’s best apology to date was last week when she told Richard Craver of the Winston-Salem Journal that Hanesbrands continues to support the local economy with “leadership and volunteerism.” Leadership and volunteerism? First of all, corporate greed is not leadership; stripping retirees of their subsidized medical benefits is not leadership. Second, what exactly is the economic value in having thousands of unemployed volunteers living in the community? When it comes to apathy, no one excels better than the electronic media.
TV news departments continue to broadcast whatever lame, diversionary statement is made by Hanesbrands spokespersons without even taking time to challenge those statements. Yes, I realize that corporate-owned news gatherers are short on staff these days, and that a reporter is not supposed to render opinions, but that doesn’t justify not probing the story or the source.
1. Charlotte
Former two-term Greensboro city councilman Nancy Vaughan is about to make another go at it, this time for an at-large position this fall...and she wants you to know why:"I'm displeased at the inaction of our Council and the lack of civility."That should say it all.
On the city's economy and jobs:Vaughan tells GSOMetro her campaign will begin ramping up in the coming weeks, with fundraisers planned soon after. Feeling confident of her chances for victory in a crowded at-large field, Vaughan said she is using this time to begin reaching out to key people and supporters citywide.
"Our quality of life is hurting. Quality of life is a motivator. We need to focus on small business retention. This city has a lot going for us that we need to capitalize on."
On public safety:
"We don't live in 'Dodge City' but if there's a problem, we need to fix it," she said. "We need to gain our reputation back. We've gotten used to Greensboro taking a back seat to Charlotte and Raleigh. Greensboro has some good bones and we need to rebuild."
On all-things-Simkins:
"I'll sit down and meet with them, but I won't sell my soul to them."
On privatisation of the Coliseum:
"I don't see why we can't revisit [the idea]. But unless there's an anchor tenant there, then there's no money coming in. Our coliseum does bring in a good deal of business to local restaurants and hotels."
On the racial polarization of the city:
"Our boards and commissions need to take the lead on this. And our elected representatives need to set a better example. We need to face this head on."
And what about those board and commissions:
"There needs to be more equity. Are there professionals on some boards? Yes. Are our boards completely stacked with them? No. I think we need to have boards and commissions that are more professional in nature, with a set of professional standards."
On accountability:
"The city manager is accountable to us as a city council. Thus, the manager should report back to us. In addition, the city attorney needs to report to council on a regular basis. Important information shouldn't be filtered through the city manager."
On the Time-Warner fiasco:
"I was surprised it took Council so long to issue a response. They should have had Time Warner executives summoned almost immediately to explain what it was they were doing. On this, we need to do long term planning for the future."
“I have a ton of passion around helping District 2 because it’s where I live, and after doing work in the community I know it has opportunity for improvement,” said Shell. “On the other hand, as an At-Large representative I would be able to help unite the city - and do my part in bettering the lives of all our residents, something that I have a huge aspiration to do. At the end of the day I’ll run for the position that allows me to best serve Greensboro.”
Hayes said she’s been approached by “people in the community” to run for city council but said she is happy where she is. She added, however, that community urging got her to run for school board.GSOMetro will be watchin' this one.
And I must admit I was a little saddened to hear Cyndy Hayworth will not be challenging Zack Matheny in D-3. Matheny in recent days has become more of a listener, a crucial trait to being a public official in this county. Time will tell if this will be a benefit to Matheny this fall.
And the "real" mayor of Greensboro, my friend (and real former mayoral candidate) Billy Jones says this about our lack of a creative class:While Greensboro’s "city leaders" continue to see development and new construction as the only way to build a world class city, more grown up cities like San Diego, California are showing the way by providing residents with the ways and means to convert to alternative energy thereby reducing San Diego’s dependence of imported sources of energy and propelling California’s economy over that of North Carolina and the rest of the nation.As Roch Smith says today, new construction and development don't build world class cities.
And Guilford County Commissioner Paul Gibson's comment to the News & Record (in remarks regarding new Guilford County manager Brenda Jones Fox seals the deal:"We aren't going to attract the best and brightest," Gibson said. "People are staying away from Guilford County. We're not going to be able to attract top talent."Bam.
1. Mike Chats with Ryan...City Councilman Mike Barber chatted online recently with Greensboro Politics' Ryan Shell. In this exchange, he's sounding more and more like a mayoral candidate instead of an outgoing city councilman.We must get out of anything that the private sector can do. It will happen over the next 10 years out of necessity; we will be ahead of the curve if we are visionary and proactive.
We should not build or buy another gov’t building that does not generate economic impact or fill a quality of life void.
We should get out of the amateur sports business and let communities and Y’s run our kids leagues.
We should reopen the landfill and plan for a future privatization of trash collection and other services. Staff will mention this tomorrow at our meeting.
We must differentiate all fees and pricing to benefit city taxpayers and charge a greater amount to those that use our services, e.g. coliseum parking, sports leagues (until eliminated), etc.
We must eliminate any program that makes decisions based on gender or skin tone, e.g. MBWE, some of the human relations dept functions etc.
He could very well be a force to be reckoned with. He bears watching.
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2. Nancy seeks old digs...Former City Councilman Nancy Vaughan tells the News & Record she will form a committee to run for Greensboro City Council once again, this time on the at-large ticket. She will join a crowded field.
Her intentions seem to be simple...and attractive:
"I've been displeased with the direction of the city," she said Tuesday. "We've lost our edge. That is very concerning to me."
Vaughan, who is married to North Carolina Sen. Don Vaughan, called for greater transparency and accountability in city government.
She too bears watching...
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But guess which name is now surfacing...school board loudmouth Deena Hayes. See my sister blog, Guilford School Watch, where Hayes has been covered extensively.
Greensboro inked a success by landing the upcoming Skating Championships, announced recently. But the city missed an opportunity by not landing the Bicycling Hall of Fame, which decided to go west to Davis, Calif. Coverage from the N&R.
GC athletics disrupts neighborhood
The following is a Counterpoint.
By Margaret Pinnix
I read the Counterpoint written by Otis Hairston on March 18 in the News & Record. Kimmerly Milner, a Greensboro College alumna (March 28), misrepresented the facts in her rebuttal by stating that Hairston accused President Craven Williams and Greensboro College of racism. He made absolutely no mention of racism.
But since you want to inject racism into the conversation, Ms. Milner, I will say you are absolutely right. We are seeing in our community environmental racism.
The predominantly white Greensboro College has come into my community and destroyed the peaceful environment I have grown accustomed to over the past 40 years.
I listen to the yelling by Greensboro College athletes and whistle- and horn-blowing by the coaches, a majority of whom are white.
There is illegal parking on our streets by white students. There is yelling in our community by the Greensboro recreation department’s soccer program, which is predominantly white.
There are bright lights shining in my windows at night by this predominantly white college. White athletes are coming into our private yards to retrieve balls.All of the above has destroyed the peaceful environment of our community by a private white, predominantly United Methodist college. This is called environmental racism. Every United Methodist should be ashamed of their support of Williams and Greensboro College in their attempt to destroy our community.
Not only does Otis Hairston oppose the project by Greensboro College, but more than 90 percent of this community also opposes this intrusive sports park.
Ms. Milner, look at the plans of your alma mater and ask if you would want this in your front or back yard.
If your answer is yes, please speak to Williams and invite him to begin planning his sports park for your community. Then, this issue will be resolved.
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Again, this shouldn't even justify a response.
A letter-writer in today's N&R promotes green jobs AND gets it write about our local leadership:
The “Triad’s silver linings” of new jobs the editors tout (editorial, April 3) are tinged with tarnish.
While it is true that practically any job is a good job in a deep recession, a disconcerting lack of forward-thinking local leadership is reflected in the fact that none of the industries mentioned as bringing employment to the Triad are in the fields that will drive the reshaping of our economy for the 21st century.
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