Tarboro NC – Tarboro Town Council Meeting Last Night Was Gooood! Town Manager Asked To Resign But Failed. Mayor Quit But Not Soon Enough.

First of all I hate that the videos of the meeting are not completely up on my Youtube page. I loaded it last night before I left the meeting but 33 minutes of the coverage of the drama at the beginning of the 1st part of the meeting is at 42% upload. If the had WI-FI that I could have connected to it may would be completed. This video coverage I did from my phone in HD however the entire coverage will be from my video camera which is not (HD) High Definition. I have it uploaded as well and that may be why it is taking so long for now.

Wow! What a meeting! Garland Shepheard made a motion for the Town Manager to resign and Steve Burnette 2nd the motion. Motion failed 5 – 2. At the end of the meeting Burnette apologized for his ignance. Smart man and I respect that.

Town Manager Rick Page resigned but should have done it way before now. He has been a follower of Shepheard since being on the board. Now the best thing Shepheard could have done would have been to step down along with Page. But as usual the Trump continued to come out of him until the very end of the meeting. Damn embarrassment to the Town of Tarboro.

The presentation about the Radio system for the town of Tarboro was the hot topic and the folk “learned the day” yesterday that all of the mess that Van Holland from The Edgecombe Tribune has been reporting was a bunch of ignance. However he along with Shepheard keep saying they got the facts. Facts for what? Obviously they are ignant to the truth in denial or just don’t give a damn because the facts came out in the presentation. Van told me after the meeting that he had some documents in his hand if I wanted to see them. I told him I didn’t want to see them. For what?

I will post the videos as soon as they are ready because my videos don’t lie.

In Response To Carl Benson And Ward 8 Election Tarboro Town Council

I was sent the following article by Carl Benson posted on his Facebook page from someone since they had seen how he responded to my post that I had commented about Garland on the Rocky Mount Telegram. I visited his page and I found it to be legit. I responded since he responded to my post on Tarboro, 27886 Facebook page.

The Town of Tarboro Police Chief does not deserve the treatment that he receive from Garland and his supporters.

See my response to Carl in ().

Really?

Carl Benson
20 hrs · Edited ·

What has Garland Shepheard done for Ward 8? That question keeps coming up, although we never hear anyone asking what the other incumbent candidates have done for their wards or for the town.

(Really? So what has that got to do with them questioning Garland distractions during the meetings? Justify his mess as it relates to him going after the Tarboro Police Chief who just happens to be black.

Why don’t you ask the question about the other council members or is that too hard for you. But what ain’t hard is you trying to defend Garland. SMH!)

For one thing, when some of his constituents in Forest Acres had a problem with the canal that runs along the railroad tracks they were told by the town that it was railroad property and there was nothing the town could do. Even though the town drains storm water into that canal further upstream, there was nothing they could do. Garland was contacted and he managed to contact someone with the railroad who took care of the problem. The town couldn’t manage to do that but Garland could. Something is just not right there.

Garland has also made it a point to try to get the town to maintain our parks, recreation areas and other facilities. If he hadn’t complained about the front steps of the town hall someone could have been hurt by now tripping on the crumbling steps. And, if not for his questioning of staff and other council members, we’d never read about the few things that do get covered by the local media.

(Really? The meetings are public so why do folk rely on the media, why not go to the meetings? With the bias reporting of some of the media especially in The Edgecombe Tribune, because he support Garland as well, folk ain’t getting it all. One thing about it when I report I video so folk can get my spin and I make it available on video so they can see it for themselves. That is how I roll!)

Garland Shepheard questions the actions and motives of staff and council and some don’t like it.

(Really? I have been to the meetings and he has gone on and on about nothing and the vote has been taken and he be outnumbered but he keep going and on as if the vote is going to change. Not just that night but he continues to bring up mess that is a done deal. Why? Because he is speaking for folk like you and his other supporters that he is faithfully representing.

But anyone in their right mind ought to have a problem with him not questioning Nobles and the previous staff. So what folk are suppose to forget that? Oh heck no! Who have got away with the mess that they did?)

Now some are claiming that he has tried to block an investigation into the retired town manager. Yes, he’s not just a former town manager he’s the retired town manager and the only retired manager in 50 years or more. We’ve had quite a few “former” managers.

(What? Oh but only if the investigation had gone back to some of the other managers and that may would shock some folk as well.)

But let’s get back on point. Garland Shepheard never voted to block anything. He voted not to send an incomplete report by a private investigator, who hadn’t even interviewed the department heads to determine if they ever received any of the items listed as “questionable” expenditures and never talked with the subject of the investigation, to the state auditor. Garland was asking for at least some semblance of a competent investigation before taking that action. Had such evidence been found that may have affected his vote. After two years of dragging Tarboro and a respected manager through the mud, apparently there was no such evidence to be found. At least he didn’t release a confidential report from a closed council session about a personnel matter to the local media!

( Wow! The audit speaks for itself so you can attempt to twist it, roll up, chew it and whatever.)

Now let’s address this horse manure being spewed about our retired manager. Everything in the state auditor’s report has been investigated and reviewed by those competent to prosecute such cases. There was NO evidence of criminal activity found.

(Okay they say it was not criminal and we have to accept that but it does not look good, however it does not change the fact that it was found to be unethical http://icma.org/en/icma/newsroom/highlights/Article/105933/Executive_Board_Issues_Sanctions_for_Ethics_Violations so we are past the point of the criminal activity but the unethical piece will never go away as long as Garland continues to disrupt the meetings with mess. Now if he brings up legitimate stuff and it goes through motion and it moves on, then fine but I have seen him go on and on and on about nothing and like I said he didn’t have the numbers so he lost his fight. Anyone who supports one who does unethical mess obviously feel it is okay to act in such a way in which that is what I am saying along with some others.)

If you’ll bring yourself to review the appropriate NC General Statutes that means there was no malfeasance and no conversion of town funds or property for personnel use.

(I have a copy of the audit report with written documentation and the photos of some of the things in question so until someone can show me that the documentation and the photos are not true, I stand by how I feel about this issue. I don’t support dirty politics and never will.)

All of that is illegal. Now some of us who know what the hell we’re talking about in these matters tried to tell you know-it-alls this to no avail. Council was told by people who are paid to know that there was no actionable conduct prior to the vote to request the state auditor’s involvement. But to some facts just don’t matter. Garland WAS right and now it IS time to move on. I’m sure the same self-claimed experts will just keep right on though.

(Anyone who support anyone who has been sanctioned for unethical violations then they have some serious issues. So folk in Ward 8 if you want to vote for folk who support UNETHICAL ACTIVITY then Garland is the man. I ain’t mad with you, I am just talking about the facts as presented as it relates to the audit report  and the sanctions for ethics violation. This is my opinion based on these 2 factors and not others opinion be they agree or disagree with me.)

If you’ll bring yourself to review the appropriate NC General Statutes that means there was no malfeasance and no conversion of town funds or property for personnel use. All of that is illegal. Now some of us who know what the hell we’re talking about in these matters tried to tell you know-it-alls this to no avail. Council was told by people who are paid to know that there was no actionable conduct prior to the vote to request the state auditor’s involvement. But to some facts just don’t matter. Garland WAS right and now it IS time to move on. I’m sure the same self-claimed experts will just keep right on though.

See related:

Curmilus Butch Dancy II

Yesterday at 8:23am · Pinetops, NC · Edited

“I gain nothing by being a town councilman,” said Shepheard, the sergeant-at-arms for the N.C. House who lives on Hope Lodge Street. “I’m doing this because I care about the town of Tarboro.” The Rocky Mount Telegram

Really? Who else gains anything that are on the council however you support some that I feel have gained much especially the report that I read involving Nobles and the mayor. Obviously you are gaining something because you have stood up for them and see nothing wrong with the report as if that kind of activity involving them should be the norm.

I find it so funny how you continue to question money that is in the budget as it relates to the police chief who just happens to be black but see nothing wrong with the report as it relates to Nobles and the mayor.

No Likes are necessary!

The Rocky Mount Telegram

“I gain nothing by being a town councilman,” said Shepheard, the sergeant-at-arms for the N.C. House who lives on Hope Lodge Street. “I’m doing this because I care about the town of Tarboro.”

rockymounttelegram.com

Tarboro council bickers over police car proposal – Rocky Mount Telegram

The Political Agitator’s response: They are still ignant over there. I haven’t attended and videoed a meeting in quite some time but I see the ignance continue. However there is another member too that is not an official member that works for the Edgecombe Tribune. This person keeps mess going on as well as it relates to the board. The problem is that Jordan don’t know her place that she need to sit down and shut up because the good ole boys haven’t given her permission to say anything. Thank you Jordan for speaking up on the issues. But the main thang you mean to tell me that it ain’t about race. It is obvious that they have a problem with this black police chief because they continue to allow him to be singled out during meeting when it should not be up for discussion. You can find mess on one of The Edgecombe Tribune’s employee’s personal page constantly supporting Shepherd mess.

TARBORO – Ongoing animosity among Tarboro Town Council members arose again during arguments over police vehicles at Monday’s meeting.

Councilman Garland Shepheard picked up his complaints about police vehicle upfitting from last month’s meeting, continuing an apparent policy of questioning any decision by Police Chief Damon Williams.

Town staff submitted two proposals to add sirens and equipment to newly purchased vehicles.

B&G Electronics and Communications in Dover made an offer of $71,971.11 and Southern Warning Systems of Angier made an offer of $62,579.12. (Source: Read more)

Tarboro NC – Garland Shepherd Tarboro City Council Need To Be Replaced, Now Is The Time!

The Political Agitator’s response: I too agree with Candis Owens Shepherd needs to go!

Candis Owens

Tarboro Ward 8 Elections. This will be long just so you know………..

After reading the lead story July 7th in the RM Telegram, “First day filers make election bids official” there was no doubt in my mind that I would respond. I served on the Town Council 4 years, 2 of which I sat beside Garland Shepherd. Again, there is no doubt in my mind that Mr. Shepherd’s primary goal has always been to make the Town Council look as dysfunctional as possible at the expense of every citizen of this town. At many council meetings Mr. Shepherd would ask the same question over and over after his questions had been answered. If he did not hear what he wanted to hear then he continued to hound department heads (nearly) to the point of harassment. In my opinion, Mr. Shepherd feels like he has all of the correct answers and knows the working of the town better than those trained and hired to run the town. Mr. Shepherd has NEVER taken the NC required ethics training. If he has attended any advertised Town Council meetings outside of the regular monthly meetings then I am not aware of them. He did not attend the 2015 weekend Town Council retreat which actually was a good thing. I’m sorry Ward 8 that you were not represented but your Council member chose not to represent you,—again. Actually, it was reported to me that more was accomplished at that meeting than had been accomplished in the last 2 years of Council meetings because Mr. Shepherd chose not to represent you, the only absent Council member.

The newspaper story in last Tuesday’s paper quoted Mr. Shepherd as saying, “I’m interested in looking after the people of Tarboro and ensure they have good government. I’ve felt like some things that have come up needed my attention and I don’t want to walk away from that before some issues are resolved. He was quoted as saying he has been happy to see some of the issues he has raised, especially among city parks, addressed, but he still is concerned with the financial investigations into former Tarboro Town Manager Sam Noble and current Mayor Rick Page”. Let me see now………..The only issue Mr. Shepherd had with Parks and Recreation was over the cleanliness of the bathrooms. He talked about that numerous times at Town Council meetings. Is that an issue that grows our town. I don’t think so…….. He got bathrooms on his mind and it was like slinging a snake…………

Now, let’s think about being concerned with financial investigations into former Tarboro Town Manager Sam Noble and current Mayor Rick Page……Mr. Shepherd and Mayor Rick Page, were the only Council members who voted not to send the initial investigative report to the NC State Auditor, Beth Wood. They were perfectly willing to sweep $366,000 in Sam Noble’s questionable reimbursements under the table. (The $366,000 was only for the last 5 years that Mr. Noble was Town Manager as those were the only records found.) Mayor Rick Page was on the Council at the time the vote was taken thus had a vote. It was purely obvious to the remaining Council members that further investigation was not only necessary but the ONLY right thing to do for the citizens of this town.

In another recent RM Telegram article titled, “Ex-Tarboro manager censured by officials”, it was reported that 2 government management associations recently revoked Sam Nobles status as a credentialed local government manager. Webster”s Dictionary defines censure as, “1. An expression of blame or disapproval. 2. An official rebuke”. To be rebuked by ones professional organization is not a small matter—-but a total slam………

According to the article, Martha Perego, the director of ethics for the international association was quoted as saying that, “Noble benefitted from misusing public funds and failed in his ethical duties to protect public resources, follow town policy and set the example of proper behavior for town employees. In making the purchases, Mr. Noble violated town policy by failing to complete purchase orders; used his personal credit card to make the purchases; had many items shipped to his home instead of town office; and failed to sufficiently document the business purpose of the purchases”.

All of this is to say, WARD 8, please wake up and smell the coffee. Your Council representative continues to do all in his power to convince you that the NC State Auditor and “two government management associations” don’t know all that Mr. Shepherd knows and therefore $366,000 is alright to just forget about and sweep under the table instead of allowing the legal process to play out——–OH, and we have clean bathrooms in the parks……

WARD 8 desperately needs someone to step up to the plate and give your ward a choice of whom to vote for.

Our town stands a GREAT chance to move forward or we stand a GREAT chance to move backward 20 years. IT’S UP TO YOU, WARD 8……….

Tarboro NC – Recently Read Where Emails From Town of Tarboro Can’t Be Retrieved

Councilman Garland Shepheard raised an issue about he was not receiving emails and come to find out the emails were being deleted. I thought that all emails are on the hard drive even if they were deleted from a person’s sent box. Well when the computer technicians tried to retrieve the emails from the Town of Tarboro computers, well they were not there. Okay learned something new.

Now since this has been the practice of the Town of Tarboro deleting emails, I would love to be able to read some of the emails that were sent out dating back to the last 30 years before the current council, the current town manager and mayor.

As I was reading “Council learns Tarboro is violating state law” in the Rocky Mount Telegram I found Garland Shepheard to continue to be quite interesting as he questions the Town of Tarboro actions now. Yes now! What I find strange is that he do not want any questions asked about the State’s Auditor’s report as it relates to the former town manager and the current town mayor.

I love Garland’s quote in the above article, 
“I don’t like seeing irresponsible things done by people in responsible positions. Now, we’re being told we’re breaking the law.”
 So if that is to be true, why do you look at the outstanding issue surrounding the former town manager and the current mayor to be different as it relates to irresponsible things being done by people in responsible positions? I am speaking to the auditor’s report findings.

My mind goes back to a previous article that I wrote several months ago, Tarboro NC – Why Sam Nobles Ain’t In Jail and Why Rick Page Still The Current Tarboro Town Mayor.

Garland Shepheard what is the connection between you the former town manager and the current mayor because it seems you don’t want to talk about the outstanding issues that surrounds them? I have a opinion but I am going to withhold my opinion.

So anyone else curious about what type of emails that may be or should I say ought to be a concern to you?

No ‘easy’ button for council Monday – Daily Southerner

Response: I hate it I can’t attend the Town of Tarboro Council meetings because I attend the Edgecombe County Public Schools Board Meeting on the same evening. However I have got to purchase another video camera and hire someone to help me out by going to meetings like this and or meetings that take place during the day while I am working.

The Town of Tarboro meetings are going to be very interesting because of the Republican Garland Shepheard who once owned the Ford Company in Tarboro before selling out to Doug Henry recently. He ran for a state office unsuccessfully atleast twice. Shepheard’s wife works for US Senator Burr so not only will Shepheard by trying to make a good showing on the local but on the state and national as well. I am still trying to figure out how Shepheard was allowed to run without any Democratic opposition for the Tarboro Town Council. This is where the Democratic Party should have played a role and seen that the Democratic candidate that held the position was not going to run so therefore they should have encouraged someone to step up to the plate.

TARBORO — What looked to be a simple meeting of the Tarboro Town Council turned into anything but on Monday night, as a series of questions from first-term council member Garland Shepheard more than doubled the length of the meeting.

Council members approved all items on the agenda unanimously; with the exception of law enforcement grant budget amendment that passed 7-1. (More)

Read more:

Tarboro NC City Council