Ricardo Dew addresses Council Concerns

In reading the recent article in The Wilson Times about “Council debates travel expenses,” it’s hard to know where to start. The article actually begins to uncover the need for an open and fair government in our city. Let’s start with the numbers that my councilman Mr. Blackman put forth. 


Not being a math professor, the budget for 2010-11 says $31,860 for travel. Simple math says seven councilman and one mayor, and do we include city managers being as that we have four of them not including them, divide eight into $31,860 and you come up with $3,982.50. Where is $5,000 to $6,000 amount coming from? I’m not understanding, please somebody explain. The 2011 and 2012 budget includes $17,500 for travel, divide that by eight, and you have $2,187.50 still not $5,000 somebody. So just that alone should throw a red flag to say what is going on in the council. 

Now the article: It targeted two councilmen, A.P. Coleman and Bill Pitt. So no other council person traveled to improve their understanding, their education and the need of this city?

I thought that’s what travel expenses are put in place for — those who we choose to lead us to be able to go to training sessions, to seminars, meetings and classes to improve the way that they govern this city. Only two people would’ve done that according to this article, Mr. Pitt and Mr. Coleman. And then at that they spent about $2,500 and $1,000. Still not $5,000 between the two of them.

The organizations that these two council members belong to have organizational meetings, classes, seminars, training and just general meetings to enhance the ability of people to do what they were elected to do. I can’t see anything wrong with using what is set aside for that purpose. If you do please speak out about it now. The time has come to stop playing games with the people of this city.

We are not asleep. We have concerns. We have issues that need to be addressed. This childish act of addressing money that has been allocated for that purpose is not what we elected you for. And we definitely did not elect you to single out those who put forth an effort to improve the way this city is governed. If anything you should be talking about those who are not trying to do anything to improve themselves or the way they conduct business on behalf of this city.

Now you can spend $1 million to look at the interests of this city without giving the citizens the opportunity to say yes or no on the spending of our tax dollars, and if you feel that spending that money is the only and best way to protect our interests then why are you questioning the spending of travel money that is already budgeted? The million was not budgeted for the purpose of suing Nash County. That million could have been used for other things in this city.

As council members we trusted you to look after our best interest. You have done a poor job of doing this city justice. The attempt to start backtracking some of the things that you have done because you realize the way it was done was wrong or could have been done another way, it’s too late.

Walk alongside the people in your districts in this city to better understand the concerns and needs of those who have really built this city. Not the rich, not the ones who own land that you are constantly allowing developmental projects to be built on but those of us who get up out of our beds and go to work to pay taxes.

The mayor says he spent only $25 as if to say everything else came out of his pocket. People think about it. That says one or two things. He does not go anywhere to improve himself as a mayor of this city. Nor does he attend seminars or forums set aside for mayors to learn new ways and gain new ideas for operating and improving their city.

As mayor, knowing the unemployment rate, knowing the need of attracting businesses be it industry, retail or otherwise, he should be in the forefront of this need, seeking solutions. Twenty-five dollars will not do it. With that said, tell me what our mayor has done besides keeping us locked in to ElectriCities and spending money on Nash county and expensive attorneys.

How can we look to him for strong, solid leadership when he doesn’t even lead himself out of the city to improve and help the city? They budget money each year for the purpose of travel expenses and have it in place and he’s not using it.

Mr. Mayor, was it not you not long ago who said that you are not getting any money from ElectriCities? They pay for your expenses to travel back and forth to their meetings.

ElectriCities’ services are the likes of a brokerage firm. They offer the same services that the city already has in place. That money being spent for dues is a waste.

This city like the rest of the nation is in a crisis. It does not seem to have a money issue as much as an issue with leadership. We can ill afford another four years of the same old thing.

This is not about travel expenses, so keep your eyes and ears open folks and you will see the real reason for this article. Here’s a good starting point about the things we need to know. For starters, upper management, which includes the city attorney, city manager and three assistant city managers, the public affairs manager, all make considerable salaries.

We need to know what their salaries are and just how much money each of them makes. When was the last time that either of these people received an increase in their salaries? Be very careful how you answer this question, since money issues of late have been brought to the forefront to the people of the city and county. Citizens need to know what the salaries of the mayor and city council are as well. We know that these are part-time positions, but what is the salary?

Mayor and council receive a salary plus traveling expenses.

Grow up council members. We have more important things in this city that need to be addressed that you are avoiding and have been avoiding time and time again. You were elected to run the city as the people need the city to be run. Efficient and effective. How this economic crisis is addressed is the question. Not who spent money using travel expenses that are included in their salaries compensations.