Hot from a FOIA request.

I recently had to file a FOIA  (Freedom Of Information) Request to get a copy of the Town of Waverly's Council meeting of July 10, 2012 draft minutes. At first I was denied a copy but when I produced  the Virginia Code section 2.2-3707 Meetings to be public; notice of meetings;recordings; minutes that states "Minutes, including draft minutes and all other records of open meetings, including audio or audio/visual records shall be deemed public records and subject to the provisions of this chapter." I was told that I could get a copy IF I requested them in writing. I was first going to just write a letter requesting them but was told it had to be an OFFICIAL FOIA Request on an OFFICIAL FOIA Form. I played by all their rules (which are not valid but more on that later) and after a few days was given the minutes, pictured below. For which I had to pay a fee to obtain the copy.

In the title you can clearly see that these were considered DRAFT. So why do you think it was necessary to stamp the word DRAFT in bold red capital letters all over the pages in an attempt to make them hard to read. I am glad to see that this Town's Leadership has nothing better to do than play childish games. I wonder if that petty gesture made him/they feel more like a leader. I wouldn't put it past them that they had to go out and spend a few of our taxpayer dollars to purchase the stamp in the first place.


If you are interested in seeing the minutes with out all the kindergarten art-work they follow. I had to capture them in 5 separate images, click on to enlarge or click to save and paste into a document to be printed. I hope you enjoy this copy FREE OF CHARGE and WITHOUT the GAMES.

Thought you would like a bit of a laugh and see something that is posted on the Town of Waverly website and what a little bit of tweaking can change it into.


Original current posting.....
click on image to enlarge

A proposed re-write .........
click on image to enlarge

ALL kidding aside we all must keep vigilant to what is happening in our town, on our streets and behind closed doors.

Treasurer quits after Waverly police shake-up

WTVR.com

Treasurer quits after Waverly police shake-up

Posted on: 6:54 pm, July 12, 2012, by Wayne Covil, updated on: 06:56pm, July 12, 2012

http://wtvr.com/2012/07/12/treasurer-quits-after-waverly-police-shakeup/

WAVERLY, Va. (WTVR) – The treasurer of a small town in Virginia is making a big statement after town leaders opted not to renew the police chief’s contract.

Pam Diehl said she never imagined she would walk off the job after 31 years.

Diehl said she resigned as treasurer Wednesday after the town council decided not to reappoint Waverly Police Chief Kevin Lands.

In fact, Tuesday night was the first meeting for four of the five recently elected town council members.

Their quick decision divided many of the town’s 2300 residents.

In fact, some residents told CBS 6 News’ Wayne Covil Thursday they think the chief and other officers have done a good job cutting down on crime. They worry his departure could mean trouble for the area.

Additionally, Diehl said the meeting had the largest public turnout in more than a decade. But she said the public’s praise fell on deaf ears.

“I felt like I could no longer work with a mayor and town council that had a preset agenda and did not have the Town of Waverly’s best interest at heart,” Diehl told Covil from her front porch Thursday.

Mayor Walter Mason isn’t saying much about Deihl’s resignation. 

“I have no comment on that, that’s town’s business,” said Mason. ”Like what happened with anybody else, that has a vacancy, it’s going to be filled.”

Additionally, Deihl said that there is no one to take her place at this point, since the town’s longtime clerk recently retired.

Stay with CBS 6 News and WTVR.com for updates on this developing story. 

If the link above does not work try watching the TV 6 news story I taped from the TV below .....

http://youtu.be/w7IH6e2TjzU

It takes a great person to standup for what they feel is right and to 

take such a bold move as Pam Diehl has done. There comes a point

 in each of our lives we must do what we feel is right and just. We

 all need to commend folks like Pam and we need to wake up and  

get involved in OUR TOWN. Do not let it get to the point where 

 you say “I should of” or “we could of” or “why did that happen”.

Things only happen when we become complacent or ignorant to 

what is happening around us.

The Fix was in!

The fix was in!

Waverly Town Mayer Mason manipulates the new town council to bid his will and Chief Lands is terminated. After nearly an hour of comments from citizens  85% being in support of the Chief and the entire police department the council goes into closed session. When they emerged from the closed session you just knew the fix was in and decisions were made long before this night. All other employees of the Town were offered extensions of their employment except Chief Lands. You just knew this was how it was going down as Mason was so nervous he mumbled his way through trying to get the council to do his dirty work.

I will be posting many video clips along with pictures and additional notes from the meeting. I will need to review the proceedings because I do believe that the motion to dismiss Chief Lands was not done according to proper procedures and therefore should be nonbinding. Oh they will correct their inexperienced miss conduct at a later time but at least it should be noted that as of tonight their actions appear to not be proper and legal.

A 1-2 Punch is Delivered

Local residents along Coppahaunk Avenue in the Town of Waverly get some support in their fight to clean up the neighborhood and ask folks to “Just Be A Good Neighbor.” The 1-2 punch a right cross from the Sussex Surry Dispatch and blow to the mid section by WTVR TV CH 6. Adrienne Wallace, Editor of the Sussex Surry Dispatch ran an “above the fold-Front Page” story and Wayne Covil, Reporter with WTVR visited town, talked with neighbors and ran a story on the 6 PM news last night. A photo of the SSD front page and a link to the CH 6 story are below.

Link to the story that ran last night on WTVF TV CH 6

http://wtvr.com/2012/05/02/neighbors-fed-up-with-board-members-blighted-home/

Although the Town of Waverly said it sent 6 or 7 letters over the last few years the question still needs to be asked…. WHY DID IT TAKE a newspaper story, a TV News story, several trips to town and county meetings and a petition to get some action. AND the jury is still out on that “action”, in the TV news story reporter Covil said he talked with Rufus Tyler who said he has personally been doing the interior renovation and when that is done he will begin on the outside. Well let’s hope his skills are with interior decorating but from the looks it’s the same ol story of lots of talk and promises and little or no real action.

Lets hope that with the newly elected leadership in the town of Waverly they can set aside personal agendas and get to work making the Town of Waverly "A Nice Place to Live". And one last question ...... Why can't neighbors just do the right thing? Take pride in what ever you do and own!

A GREAT BIG THANKS TO BOTH THE SUSSEX SURRY

 DISPATCH AND WTVR CH 6

PLEASE ....JUST BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR!

The following pictures are of 2 very different properties. One, a home in town that has been allowed to go unmanaged, un-kept and has deteriorated to the point that neighbors are concerned not only for their health and safety but for the decrease in property values and all that brings along with that.

The other is a beautiful home in the country that is constructed with some of the finest materials available, situated on a piece of property that would be the envy of many. The river views, quite country road setting and managed landscaping would make one feel comfortable, safe and pleased to live next door to.

Abandoned and uncared for properties such as the one pictured above invite criminal activity into the neighborhood and limit the pride of the neighborhood feeling that we all would like to have. We work very hard to be able to provide the basic necessities of life, a roof over our head and being safe is two of the top goals in life. It is a shame that when we find a community we want to settle down in, put down roots in and belong to and we have secured the home of our dreams (one of the biggest expenditures we will ever make) that we have to worry about the health and safety of our family and the deteriorating value of our investment.

These two properties look on the surface to not have anything in common, they can’t be anymore different. BUT there is one thing they do have in common …. They are owned by the same individual (CHAIRMAN RUFUS TYLER). One is an investment/rental property and the other is their primary residence. Wonder which one they live in????

It does not matter if we live in the country or in town we all want to have pride in ownership and be and have GOOD NEIGHBORS.

There is a petition making the rounds that is asking just

that, Be a Good Neighbor!

The local governing bodies of the Town of Waverly and the County of Sussex are being asked to step up to the plate and help make property owners do what is right if in fact they are not willing to do it on their own. This is NOT the only property that is in such   condition it is however next door to someone who wants to try and make the neighborhood, the town and the county a better place to live and raise a family by asking property owners to BE A GOOD NEIGHBOR.

PLEASE SUPPORT this effort, it will benefit all of us now and in the future. You might say "It doesn't concern me, I have good neighbors" but what happens on the other side of town, on the other side of the county DOES concern YOU. Do you know who your neighbor will be in 10 years? How will deteriorating property values and increased crime impact your style of life?

Another Day in Paradise Lost

There was actually hope for the citizens of Sussex County Thursday night at the Board of Supervisors meeting but it did not take long for reality to take grasp and our trip into purgatory was once again well on its way.
Towards the end of this post I will give you many links to video clips which will give you a slight insight into the sadness. To get a complete and accurate accounting I incourage you to attend the meetings.
THE NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING IS MONDAY EVENING 7:00 pm, a continuation of Thursday evening after Sheriff Bell REQUIRED the meeting be recessed and if not he would be forced to arrest some if not the entire board for disordely conduct. More on the later.

As I said there was some good so I'll start with that.

County Administrator Thomes E. Harris gave the County Administrator's report which included some incouraging information. A graph was shown that indicated the various Department Heads were doing a good job holding down expenditures as compared t last year. Clearly a indication that at least they were being fiscally responsible with our money. Mr. Harris went on to give a report about the animal shelter and it seems that after several years of mis management and mis treatment of the animals the current staff is doing a good job. The adoption rates are up, animals are being placed in rescue organizations or reuinited with their owners. VERY very few animals are having to be put down. As a previous member of the Sussex County Animal Advocates it was good news and showed that a small group of concerned citizens working togther can demand change, hold the authorities accountable and make a difference.

 Valery Ricks and I made a presentation  on the great work being done in the Town of Waverly that will hopefully some day benefit not only the town but all of Sussex County. Again another example of what good can be accomplished when even a small group of folks work TOGTHER for the benefit of ALL.

WELL THAT WAS THE GOOD now with THE BAD

 Surprise surprise a 3 -3 vote to elect a vice chair. Can it be really that hard to select who would be BEST to fulfill the role of Chair should something happen to My Tyler and he was unable to attend meetings or conduct the business of this county. Lets set aside ALL other factors and focus on just that one aspect and then vote. I would demand the supervisors ALL SIX get up and say why either they are best for the position or why they are supporting someone else. Do this in a public meeting then take a vote and let everyone present decide jusy why it is you voted the way you did.

Another inevitable deadlock as it relates to paying bills. Who does this hurt??? The 6 board members who can not agree NO...THEY ARE STILL BEING PAID and in fact have been paid for NOT doing there work. A citizen demanded that those who played games and did not do the work of the county REPAY their nearly $600 a month salary, did they???? NO!!!!

Is it hurting the vendors who provided the services?? In today economy any outstanding payments due someone hurt and every penny could be put to good use but in the case of the 2 lawyers who have not been paid its not going to send them into bankruptcy? No! So who does it hurt? It hurts each and every citizen of Sussex County as OUR Name and GOOD WILL are tanking. We have 2 industrial parks, we are not fiscally or mentally able to manage 1 let alone 2 but thats another story. So who or what kind of companies do you think would want to relocate to a county that has a reputation of not being able to pay their bills.

 Lawyer Michael Drewery one of those vendors/laywers who has not been paid BUT still was providing services to the county because it saw a real need called it quits. He handed in a letter stating that he can NO LONGER provide legal services with out being paid. This now puts US not just the 6 board members it put US the citizens of the county in a serious court case with out representation. maybe the courts can appoint legal defense as they do for indigents.

AND NOW FOR THE UGLY

Not refering to the physical appearances but to the ACTIONSAs they say pictures are worth a thousand words so I let these stand for them selves and you can add your onw words or thoughts. Remember to check out some of the video clips (linked later) and you can hear for your self some of the shameful bantering that went on.

 Some citizens left in disgust while others could not believe what was going on and looked around for help.

 The man in the center of a lot of the County's discontent and strife, Mr Thompson (attorney).

And then when you think things could not get any worse ...........

Sheriff Bell takes the podium and immediately was told by Chairmen Tyler that time for citizen comments is over and he should sit down. Sheriff Bell stated that he was not standing there as a citizen to make comments BUT AS THE SHERIFF and if they did not recess the meeting immediately he would have to consider arresting them for disorderly conduct. I personally had a bad feeling that if something was not done along these lines that it soon would become physical or worse.   Is our safety in jepordy attending OUR County Board of Supervisors meeting now??? Maybe!! As I was leaving the meeting I had an opportunity to say something to my representative and in all due respect to him knowing he just came out of a volital situation he was very abrupt and almost physical with me. We MUST ASK OURSELVES why has it gotten to this and what can be done to put an end to this. ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!

That's all as I am getting so frustrated all over again just by writing this post.

Please check out the video clips at

              

http://youtu.be/ToQiDT-uNuo

http://youtu.be/_E4rXcfLQgg

http://youtu.be/0eHShmrSGoE

http://youtu.be/VfChFGUeQus

http://youtu.be/X4hrIvf7wuA

http://youtu.be/Opy47N8wHyo

http://youtu.be/Yc1C-Y61UnU

http://youtu.be/U-NuBKPu0EY

http://youtu.be/Ci-g9Fn_M3A

http://youtu.be/cenKgMfl9z4

http://youtu.be/aFGXhmVKhXI

http://youtu.be/dGvIO2DsyPE

http://youtu.be/sl2wV4RnHyQ

http://youtu.be/LgDVDXNdiA8

http://youtu.be/wsXFZa2y0B0

http://youtu.be/bucm-OvrZKo

http://youtu.be/pl9TraIu_2Q

I had my own caption for this political cartoon I created but I thought it would be more fun if you created your own.

                          

GREAT things happening in the Town of Waverly

The Town of Waverly takes steps to improve the way of life for residents and visitors. If you build it they will come is a famous line from the “Field of Dreams” movie. Well The Town of Waverly has it’s own version of a Field of Dreams! What began as a donation many many years ago to the town from the late Senator Gray in the form a small parcel of land to be developed into a park has laid dormant like a sleeping giant all these years, now has been awakened with the help of a grant from the Virginia Department of Forestry and the expert assistance from the Community Design Assistance Center from Virginia Tech. http://cdac.arch.vt.edu/

A small group of very talented students have been visiting Waverly several times over the last few months looking at the land that was donated  as well as all other property owned by the town and in addition other property that might have a potential for improvement. All of this in an attempt to beautify and create an atmosphere within the town that would entice folks to visit, shop, eat and just plain ol enjoy what the town has to offer.

Below are several conceptual drawings the design team along with the Town’s Park Committee developed. These are on display in the Town Hall and you are encouraged to come down and look at them and take a moment to leave your comments as to your thoughts. If you prefer you can view the pictures here and answer the questions that follow. You can email your comments to fred.turck@dof.virginia.gov or you can hand write them and drop off at the Town Hall. We are trying to collect all comments by March 16^th at which time the design team will take them all into consideration when finalizing our options. A date soon after that will be set for a public meeting hosted by the Design Center and the Town’s Park and Recreation Committee at which time final plans will be presented.

This is just one of the initial steps necessary for the Town and Community to move forward. A lot of hard work and fund raising will be necessary to see any of the recommendations become a reality.

Welcome To Waverly! Lets show everyone how proud we are of our town with some new signage.

 How cool would it be to have a Farmer's Market and public gatering place?

 

The Park is located adjacent to the tennis courts. How great would it be to have a place to hold a family picnic, take your children to a safe place to play and a place to come and relax while enjoying a small bit of nature?

WE NEED YOUR HELP AND INPUT !!!

The Community Design Assistance Center will be taking comments for the Waverly Improvements Project until Friday, March 16^th, 2012. After viewing the display boards either on line or at the Town Hall please fill out the following comments sections with any likes/dislikes or suggestions that you feel are important to the design project. Forms will be available at the Town Hall also.

Park Designs:

Comments:

Downtown Master Plan:

Comments:

 Signage:

Comments:

 

This project is participating in an In-kind Match Program. In order for the community to receive additional funding for the project we need you to please fill in your name and approximately how long you spent reviewing the designs: (ie Jane Doe. 45 mins) Names will only be used for the In-Kind match purposes.

 

Name/Time:___________________________