By: Todd Smekens
Tough Month for Mike White
It’s been a tough couple weeks for Mike White, the so-called “right-hand man” for Phil Nichols who runs the Democratic Party (DP) out of 214 N. Walnut. Allie Craycraft is listed as Party Chairman but the de facto chair is Phil Nichols.
Anyway, the DP wasn’t endorsing Nora Powell but Mike White sure was. He told me at the polls, “The Party is pushing for Nora!” Apparently, Mike White didn’t get the memo, or Phil Nichols was lying, or Nora Powell was exaggerating about her running outside the grips of Phil Nichols. Someone goofed!
Mike also told me that Nora Powell single-handedly prevented Muncie EMS and should be lauded. I offered to bet him that Muncie EMS would be a reality. He declined. Neither Mike nor Nora got that memo because the Mayor and Eddie Bell are buying ambulances for the new Muncie EMS.
Tough Month for Nora Powell
Speaking of goofs, an anonymous letter was sent to several community members and press about the handling of the FOP contract by Nora Powell and FOP President Chris Deegan. The letter mentioned several areas of inappropriate conduct so I’ve sent an FOIA request for documentation to prove or disprove allegations. Stay tuned…
Also, if you didn’t attend or watch the video of last months City Council Meeting, Audie Barber asked Nora (Finance Committee Chairperson) about the minutes from her meetings– there are none.
Truth is there are minutes posted in August 2018 regarding the budget, but there is no evidence about meetings or minutes since last August. Despite this, Council Member, Lynn Peters, praised Nora’s financial prowess. Based on what?
I also requested the minutes from the Financial Committee meetings from Aug 2018 through yesterday. I would hate to think that financial decisions in Muncie are being made by only Nora Powell and Phil Nichols at the Democratic HQ located at 214 N. Walnut Street.
What’s Up in Community Development
I also received an anonymous letter that Community Development, run by Mayoral candidate, Terry Bailey, is under scrutiny by both the State Board of Accounts and HUD. There are strict ways to account for time regarding HUD contracts and apparently, these weren’t being “completed in an acceptable manner.”
There is an audit forthcoming. Stay tuned…
Bison Ridge $19 MIL Flushed
An outside investor was willing to invest almost $20 MIL in Muncie for residential development next to the new jail off Cornbread and Tillotson, but he wanted a 100% property tax abatement for 10 years. This is called socialism without the public receiving any benefit at all. I could spend 1,000 words on this alone but let’s just say a late minute maneuver by Council Member, Linda Gregory, killed the abatement causing Todd Donati to withdraw the ordinance.
What’s Up with the MPD
Word is a professional wrestler is employed on our Muncie Police Department, except his body slams aren’t phony. His flying elbows aren’t fake. All the complaints have brought in the Justice Department to investigate nearly a dozen civil rights violations and charges of police brutality.
Not sure what is going on in Muncie this past month but Federal Government employees must be filling up all our hotels. They better obey the marked speed limits…just saying. ;)
Public Servants — Not Rulers — No Power
Just a quick refresher…when elected to public office, you become a servant to the public. Having the title of Mayor or Council President or Captain or Finance Committee Chairperson does not give you “power over the people”. To the contrary!
It puts you into an inferior position to the public. Public officials beating, mistreating, harassing, or just being rude to the public should be handled immediately by those in a “nonbiased” leadership position.
It’s time for the public to create an ethics committee and invite the public to sit on City Council Standing Committees and Police and Fire Merit boards.
