Todd Paris, Salisbury Attorney and Candidate for Salisbury City Council
♦ Dateline August 18, 2017, Salisbury NC City Hall
I was unable to attend one of Mayor Alexander’s latest fake outreach dog and pony shows down at City hall titled, “Community Action Planning Session Goal Review.” I have invented a new term, “fauxreach” denoting a community outreach program is fake. The reality was that City hall was filled with 24 souls, counting city staff, who no doubt was forced to appear. Minus staff, 15 community members attended.
Another View:
While it seems that RFP is everywhere, it so happens a confidential reliable source informs us that a number of interesting things happened in spite of the venue and sponsor. In the hallway, before the meeting started, Mayor Alexander discovered that RFP video of the Mayor frantically gaveling and ejecting local truth activist Carolyn Logan out of council made it to Allison Latos at WSOC-TV and resulted in a mini-exposé at 11:00 p.m. the previous night. At least one person began softly laughing and Alexander scurried out of the room. Perhaps the Mayor does not stay up that late at her age. As the UNC Charlotte professor said on WSOC-TV, “City Council is not the Ministry of Truth”.
RFP Video of Carolyn Logan Escorted from City Council Meeting After Saying Council Violated 1st Amendment Rights:
Later today, the Gemale Black, President of the Salisbury-Rowan NAACP would issue a press release condemning Alexander’s action at council for Carolyn Logan being “badgered and silenced in the most demeaning manner…” and demanding the mayor apologize. That press release is published yesterday on RFP and is well worth the reading.
We also understand that City Manager Bailey announced that only 165 students graduated from Salisbury High School last academic year and that this was the lowest number in the history of the combined school system. This is no surprise since Council Member David Post revealed this year that based on SRU records that Salisbury has over 2000 empty dwellings out of a housing stock of around 10,000. That’s right, over 20% of Salisbury’s population have voted with their feet during “The Fibrant Years” and never returned. We understand that more are unloading their homes or just flat out abandoning Salisbury. Of course, Karen Alexander and “Empire Hotel” Brian Miller were on council for just five or so of those years.
One commenter said that Salisbury’s crime problem had become so bad that visiting superior court judges were refusing to stay over night and driving long distances to sleep in their own community when holding court here. The facilitator confirmed that she had heard this as well.
A photograph is attached that more fairly represents the attendance. Salisbury citizens have lost faith in their Mayor due to the lack of real progress in fixing Salisbury massive challenges and her tyrannical activities at public comment. I have been contacted by many of her former supporters who see through the smoke and mirrors public relations events created with the help of the Salisbury “Fishwrapper” and have observed the real Karen Alexander at this week’s public comment. She needs to withdraw from the race before she is further humiliated and does more harm to the city we all love. To quote the Mayor, “Shush…shush…shush.”
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Todd Paris, Salisbury Attorney and Candidate for Salisbury City Council
♦ Dateline August 18, 2017, Gateway Park, Salisbury NC
Love Circle in Salisbury’s Gateway Park with Chief Otey of the “Yadkin River Indians”.
At 6:00 p.m. a local vigil was held by two community organizations, Women for Community Justice and Salisbury Indivisible down at Gateway Park at E. Innes and Depot Streets. This was in honor of Heather Heyer, 32, the young woman who tragically lost her life and the persons injured during the Charlottesville, Virginia riots. The event appeared to be at least partially organized by City Council Candidate Al Heggins.
Around forty or so people gathered to the beat of a drum offered prayers and thoughts and condolences for the Heyer family. Chief Otey Fleming of the Yadkin River Indians gave a moving speech. All those present renewed their commitment to non-violent struggle against racism and intolerance. There was much freedom of speech to be had by all participants in the drum circle and Mayor Alexander’s absence was noted. Not a single person was gaveled down or shushed, including a lone Republican in a faded yellow campaign t-shirt.
Love Circle in Salisbury’s Gateway Park with Chief Otey of the “Yadkin River Indians”:
