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Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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10/29/23
Are the Mayor/Town Council Screwing Up Waynesville?

You Decide!

Example: A 250-unit apartment complex is being finished on Russ Avenue and is included in the 1,000 apartments and condos approved, to use our failing sewer system. Costs will also increase for police, fire, emergency services and additional needs for 4,000 potential new residents.

All of these additional costs will reflect on Town of Waynesville citizens who will pay higher taxes!
Example: We discovered that state funding was available for the $25-million sewer upgrade. The Mayor and Town Council chose a $25-million loan that the citizens must repay instead because the town council stated they declared Waynesville a distressed municipality and the state failed to record the approval, so the grant was denied. Rob Hites stated he didn't want to wait on grants because the cost was increasing every day, so he went with a loan, which made it impossible to have the town declared distressed in the future. Does this make any sense to you? Why didn't the town council call Governor Roy Cooper and demand a reconsideration since it was the states fault?

Example: For years the Mayor and Town Council haven’t videoed or posted recordings of the town council meetings. Why not? Now they are announcing right, before the election, they plan to start broadcasting meetings. They even stopped posting ordinance changes in the newspaper. What are they trying to covering up and why don't they want transparency?

Example: The Mayor and Town Council, with the town planner’s direction, changed procedures giving the citizens no voice and allowing the establishment to RUBBER STAMP THE DEVELOPER’S WISHES, even in old established neighborhoods. These new procedures have taken away our citizens’ right to say no! Elizabeth Teague had to admit this change wasn't a requirement of 160D, but a suggestion from the UNC School of Government!
Are the Mayor and Town Council working for the DEVELOPERS? Does anyone smell a rat? They’ll continue allowing huge apartment complexes if we don’t stop them!

Example: The state warned Waynesville in early 2000 that our sewer system needed upgrading and they’ve warned and fined us every year since 2016. The price of the sewer upgrade has more than doubled. The state placed a moratorium on any future new large-scale development until the sewer system is complete in 2025. This includes new restaurants, department stores and industry, so, Cracker Barrel is out of the question.

If you are concerned about Waynesville, help us elect new leadership that stands for transparency and for getting citizens involved with decisions in Waynesville. Time is running out! Vote for the New Team Waynesville for Mayor and Town Council!
--
Van Walker

8/18/23 Haywood County Neck Deep in Cronyism (part 2)
Why would our county hire a tax collector who had lost an election for his tax collector position as our Economic Development Director? He had Zero, Zilch, Nada experience as an Economic Development Director but now he’s our Economic Development Director? CRONYISM!

The average Economic Development Director’s salary in North Carolina is $80,387, as of March 28, 2023. And we are paying our Economic Development Director, with no prior experience, $130,000 annually, which is 50% over the average salary for an Economic Development Director in North Carolina. CRONYISM!

How was the salary determined? Is it the I’ll scratch your back if you scratch my back scenario? Yes, and this is the definition of CRONYISM!

Our county government should consider a simple tried-and-true concept when hiring for a position. Hire folks with experience and success in the area of your needs. If our county officials pay attention to this simple real-world concept when hiring for a position, they will have a much better chance for success!

Locate successful Economic Development Director candidates and rank each according to their successes and current salaries. If they’re interested in our position, ask them to visit and experience the beauty and climate in our area, which is a huge selling point. We’ll match their current salary plus a small increase as well as a percentage of the tax revenues paid by new businesses, which they bring to our county, for a period of time. If they aren’t interested in a results-based position, it’s not a good fit. This is the real world!

How many quality businesses have relocated in our county due to our Economic Development Director’s efforts in the past 6 years? Can anybody name one?
We’ve paid our inexperienced and unsuccessful Economic Development Director $700,000 thus far, while giving the Asheville Chamber $800,000. That’s over $1,500,000 for nothing, and it doesn’t include the time and opportunities we’ve lost.

When pressed at a public meeting concerning the $800,000 Asheville Chamber gift, our Economic Development Director stated that we have acquired two good friends at the Asheville Chamber that are working hard for us! So, we’ve paid $800,000 for two good hardworking friends?
Maybe our new friends should try working smart, and not hard, and good friends can’t be bought. You just can’t make this stuff up!

And, during the same public commissioners meeting, our county manager informed the audience that our Economic Development Director also multitasks! Is he equally successful in several positions?
Why doesn’t he simply single task, and do what he was hired to do for 50% over the average salary for an Economic Development Director in North Carolina?

Is the following normal, childish, immature, or disgraceful? During a meeting with three county officials, two commissioners, and two concerned citizens, our Economic Development Director became irate when pressed for a good answer, without filibustering about his lack of Economic Development results. He got mad, jumped up, called one citizen a POS and hurried out of the room, with hurt feelings, and our county manager gave him a pass. However, our county manager chastised the citizen wanting answers, without filibustering, from his employee taxpayers paid employee. Employers, who are really in charge, would have told him to sit down, control himself, put on his big boy pants, answer the questions, and take responsibility for HIS RESULTS, and some would have fired him on the spot!

WHO IS RUNNING THIS SHOW? Is it a bunch of WOKE children, with anger management issues, who can’t or don’t want to answer questions and refuse to be held accountable? And this bunch is responsible our 97-million-dollar budget?

IS THIS JUST THE TIP OF THE ICEBERG? How many county employees in management positions are overpaid and out of their league?

What have we received for the $800,000 our commissioners have given the Asheville Chamber? Our commissioners and county manager say it’s for helping us with our economic development. But Asheville knows nothing about economic development so why not cancel the gift! This gift is ongoing and will continue unless they vote to stop it and the county manager and head commissioner will not bring it up for a vote.

Have the county manager and commissioners seen the national news articles about how socialist and Marxist have taken over and ruining Asheville? Don’t take my word for it, ask the Asheville business owners, as tourism has fallen by 11%!

Why won’t commissioners answer hard questions from citizens raised during public meetings? Since they theoretically work for the taxpayers, why not answer a few uncomfortable questions? But no, they sit on their pedestals, acting high and mighty while thinking to themselves; we are the commissioners and you’re not! We will ignore any question we don’t think is worthy of our time, so go away and stop bothering us!

Why are our commissioners and county management playing fast and loose with taxpayer’s money? Because It Isn’t Their Money, and They Obviously Don’t Care! And they can always increase taxes!
If our commissioners and the county manager are happy with our Economic Development Director’s accomplishments, our government has more problems than anyone can imagine.

Einstein said, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Do our commissioners and county management understand their actions constitute poor management? But even if they make a change, it will be superficial as cronyism is well entrenched. They will simply create a new position and a few new job descriptions for the current Economic Development Director and continue to overpay this individual, while hoping the citizens will stop paying attention.

This is Cronyism, Good Ole Boy, Small Town, and County Politics at Its Best!
Cronyism should be addressed by those in our government, as it’s a reflection on each of them. However, don’t hold your breath, as little will change until everyone’s actions are exposed and the voters say enough!

The coming town council elections will be a good barometer concerning how fed-up folks are with our government. If it goes well, the commissioners will be next, and it’s a safe bet the cockroaches will start scrambling and trying to convince the voters that they really care about doing the right thing. When we get new commissioners, we can overhaul the county government and have government of, by and for the people!

The chickens will come home to roost if changes aren’t made and who will be the scapegoat for the ongoing cronyism? It will stop or personnel changes will ultimately happen, and you can take that to the bank!



8/18/23 Haywood County Government is Neck Deep in Cronyism?
Why would Haywood County hire a tax collector who had just lost an election for his position, and who had no experience as an Economic Development Director to be Haywood County’s Economic Development Director? Cronyism!

And to make matters worse, the average Economic Development Director’s salary in North Carolina is $80,387, as of March 28, 2023. So, why is Haywood’s Economic Development Director, without any prior experience, paid $130,000 annually, 50% over the average salary for an EDD in North Carolina? Cronyism.

Who determined his salary? Is it the I’ll scratch your back if you scratch my back scenario?
How many quality businesses have relocated to Haywood County due to our Economic Development Director’s efforts? ZERO!

When pressed at a public meeting, our Economic Development Director stated that we have acquired two good hardworking friends at the Asheville Chamber that are working for us! So, we’ve paid the Asheville Chamber $800,000 for two good hardworking friends? Maybe they should try working smart, and not hard, and good friends can’t be bought. You just can’t make this stuff up!

Consider this concept when hiring an Economic Development Director or anyone in management. Hire folks with experience and success in the area for which you are hiring and get rid of cronyism, as it has no place in a well-run county government.

The commissioners and county manager approved paying 50% above the state average to an individual for a position for which he had no experience, and the results have proved it was a terrible decision. Cronyism doesn’t work.

After 6 years, with little success, why is he still on the payroll? Cronyism, yes cronyism!
Is this just the tip of the iceberg? How many Haywood County employees in management positions are overpaid and out of their league?

What has Haywood County received for the $800,000 our commissioners have given the Asheville Chamber?
Our commissioners and county manager maintain it’s for help with Haywood County’s economic development.
Are they aware of the national news articles about how the socialist and Marxist have taken over Asheville and are ruining Asheville! Don’t take my word for it, ask the Asheville business owners, as tourism has fallen by 11%!

And since this is the case, why are our commissioners and county manager continuing to pay Asheville for something Asheville is clueless about?

Are our commissioners and county management really qualified to manage a 97-million-dollar county budget? Their actions, at least in this case, say absolutely not!

Why not cancel Haywood’s on-going annual Asheville Chamber gift since we’ve received nothing for it? This gift is ongoing and will continue unless they vote to stop it and the county manager and head commissioner will not bring it up for a vote.

Why won’t the commissioners answer hard questions raised during public meetings by Haywood Citizens? Shouldn’t they at least work for the taxpayers enough to answer a few questions they hoped wouldn’t surface?

Why are our commissioners and county management playing fast and loose with taxpayer’s money? Because it isn’t their money, and they obviously don’t care that much!
And is this just the tip of the iceberg? Does anyone in Haywood County government take offense to cronyism in government and want to get rid of it?

Try a real-world concept when hiring for a position. Locate successful Economic Development Director candidates and rank each according to their successes. If they’re interested, ask them to visit and experience the beauty and climate in our area as this is a huge selling point. We’ll match their current salary plus an increase and offer a percentage of the tax revenues paid by new businesses they bring to Haywood County for a period of time. If they aren’t interested in a results-based position, it’s not a good fit. This is the real world.

Haywood has paid our inexperienced and unsuccessful Economic Development Director $700,000 thus far, plus benefits, while gifting the Asheville Chamber $800,000. That’s over $1,500,000 for nothing, and it doesn’t include the time and opportunities we’ve lost and missed!

Are commissioners and the county manager happy with our Economic Development Director’s accomplishments? If so, our county government has more problems than anyone can imagine.
Einstein said, “the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

This is a black mark on our commissioners and county management. And even if they make a change, it will be superficial as cronyism is so well entrenched. They will simply create a new position and job description for the current Economic Development Director and continue to overpay this individual, while hoping the citizens will stop paying attention in time.

Cronyism will remain alive and well in the Haywood County government until the voters and taxpayer’s demand changes!
This situation should be addressed by those in our government, as it’s a reflection on each commissioner’s and our county manager’s thought process. However, little will change until everyone’s actions are exposed.

This is cronyism, good ole boy, small town and county politics at its best!
The chickens will come home to roost if changes aren’t made and who will be the scapegoat for the ongoing cronyism? It will stop or personnel changes will ultimately happen, and you can take that to the bank!


8/18/23 Are You Paying Attention!
Are our elected and appointed officials working for Haywood County and Waynesville or, are they working for Asheville, transient vagrants, and drug addicts? Why? Because they’re wasting tax dollars on Asheville, transient vagrants, and drug addicts
.
Our Waynesville Town Council put off the social drinking disaster vote indefinitely. Translation, until after the election. If the current town council is re-elected, it will pass.

Our Waynesville Town Council has given over $70,000 to low barrier homeless motels in Maggie Valley for transient vagrants and drug addicts!

Our county commissioners have gifted $800,000 to the Asheville Chamber for economic development assistance. Surprise! We’ve only received lip service for $800,000! Asheville is ruining their economy, and we’re paying them to help us?
This is a perpetual gift and will continue until our commissioners and county manager call for a vote to stop it! However, they’ve refused.

But who cares, it’s only taxpayer’s money.
Asheville won the lottery and is laughing all the way to the bank thanks to our commissioners and county officials.

If you see a commissioner, or our county manager, ask what we’ve received for our annual Asheville gift, but don’t accept political double talk. I’ve asked and can’t get a concrete answer. During a meeting with eight individuals and county officials, our economic development director got mad when pressed for a good answer. He called me a POS while hurrying out of the room, with hurt feelings, and our county manager gave him a pass. Pay attention, these children oversee our 97-million-dollar budget and don’t want to be held accountable.

Our economic development director stated at a public commissioners meeting that we now have 2 good Asheville Chamber friends that are working hard for our $800,000 gift.
Try working smart, not hard, and good friends can’t be bought!

Pay attention as you can’t make this stuff up. This is what happens when citizens stop paying attention and simply trust these folks. Trust is important but with our elected and appointed officials, President Reagan would say “Trust but Verify’, like he said concerning the Russians!
Open www.HaywoodHappenings.org for information they hope won’t become public as well as what goes on behind closed doors. They’re sneaky at giving away our tax dollars!




5/2/23 Minimum Wage . . . another Liberal Smoke Screen

Are liberals just ignorant and lazy, because they’re constantly trying to solve problems with other people’s money! I recently heard another bone headed argument about raising the minimum wage. So, I’ll address this minimum wage non-issue, with some common sense!

I hate to break it to the liberals, but only 2.3% of the workforce make minimum wage, as of 2017, the last figures available.

I’m tired of hearing what you can’t do if you make minimum wage! Liberals want everyone to believe that most folks work for minimum wage and they’re fixated on what you can’t do if you are living on minimum wage. It’s really a non-issue!

“NEWS FLASH” the minimum wage is for young people to get a job and learn what work is all about, nothing more, and nothing less. It was never meant to support a family! My children earned minimum wage in their part time jobs, while in school. Two have their Masters, and my youngest angel is working on her degree in early childhood development.

Liberals say a family of four can’t live on the minimum wage. Good, it’s hard to believe that they finally got something right, but it’s about time! I suppose we should give them a trophy for participating and maybe throw in a gold star to help with their feelings!

Why have a family if you only make minimum wage! It’s a bad choice, and that’s on you. Do whatever it takes to better yourself, before starting a family!

If you do three things including . . . graduate from high school, get a regular job and wait until you get married, before having children, you’ll have a head start on success!

Here’s an idea! If you are stuck at minimum wage, consider making yourself more valuable to your employer. If you really become more valuable, you’ll get a raise, or another business will hire you at a higher wage!

It’s called Free Enterprise, and Supply and Demand! So, try a real issue, the minimum wage argument is illegitimate and wearing thin!

I’ll be happy to give a commonsense lesson in economics to any liberal.

--
Van Walker
Lake Junaluska




5/2/23 Picture IDs, another Fake Democrat Issue

Have you heard about those rascally Republicans who are trying to suppress minority voting by requiring picture IDs? Will someone show me how this will suppress minority voting? Being against picture IDs to vote is a non-starter. Picture IDs show you are who you say you are, restrict fraud, illegal voting, among other things.

Democrats obviously give minorities very little credit by saying it will be hard on them or will keep them from voting. If I was a minority, I’d put a lot of distance between the Democratic party and me, if they thought I was too dumb or incompetent to have or get a picture ID.

On one hand the dems promote and praise diversity, and on the other, don’t give minorities any credit when it comes to something simple like getting a picture ID. As usual, the dems want it both ways. They simply can’t be consistent and honest, since all they care about are their votes and they really don’t care how many are fraudulent.

You are asked for a photo ID when applying for a job, opening a bank account, during a traffic stop, getting a prescription, writing checks, flying, collecting mail and packages, and buying alcohol, when you’re young, to name a few.

You’ll never know when you’ll need a picture ID, so it’s foolish not to have one!

Makes you ask, on what planet are Democrats living, and do they really think minorities are that incompetent? Democrats give minorities absolutely no credit and really only care about their votes! If they really cared, they would get inflation and gas prices under control!

It’s fun and easy to punch holes in Democratic contrived issues, and there are many. They are constantly deflecting and steering folks away from the real issues!

We can also discuss border security, where 6 million illegals have crossed the border since Biden took office. Our liberal politicians are supporting these folks, with taxpayer dollars or they wouldn’t be coming here.

I’ve heard some of these educated idiots maintain that illegal aliens aren’t getting government assistance! If that were the case, how are these folks living when they get here?

How quick would the Democrats shut the border down if the illegals were Republican voters?

As I stated before, Democrats don’t care about illegal aliens, they just care about the future votes! But, at what cost to the taxpayer? This is also something they don’t care about. However, this is a topic for another day.

I would like to speak with a Democrat who has a clue and not just have Democratic talking points memorized.

--
Van Walker
Lake Junaluska





What a profound little paragraph!

Stated way back in 1931, and it says it all.

You cannot legislate the poor into freedom by legislating the wealthy out of freedom. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving. The government cannot give anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my friend, is about the end of any nation.

“You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.”

Dr. Adrian Rogers, 1931

I would say that all liberals should read this but why, they wouldn’t understand and just be frustrated, as most skipped economics 101. Their little brains would be taxed, and their pointed heads would be unduly confused.


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Van Walker
Lake Junaluska





4/8/23 Stealing from Neighbors and Friends, Why?

Most folks are good and wouldn’t steal from anyone, including neighbors and friends.

However, people who wouldn’t steal, are accepting welfare when they’re able to work, and this is stealing. The government is all of us, those who work and pay taxes and those with so little self-respect, they accept welfare.

Waynesville’s Poverty Rate is 18.8% and Haywood County is 13.9%! These numbers are ridiculous and must come down. However, to get poverty under control, we must face reality, understand, and attack the problem at its roots!

Most folks in poverty fall in one of the following categories including drug and alcohol abuse, poor education, teen and out of wedlock births, poor financial habits, lack of personal responsibility, poor work ethic, laziness, single parent families, etc.

Naturally there are exceptions, as folks with physical and/or mental concerns, should receive whatever help they need, but that number is well below the actual poverty numbers!

Everyone has choices and control, so own your results! Stop making excuses, and address the causes, while working toward positive and lasting results.

Education is the primary way to reduce poverty! I don’t mean formal education, just make yourself worth more to employers or start your own business. I can see from recent bills that plumbers and electricians do very well, and there are other good paying occupations available. I’ve known numerous folks with little or no college experience that have been very successful, and many times much better than some with a formal education.

Our local community college is a gem, as Haywood CC is 10th in the nation for online programs, so there’s no excuse for not making yourself more valuable to an employer or your business. You may also learn from home, on your schedule so transportation, and childcare won’t be a problem.

Haywood CC offers numerous courses for the trades, so go for it, as it’s never too late! However, HCC can’t make you learn!

Learn a new skill, increase your knowledge and/or improve your current skill set. You have numerous options, so use them to increase your upward mobility, make yourself worth more to your employer or your business!

This Chinese proverb really makes sense . . ."Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day, teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime."

So, what are you waiting for! Go for it, as it’s never too late! Get in touch with Haywood Community College and brighten your future, as soon as possible!


--
Van Walker



3/20/23 What are Our Priorities?

We are spending millions on criminals, but they have no self-control, no conscience and zero regard for others. My solution is a National Prison in Northern Alaska.

The Left wants to defund the police, now isn’t that smart! You can always depend on the left for a good laugh! And, since they care so much about these poor criminals; maybe they can give a criminal a home and get a reality check! The quickest way for a leftist to acquire a degree of common sense, is for one of their goofy ideas to affect them personally!

Help: The Sheriff’s Department receives less than 9% of the county’s budget and has around 140 employees, or 23% of the total of 600 county employees.

Are we defunding the folks putting their lives on the line for our safety? Has the left infiltrated the county more than I thought?

The Sheriff’s department protects us 24/7 from criminals and general Riff Raff. This must be corrected, and that can be accomplished by cutting out the fat in other departments; and there is plenty of fat!

I have another recommendation. Each Field Officer and their family will receive an all-expense paid one week vacation to a North Carolina resort! This is in addition to their regular benefits!

We the people should scrutinize the duties and salaries of each town and county manager. Rumor is, one is paid $132,000 annually, and was given the position after losing an election and does little that benefits Waynesville. Over the past few years, we’ve given $750,000 to Asheville for economic development. And what does Asheville know about economic development; they’re ruining their own economy! Who are the mental midgets that approved this hair brain idea?

The waste we uncover would give law enforcement officers raises, and taxpayers would know what our town and county management is accomplishing, and at what cost! Government should be run like a business, and if the employees aren’t effective, they should try the private sector. Is anyone curious how our managers would do financially in the private sector?

Since leftists are typically against the Second Amendment, and other common-sense laws, conservatives could put a sign in their yard saying, I have an arsenal and know how to use it, but my neighbors are leftists!

Haywood and Waynesville are in good hands thanks to our Law Enforcement Officers. I Appreciate and Give Thanks for our dedicated Officers each Day!

Van Walker
Last edited by Forum Member on Sun Oct 29, 2023 6:24 pm, edited 9 times in total.
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Re: Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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4/26-23 You can't legislate the poor out into freedom buy legislating the wealthy out of freedom!

4/8/23 Stealing From Neighbors and Friends, Why?

3/20/23 What are Our Priorities?
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Re: Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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5/2/23 Picture ID's, Another Fake Democrat Issue

5/2/23 Minimum Wage...Another Liberal Smokescreen
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Re: Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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8/18/23 Are You Paying Attention?

8/18/23 Is Haywood County Government Neck Deep in Cronyism?

8/18/23 Haywood County Government Neck Deep in Cronyism...part 2
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Re: Conservative Opinion Guest Column by Van Walker

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10/29/23 Are the Mayor and Town Council Screwing up Waynesville?
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