Chase City Leadership SUCKS

[NoSanctuary]

So I left CC in 1991 and now I find myself splitting my residence between CC and North Carolina. I am utterly amazed at the incompetence of the leaders of CC from the Town Manager on down. These fools are people that have been educated beyond their intelligence and promoted to their level of incompetence. Chase City is dead. Not dying but DEAD. I would like to know what, if any, efforts this town, led by an incompetent Town Manager, have done in the last 15 years to bring business and commerce to CC. NOTHING as far as I can see. Soon I'll be back in NC full time and will be wiping the shit of what was once a flourishing community off my feet.

And on a side note. I wouldn't take my dog to see the "Doctors" that "practice" medicine in CC. You'd be better off with a bottle of Vitamins and referral to a REAL health care center.

[NoSanctuary]

One more thought. I know the News Progress reads this forum. Do me a favor. Request the phone logs and business trip records to see if Ricky Reese, our "esteemed" Town Manager, has made any effort to recruit industries to CC in his tenure. Seriously, aside from running the day-to-day operations of a VERY SMALL town, what has he done to earn his salary and try to help this community to grow? Go back to his first day on the job and if I'm wrong I'll post it here...but I'm almost positive that he hasn't done a damn thing to help this town grow.

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

so i have to ask with your statements. Are your for or agianst this proposed plant coming into town or is this a random comment just because?

[NoSanctuary]

FOR....positively FOR!!!!!! But it's more than that. This town once was thriving. I grew up here in the 70's and 80's. A man used to have at least a couple of options if he needed a new shirt, a pair of pants, or even a suit...Leggett's and the Men's Department Store. Now you have Hite's and that's it. You used to be able to catch the latest movie at a theater...not any more. Main street used to be full of businesses...now it's full of empty store fronts. I'm not blaming CC leaders for Manufacturing leaving not only SS Va., but the US...but I think that a MUCH more proactive leadership could have done something...anything...to try an get industries (ex. Soda plants, Beer plants, Ethanol plants) to locate here. If I'm not mistaken, part of the reason that Hwy 47 was improved in the 80's was to provide a better, safer route for Trucks to make travel between I-85 and CC. Have our leaders capitalized on that??? I'm just saying that either a community is growing or it is dying. These transplants that say "Oh we like Chase City the way it is" will be dead in 10-20 years. Where does that leave the people that appreciate the local but would like to make a living without having to commute 50 miles one way every day? I'm sorry but the Town Manager has to go. Then the town council as it stands. We need new, young blood in this town. We need someone on the phone or in a plane EVERY day trying to recruit some industry here.

Peace

[chasecityrez]

Man! Somebody wee wee'd in your corn flakes. I agree CC is in pretty bad shape but darn. I know, too, we need industry but it's not fair to blame the town council or Ricky for industry that left town. We can blame that on Americans, us. We Americans by cheaper made foreign rather items than items manufactured in America. Craddock & Terry closed because they couldn't compete with South American tanners and foreign made shoes. Same with Jonbil. Levis are made overseas now. When was the last time me, you or anyone else bought a shirt made in America? Toys, cars,etc, etc,etc. Not even American flags are made in America any longer. CC is on the brink of getting an ethanol plant, but what's going on? Some CC residents are fighting it. Some folks are too ignorant to know a life preserver when its thrown to them. Are you one of those, or do want to see it locate here? If you are against it then I hope you have a nice life in NC, if not then maybe you can throw some supporting statements for CC rather than vile.

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

I think that he did throw some support for it in there CCRez. However it is fair to say that we WILL HAVE to stop shoping at the walmarts and spend more money for things to get thoes items made here. But let me take this a step further. You see most if not all in this coutry is totaly agianst the thought much less the concept of slavery in this country. BUT that does not stop them from going to walmart for the everyday low price that is the biggest contributor to slave labor in all the other contries over seas. THere have been documentary after documantary about it. These people work for a measly 2.00 a day.LET ME SEE ALL OF YOU READING THIS DO THAT. That constitutes slave labor in my book.

Now back on topic. NoSanctuary if you are as concerned about this area as you have stated then you to should get involved in this plant. THe problem we have around here is there is a lot around here that will talk a big game. But they will not do it pubiclly. It is easy to do it behind a screen name on this post as well. If you notice i do not use an allias NOR WILL I! If all the people that have talked to me that were in support of this plant would stand up and speak out then this would not be an ongoing debate and the plant would be here sealed deal. But everyone wants to be liked by everyone or thinks that there voice will not matter. YOU ARE RIGHT IF YOU KEEP YOU MOUTH SHUT!!!. I have lived here 29 years. I am going to fight any retiree, transplant, yankee, dumbass, or what other names that have been called that i have not mentioned. However i say these names so the rest of the ignorant people that can not refrain from the name calling will understand what i am saying. I my self have not nor will i stoop to the level of name calling that has gone on. YOU PEOPLE NEED TO REMEBER THAT THEY HAVE AN OPINION TO. They do not deserve to be called transplants or anything else no more then you do. They live here now just like you and they have concerns. But it will be the side with the most voices that will make the decission.

Further more how can the town manager recuite more business when he doesnt even have the support he needs when he finds it. The ones that are agianst everything dont mind making a fool of them selves if need be to make thier point. So the ones that are for it should be afraid of making a fool of themselves either. The town councile can only do what they have the support to do. If you have concerns then it should be your face in thoes chambers reminding these people that you support them and that they work for you. If you cant take time from your busy day to do that then dont hack them for not going out of there way either.

Im glad to have you on board. I hope you will keep coming back. But please think about all that i have just stated

Regards

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

It should also be stated NoSanctuary that you are completely correct on Highway 47 from south hill. Why are we not using it

[native living in raleigh]

the sqeaky wheel gets the grease"""if we just sit back and continue to let the third reich keep running this town just because we want to be polite, nothings going to get done.those days are over,this house must be cleaned,from top to bottom.and i for one dont really care if someones feelings get hurt in the process.ethanol,beer, hell maybe nuclear power plant, who cares as long as there are jobs for people and ways to provide for there family.

[chasecityrez]

Sorry, I miised No Santuary's post stating his support. He must have posted at the same time I was writing my post. Like Stephen said, welcome aboard NS. It sickens me too that Chase City is just a shadow of what it once was. I think we have a chance to breathe some life back into it however. Again, like Stephen said, what is needed is people willing to show up at council meetings, encourage growth, be willing to stand up and say "Let's take a chance", be willing to make and accept changes and not just rely on the same old same old. There are folk that want the status quo. Me, I want growth. The status quo crowd have their eyes on the now, not the future. The hell with NOW, NOW is killing this town. Changes and chances are what will bring it back!

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

Native living in raleigh. I am with you to. I dont care who gets offended. I just want this town back on its feet. But understand as i stated before. The people of this area MUST GET INVOLVED for that to happen. Evenif we took your method and replaced the council with new that isnt the fix to the problem. The fix will be the proples involvment in the matters. They are your elected officials and you have to remind them of that by GETTING INVOLVED!!:):):)

[New Generation]

I have to say I know where NS is coming from. I know there has been at least one instance of interest in which the town manager was given the contact information and he failed to follow up.

On the flip side, yes, we need to express our concerns and back our officials when they persue growth for the town. Too many people only go to the meetings when they have a beef about something that involves just them and otherwise they stay away. Most people claim it won't do do any good and the TM and council will just pay lip service to any issues and hope it will go away. True in many case, I think.

Former Mayor Charles Duckworth speaks of the "silent majority" often. These are the people who were the backbone behind the completion of the Estes Community Center and look what they have to show for their efforts! Now the silence needs to end once again and the majority needs to take action.

[chasecityrez]

I whole heartedly agree with you NG. We have several business people willing to speak out. We have several citizens willing to speak for the silent majority. What saddens me is the APMers have a lot of business people scared of losing business if they speak out. That's just a shame. I understand it, but still it's a sad state of affairs when you have to keep quiet over this. What's needed is a show of support in a major way. I'm just not sure how to lure the supporters out in the open. CCP is working on that though.

[New Generation]

Scared of losing business if they speak out??? After Richie clearly stated he didn't think people should stop spending money at his pharmacy because of his views? Wow, what a morally-poor tactic they are using! Since when is it not okay to disagree and discuss?

I hope to see you all at a meeting very soon. Are they still held on Tuesday's 7pm at Monty's store?

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

we are going to be switching between firdays and wednesdays so that some others may attend. I will post as to when until we get the rythm going. Our next one if is this coming friday at monty's place @ 7PM. Please feel free to join us. We will be discussing some new thing other than the ehtanol debate as well at this meeting.

[chasecityrez]

I know it sounds bad that business folks are scared to speak out, but it's just a sad fact. For me, it's no problem doing business with some of the anti's and I will continue doing business with them as long as they are civil. On the other hand there are some anti's you can't talk with. They just want to bombard you with their view but not listen to opposing views. Stephen knows this first hand as well. What I'd like to see is the leaders of APM hold an open public meeting just like CCP did. Invite the public, present bonafide officials asserting the cons of ethanol, and open them for questions from the public. When CCP did this we had VA Dept Ag., Osage officials, VA Tech Extension Agents and others. Oh well, just a wish. As Stephen said, we'd love to have you join our meetings, offer new ideas. We're trying to move to civic issues now and that'll be on next weeks agenda. Lord knows CC and our area needs more citizen involvememnt.

[New Generation]

Please keep us informed about the meeting dates. I have a previous commitment this Friday, but I do want to come the following week.

[Stephen Hatcher Jr]

will do!!!

[native living in raleigh]

come on guys take it easy on richie.Richie if you are reading this here is a little advice.
Combover=Bad
Hat=Good

[formerCCrez]

Wow ... some things never change. Lots of back-stabbing and sniping here. I left in 1969 because of this kind of behavior, and never looked back.

[ccbizowner]

Sad to see this forum has died. I guess I found it too late. I was looking for 'get-it-done' voices to pull with. I have spoken out numerous times to the town manager and can't get him to take his role seriously about any of the issues. He just sits back and says if you wait long enough the problem will fix itself. Huh! It is only getting worse. Who will stand and speak? Others, kindly step out of the way.