WhiteWater Park

[in the know]

outrageous wrote:

in the know
you dont h ave your facts straight.joe pike is not to bright either.

you also forgot that they passed a tax increase in 2002 the year before the county reaccessment. then after a 30% average increase in property values which meant an immediate 30% winfall in tax revenue, they decreased the rate by only a penny in 2003. Then they found a way to justify spending that entire increase in revenue and in 2003 used a 1 penny tax cut as a campaign proof that they would lower taxes. Well did they? NO they passed higher water/sewer rates expanded service lines to accommodate builders and then added surcharge to punish us for the rain and then 20% increase in taxes to cover the bills. do not challenge anyone when you are unarmed for battle.

[Noticing]

Anybody notice the picture on your recent Gaston County phonebook? If you haven't it's a picture of the Mecklenburg County WhiteWater Park. No wonder Gaston County is thought of so poorly.

Guess we get what we deserve..........

[change]

in the know wrote:

<quoted text>
so where is your proof? mine is public record. there is not one fact that I spoke of that is not public record. do you deny that hough's council passed the largest one time tax hike in the history of the town? it was 20%! look it up. Do you deny the rain water surcharge, we never had that before Hough. Do you deny that he lead city council to vote to give a million dollars to whitewater? his vote took 7 seconds and did not open the discussion to the public. all public record. so exactly what did I have wrong? oh, and where were you when citizen protested in the street during city council meetings. when did that ever happen before? it was on the news (TV)...which part did I get wrong?

Hey! Doesn"t matter now...LOL U GOT HOUGH for the next 2 years more of robert whitt!! feel so sorry for mount holly

[Life Long Mount Hollyian]

It was either going to be Hough or Harris. Quit acting like there would have been a difference, we all know these two and how they are.

[in the know]

change wrote:

<quoted text>Hey! Doesn"t matter now...LOL U GOT HOUGH for the next 2 years more of robert whitt!! feel so sorry for mount holly

I can tell you feel our pain....lord help us.....this will be a loooonnnng two years.....

[RestingEasyNHoll ywood]

'in the know', sorry but you do not have ALL your facts straight. Dig back through your 'public records' and research and get back to us. We'll be waiting for you to clarify your mistakes. Trust me they are there. Take care!

[in the know]

RestingEasyNHollywood wrote:

'in the know', sorry but you do not have ALL your facts straight. Dig back through your 'public records' and research and get back to us. We'll be waiting for you to clarify your mistakes. Trust me they are there. Take care!

could you be a little more specific? I tell you what, show me yours and I will show you mine....deal? but do specify which statement or dialog that will make it easier for both of us, rambling on and on gets tiresome.

[change]

in the know wrote:

<quoted text>
I can tell you feel our pain....lord help us.....this will be a loooonnnng two years.....

Yes, I feel your pain and i am really worried about Mount Holly!

[change]

Life Long Mount Hollyian wrote:

It was either going to be Hough or Harris. Quit acting like there would have been a difference, we all know these two and how they are.

There would have been a diffrence,TRUST ME!

[Kaylea]

The WhiteWater Park was such a waste of our money. I think of all of the things that one million dollars could have went to pay for.

1. Community Relief Organization
2. Pay off our debt on the streetscape

I really do not see why people did not get upset over this. I guess it is why our country is in such bad shape and will continue to be. This is just an example of a fool and his/her money are soon parted.

[Fred]

Kaylea wrote:

The WhiteWater Park was such a waste of our money. I think of all of the things that one million dollars could have went to pay for.
1. Community Relief Organization
2. Pay off our debt on the streetscape
I really do not see why people did not get upset over this. I guess it is why our country is in such bad shape and will continue to be. This is just an example of a fool and his/her money are soon parted.

There were many of us that did not like this. One man in town had a radio talk show that lead the charge against this. In fact the pledges were held up 6-9 months while Jeff Wise came up with a sleezy contract to make the deal legal. Your asst. city mgr, Jamie Guffie told Jim Hope in a council meeting that it was a "legal contract" to do an illegal act. Jim lead the charge alone. Hough pushed the vote through in 7 seconds and did not allow public debate on the subject. And this town just re-elected him for another turn as mayor. So there was opposition. But opposing the status quo in this town gets you black listed. Ask Hough, he went to one guys employer got rid of him, they sent him out of town. No citizens went to his defense either. Jim Hope promised to help the guy out but sat there silent and watched it happen. So unless you are wealthy or retired, you had better not oppose the mayor, he knows who you are...an employee of the city was fired while Hough was mayor the first time because he went to Jim Hope and reported theft of city property. Jim got involved and the employee got fired. A law suit evolved and he was rehired with back pay, legal fees paid and an undisclosed settlement at tax payers expense. It would have been less expensive for you and me it the theft was just let go. The only one out is the city manager at the time. They got rid of him but everyone else is now back in place. Go figure...

[Sueanne]

Fred wrote:

<quoted text>
There were many of us that did not like this. One man in town had a radio talk show that lead the charge against this. In fact the pledges were held up 6-9 months while Jeff Wise came up with a sleezy contract to make the deal legal. Your asst. city mgr, Jamie Guffie told Jim Hope in a council meeting that it was a "legal contract" to do an illegal act. Jim lead the charge alone. Hough pushed the vote through in 7 seconds and did not allow public debate on the subject. And this town just re-elected him for another turn as mayor. So there was opposition. But opposing the status quo in this town gets you black listed. Ask Hough, he went to one guys employer got rid of him, they sent him out of town. No citizens went to his defense either. Jim Hope promised to help the guy out but sat there silent and watched it happen. So unless you are wealthy or retired, you had better not oppose the mayor, he knows who you are...an employee of the city was fired while Hough was mayor the first time because he went to Jim Hope and reported theft of city property. Jim got involved and the employee got fired. A law suit evolved and he was rehired with back pay, legal fees paid and an undisclosed settlement at tax payers expense. It would have been less expensive for you and me it the theft was just let go. The only one out is the city manager at the time. They got rid of him but everyone else is now back in place. Go figure...

I would help pay for a lawyer to sue the City in order to invalidate this agreement with the WhiteWater Park. I am sure the Park doesn't have enough money to counter sue. Where is the outcry to stop this maddening waste of money. I would have so much respect for Mayor Hoe, I mean Hough, if he would rescind this agreement.

[need to know]

attorneys in the area including Whitt are afraid to challenge. they have been shown a legal way out by several folks. the whitewater folks were in breech of contract when they failed to secure right of ways. the folks whose property they tried to take away had an extremely hard time finding an attorney, it was finally a civil rights attorney in Charlotte that went against the political machine to win their case. Wise theatened them to take all of their property. He lost. But firm after firm shut the door in their face because of the huge money backing Wise and Whitewater. Belmont and Mount Holly chickened out of the fight. this stuff is first hand knowledge, not hearsey for those that will oppose my posting. Hough was told he had nothing to fear and was right, he was re-elected. No One called him on the carpet except on this site. Do you really think you should waiste your money on this when two thirds of the electorate did not care and they voted for the mayor that pushed it through? Save your money or move, it isn't worth the fight. Whitewater is rumored to only last a little while longer. Wise has been the visionary and he is looking for his next project somewhere else...I hear.

[Jick]

need to know wrote:

attorneys in the area including Whitt are afraid to challenge. they have been shown a legal way out by several folks. the whitewater folks were in breech of contract when they failed to secure right of ways. the folks whose property they tried to take away had an extremely hard time finding an attorney, it was finally a civil rights attorney in Charlotte that went against the political machine to win their case. Wise theatened them to take all of their property. He lost. But firm after firm shut the door in their face because of the huge money backing Wise and Whitewater. Belmont and Mount Holly chickened out of the fight. this stuff is first hand knowledge, not hearsey for those that will oppose my posting. Hough was told he had nothing to fear and was right, he was re-elected. No One called him on the carpet except on this site. Do you really think you should waiste your money on this when two thirds of the electorate did not care and they voted for the mayor that pushed it through? Save your money or move, it isn't worth the fight. Whitewater is rumored to only last a little while longer. Wise has been the visionary and he is looking for his next project somewhere else...I hear.

This whole thing is very disturbing, how can someone in good conscientios give away so much hard earned money of senior citizens, lower to middle income people,(that is what makes up MH)to such a person as Jeff Wise. I guess Hough and Wise are birds of a feather. This guy, Wise, will walk away with money in his pocket and we taxpayers will be stuck with the boondoggle of WhiteWater Park. At least Mecklenburg County will have to deal with it. I have to agree, no one really cared about all of the horrible things Hough did to Mount Holly.

Hough will get his in the end, what goes around comes around, maybe this term he will go too far and be exposed! I have heard that there is a investigative reporter digging up alot of stuff on this whole mess.

[need to know]

unfortunately Jick, it is too little too late. No one was paying attention the first time and the money makers in this town love Hough. They hold the purse strings. They didn't like Harris because she wouldn't listen to their self interest. Most of us didn't like her because she is mean at times and misguided. But Hough has proven himself to be dangerous for the citizens of Mount Holly. And the money makers still think they can control him. As long as it doesn't affect them directly they do not care. The Whitewater contract is not the first or the last example of law bending in Mount Holly. And this time the council and mayor did not have the stomach that the other towns like Stanley, Cramerton, Lowell, McAdenville, etc. to say "NO" to Wise. They showed guts under great pressure, the leaders in Mount Holly, Belmont and Gastonia didn't show. And now Gastonia and Belmont look at their taxpayers and say, "at least we didn't give as much as Mount Holly". like that is a trade off?

[need to know]

It was told that the Wise people met coucil members in pairs behind closed doors outside of council meetings. Jane in Belmont was the only one there that would not accept the offer of getting "information" in secracy. No one on council in Mount Holly refused the offer.

[Jick]

I am hoping at least some reporter from the Charlotte Observer will pick up on this story, like they did on the mortgage fraud, and tell everyone what really happened.

Really, we all need to know what went down and what laws were broken and who made money off this deal. We know Wise has made money, but I understand there were private investors, would like to know their names.

Thanks for keeping us posted, in the know.

[change]

need to know wrote:

unfortunately Jick, it is too little too late. No one was paying attention the first time and the money makers in this town love Hough. They hold the purse strings. They didn't like Harris because she wouldn't listen to their self interest. Most of us didn't like her because she is mean at times and misguided. But Hough has proven himself to be dangerous for the citizens of Mount Holly. And the money makers still think they can control him. As long as it doesn't affect them directly they do not care. The Whitewater contract is not the first or the last example of law bending in Mount Holly. And this time the council and mayor did not have the stomach that the other towns like Stanley, Cramerton, Lowell, McAdenville, etc. to say "NO" to Wise. They showed guts under great pressure, the leaders in Mount Holly, Belmont and Gastonia didn't show. And now Gastonia and Belmont look at their taxpayers and say, "at least we didn't give as much as Mount Holly". like that is a trade off?

You keep talking about Mrs. Harris being mean. I was just wondering what she did that was mean?

[need to know]

change wrote:

<quoted text>You keep talking about Mrs. Harris being mean. I was just wondering what she did that was mean?

One incident happened in 2003. She blasted the City Manager in public because he allowed the middle school pto to use the Tuck center for the 8th grade prom without paying the $200 fee. The parents set up and cleaned up. The only thing it cost the city was a little electricity and maybe water in the bathroom that the city ownes anyway. She made a stink of it and Hope stood up and threw down 2 one hundred dollar bills to pay for it because he said there was more important business at hand. She wouldn't let it go, she pushed it like she does so many things. Another man whose yard gets flooded during heaving heavy rain goes before city council and she makes fun of him and talks mean to him. His yard floods because over the years the city has torn up and repaved the street so many times that the water is now diverted to his yard. They fight him saying that they are not responsible for private property problems, but it is their actions that caused the problems. But Harris does go beyond that she does not like him and she talks about him like he is awful. All he wants is for them to stop flooding his yard. Those are the two things I know about, OH There is one more. A few years back the City manager was able to present a budget that would allow about ten thousand dollars to pay for cost of having about five festivals downtown. The money did not cause a tax increase and did not take away from anything else. Well, harris pitched a fit and lead the charge against him and his idea. Then they put her in charge of the alive after five that we had for two years and the first thing she did was get money from the rest of the council members votes to allocate money for it. When it is her idea, she gets it done. If it is someone elses idea, she votes against it and make fun of you and your ideas. That is the Harris that her fellow council members will tell you about. Also, she has never seen a class that she did not want to take at taxpayers expense. She took more class about city government than any other council member before or since. And she still acted that way. I wonder if she took notes?

[need to know]

I bet if you added up all of the travel related expenses that she racked up over the years to participate in state and national crap, it would be multiples of what her pay was for being on council. She even had the city buy a dance floor for the concerts on main street because she didn't think that folks should have to try and dance on pavement. It was thousands of dollars. And because of budget restraints we didn't even have them this year. But she spent the money when she was in charge.