New year, new (?) mayor, good old boys

Curmudgeon did not realize it has been exactly one month since the last post. I had some concerns about Mayor Seffrood's health prior to the election but did not see this happening. He will be remembered for years to come.

But now, it's election time again, and a new year, and a new mayor, and a whole posse of Good Old Boys on the city council.

And heeeeere's the first candidate to file for mayor -- an 'old' mayor, Bradi DEWALD Diaz. 

Bradi "I've lived here longer than you buddy" DEWALD Diaz takes Matt Russell to task

Let us travel a bit down memory lane, not back to when she was mayor of Copperas Cove a good 13 years ago (first and only female mayor and the youngest), but back three years ago to 2016 when the council found itself embattled, not over petty matters, but when several council members started to question the status quo and rubber stamping of funding for groups like the EDC and Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce.

Ms. Diaz' tantrum arose - partly justifiable yet partly histrionic in nature -- during a council meeting when the discussion was the EDC's upcoming budget for the '16-'17 fiscal year. The council voted ununanimosly to put it to the voters to decide whether or not to cut the EDC's sales tax funding by 25%, from 1/2-cent to 3/8-cent of the city's sales tax dollars already allocated to the EDC way back when. That 1/4 cent is now going to be used for Street Maintenance.

She was upset...lemme refresh your memory (and mine) from a Curmudgeon post from one year ago about EDC back 'n forth:

Marc Payne, who was on the EDC board back then, said he believed the EDC wanted to be as transparent as possible and that they could have a meeting at any time and all they had to do was call it. He worried if employees would be gotten rid of, and he also claimed the EDC was “bringing in business.” (Good thing I wasn’t drinking anything when I heard him say that – it would have shot out my nose!)

The EDC hasn’t “brought” any business in during that time period.

Mr. Payne also didn’t think the EDC should spend that $250,000 annually just because it had the money because what if something “big” came up and they needed at least $500,000.

SO, MR. PAYNE, WHAT YOU’RE SAYING IS YOU DON’T EVEN WANT TO ASK THE VOTERS IF THERE IS A PERMISSIBLE PROJECT WE COULD APROVE?

Curmudgeon sez: TALK LIKE THE ABOVE IS NOTHING SHORT OF GOOD OLD BOY-ISM. LET’S CONTROL THINGS AND “SCREW ASKING THE VOTERS.”

It’s about control, y’all – yes, most definitely is. The GOBC (Good Old Boys Club) is doing the VERY thing they balked and bucked at the city manager for supposedly doing. KEEPING CONTROL AWAY FROM THE VOTERS.

Yes, and that November 2016, the VOTERS OF COPPERAS COVE de-funded the EDC by 25% of its funding. The EDC has not crumbled for lack of that 25% funding and still has a VERY HEALTHY budget with a strong lack of direction to get anything done.

HOW YA LIKE THEM APPLES? 

Mr. Youngs, Mr. Payne, Mr. Yancey, and Mr. Manning, trailing along in the GOBC, we VOTERS would like something done and it might not coincide with what YOU want.

(NOW, BACK TO MS. DIAZ:)

Soooooo, at that August 16 meeting, after Mr. Payne was done, EDC board chair Bradi Diaz hopped up to the podium and blasted the council. She was not happy and shared how offended she was. “Disgusted.” She said the EDC had done nothing but try to work with the council. 

(IF SO, WHERE WERE POSSIBLE PROJECTS THE EDC COULD PUT TO VOTERS AS MR. RUSSELL TALKED ABOUT? WAS IT BECAUSE NOBODY ON THE EDC BOARD OR STAFF WANTED TO DO THEM?)

Bradi said the board had been called “shady” and she had been called a “thief” and the EDC had been transparent.

Oh, I AGREE with her that the EDC has been transparent. Y’all don’t fall out of your chairs at once. I do agree. The financial reports and numbers are all there. BUT why didn’t the EDC move at council’s direction with putting permissible projects to the voters? Why not? Why ignore that request?

But then we saw the heart of her offense and this is something that ALL Y’ALL should pay notice to.

This comes directly from that meeting:

Ms. Diaz said: “With all due respect, Matt, I don’t know how you can talk about 10 years with the city of Copperas Cove. I don’t know if you’ve even been here for 10 years for the city of Copperas Cove.  I’ve been here 47 and I’ve been volunteering for 20 consecutively.”

Sooooo, again, basically she said Mr. Russell hasn’t been here long enough so he doesn’t care about Copperas Cove like she does. I’ll give her that. Someone could care about their hometown more than a transplant.

But it also smacks of GOBC. She’s a Dewald. It sounds as though she believes because Mr. Russell hasn’t been here long enough (for her?), he can’t make good decisions and he’s not a bleeding heart where the EDC etc. are concerned. What is the requirement to be in the Good Old Boys Club?

So are some voters’ and citizens’ opinions WORTH more than others, based on their longevity in the community?

Curmudgeon is predicting that if the EDC employees do NOT come out from under the city, which they probably will and we will WASTE more money by doing this, Ms. DEWALD Diaz will break her promise about not volunteering and run for city council. 

END OF MEMORY LANE STROLL.
 

Well lookie, lookie, I'd forgotten about this prediction until now.

She is running for mayor. (Ding-ding-ding. I should get a prize, really.)

The same woman who said she was "done" volunteering for the city is now "not-done" I guess.

Wonder what's changed. Last time her name came before the council for a board position, they were informed she did NOT WANT TO BE APPOINTED. (Evidently she was still pissed off at whomever)

Of note, Curmudgeon found it quite interesting that somehow, miraculously, Bradi Diaz was appointed to the board of the Copperas Cove Chamber of Commerce sometime in 2018. Aren't members supposed to be voted in by election of members? Or, did they decide she just HAD to be on this board and pop - she's on??

Anyhoo...I also predicted that much of the council would be former EDC board members. And lookie again what we have here... all but TWO council members once served on the EDC.

Let's count 'em:
Fred "Newbie" Chavez
Dapper Dan Yancey
Jay Heartburn Manning
Mark-E-Marc Payne
Sorry Charlie Youngs

Whew... that's a lot...

Now, the EDC is not an "evil" or "bad" thing in itself.

In fact, Curmudgeon is quite a fan of the EDC of late and the activity that has been occurring. It looks as if Copperas Cove has some REAL opportunities for GREAT jobs that are not military or education affiliated. We need some GREAT jobs here.

But, dear readers, we must beware of the same attitudes of not questioning and giving rubber stamps to group funding because we're so in love with them and they can do no wrong. I believe that time is over...as long as the people watch and question.

Having the employees under the city manager saved lots of money - sales tax money - that could be used for other things. There are TWO big players looking at Copperas Cove as a place to be and we are RIPE for some good things.

But...keep an eye out, y'all. It's almost bunnies and budget season.

Next time, a city council report card for 2018! And possibly an election forecast (early prediction: a three-way race for mayor with at least two other already-runs!)

Please read the old links for the full refresher.
https://copperascovecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2018/03/lets-take-trip-down-memory-lane-edc.html
https://copperascovecurmudgeon.blogspot.com/2018/03/hot-for-hotda.html

What a difference a year makes.
Peace, love, and bunnies, y'all!