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!

The Five Hills of Copperas Cove are dark tonight.

R.I.P., Mr. Seffrood.

Twelve Days of Christmas, Curmudgeon Style

A great time for a singalong. Here's a little ditty I compiled for the occasion!

Please sing it aloud and enjoy.

On the first day of Christmas, the council gave to me

A meeting agenda so long everyone fell asleep.

On the second day of Christmas, the council gave to me 

5

2 silly ordinances

On the third day of Christmas, the council gave to me

3 perks for the chamber

On the fourth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

4 TUMS for Manning

On the fifth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

 5 CHICKEN RESTAURANTS!

On the sixth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

Nonprofits aren't holding events in the city because of this!

6 Cranky water customers

On the seventh day of Christmas, the council gave to me

7 Ties for Yancey

On the eighth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

8 traffic cones for Charlie

On the ninth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

9 post turtles!

On the tenth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

10 multiplying rabbits

For the love of Mike, get the man a tie!!

Traffic cone for Charlie!

On the eleventh day of Christmas, the council gave to me

11 feral hogs

On the twelfth day of Christmas, the council gave to me

12 deer in the city 

Okay, dear readers. It has been quite the year with all the ongoing shenanigans of the Copperas Cove city council. 

If you click on any of the links above you'll be redirected to other posts, which are some of my faves. 

Still puzzled over the recall, and Curmudgeon has it on good word that Councilman Charlie Youngs is showing some continued ax-grinding behavior. 

Not that it's enough for a recall, because trolling people on Facebook isn't quite illegal.... 

Enough for now.

Merry Christmas, dear readers, and may you be happy and healthy in the coming year.

More than 27,000 page views of this blog in 2018. Thanks to you all. 

Curmudgeon’s Christmas wishes

Curmudgeon fell off the face of the earth for a while. No, just busy, is all.

By now you, dear readers, have seen the results of the election and one more race yet to be decided on Dec. 11 – wow, that is today/tomorrow, depending on when you read this . If you have not voted, I hope you do before the polls close.

Curmudgeon knows the race between Frank Seffrood and Azeita Taylor was pretty close on election day, about 300 votes. Acfalle, as Curmudgeon predicted, did not make a significant dent in the voting numbers. HOWEVER, how many of the votes he received might have gone to either Seffrood or Taylor? We shall see.

What's more important? One candidate's health or another candidate's ethics?

A little more than one-third of the votes that have come in so far were mail-in ballots. Curmudgeon would venture to guess the majority of those went to Seffrood. I think the odds favor him over Taylor, but slightly. In the end, it will be who shows up to vote in a runoff. Which, in Copperas Cove, historically runoffs have low numbers.

Curmudgeon is going to guess that perhaps 100 voters, tops, will venture out on Tuesday. (Note: it is 10 p.m. on Monday evening as I type this.)

Now, before you hear MY Christmas wishes, I’ll play Santa and bestow a few gifts on the Copperas Cove city council members.

For newbie Joann Courtland, I give a set of hand grips on her place on the dais. Hang on, it’s going to be quite a ride!

For Fred Chavez, a squeegee mop, to wipe all the bullshit away that some of his council cronies will try to spread. Dig for the truth, Fred, and not protect special interest, members-only groups.

For Dapper Dan Yancey – a tie, what else??!! Red tie, of course. For wearing so it shows up on TV better and also for leading the way in the Christmas parade.

Jay Manning? He gets TUMs, Zantac, his pick. To prevent heartburn.

Kirby Lack gets a nice leather jacket. He’s a good guy and likes his bikes. Leather protects you from road rash on the road, and leather jacket will protect him from getting chafed by the other council members on either side of him

Marc Payne gets, ah, three free explanation cards. Only three, for one year. When asking for explanations during a meeting, choose wisely. Otherwise we end up with five-hour council meetings.

Charlie Youngs. Now, Sorry-Charlie gets cones – giant, orange traffic cones, to put out on Business

190 wherever he wishes. I found one, at Krist Kindl Markt! See photo. And maybe a few concrete barricades, just for ha-has. NO! I’m kidding. He gets coal. Out of all of the council, he ASSumes everyone knows where “the old EDC building” is for voting. Did you hear him at the beginning of the December 4 meeting? If you are truly in touch with the citizens whom you claim to represent, you will not ASSume EVERYONE KNOWS where the “old EDC building” is. Clearly, he is slanted to be speaking only to people who know the inner workings of Copperas Cove, and not ALL voters. #notmycouncilman

Not sure why Sorry-Charlie was wearing a suit for that meeting instead of his traditional track suit while sucking down his gelato. You can dress it up, but what’s inside is still inside. A man who speaks only to the cronies and good old boys, and leaves the “regular” public out of the loop.

Again, a man with an axe to grind is not good in office. Curmudgeon is seriously baffled as to why NO ONE has attempted a recall on the man due to his incompetence and gross lack of regard for ethics and the rules.

Let’s move on to the Dec. 4 meeting and the FATHOM discussion.

So, the city is looking at moving back into the old utility admin building, but Ryan Haverlah said the cost to get the building back up to speed is about $40,000.

Sorry-Charlie said that divided among the city’s water meters, $40,000 would be $2.66 per meter.

Ummmm….what are you saying, sir?

The CUSTOMERS should each chip in $2.66 to fix this mess?

Um, no. I hope the voters and citizens and customers stream in and raise holy hell about that one.

Why should  CUSTOMERS pay to fix POOR CUSTOMER SERVICE?

We have NO option as water customers in Copperas Cove.

Why should WE be saddled with paying that $40,000? That’s a load of bull.

Then add that 40-grand to the at least 70-grand it will cost to hire new utility employees?

Ah, the Water & Sewer fund needs to fix that, and not the people.

What about that loan made to Endeavor? Let’s use some of that repayment with interest for taking care of the utility building and hiring those people. Isn’t Endeavor supposed to be paying the city back for that $3 million it borrowed from the Water & Sewer fund? Does anyone remember that? And nope, Curmudgeon isn’t making that up.

Now, Christmas gifts are in order for our two departed councilmen, David Morris and James Pierce Jr. Mr. Morris gets that drink I promised him along with a piece of pavement from Business 190 once construction starts, to remind him of the hard work he put in and that he has made an impact on the city. Also, Mr. Pierce…hmm…he gets a megaphone. Because he is off council, it does not mean that he does not have a voice. Perhaps he will take a cue from Mr. Russell and speak up and make sure this council toes the line.  

What does Curmudgeon want for Christmas? True progress in our city. For Firefly Aerospace to come on in and set up shop. We have a nice piece of property here, ready and waiting. Location, location, location! We need you. Despite the silliness that goes on, on council, there’s a plethora of individuals who have good sense and are ready to work hard and not protect special interest groups (as Charlie Youngs does, currying favor with the chamber of commerce – again, why should a members-only club get special benefits from the city and resources that the rest of us must pay for???). 

We have a good lineup of city employees, a smashing library, small businesses which are booming, two great colleges on our doorstep with a ready workforce nearby, and a low cost of living compared to other areas. Copperas Cove is THE spot to set up shop.

Merry Christmas! Curmudgeon will try to post at least once more before the end of the year – 26,630 page views since January, dear readers. Thank you. Love me, hate me, don’t ignore me.

P.S. Did anyone notice a high school football playoff game in Bulldawg Stadium on December 1? 

Nope, neither did I. A cryin’ shame the HOT Bowl moved to Waco, with all of those out-of-town dollars getting absorbed by another city and school district willing to play nice for the benefit of ALL. A pity, really.