Editor’s Note: Even with “Cheat-Sheets” provided by County Employees on County Time and stationery, Commissioners Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whetstine seemed to be “Blowing Smoke” to the voters at the February 13, 2020 Candidate’s Forum held at Cleveland Community College. But, to be fair, I have provided the following Freedom if Information Act questions so that Commissioners Hutchins and Whetstine can clear their name…If they can?
I am sharing the questions with the public and I will share the answers with the public as soon as I get them.
To: Cleveland County Public Records Officer, All Commissioners, County Manager:
Subject: Fact Checking Campaign Statements—Public Records Request Submittals:
Several unclear Projects and Plans have been mentioned by the Incumbent Cleveland County commissioners at Commissioners Meetings and a Political Forum during this 2020 Election year. Under the Freedom of Information Act s well as North Carolina Public Records Laws, please provide the following documents and records related to these claimed projects and plans:
Project Fix was the subject of a Resolution involving a 5% matching grant to fix up houses. According to the resolution 25 workers would be hired for permanent full-time jobs making $40,378 per year for four years. Project Fix was claimed to increase the population, tax base and business prospects.
1. Please provide for inspection all the documents and records that show just who in involved with this Project Fix and justify how any of the claims that were made will be accomplished.
2. How this Project Fix is justified while at the very same time the City of Shelby is in the process of demolishing substandard housing as rapidly as possible.
Sell Cleveland County was mentioned by Commissioner Johnny Hutchins at the Republican Commissioners Candidate Forum at Cleveland Community College as a program that would provide jobs to 58,000 employees that would pay over $42,000 per year.
1. Please provide documents and records for inspection that just who is involved with Sell Cleveland County and justify how any of the claims that were made will be accomplished.
2. Accelerate Cleveland County is a project by Cleveland Community College that claims to have one person out of 9,000 that has achieved a success by obtaining a job that pays around $42,000. Did Commissioner Hutchins mix up Accelerate Cleveland County with Sell Cleveland County? And, if so, please provide documents and records that show exactly the statistics and accomplishments of each project over the time they have been in existence.
1,000 Homes Coming to Kings Mountain: At the same political forum noted above, Commissioner Ronnie Whetstine claimed that 1,000 new homes were coming to Kings Mountain.
1. Please provide for inspection all documents and records that substantiate Commissioner Whets tine’s statements.
20-year Financial Plan for Cleveland County: At the Political Forum previously mention, Commissioner Johnny Hutchins claimed that the Commissioners had developed a 20-year =Financial Plan that would provide all the answers for the problems and issues of Cleveland County.
1. Please provide for inspection all such 20-Year Financial Plans that the Commissioners have developed,
2. Provide all documents and records that show how and why justification that future Commissioners will enact any of it.
Please note that these are all related to Commissioner Johnny Hutchins and Ronnie Whets tine’s statements of what the commissioners have done accomplished and are bragging about. Or lying about.
I expect a full and accurate response to this Request for Documents and Records by Close of Business Monday, February 24, 2020 so that I can report to the voters whether or not Hutchins and Whetstine were just blowing smoke to the voters or actually telling the truth.
One real, but obscene question regards Hutchins saying that 58,000 workers would be making $40,378 per year. That many employees are just about 100% of the total county workforce. And about 25% or more of those work outside Cleveland County.
Thank you for a quick response.
Robert A. Williams
citizensforgoodgovernment.org
