Mr. Willie Green, in my opinion from the very start, has been the victim of discrimination and systemic governmental corruption in his bid to:
- Start a Career Promise Program in Cleveland County to ensure that every qualified high School graduate-black and white-had the opportunity to obtain a College Scholarship. Discrimination and corruption caused Cleveland County to refuse Mr. Green’s program even though Gaston County would later adopt a similar program as what Mr. Green proposed.
- Build a Sports Complex Project to take idle kids and all other kids off the streets and engage them in sports training that would achieve the goals of reducing crime to expanding sports/athletic college scholarships to all Cleveland County students. A project that Shelby has refused because, in my opinion, Mr. Green was not white and in the In-Crowd.
- Rezone some property to build high-end Town Houses for “professional” tenants. A need that was identified in City of Shelby documents. One apparent reason for the denial of Mr. Green’s Zoning change application is that Mr. Green’s construction of housing seems to be in competition with Shelby City Council Members David White and Eric Hendricks’ business interests.
All these efforts by Mr. Green seem to be advantageous to all of Shelby and Cleveland County. The only obvious reason for the “orchestrated campaign” against Mr. Green’s proposals was he would be the first Black Businessman to “break the glass ceiling”” into such projects-some of which would directly compete with certain white businessmen, including Council Members David White and Eric Hendricks, who seemed to never have problems getting their zoning change requests approved with little to no building inspection hold[ups.
All and all, Mr. Green has initiated several lawsuits against several City of Shelby officials and won a landmark decision from Superior Court Judge W. Todd Pomeroy that Shelby City Manager Rick Howell could be sued in his individual capacity because of Howell’s malicious and criminal intent. A ruling that strips away the immunity defense of a corrupt public official.
Rick Howell has appealed Judge Pomeroy’s ruling but is very likely to lose. Either in the Appeals court or in the NC Superior Courts. The Appeal Court’s ruling is expected at the end of August or early September 2020. So far, Former Shelby Attorney Bob Yelton has resigned in disgust, the City of Shelby has paid Gaston County Attorney Martha Thompson around $52,000 to defend Rick Howell. Perhaps in an attempt to keep the immunity defense alive for Mayor Stan Anthony and the other City Council members. Hopefully, on their part, to keep them out of prison. I say a dose of prison every now and then for corrupt officials is what they deserve. “Justice” is what it is called.
In the process of all of this, Mr. Willie Green has sought out other business ventures in his home town of Athens, Georgia and has been met with nothing but enthusiasm from the City of Athens. Mr. Green has announced his intentions of centering his business investments in Athens, Georgia, where he has been welcomed with open arms.
But, for those in Shelby who wanted Mr. Green to quit and just go away, they just got a major wake-up call that Mr. Green will not just go away and let their corrupt and illegal treatment of him go unpunished. Such a move as “just going away” from a former NFL Football Player with two Superbowl Rings, a move to just admit defeat and slink away, is not in Mr. Green’s competitive nature. Mr. Green can move his interests and money to Athens; but realizes that if he just goes away, all the other minorities will be at the mercy of Cleveland County’s long standing and well protected Plantation Political system. Mr. Green also realizes that Athens is not that far away and the Federal Legal system is available to him in both Georgia and North Carolina.
So, Mr. Green has unleashed a frontal attack on Cleveland County’s Culture of Corruption, including the Uncle Toms and “Coons” that heavily populate the inept and. ineffective Black Community leadership as shown by the following email message to Former Shelby Mayor Mike Philbeck.
In this message to Mayor Philbeck, Mr. Green demands answers from Philbeck regarding his role in this proclaimed “orchestrated campaign” against him and announces that he is initiating Federal Lawsuits and Federal Investigations in the matter. Shelby should now realize that they have awoken a giant that refuses to put up with their petty “piss-ant” grade-school shenanigans.
But folks, don’t believe me. Mr. Green just copied me with this message that he has also sent to the Shelby Star, Charlotte TV News, Federal officials and such. Heck, here is a copy of the distribution list: Martha Thompson, Stan Anthony; Diane Turbyfill, Robert Williams, Dante Murphy, Clyde Edgerton, Rebecca Sitzes, Attorney General Josh Stein, DA Mike Miller, Ken Lemon, Nick Ochsner, NC NAACP; Andrew Hopper and Charles Webber. Call any of them to verify this message as shown below.
Read and weep City of Shelby and Cleveland County Officials. Who knows whose names will be on the next lawsuit that Mr. Green files against the members of the Culture of Corruption and elite (in their own minds) in Shel by and Cleveland County? Whoever it is, you will sooner or later get what YOU deserve. Justice, served up hard and cold. And expensive.
From: Mr. Willie A Green, Sr. July 6, 2020 at 4:27 PM
To: Mike Philbeck, Realtor and Former Shelby Mayor and Board of Adjustment Member
Subject: Opportunity to Clear the Record: Statements Made by Mayor Stan
Anthony
Mike,
I’m sorry for my shortness this morning of not engaging in a conversation about the issues that continue to divide the community in Cleveland County when I am one of the victims of the corruption and discriminatory practices by our local officials. As you know, there has and continues to be an orchestrated campaign by the leaders in Shelby to deny me any ability to do business in the City. So, I have moved back to Athens, Ga to pursue business opportunities in my hometown. And until I can eliminate people like yourself as a member of this ongoing campaign, I prefer to limit my conversations with you.
As it relates to you specifically. If you recall a conversation we had after my zoning application was unanimously approved by the Shelby Planning and Zoning Board on October 17, 2019, and before the November 18, 2019, City Council meeting where the City Council denied my zoning application. That conversation consisted of you calling and fervently urging me to withdraw my zoning application before the Nov 18th Council meeting. I respectfully rejected your recommendation.
An article was written in the Shelby Star titled “Diving deeper into Willie Green’s proposal” talks about why the City Council denied my zoning application. In that article, Mayor Stan Anthony told the Star reporter, “Green was advised before he bought the property to add a contingency that it would be rezoned as part of the purchase. He said Green did not do so.” Given the fact that there were only three people who knew I was purchasing the property was myself, the property owner, and yourself, who you were representing both parties as our real estate agent. I wanted to allow you the opportunity to either admit or deny that you were the source that Mayor Anthony stated in the Shelby Star article, who allegedly informed me of a specific rezoning contingency before the purchase of the property?
Mayor Anthony made serious unproven allegations that imply that I refuse to follow the rules and has given the public, by his comments in the Shelby Star, the impression that I am not truthful about my intentions to build high-end townhouses for professionals—but deceiving the people that I intended to build “low-income housing” that would damage the property value of the existing homes.
It would be much appreciated if you stated – in your written response – that you were or were not the source of Mayor Anthony’s claim so that I can include your statement into the record of my possible lawsuit and federal investigation against the City of Shelby. The last thing I want to do is become what I despise, accusing someone of wrongdoing without allowing them the opportunity to defend themselves or grouping them with those who are part of this orchestrated campaign against me.
I look forward to your response.
Willie A. Green, Sr.
Editor’s Note: Well said Mr. Green. We also believe that Mr. Philbeck be transparent with his response to your questions to him. We have our own question for Mr. Philbeck, Shelby Mayor Stan Anthony, City Manager Rick Howell and Council Members Violet Dukes, David Causby, David White, Eric Hendricks, Andrew Hopper and Rev. Charles Webber. Are you a member of this “Orchestrated Campaign” against Mr. Willie Green and other members of the Black Community? Or NOT? We consider YOUR “silence” as YOUR admission that you are invoking the Fifth Amendment against admitting that you have or may have been involved in criminal acts. For which the appropriate remedy is YOUR immediate resignation from your leadership positions. No citizen deserves city or county officials who are NOT trustworthy.