The November 14, 2023 issue of the Shelby Star contained a “Press Release” from the Cleveland County Commissioners titled: Three things to know about the Justice Center project, state contribution. This article is attributed to Star Editor Diane Turbyfill and was published at 5:02 am. Only a few weeks after Robert A had spoken about the financial disaster that the Justice Center Project has turned into at the October 17th, 2023 CC Commissioners meeting. This is an obvious attempt to deceive the citizens and Taxpayers in Cleveland County
For your convenience, Robert A is again providing the “clip” of Robert A’s comments to the Commissioners that must have caused the Commissioners and the Shelby Star to TRY to “lie out” of the financial disaster that the Justice Center Project has become. Totally because of bad financial management by the CC Commissioners under the leadership of Chairman Kevin Gordon. It is just as obvious that the Commissioners want to delay these coming Huge Tax Bill increases until after the 2024 Commissioner’s Elections.
Also, for your convenience, the three things highlighted in the Star Article are these:
- Preparation for the new Justice Center included the demolition of The Star, Guardian Ad Litem, and parking deck beside the existing courthouse. The portion of Justice Place between The Star, the Guardian Ad Litem building, and the courthouse has been closed. Roads in and around the courthouse have been realigned for better traffic flow. Parking is available throughout Uptown Shelby, including the ATM parking lot on South Dekalb Street.
The Justice Center is moving according to schedule, and vertical construction is expected to begin by fall 2024.
A groundbreaking ceremony will be held in the future. The updated plans for the Justice Center include more green space/streetscape, increased pedestrian access, and a reduced parking lot area based on feedback from residents during community events hosted by the county.
- Significant benefits of the new Justice Center include secure, distinct paths of travel for the public, court personnel, and detainees to and from the courtroom and improved physical security overall. The future viability of the Cleveland Jail Annex on McBrayer Street is yet to be determined.
Also, the Shelby Star provided two pictures of the Justice Center Project “work in progress” that must have been at least six months old. From before the time the Commissioners finally noticed they were severely running out of funding/way over budget for the project. But the clearest indication of “the trouble in paradise” with the Justice Center Project is the notation in the First Item noted above that “Parking is available throughout Uptown Shelby,” and in the Second Item that “there is a reduced parking lot area.”
Any fool that has been anywhere near the Cleveland County Courthouse in the past 25 years knows that parking, the lack of adequate parking, is an outstanding problem and these fool Commissioners are gonna spend $250+ Million$ on a new Justice Center that covers a whole city block that has more “green space” but LESS parking. “More Pedestrian access” but LESS PARKING!!!
Folks, also notice that “vertical construction” of this new Justice Center Project is scheduled to start in late Fall of 2024. Obviously, a lie to allow the Commissioners to get the 2024 Elections behind them before the new tax bills with huge tax bill increases in 2025 to kick in. Only the most foolish of voters would vote to re-elect Kevin Gordon, et. at. In 2024. But remember Kevin Gordon et al are only hoping to squeeze by in the Republican Primary Elections in MARCH of 2024. They figure no Democrats can win in local General Elections for some time to come.
Wake up Cleveland County Voters!! Get yourself registered as either a Republican or an Unaffiliated voter to make sure that the Kevin Gordon, et al. crowd gets defeated by a large majority in the 2024 Republican Commissioners Primary Elections. And, be sure to forget the CC GOP organization. They brought this problem upon us, to begin with. Only Robert A. and two other like-minded and independent Republican Commissioner candidates can save Cleveland County from the spend and taxers path to certain bankruptcy for Cleveland County in 2025.