Different names and faces; same ole lies and Corruption!!!?? 20-year-old article republished by Robert A
Editor’s Note: Robert A published this article below around 20 years ago. Change some names and organizations and you have a 2024 scenario described in full. All over again. Another Cleveland County “Shakedown!!!”
DESTINATION CLEVELAND COUNTY—CC Heading for BANKRUPTCY-???
Or just Trouble in Paradise?
Analysis of information by Robert A. Williams
The Cleveland County Commissioners, led by Jo Boggs, Eddie Holbrook and Mary Accor basically gave the Historic Old Courthouse to Destination Cleveland County (DCC) for $1 per year. Then agreed to cough up $1.5 million to DCC for renovations. A grant from the state coughed up another $1.5 million. Donations from the money crowd, who paid a few thousand, to have their names on some room or something also came in. Earl Scruggs, after whom the Old Courthouse will be re-named, has not been reported as giving a dime. But hey, this was supposed to bring $180 million into Cleveland County over ten years. So, Commissioners Boggs, Holbrook and Accor jumped on the DCC parade. All this big talk for around two years and nobody seems to be auditing the money trail of DCC on the Courthouse Project. Or not one bit of restoration, or not one coat of paint, or the grand opening that is one year late has happened. Nobody running for office this year (Boggs, Holbrook or Accor) that was involved with the DCC and the Courthouse (and $$$) giveaway is making a sound about this Project to Nowhere.
Now we hear from the Shelby Star crowd that the Manager of the Don Gibson (the old State) Theater, another high profile DCC project, is resigning. The story in the Star has to be hokum and nobody believes it. Most believe the manager sees the handwriting on the wall that the megabucks coming to DCC are leaving the DCC faster than the money is coming in. And he is a smart rat and sees the DCC ship sinking out from under him.
As for me, I believe the following: IF DCC lets me audit their books and bank statements, they are legit and above board. If they don’t, they are just mini-Bernie Madoff fraud artists who have pulled a scam over Commissioners Boggs, Holbrook and Accor and the taxpayers of Cleveland County.
Call me, DCC. My number is in the phonebook.
Editor’s Note: History repeats itself. The problems in Cleveland County today can be directly traced to the mistakes Voters made in previous elections. That is easy to prove–look at the Sheriff’s race in 2010. Knowing what we know now, would we have re-elected Sheriff Raymond Hamrick?
As for this cartoon, we printed this in 2008 with the complete Courthouse story. (Go to the Archives for the 2008 issue) Now, many citizens truly believe the cartoon above accurately depicts what the Historic Courthouse “giveaway” is all about. Of course we all “hope” the story turns out differently. But based on Cleveland County history one thing is sure, the money flow will be in one direction only—from the pockets of taxpayers to the DCC. I hope you read this article carefully to see how we got ourselves into this mess. It did NOT happen overnight. Perhaps we should give Jo Boggs and Eddie Holbrook the boot from their County Commissioner jobs on November 2nd to break this chain of incompetence. What do you think, Voters?
PS: Stay tuned to see if the DCC lets me take a peek at their books.
PS 2024-Hey Commissioners, Robert A wants to see all the “books” related to the so-called New Justice Center Project. And the Catawba Casino. Kevin Gordon and Johnny Hutchins, Why are YOU so afraid to do that???
