Trouble in Paradise-Part Gazillion!!!
Editor’s Note: It seems a “Cloud of Controversy” is always “swirling” around the Kleveland Kounty Kommissioners’ Board when Commissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon is in charge. And, even when he is not in charge.
Folks, remember the three recent failed attempts by the Cleveland County Commissioners to fool the citizens of Cleveland County to vote to increase sales taxes to the maximum allowed. Kevin Gordon and pal Dennis Bailey were pushing heavy to get those tax increase, even though both of them were not elected officials at the start. (Note than when the new Justice Center bills start rolling in, you can expect both property taxes as well as the sales tax increase to be trotted out all over again.
Folks, Remember when Kommissioner Kevin Gordon forced the merger of the CC Rescue Squads into the CC EMS. Saying it would save $3 Million per year. And it ended costing taxpayers an additional $12 Million$ from now on. And cost Kevin Gordon a grandson who drowned in Kevin’s home swimming pool at Kevin’s July 4th, 2024 party.
Folks, Remember a few years ago when the Kommissioners took-over 1 Cent (about 7%) of the CCS School property tax revenue in the name of new school facility repair and construction?? But then turned over $Million$ for additional teacher’s supplemental pay during the 2024 Election year for a vote buying scheme to get themselves re-elected? All the while CCS’s education is failing more and more every year. And now it appears that CCS School repair estimates are around $100 Million$ and the “saved” money appears to be insufficient or mostly gone??? They won’t say which. Except it may take between $86 Million$ to $109 Million$ to do the work and around 100 years to pay off the bills. (Please read the other Public Records Request document included with this article asking CCS and the School Board to show that CCS is NOT BROKE!!) And, remember that if CCS is broke, Kleveland Kounty is broke too!!
Folks, Remember when KIeveland Kounty was only $40 Million$ in debt and planned on paying it off in 10 Years?
Folks, Remember when Kleveland Kounty Animal Control was doing a good job with their spay and neuter program for cats? (Right after they stopped gassing and shooting cats at the landfill.
`Folks, Remember those 150+ years when Kleveland Kounty only had one County Attorney at a time???
Well folks, Since the Special Called Kommissioners meeting held January 2, 2025, plus an hour or two, Kleveland Kounty NOW is back to only ONE Kounty Attorney Again. Tim Moore resigned so he could go to Washington, DC. The Krazy Kommissioners skipped over Deputy Kounty Attorney Martha Thompson and anointed “Boutique” Attorney Jonathan Sink saying (In articles published in the Shelby Star, the Shelby Shopper and on the Kounty’s Official Website that the KKK’s finally had good legal advisors. Like Tim Moore and Martha were NOT providing good legal advice.
Anyway, Tim Moore was off to Washington and didn’t give a shit about the KKKs. Martha Thompson, who foolishly thought the Kommissioners were going to move her up from the Deputy Kounty Attorney to the genuine Kounty Attorney, until she saw all the KKKs Press releases that alluded to her and Tim doing such bad jobs, resigned on the spot. PO’d to high heaven I would imagine. Beat by the “boutique” attorney Jonathan Sink.
But there is more trouble in Paradise than meets the eye.
Now that Attorney Marth Thompson has seen the light, perhaps she will turn “States Evidence” in all the “dirty tricks” that Robert A knows that she knows and was personally witness to. From Kevin Gordon’s “hissy fits” when she just sat there looking at the floor, to perhaps illegal financial “irregularities” that she must have known about. And covered up. And, all those other Kounty department heads who were also sitting there with disbelief. But were too afraid to say anything. And all the other Kommissioners who participated in the cover-up. All except Komissioner Ronnie Whetstine-who just didn’t run for re-election. Knowing that bad things were being done but too afraid to do or say anything at the time. Just like Martha Thompson.
And, now there is Attorney Jonathan Sink now taking over the cover-up duties for the Krazy Kleveland Kounty Kommissioners. It also seems that boutique Attorney Jonathan Sink is on Kevin Gordon’s “Short Leash” too. Since Sink was also previously worked in the Gaston County Attorney’s Office and perhaps knows in full detail why Kevin Gordon was forced to resign from his high-paying job by the Gaston County Commissioners who just “Passed the Trash” (Kevin Gordon) back to Kleveland Kounty. Apparently glad to get rid of Gordon. And Kevin Gordon, now without gainful employment, would be more disposed than ever to put his hand in the proverbial “cookie Jar.” Especially to make payments on his $500,000+ house and new truck payments too?
So, KK Kommissioner Chairman Kevin Gordon apparently saw to it that Boutique Attorney Jonathan Sink was put on a short term (six month) contract ($250 per hour) as the Kleveland Kounty Attorney. Dangling that “carrot on a stick” in front of Sink to keep everything quiet; or soon Sink would also be “gone with the wind” in very short order.
Also, folks, Remember that seven-year in the making Federal Lawsuit against Kleveland Kounty filed by around 100 EMS workers because the Kounty refused to properly pay the EMS workers for Overtime pay. It’s hard to say what role Boutique Attorney Jonathan Sink will play in that Kleveland Kounty Kommissioner “ClusterF*ck?” But, with Thompson out and Sink in, it is very likely that Sink will be making many trips in the near future to the Federal Courthouse in Asheville, NC.
Folks, It is never a dull moment in Kleveland Kounty, NC when the KKKs get us taxpayers involved in paying for all these debts the KKKs get us into paying off.
Stay tuned.
And be sure to read the Second article that is included with this document.
Robert A Sends Important Message to the CCS School Board!!!
- Please Prove CCS is NOT BROKE!!!
- HOW are YOU going to “FIX” the 13 CCS Failing Schools??
Forwarded to the Public by Robert A
To: Dr. Stephen Fisher, Joel Shores, Aaron Bridges and CCS School Board:
At the January 13, 2025 CCS School Board Meeting Vice Chairman Aaron Bridges made a statement that despite what some in Cleveland County say, Cleveland County Schools “is not “broke”. Apparently in response to my article earlier in that Cleveland County AND Cleveland County Schools ARE broke and provided clear reasoning to support that belief and opinion.
Mr. Bridges’ statement was made despite commentary earlier in that very same January 13, 2025 School Board Meeting that some listings available to the School Board members of necessary CCS repairs and other facilities work that totaled $129 Million$ (as I recall) and, according to MY calculations, that work would take between 86 to 129 years to pay off. Not counting any more work found to be necessary during those 89 to 129 years.
Also Note that School Board Member Walter Scott Spurling, also made comments-during this same time and same conversation-that the listing of necessary work was on CCS Records and was a “Public Record that was available to the Public. Unfortunately, I have searched the CCS internet Home Page and could NOT find these public records.
Unfortunately, as CCS School Board Chairman Joel Shores appeared to be trying to shut-down this very important discussion on a critical subject, someone, I believe it was Chairman Joel Shores, made the statement that “if all the work doesn’t get done, so what?” Note that there was more than usual background noise in the CCS School Board Meeting room that evening. Also, the microphones were especially troublesome and some discussion was especially hard to hear.
In conclusion, I am very disappointed in the lack of concern the Cleveland County Board of Education seems to have for the truth of the matter as well as the overall disdain for the taxpayers, citizens and school children of Cleveland County. Also, it certainly appears that Mr. Aaron Bridges was 100% wrong with his statement that CCS was NOT BROKE.
But, to be fair, I am requesting the following information from the CCS School Board under the Public Records of North Carolina as stated below:
- The document under question at the January 13, 2025 School Board Meeting as noted herein.
- Any other supporting information, calculations, “figuring,” etc. that was used to estimate the amounts of funds necessary to perform that particular task.
Also, I believe the taxpayers of Cleveland County would like to have good information that would enhance their confidence in local government agencies here in Cleveland County, Especially the CCS School Board. Therefore, I am offering each and every CCS School Board Member the opportunity to explain, in particular terms and positions, to the Citizens of Cleveland County how they will work to better explain how the aging fleet of CCS Schools will be cost effectively and properly maintained and operated over the many years to come. Also, to explain how each of you will advocate and work to FIX the 13 failing CCS Schools? (Please consider this last item as YOUR position for reelection in 2026 or 2028.
Sincerely,
Robert A. Williams
CC Citizen and Taxpayer