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Sunday, April 18, 2010

City Council Public Hearing And Vote Dates For Forbes Hall

Folks,

As I cautioned a few Legion Riders, before attacking members of City Council, you should look at the other side of the issue which is ZONING.

You all know that I am very vocal about going by Legion and Riders Constitution and By-Laws (much of which I wrote or amended IAW National).

Supporting VETS is one thing. BUT!! Law is law. Look into the zoning before believing all that Black has written. The city attorney has cautioned council on rezoning this piece of property.

Neither member of council is against a home for VETS. However, zoning laws (R5) are specific.

Speaking of council members supporting VETS!! Both Cohen and Campbell are the only members that have been at the airport to welcome home our Vets.

I think Black has stepped over the line!! "DIRTY TRICKS"????

Hebrew is not stupid. He knew the zoning before starting this project. Why did he not take this to an area properly zoned?? No one spends the kind of money he spent on 505 without knowing the zoning and permits required. Could it be that he remodeled this property and ran into zoning then he decided to make this a Vets Home to try to get around zoning?? Some years ago there was a zoning issue with the piece of property he owns at the end of Legion road on the right!!

So, that is my opinion on the issue. I think there is more to this.

Look before you leap!!

Dave Suiter

Subject: City Council Public Hearing and Vote Dates for Forbes Hall

Everyone,

WE NEED ALL HANDS ON DECK!

We have a fight on our hands at the City Council...Debbie Campbell and Terry Cohen have let it known that they intend to vote no for Forbes Hall the veterans residence at 505 Collins Street at this week’s City Council Workshop. Our lawyer Matt Mills of Adkins, Potts & Smethurst LLC tells me that they are going to fight us with a vengeance....Campbell and Cohen have already started with the dirty tricks by having Hebreux jump through hoops on snap inspections at his properties...including 505 Collins our veteran home. They have tried to have one of the council members ‘Shannie Shields disqualified from the vote that supports our project!!!..It has been rumored that they will try to have a group there to stand against us. Debbie wants to try to shoot us down on technical issues so that this does not make it for the actual City Council Vote in May. It is hard to believe that we have council members that are so removed from the needs of our veteran community.

The vote counts stands at 3 for and 2 against...our third vote is however in jeopardy...Gary Comegys who supported us at the Planning and Zoning meeting has been diagnosed with bone cancer...I am not sure that this is public knowledge. He says he is going to make it for the vote; he seems determined... but God only knows where or if he will be able to make it a month from now. Maybe he can vote in abstention...not sure on this either. Please say a prayer for Gary...he was behind us at the Planning and Zoning meeting and has always been a strong supporter of our veteran community.

We need all the veterans and supporters we can get and we need to be heard at the following dates:

May 10th is the Public Hearing...at this hearing you will be able to voice your support for this needed project...

May 24th is the actual Vote...we need to be there looking these women in the eyes...They need to know that there will be consequences for their actions.

Send this request out to everyone you know that wants to support our veterans...we cannot let a couple of closed minded council members shut us down.

Show your colors!!!


Jerry R Black
Executive Director
NATRA Inc.
Email: jrblack@natra7.org
Phone: 443-497-9731
Website: www.natra7.org

18 comments:

Anonymous said...

WTF? Who is this Jerry Black? Who is he aligned with? He does addictions treatment? Thought this was supposed to be a non-drug place.

This is nothing but a smear piece. If these people are using veterans to pull off a "mall deal" then to hell with them!

This has stink written all over it, Joe. Please look into it. We vets don't need to be used to pad somebody's pocket.

Hat tip to Dave Suiter, a real man's man and a true vet.

Anonymous said...

Mr. Suiter, thanks for the heads up.

The guy's threatening tone made me wonder.

Anonymous said...

Dave Suiter raises some good questions.

Jerry Black's letter sounds very threatening too. Not the kind of thing you'd expect from the executive director of a nonprofit.

Anonymous said...

Never heard of this project before. So is this this a residential treatment home for veterans with drug or alcohol problems or what?

Veterans or not drug and alcohol burnouts do not make good neighbors. What's the scoop?

Anonymous said...

Joe, Would you please look into this. We are a bit concerned.

ranger3325 said...

why is it that we can change zoning laws to support a new business or a pet project yet we cant help out vets ,its time that we set egos aside get this problem solved and HELP OUR VETS !

Anonymous said...

So, Black was at Pork int eh Park today trying to drum up support for St. Fleur's runa t breaking the law. Hats off to Mr. SUiter. Put a vererans facility in a location taht is zoned for that purpose and build a really nice one. That's something I would support. I also checked Cohen & Campbell's site to see if they had posted anything on the topic. I found the audio file from the work session where this was discussed. Everyone should go and listen www.OnYourSideSby.blogspot.com I also learned plenty about some other important items on the agenda. Shame on you, Mr. Black and thank you, Mr. Suiter for responding in a way that makes a veteran proud.

Anonymous said...

thanks for clearing the muddy water. whether this can be fixed or not I don't know, but the concept is a good one. Mr. Suiter, to you, goes credit for seeing this upfront, wish we all had the ambition to look before we leap!
Also, thanks to you Joe for posting this. Lets hope it works out for all!

Anonymous said...

Hebreaux knew exactly what he was doing. All he wants is to get is rent $$$ for a property outside the zoning laws.
Yes, we need more housing for veterans, but the law is there for a reason, and it was broken with the full expectation that certain politicians would support an exception.
Check out the campaign donations for Barrie, Gary and Shanie - Mr. Hebreaux has been a most generous donor.

Anonymous said...

The only concern we should have is for veterans health and well being. It seems to me that the same old feelings of "not in my neighborhood' still stands.We as Americans are allowed to know who voted no for important issues in our senate and in congress so why not our city coucil. I read the blog and I did not read a threat, just someone who is dedicated to a mission. I do not know Mr.Suiter,I guess he is a good man. I do not know Jerry Black, I guess he is a good man. I do know veterans with health issues that live in the area. Issues like PTSD,DIABETES,AGENT ORANGE RELATED DISEASES, I see them looking to some one for help. How is the county going to help the new veterans? Is there a place locally to help them. Mr. Suiter is concerned about zoneing laws and whether someone is about to get over on someone else. I am a concerned resident interested in the veterans who have done so much for us. Thank you for your service and Welcome Home.

Anonymous said...

This letter stinks. You would think that somebody who cares so much about Veterans, and the laws that they gave so much of their lives to defend, wouldn't go so far out of their way to issue personal attacks on people. Let alone highly respected people.

Anonymous said...

9:24, I agree we should put the veterans first. This is not a "not in my neighborhood" issue though.

It sounds to me like someone broke the law and is now trying to EXPLOIT veterans to recoup the money.

I've seen "projects" like this before and am worried for the vets. A lot of promises and not much delivered while the "instant church" or fly-by-night nonprofit makes dough.

Just because someone claims to be doing something for vets doesn't make it so. This needs to be checked out to make sure it's not just a cover for making some money.

Don't know this Fleur man and not saying this is the case, but I know a little bit about Suiter and would trust what he says.

Anonymous said...

This is a clear example of Gary, Louise, and Shanie being willing to overlook EXISTING LAW to help out a landlord. Yes, they guy is claiming to be all about helping vets, but what he wants to do is make money by renting out a place in a neighborhood that was already zoned residential. He knew it when he bought it, and just counted on his three pals to simply make a special exemption for him. And then he plays the "it's for the vets" card. Give me a break. We all know what is going on here.

Anonymous said...

I know that the Salvation Army recieves code and compliance violation write ups.

There should be no exemptions.

Anonymous said...

The old mayor and council shot down absentee vote by council when a diligent councilman was in the hospital.

Dave Suiter said...

Folks,
I have been getting some heat about Forbes Hall from fellow Vets, so allow me to make a couple things very clear.
#1: I am completely in favor of a home like Forbes.
#2: I do not speak for any Vet organization. I am speaking for my self, US Navy Retired and concerned Vet.
I will continue to look into waht has happened with Forbes. There are proper ways to request Zoning changes and what I see so far raises more questions.
Some years ago,in my neighborhood we had a zoning issue. A resident wanted to sell his single family residence and rezone commercial small business. He had to petition residents within so many feet of his property. When others of us found out, we in turn signed a petition opposing the change. When you allow one foot in the door, more follow and there goes the neighborhood. NIMBY?? Sure, think about your neighborhood!!
Thanks for hearing me out.
Dave Suiter

Anonymous said...

The government owns the Booth Street Housing, let them revitalize that development and make a real Veterans center. The zoning is already in place. This St Fleur fellow tried to get by with another of his flop houses for his under paid employees and got caught. Now he is banking on Gary, Shanie and Louise to bail him out. He is Shanies landlord and she said herself that he cut her a good deal on her rent. She should not be allowed to vote considering she is in a financial contract (Lease) with him and stands to benefit financially (reduced rent).

Is the VA involved in this? Who will fund this project if it is passed? Will it fall to the taxpayers? Why put a drug rehab in crack alley? Another fiasco in the city of Salisbury. When will they learn Barrie is no longer the mayor.

Anonymous said...

Achievement Score Segregation (ASS)

So, this man believes an "offensive practice" deserves an "offensive acronym"?

This mentality is demonstrates what is wrong in our educational system. Fix a problem with bad behavior.

This man should not be around children.