Not only do we have the happenings from the DEQ coal ash spill update meeting, we’ve also got tonight’s Danville City Council meeting highlights!
5:25 PM – Chuck Vipperman runs two state guys out of his normal seat. Do not get between Chuck and his audio feed. Heh.
5:30 PM – Mayor Saunders starts the meeting by introducing all of the city council members and staff. That wasted a few minutes.
5:40 PM – DEQ guy says coalash collecting boom has been removed. Water quality standards are met for fish, wildlife and drinking water. Fish tissue samples are clean, not unexpected.
Reimbursement for expenses is a big issue. Duke Energy is willing to do that.
Clean Water Act violations will be cited.
5:50 PM – Question time. Very little coal ash stopped by the booms. Most of it was dispersed in the river. Preliminary assessments say there is a low level of concern for floodwaters and livestock.
6:00 PM – Katie Whitehead tries to throw out a leading question about corporate influences on Virginia’s coal ash ponds. Tossed aside and answered by saying that if there’s a problem, it will be fixed.
I’m really beginning to believe that this coal ash spill danger was handled properly and there’s no real danger to the Dan River anymore.
6:10 PM – Gary Miller and a Dept. Of Health environmental epidemiologist answer answer questions about water quality standards.
Alonzo Jones thanks everybody for these meetings. Yes, it’s campaign season. Heh.
6:20 PM – Clock’s starting to run out. All state agencies appreciate help of the citizens. Health Department is not advising people to stay out of the water, just to exercise caution.
Unified command headed by the EPA is still in control of the situation.
Editor’s note: We’ll move into LIVE! Danville City Council coverage at 7PM here on SouthsideCentral.com
7:00 PM – City Council meeting gets underway with Duke Energy updating on the coal aah spill.
7:10 PM – Duke Energy continues their presentation. Full house in the audience tonight, and all councilmembers are here.
It will be a three month cleanup process down to the Schoolfield dam. They’re acquiring the needed permits. They’re mailing a letter to all landowners offering free water testing.
7:20 PM – Duke Energy’s community relations guy talks about what all this coal ash can be used for. The Eden coal ash has the least volume of all of their coal ash ponds.
City Council is asking questions now. Lee Vogler asks will Duke help the Danville area out. Duke Energy says “whatever we can”.
7:40 PM – Duke Energy: “You can count on us to do the right thing”
Gary Miller gets semi-combative about long-term health effects such aa increased cancer rates. Um, what? The water is as safe as it’s ever been.
Adam Tomer asks why we should trust Duke Energy now after exposure of their actions before. Answer from Duke Energy is something like “Hey, look! A squirrel”
8:00 PM – The presentation and questions continue. Sherman Saunders asks when it will be safe to fish again. Duke guy is polite in saying to check with your local health department as always.
8:10 PM – City Manager Joe King reveals that Danville is one of three finalists for a company to come to the Mega Park and he believes that the other competitors are mentioning the coal ash spill as a Danville negative. Interesting…
Fred Shanks does the “I’m not mad at you, I’m disappointed in you” speech. Damn, that tactic gets me every time.
8:30 PM – We’re back after a quick recess. Citizen comment time starts with James Turpin talking about the lack of cost of living increases for their pensions. That explains why there is a full house as most are retirees.
I’ve got mixed feelings on this topic, but I have to realize that the time of pensions for life is well in the past. There’s no easy way to say “no”, but it’s got to be said. According to Turpin the 544 retirees have an average pension of over $1500 per month. That’s not bad at all.
That being said, I’m interested in the proposal to pay a one time bonus out of the retirement fund that’s almost fully funded. The retirees haven’t gotten any increase in five years.
9:00 PM – Oh boy, Merle Rutledge is here! He’s wanting to talk about the alleged bad deeds of the Danville police department. The mayor shuts him down quickly by asking if he’s met with the city manager about his concerns. He hasn’t, so that meeting is set up and Merle goes away. Damn.
I didn’t think much about it at the time, but two extra Danville police officers left the council chambers once Merle Rutledge left. Interesting.
Around the horn time starts, and I’ve got to give credit to Alonzo Jones for mentioning my article from Sunday and asking if there’s ways that the police department can better inform neighborhoods of crimes that happened near them.
That’s about all from City Council chambers. You’ve got it here and you’ve got it first on SouthsideCentral. Keep spreading the word!
what did rutledge say?
Just updated and cleaned up the article. He wanted to talk about alleged Danville police department misdeeds and targeting. The mayor shut him down quickly.
Sorry Southside reports fiction and not facts. Here you go Tim, of what was said and the time it was said.
edge
If you want to hear Merle Rutledge Jr speak and address Mayor Saunders today. Go to the 1.59.00 hour part after the honored retirement people speak.
http://danville-va.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=5&clip_id=926 — with Merle Rutledge and Merle Rutledge.
City Council Meeting – Mar 18th, 2014
danville-va.granicus.com
Live and Recorded Public meetings of City Council Meeting for City of Danville, VA
Please watch this. You’ll see Sherman Saunders cut him off and tell him to get with the City Manager. The. End.
Here is City of Danville, Va Mayor Saunders email address. You can ask him directly if what Southside Central is saying is ture that the mayor shut me down. “sherman.saunders” , “1doghouse” , Also Southside Central, put up his response to it.
sherman.saunders@ci.danville.va.us
Do not bring up garbage that you can not back up Southside Central. here is another e-mail address to the Mayor of Danville, Va Saunders to help support your argument. It is 1doghouse@comcast.net
What is it wit h Rutledge and Police. Seems he don’t like them. Maybe he needs to apply to be one and see what it is like. Bet he would not make it as one. Bet he would not make it thru the application process
The mayor did not shut me down and Southside should be reporting real news. The mayor and City manager both was contacted by Merle Rutledge which the actual meeting which is on video format on the Danville, Va City Council page shows Merle Rutledge Jr pointing out that he contacted everyone including the mayor and city manager and the mayor was surprised that none of his employees from the City with Merle Rutledge on the complaints that he has already viewed. Get your information correct Southside
He. Shut. You. Down. He told you to get with the city manager after the meeting. You didn’t say anything more after that.
I am laughing at you SouthsideCentral. You are the only person that believes Merle Rutledge was shut down at a meeting. I could care less who you are, when you are at a meeting, you respect the office and resolve the issue directly. Southside, anytime you want to resolve a issue with me, you can meet me.
What were your issues? Did you get them resolved?
The mayor was clearly disturbed that the City manager didn’t follow up on the e-mails and reports that the Mayor had forwarded to his office. I respect the office of mayor or city manager, even though I may not respect the representation at that time of those who are embodied into the office. I met them on the date which was set up by Joe King and Broadfoot, man to man, can you say the same towards me.
You should be fighting for the U.S First Amendment! A real journalist may not like someone, but when it comes down to the right to free speech and not facing retaliation. You should be on that side at all levels. You write what you want to write Southside Central. I may not like it or respect it, but if police bothered you because of something you wrote negative about them. I would be on your side. You disrespect the journalist community with this representation. Shockingly, even the Danville, Va Register and Bee got more heart than you, even though it may not be much.
ed under a misleading name, aimed directly at the growing anti-media movement.
Free Press describes the law: “Most problematically, disclosure can be compelled when the information in question would assist the federal government in stopping or mitigating “other acts that are reasonably likely to cause significant and articulable harm to national security.” This language could be construed to apply to any number of circumstances, so long as the government argues there is some threat to the limitless concept of “national security.
Although the reason for this new media shattering language is still unknown, what is clear is that this bill must be killed. Here is a petition you can sign, maybe they’ll read it. More importantly, call or email your Senators and let them know we want free press not free* press. Support your favorite indy journalists now while you still can. Subscribe to their email lists, donate to them, share their articles and videos and stand together against this corporate bureaucratic power grab. If you’ve been thinking about getting into the independent journalism field, get some blood in the game now before it’s too late. Let’s hit them with everything we’ve got. Here’s a quick guide that we put together for anyone thinking about joining the anti-media movement.
For a more in-depth look at the Journalism Shield Law watch this video starting at 1:10:
Merle Rutledge needs to go play in a sandbox instead of playing silly games like this. What an idiot.
I dunno. I kinda like him. 😀