CCTPP MINUTES, 2/22/11

MINUTES OF CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
22 FEBRUARY 2011

Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC
Meeting called to order at 6:09 PM by President BOB CAVANAUGH
Pledge of Allegiance led by KEN LANG
Invocation given by JERE GEURIN
37 in attendance

Introduction and Welcome of New Attendees:
GREG and DEBORAH SCHRECK, CLIFF ALLSBRUK, VERNON HILL, and BOB HAINES

Welcome Back to:
LINDA and BILL SHERRY, PAT and JIM NALITZ, LYN BAKER, JAN and FRED GRUBE, Precinct Chairman of Cape Carteret, and HARRY ARCHER, Mayor Pro Tem Atlantic Beach

Recognize Guest Speaker:
ADELE COLLINS and husband DON

Announced that tickets for the Reagan Dinner, Saturday, February 26, sales deadline was yesterday; however FRED DECKER and DEBBIE RUCKER said they have a few left but need to get them tonight so they can notify the organizers.

BOB reported on the web site connection conversations:  The consensus was disappointment on the budget proposal.  The representatives have not held the line on the $100 billion that they promised.  The Debt Ceiling vote is coming up.  The deception going around is that if we do not raise the debt ceiling, Government will be shut down.  This is not true but just a scare tactic by the Liberals.
Discussed situation in Wisconsin.  All agree that this problem will spread throughout the states.
As to the bogus doctor slips being passed out at the Wisconsin protest, it was agreed that those doctors who signed the slips should lose their license and be fired.  Any teacher who tries to utilize one of the bogus slips to justify being absent from their classrooms, should also be fired.  This would cut down on some of the people that will lose their jobs if the bill to increase those protesters having to pay in to their health care and retirement does not get voted on in time, to help offset the State’s debt. The protesting teachers are saying it is for the children, or it’s not fair to do away with their collective bargaining rights; but most of us feel that to ask them to pay 5.8% of their pay to their pension plans, (most pay less than 1%) which would still be less than the average in the private sector is not unreasonable.  Gov. Walker is also asking them to pay 12.6% of the cost of their health care premiums (up from about 6% but still less than the private sector average.  We, in attendance at tonight’s meeting, feel it’s more about the unions losing their massive income (many union members pay $500 to $600 in union dues annually, and teachers pay up to $1,000).  We feel if union members were given the option of paying or not paying union dues, most would probably use those funds to pay for their own health care premiums, retirement plans or pay necessary bills.  To have my money spent to support a candidate that I did not wish to vote for, I feel would be unfair.
SEIU is sending buses around to gather up protestors.  A bus arrived in Raleigh yesterday and was met by the NAACP in support of the Wisconsin Protest.

County Commissioners’ Meeting last night.
The Crystal Coast TEA Party had 10 members attend last night’s County Commissioners’ meeting.  TOM AUSTIN spoke against the recommended AMTRAC type transportation being supported.  He feels that a Greyhound bus business, which was once utilized in this area, went out of business due to lack of customers, was a good example of why we should not invest our tax dollars in another failed attempt at providing transportation to vacationers.  Who in the world would utilize transportation to Morehead City, get dumped downtown with no way to get to where they were going except by one of our local taxis.  Now if we had a Cruise Line sailing out of Morehead for example, then maybe it might work, but as it stands now, no.
KEN LANG reported that it appeared to him that the Public Comment portion was obviously pre-arranged for several (most connected with the school system) to plead with the commissioners to please not cut their budget.  They actually would need more money due to the federal and state cuts.  Much discussion was held on the Board of Education’s Request for authorization to complete all work in Wings E and F of East Carteret High School.  Commissioner Holt Faircloth said he had concerns about sinking more money into a project expanding the available space at the school when it wasn’t necessary.  He explained that when the county passed the $50 million school bond in 2005, the plan was to demolish wings E and F (due to being in a flood plain area) and build a new building.  About two years ago the school board and commissioners decided instead to save and renovate it for use.   The county has already spent about $1 million replacing the roof and windows (approx. $400,000.), $68,000 to remove old steel frame, improving the heating and air conditioning, etc.  The $290,000 being requested is funds remaining from the school bond, that they wish to use to utilize for some walls to be demolished and others renovated, painting, replacing light fixtures, etc.  While the school board said they had several potential uses for the building, they have yet to decide what the property would be used for.  Commission Faircloth said he did not feel this project was being good stewards of the people’s money and especially since student population is decreasing.  There was a round of applause from the audience (mainly the TEA party members) indicating approval of Commissioner Faircloth’s stand.  There was further discussion on whether the money could be utilized elsewhere (shifted to capital projects, freeing up monies that might be used to help keep the teachers in the class room).  Apparently not, however; it was decided to table the request and have the school board go back and reconsider the proposal and  report back at the March meeting.

Adele Collins gave a brief description of her back ground – originally from New Jersey, was in the Navy where she met her husband of 26 years, now lives in Ocean, was a budget analyst at Cherry Point, and has taught at two schools here in the county.  After seeing teachers use their own money to buy supplies for their classes, she decided to run for the Board of Education.  Lost her first attempt, but with the Republican Party helping her meet ‘the right people’ and how to run a campaign, she was successful on her second attempt.  At the last election she was reelected to her position.  Discussed budget problems such as; will probably lose 92 employees with the school (only 28 will actually be teachers).  Asked how many salaried employees are making over $100 thousand; she replied two principals and Dr. Novey, that she could think of.
ERIC BROYLES read reports he had gotten on employee cuts for the fiscal year and said we all have to cut our expenses, so why should teachers be exempt.   The excuse for not losing teachers was that class room sizes would increase and become unmanageable and quality of education will go down.  Statistics do not indicate this.  It is his opinion that it all goes back to the quality of teachers, having come from an era of the large class room student population; he felt his education would be comparable to education today.  He was concerned that Governor Perdue was just juggling the funds by shifting money from the current state programs to the counties for them to have to come up with the money to fund them.  Example:  gas for the school buses and when replacement is needed for the buses the county will have to come up with the funds.

FRED DECKER said if the cap is raised on charter schools, the new charter schools, needing teachers, will have vacancies that can be filled by teachers who lose their jobs in public schools.

When asked about lottery income, Adele said any funds received from the lottery is used to pay down outstanding bonds, and any funds left over from the budget also goes to reducing the bond debt.
Health care is paid for by the state and matched by the county.  Any extras, desired by the employee, is their responsibility.  We have 100.5 locally funded teachers being paid at the lowest possible rate.  State is higher.   Cost for local personnel with all fringes, retirement, health care is $1.1 million.  Average salary is $58,000 and for new employees, $30,000.

Thanked Mrs. Collins for attending and providing us with some very important and informative information and requested that (after recovering from tonight’s session) to please come back again.

DENNIS TOMASO said he would attend the Commissioner’s Budget meeting this Friday night and get the info to Ken for dissemination to our membership.

Coming Events:
March 11 – Joe McCleese and wife to speak at a meeting to be held at Parker’s Barbecue in
Greenville.
March 12 – Chris Parr, organizer of the TEA party in Onslow County, is conducting a program
promoting Americanism and Patriotism in an Educational, Professional and
Entertaining Manner at 7:00 PM at Carteret Community College, Morehead City.
Advance Tickets $10.00 – available at The Book Shop, 4915 Arendell Street, MHC
And Personally Yours, 322 E. Main Street, Havelock.  At the Door – $12.50.
You may order at (910)-238-2280  or email TvStageProd@Centurylink.net
TV & Stage Productions, LLC, Jacksonville, NC.
Patriot music and memories from Bunker Hill to Afghanistan.
Professional Entertainment without going to Myrtle Beach
April 16 –      Crystal Coast TEA Party Rally at the Newport Flea Mall.
ERIC spoke on several bills we need to be aware of:
HB 153 –  Officers of the law (sheriff) guilty of stealing should not receive their
Retirement.
SB22  –
HB 92 –    Repeal land transfer tax
HB 65 –    Defeat S510, Agriculture bill

TOM AUSTIN reported on the explanation he received Monday night after the meeting about CDBG Scattered Site Housing Program.  He had requested information during the meeting on what it involved but was put off as taking too long to explain, for him to catch Mr. Barnette and get him to explain later, which Tom had done.  Tom felt that others listening might not know what the Amendment was about and would like to be brought up to date.  He said he found out that CDBG stood for Community Development Block Grant.  It is for low income people with maintenance problems needing help.  This is fine but he was told that after 8 ½ years, the recipient did not have to pay back (make retribution).  He felt that whenever you were able to pay for the help back (so it could be used for someone else in that position) you should be required to do so.

Treasurers Report – NANCY BOCK
Current bank balance – $1,072.00  (Hats, flags,  buntings and banners have been paid for)
Less                                        144.00  Business cards
Balance                            $   958.00

Anticipated expenses for April Rally based on last year
Sound System   –             $   323.00
Willie Montague
(Transportation and
Expenses to attend)      $   160.00
Port-a-Johns                    $   152.00
Tables                               $      60.00
Total Est. Rally
Expenses                     $   695.00       *Other possible expenses – Radio/Paper Advertising

NANCY reported at the end of the meeting that she had sold $200.00 worth of the new CCTP caps at $10.00 each.
BOB explained that from the sales price of our shirts that $8.00 goes to the Wounded Warrior Project.  We donated $13,000. to this project last year.

Meeting adjourned at 7:50 PM

Minutes submitted by PEGGY GARNER, Secretary.