CRYSTAL COAST TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
JUNE 14, 2011
Meeting held at Golden Corral, Morehead City, NC
Meeting called to order at 6:03 pm by President BOB CAVANAUGH
Pledge of Allegiance led by BOB CAVANAUGH
Invocation by RUTH PARKER
Number of attendees – 21
BOB announced that the meeting tonight would be short since he, KEN LANG, and TIM BUCK have to leave early to attend a GOP meeting.
KEN reported that he was continuing to look for a meeting place in the western end of the county for establishing another TEA Party group. All the restaurants say they will be glad to accommodate the group during the off season, but were unable to do so during the summer. He checked back with the Cape Carteret Community Center and was again told that the large meeting room was $30.00 per hour, but they had a smaller room that holds about 20 people that we can get for $10.00 per hour. A neighbor of Ken’s that works with the Little Bank has volunteered to pay for 6 months of meetings (l hour twice a month). If we get a good turnout he may commit to further. However, before then we may be able to meet at a local restaurant, probably Debbie’s ‘Rucker John’. KEN asked that if you have any ideas for spreading the word about organizing a Western TEA party, please email him. Suggestions made were the Swansboro Tidal News, News Times ‘Community Happenings’ (our meetings here at the Golden Corral are posted there), and maybe a radio Public Service Announcement. HOWARD GARNER is concerned that if we reduce our meetings to twice a month, it will affect our attendance. He thought we should continue meeting every week here and maybe the Western Group meet on a different night, so some of us can attend those meetings also. KEN said he would look into another night.
KEN said he had received some data from Lee Haywood from Greensboro, who attended our May 31st meeting. He reported that Lee’s group had printed up handouts detailing school data and had sent him copies. Their school superintendent makes a quarter of a million dollars a year, but can’t even teach a class. He has hired his buddies and has created a bureaucracy with average salaries of $176,000.00. Teachers went up 12% and Administration 24%. KEN would like for us to make up similar handouts and pass them out (either at the July 4th parade or maybe at the local grocery stores).
KEN reported that the C4 had presented a petition to the County Commissioners at the last Commissioners’ meeting. Ken said he had read the petition and he would have signed that petition also. It was totally in line with our beliefs of level funding, but that was not what they actually asked for. They want an increase, not level. BOB said we need to be more organized and on the ball before next year’s budget. Need a volunteer of our group to get in there and dig and find out what is going on, before it is too late.
BOB asked PEGGY GARNER if she had found out anymore about the July 4th parade. PEGGY reported that the parade would be on Monday the 4th. Parade starts at 11:00am. We need to get there early either to find a parking place on a side street or meet at the court house and all pile into as few cars as possible to the parade lineup, which starts at Gordon Street (other side of the post office). I understand that the antique cars go first and we are #5 in the parade lineup. We are allowed to pass out the Declaration pamphlets, candy, etc., if we wish. ROMA WADE said he could get us a spot along the parade route where we can set up a table and sell our shirts, hats, etc. PEGGY had asked if the parade had a theme this year and was told yes, “Days of Old”, which covers a lot of territory. PEGGY had an Oriental Trading Catalog that has candy wrapped in patriotic papers. She said she and HOWARD would be glad to pay for part of the candies. NANCY BOCK, Treasurer, said she thought we should go ahead and order what we thought we might need. We can always pick up more locally. (like wrapped mints). PEGGY said she needs to know how long our float (trailer) will be so she can let Mrs. Barnes know how much room to leave for our space. They number and mark the float lineup with chalk. LOU KUKULEWSKI said he had a 16 foot trailer but it doesn’t have any sides and is low. FRED DECKER said Pat Joyce has a trailer that he lets the GOP use and he thought he could get that one for us to use. He would see about getting sides (like they use for the GOP) made up and put on the trailer for displaying signs and flags. Discussed where to put the trailer so it will be available to work on. HOWARD offered the use of our back yard. There may be some prefab needed but mostly the work putting the float together would be done on Sunday the 3rd.
BOB asked if anyone had watched the GOP debate and who they thought won. Most agreed on Michelle Bachman. Did think the questions that were asked were down right dumb and stupid. Several thought Herman Caine did a good job answering, but was not asked enough questions. Actually most thought that the next administration should be comprised of all those who participated in the debate. They all appear to be conservative and care about our county. We might be able to get our country back on track with them in control.
Discussed the vote on the budget and Gov. Perdue’s veto. All agreed that we hope the five Democrats that voted with the Republicans, will hang in there and help override the veto.
Meeting adjourned
Minutes submitted by PEGGY GARNER, Secretary