City Council - Regular Meeting

and you're supposed to take it. In a world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing, the psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. For in a world of fake news that's anaphylactic, averse to the truth, Uh, good evening everybody. Well, good night, good morning. This is the DCN Smoke Live. Coming to you briefly tonight to um talk about the Rocky Mount City Council meeting held on today at 4:00. They ended around um Wow. Put my phone on vibrate. Um the city council meeting today uh the four o'clock meeting um last about 4 hours. Um quite interesting as always. Uh but stay tuned. Trying to get some steps straight here. Um and I'll be back. In a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders, decimating democracy, one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time, WHERE ALL LEVERS OF GOVERNMENT HAVE been punked and purchased to the highest bidder. I came to the church on a Thursday night to tell you, we need leaders that have a resilient result. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning. In times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target

of layoffs and firings and where in all our war is being waged on institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are vanishing and anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. We need THE CHURCH TO STAND UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. I mean, what good is THE CHURCH IF THE CHURCH SHOUTS ON SUNDAY MORNING, BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH FAILING students Monday through Friday? What good IS THE CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding the poor? What good is the church?

If ice can break into your house with no LEGAL ORDER AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED to take it, it's been a world of

uh hold on right there y'all. I'm going to um still try to get um some stuff done. This is Late Night Live, the DCN smoke uh coming to you to uh uh do a response on the Rock City Council meeting on today um at uh 4:00. They ended around 8. Uh, while I'm playing this right here, I'm going to um before I get into the city council meeting, I'm going to um respond to this message as well. So, while I'm setting up everything, um I'm going to be uh I'm going to respond to um this powerful message right here. You heard the other night, but um hear me till I get set up here. world of competing voices, thoughts, ways of being and doing. The psalmist reminds the people of explicit instructions from God for their good and for their growth. In a world of fake news, that's an

wow. Fake news. That's what we got going on. uh not only across the nation but here in Rocky Mount. I am so sick and damn tired of half truths coming from the noise inside the council and outside where they're taking it outside into the community and um um and folk are just picking it up and running with it. even got some confused that was part of the process uh trying to get um uh um the the the former city manager Keith Rogers to uh to respond to the council. And now some of the same damn folk are confused coming to the MI where they was coming to the MI uh um uh questioning the city manager uh former city manager Keith Rogers. But now because the city is in a mess, they are not talking whole truths but make it appear that everybody on the council now was a part of the mess that he did uh that uh saying that the council didn't question which is a damn lie. So, Council Andre Knight, Council Ruben Blackwell, myself, and some others, the ones I'm talking about that's confused right now, uh, um, yeah, they using that the light bills, the issue about the light bill. But my my problem is with that, these damn intelligent folk that been coming to the meeting, been following the process,

uh, uh, are coming to the meeting talking stupid when they don't get it. And the LGC have repeated time and time again that they got to do something acting averse to the truth in a country being led by a junk drawer of unqualified leaders.

And that's what we got in Rocky Mount as well. You got some that came on the council unqualified. uh have not tried to learn. I bet you they have not been to a uh uh um leave of municipalities meeting. Um I'm hope uh where I think some signed up now to go uh to I think it's March the 30th, but I'm going see who do go, but um they came on the council for their own selfish motives. And so y'all can continue to listen to the noise all you want to, but when the city go when they when they carry the the torch that Keith Rogers left, um you're going to see how you were on the wrong side with this thing. But but just continue on because uh you're knowing the facts. Um, every me the same stuff, the same conversations and all the memes

decimating democracy one undermining and unnecessary illegal order at a time where all levers of government have been pumped and purchased to the highest bidder. I can't

guess what's going on in Rocky, man. Got to be somebody getting paid to distract, deflect uh the process to the church on a Thursday night to tell you we need leaders that have a resilient result. Can I keep calling the road tonight? Might as well. I'm here to end the morning in times like these where 319,000 black women have been the public target of layoffs and firings and where an allout war is being waged on.

And what you had today was a a black female that was um pushing the agenda for other folks. And it's sad they just got on the school board. Been running and running for office but got on the school board basically by default. But hey, that's what they need to be concentrating on. But no, they all over here and tell me they won't hanging with certain folk. My videos don't lie and my photos don't either. institutions of higher learning where academic freedoms are banishing an anti-intellectualism is feeding a festering fetish with authoritarianism, fascism and Christian nationalism in white and black faith. We need leaders in the church to have a resilient resolve

in times like these where our country is waging war on its own people by using overreach as a tactic to silence erase and make invisible those who refuse to believe it's raining while big brother keeps spitting in our face. WE NEED THE CHURCH TO STAND UP UNDER THE BANNER OF GOD AND THE blood and have a resilient resolve. Talking about the church or I mean this morning we're talking about the church. Um it just amazes me uh how the church is solid on this issue. Uh I seen um um uh a pastor come out today. I had seen him coming to enemies. Just interesting. Um, but anyway, I'm going to get to uh uh start from the protest today until uh the the the meeting tonight. So,

I mean, what good IS THE CHURCH IF THE CHURCH SHOUTS ON SUNDAY MORNING BUT DOES NOT TAKE ISSUE WITH FAILING STUDENTS MONDAY through Friday? What good IS THE CHURCH IF THE CHURCH DOES NOT SPEAK UP WHEN THE GOVERNMENT CUTS SNAP benefits and burns 500 million pounds of good food rather than feeding THE POOR? WHAT GOOD is the church? IF ICE CAN BREAK INTO YOUR HOUSE WITH NO LEGAL ORDER AND YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO TAKE it in a world of competing.

All right, let me get started. I tell you, you got a lot to talk about. First of all, um I shared uh this morning a protest uh uh that were being um uh sent out with uh Charles Robertson name and TJ Walker name. Um it was posted somewhere I think that um um Crystal Wives Anderson has said that someone asked her to help with the protest of the uh utilities. So they had a 3:00 meeting today supposedly been a protest. Um but what happened was um it was no really no conversation going on just that um Crystal opened up got her Frank uh her um uh uh uh uh fame today by talking to the media um and they passed out plates talking about pass the plate that was their thing pass the plate Um um they did a little chant and that was it. And then told to go in the in the me get a seat and uh when they got to talking they was going to uh when it came time to pass the plate. That was right interesting. Um uh on the outside like I said seen at least one pastor there that I haven't been seeing to the means. uh uh seen a a a couple more uh folk that hadn't been coming to the meetings and and uh and um thought was right interesting.

Um but they and then I seen Tim Barnes the the false Rocky Mount come up. He goes straight to TJ. Um call him over to the side. They over there talking. Um, and see that shows you uh what he's all about. He just keep me miss stirred up. I wish he would have called me to the side talking about talking. I told him, "No, bro. I ain't got nothing to talk to you about." Uh, but as uh they regret enter the meeting, I um was recording on my cell phone uh cuz I didn't want to sit out there in that in that pollen with my other camera. So um I was on my cell phone. So, as I was walking back to my car to get my iPad and my tripod, uh, Tim Barnes approached me talking about, "You talk all that [ __ ] on Facebook." I kept on walking to my and you better walk away or something. Uh, it's on it's on live. See, that goes to show you how ignorant he is because I just uh respond to what he said. He the one on Facebook talking stupid. Um, but that goes to show you uh uh we dealing with some crazy folk. Some of them literally crazy uh back and forth in the crazy house. So, um uh and they'll drive you there if you let them. But hey, I I I I just they can't drive me there. But um so we go in the council chambers um packed out. So, um, they began the comments, public comments, and, um, when it get to Crystal, she gets up and do her little spiel and tell people to pass the plate backward or some whatever to the side, throw them up in the air or whatever. But, I didn't

see no movement with the plates. So, that one well orchestrated. Um, but, um, she got there with her little food. I don't even remember what she said cuz uh but anyway, so throughout the public comments kept being outburst. So the city manager, not the city manager, but mayor uh Sandy Robinson said, "Uh, okay. Well, we'll go on with the meeting and we'll come back to the public comments afterwards." And that's what they had to do one time before when you had people in there with outbursts. So, um, after they go through the meeting and what tickles me is, Charles Robinson again stuck on damn stupid. Uh, he and TJ with their same questions. Uh, Charles Robinson, uh, talking about, uh, the lady from LGC is in the room. Yes, she's in the room because she's monitoring the council. She's uh working with the council. And he keep repeating that um um that they don't have to to uh increase the light bill, the utility. That's uh uh um because the LGC said they didn't have to. Um this make the third time if I'm not mistaken. I know twice. Um well, it might be more than that because she did the presentation and then um um the day the first day of the retreat. Then the second day he called her name. So she came back up uh um uh day two. And then the mean last week

um he called out again about what the letter said and Ruben Blackwell had to come back and read the whole letter because he picked out what he want to pick out. So they right back to the same old BS. So it make four times. So, um, while they having a discussion about raising utilities, uh, uh, uh, he and, uh, Charles Robinson, TJ TJ Walker, uh, um, so concerned about, um, not raising utilities.

Well, what I I just get sick and tired of just repeating what I'm what what I'm saying. because LGC and uh it all spelled out that you got to do something to have cash flow. So Robinson keep talking about uh uh the LGC said you ain't got to do that. How many more damn times I kept saying has she got to tell you that? No, she ain't told y'all what to do. It is the council. They are elected to do that to make the call. Make me think the damn boy got me issues on cocaine or something something wrong. I mean question the same question but he try to reward it and then sometime keep saying the same thing and the lady keep saying this is what I said. Uh live doctor even gave her the letter cuz u what they did when they went to um uh doing when they came back and start doing the public comments um the mayor took a recess and asked her did she want to come up. So during that time um um Li gave her the the letter she read it and after she read it. Same old BS from both of them. And I don't have to keep talking about it because y'all can see the videos for yourself. But no, most of you don't want to do that because you are following the noise. Um,

this is what I had to say and I really started not to um go up there and say it because they had uncovered what I had written uh earlier today. They touched on all of them. Um, and so I really didn't, you know, to prolong time, but I had to do it. And this is what I had to say. I said, "Good evening. As always, I have been attending these meetings longer than anyone sitting before me. I want to thank two council, Andre Knight and Ruben Blackwell, some concerned citizens, the NAACP, and myself for questioning um not receiving information from Keith Rogers, the former city manager. If we had not, the city would have been in worse shape than it is now. We finally got the full report from the current city manager and his staff, the internal auditor, state auditor, and LGC. I have attended the means and heard the task given to the city manager and I trust he will present what will be best for the entire city day-to-day operations. LGC said the council must make some tough decisions so you can either continue down the path of Keith Rogers or follow the current staff recommendations. Just imagine if you had been attending these meet just for them folk out there in the audience when Keith Rogers was here. The city videos, the minutes and my videos don't lie. I I tell you. But um

it it it is I am so glad that they got the numbers to uh vote on Monday because it is plain and simple. Tom Rogers done apologized a couple times. um um live set tonight. He had um Jay Kelly did and I think in one of the committed hold memes I heard him uh uh or it might been one of the record meetings. I have yet to hear TJ Walker apologize for allowing it to get this far. Uh because he was the only one that voted to keep him here. Wonder why is that? Um Tom Harris um

uh made it plain and simple and referred back to what uh um um u refer back to um um what uh Councilman Blackwell have said when he bring it into perspective at each meeting. Um, I think I might say Tom Rogers and Tom Harris. Tom Harris. Uh, Keith Rogers is city manager. Tom Harris is the current um um council. And what tickles the hell out of me, all these damn educated folk uh um uh showing just how ignorant they are. Um um how can you make comments about the uh and Ruben Blackwell made it so plain and simple. This is not the same staff that got them in the situation. I get so sick and tired of folk ignoring ignoring the facts. Uh when people post mess on social media, that's why I asked them. So, you gonna ignore the facts of what the audit said and bring up all this foolishness and y'all go look at the video, but I just want to touch on a couple of things cuz I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired. And like I said tonight, now that won't all I said during the public comments. You got to look at what I said because I added some to it. Um, again, some of the same damn folk that got the city in this situation is the same one. And uh, Charles coming on board is going to uh is carrying the

torch to further uh, burn down the damn city. So, you might well go along say burn, baby, burn because that's where you headed if it was up to them. But I feel strongly that um Tom Harris, Ruben Blackwell, Andre Knight, Li Dartridge, and I strongly feel that Jabaris uh Walker uh will be voting for what the city manager uh u uh present. Um so I have no doubt that um the the process will begin. So um I feel good about that listen to the conversation. uh they would have voted tonight, but uh Charles Robinson jumped out uh um and put um a motion on the floor like he wanted it um as far as uh um um instead of waiting Monday night. I really wanted to go ahead and do it tonight. But anyway, get back to the specifics that I want to talk about. Um after much discussion, um Andre Knight, uh asked, uh may ma made a comment to TJ Walker that um he was part of the reason why he was the one that um uh uh was a major player in bringing Keith Rogers here. He said that he had been the uh may approach him twice and he did not question him.

Um so where's the lie and what was uh where's the lie? Where was the laugh? Um, and then uh TJ came back and rebutted talking about he had a $47,000 light bill. Now, my question to TJ and all the others, and I'm going to get to somebody else later. Um, why in the hell are y'all bringing up the $47,000 about Andre Knight light when the state all the BS came in? Nothing has been done. So, prove the $47,000 and I'll be on I I I will talk about it myself. I can't talk about nothing I don't know uh uh to to uh uh not to be true. Ain't ain't came out in it didn't come out in the audit. Why are y'all going back to that when that was not in this audit? Uh uh um um that got anything to do with the past two years when Keith Rogers was there? That uh happened before uh uh Keith Rogers was there about came up about $47,000. So why in the hell are y'all still talking about this? See, see that's a deflection. That's a distraction. And I believe somebody must be damn getting paid to distract deflate. Um

again, where's the left? And then um um when it got back to the public comments, Gwen Wilkins, Nash County Commissioner When it came up to me this morning at a meeting in Rocky Mount that I was to, I accidentally dialed her number about a month ago. Gwen Wilkins, National County Commission. Um, and I hung up and I was trying to text her to let her know that I um let her know that I had um dialed her number by mistake. So she called me. She said, "I thought you was calling me for you want to talk to me." She said, "I felt honored." She said, "Everything we good?" I said, "Yeah." Um, everything good? I was about to call you by mistake. So, uh, again, she said she thought I was calling to talk to her cuz she know we we we ain't got it like that. Um, and every time I run into her uh um dating back to when um um went to the the first time she came up to me is in Wilson when Rosita Wiggins Vern that night want to hug me, want to talk to me. Um because um we go way back when she was in the the the first vice chair of the state Democratic party and the state chair had stepped down and she was supposed to carry out the meeting. We was in Charlotte and um they didn't let her do it. They moved her ass over to the side and made let somebody else do it. She come back. She want me to write a letter how

they did her, but she got what she deserved. cuz she play uh uh uh all sides. And then when the appointment came up for W three, uh she wanted the appointment her um uh Bronson Williams and uh Richard Jordan. Um um she got mad. She dropped out of the race and we know Richard got it. Um and um and again back to uh so when she see me, she saw me this morning. Uh uh well, let me back up. um went to Snow Hill, I guess around two years ago to a meeting and her and Robbie Davis came to Snow Hill to the meeting and uh she was riding with Robbie and she was teaming up with Robbie over there in Nash County. Uh uh their commissioner means is in the morning time. Uh she was uh uh one of Robert Davis girls but recently she turned against him but not before uh Marvin uh Arrington uh well let me go back. I think it was clerical court register D's or some appointment over there. She went against the person and then when Marvin Arrington was up uh seeking to become the chair of the Nash County Democrats,

she fought against that. was so glad today he now is the chair of the Nash County Commissioners. But just to show you where she's staying and I have worked with her with the in the Democratic party where she served as the um as the first congressional district chair here in uh uh the first congressional district. So, I know folk. See, I ain't got to uh uh respond and act on the noise because I know folk. Um, so I'm hoping I don't run into her no time soon because I got some question cuz she made some strong damn accusations tonight. Uh uh when she got up there and followed behind TJ Walker about this damn $47,000 thing. as if it's truth. Again, I don't know whe it's true or not. It has not been proven to me. um he's still on the council, but for her to go and make the comment she made tonight is just damn sorry to be a black female. To come after a black man that has done some great things for Rocky Mountain, the one that fought to keep a utility style and her ass has benefited. That's why come I said what I said in my comments that I learned a long time ago that you can't pick and choose who receive the work that you do the fight that you fight cuz everybody going to benefit and she has benefited. She lived in war

six and her light bill and all that and uh uh her ancestors or his ancestors. I thought she was coming out at first talking about uh in defense of Andre when TJ went there, but then as she got to talking, I saw where she was going with it. Gwen Wilkins National County Commission. What the hell did the $47,000 got to do with uh the situation that the city is in now? It was not in the audit report. It was not in the city manager's report. So, whose report was that in? Again, the damn noise. Uh uh. Um my my my it is just pitiful that we got this foolishness going on within the black community with halftruths, lies, and not dealing with the facts when you know what the end game is. Some folk have been trying to discredit Andre and Ruben for 20 plus years. And again, like I said, I reckon she's still mad cuz she didn't get the appointment for war three. See, y'all got to know the damn history of these folk. I know the history. Like I said, I've been around the table. I ain't at the table where I can make decisions, but I've been around the table. And I know these folk, but I'm pissed off about that because um first of all, that has nothing to do with the situation that Rocky Mount is

in. Now, she did not discuss that and said nothing about the damn former city manager. He goes then bring up about another manager because TJ brought up that said that Andre had had uh brought on a a a former city manager. If y'all want to go back, y'all need to go the hell back where y'all came from because we don't need to go back no further than two years where the u where this situation began. See, that's why a lot of things don't get taken care of because of distractions and deflections from what's supposed to be educated folk. Now, I don't know where I can't remember where she went to school at. Um um Gwen Wilkins, well, I think she went. I do know where TJ went because he went to Central. My daughter was at Central. I used to go up there and he'd be in the grocery store working. Uh uh he came out a year behind my my daughter at Central. Um it just amazes me at the BS that goes on in our community when other folk is just sitting back laughing at y'all asses fighting amongst us. That's why come we can't get no damnwhere. You don't see them fighting. You don't see them. Tom Harris apologized. Li doctrine. Ain't no damn white folk in there. All said nothing about uh uh uh why did they let that get why did they let it get that far? But y'all damn safe negroes come down there attacking the two senior counselor that has been fighting

and fighting for what is best what what they feel is good for county and all folk will benefit. Got to fight within and got to fight on the outside. Now Tom Harris did what I would be doing if I was on that council and I wouldn't be apologizing for my language cuz I have come to the conclusion that some folk just damn it don't get it unless you use some choice words. I would be a Eric Maze on that council. And um if they could find a way to kick me off they would that they would have to take that route. But I tell you, I I I I just sit there and watch cuz I know everybody on the board on the council and I know it is tough for Andre Rumor to sit there and not say nothing. And then when they do say something, I saying I'm trying not to say nothing. And it's a lot more that they could say. And I know because I've been in the room and they could tell the story, but they have been telling here. They came up tonight that everybody want on board. They met, they hashed it out, some apologized, and one has not. Then you got Charles Robinson coming up here pushing those folk agenda and like I say, carrying the damn torch that going to burn the damn city it down. Uh uh uh carrying the torch from Keith Rogers.

Then you got, like I said, folk that used to come to the meeting questioning uh uh Keith Rogers. And now they coming down there with this crazy mess. Do y'all not understand that the utilities uh uh um increase? I mean, how many more time they got to say it that you didn't the increase should have been came, but now it's coming and every damn body is on damn fixed income. I'm on a fixed income. And then the same ones up there talking about folk on a fixed income trying to that's a scare tactic to folk trying to talk about older folk uh uh living on fix. I bet you the older folk are paying their light bills. Just seen a post while ago with Charles Robinson telling folk uh uh if you elderly you can't pay your light bill and all that kind of fool. You know somebody send videos. I bet you the elder people are the ones paying theirs. I bet it's the damn young folks ain't paying theirs. And then uh uh if the elderly people got family, this is the time for family to kick in. They took care of their asses when they were growing up. And then a lot of them, if they go to church, the church need to help them. But hell, they ain't helping nobody cuz they salad. Y'all going to miss me right around and um uh while not listening to the city manager and his staff. And the city manager was able to hire someone

that used to work with LGC, have trained folk that's at LGC, done went and worked in another state and has come back here. You could not have a better damn team. And my thing is they do the dayto-day operation. So damn it, if they uh uh do a presentation on the day-to-day operation, how they feel will help bring the city out of this mess. Well, you are a counselor. That's not your role. Your role is to to uh um um follow the city manager and the staff lead simply because you requested that they do certain things and bring it back. That is totally different of what happened with Keith Rogers. He didn't bring a damn thing back. He ain't bring nothing back. And when um uh Andre Knight was the male pro team was trying to get it again, but now we don't want to do that. So TJ Walker became the mayor pro team. And what happened at the end of his term? They let him serve two damn times in a row. And who was the city manager? Like Andre said, he didn't question him. Wonder why. I can say some things, but be my opinion. So, I'm going to leave that alone cuz y'all do enough of that BS. But I but I do know some things factual because I see it. Just like some stuff

that happened when the black uh uh elected uh uh uh officials and stuff came to the event center. I went to it and some things that took place that was not in the norm that was signed off by the city manager Keith Rogers which could have been a very big liability to the city if something had happened but I'm not going there. Um um it's just crazy that folk are talking about the Imperial Center. How they love the Imperial Center. Imperial Center needs some damn work done to it. Done said that they going to have to have some roofing work done to it. Do you know how much it cost to operate the uh uh the Imperial Center? How often is the Imperial Center open? You using damn children talking about somewhere for them to go. But go to the damn school system where they in school all damn day where ishas are. Go to the damn school system and fight for them. Everybody got their own damn agenda because it is their agenda. Give them something to do. It ain't about the damn children. All about the children. Just like football games on Friday night. Damn football season over. Them same folk go to the house. They don't go to the basketball game. Folk got their own damn agenda. They didn't want to use elderly folk,

use the children. Y'all better wake the hell up. And talking about children, and some of you talking about working with children, you can work with my damn dog cuz I don't want to trust you no further than I can see you. This thing is serious about the Rocky Mount city uh government. It's gonna take some time if and I trust like I said tonight in the city council in the uh city manager and the staff to bring the city back up. The LGC said that they had qualified people in place. There was no need for them to take over the LG uh this city right now. Um um you got to do what you got to do. Make the hard decision, which it shouldn't be no damn hard decision cuz the facts is there. It's a must. It ain't no damn hard decision right now. The only thing hard right now is trying to get past the ignorance, the stupidity. That's the That's the hard decision. But I'm so glad that I feel good about uh uh the next meeting that the majority will vote to move the city forward. But what tickles the hell out of me when you can fill up the damn council chambers to come down to be reactive. Where were y'all asses when we was the same damn meetings, same damn videos complained about Keith Rogers not

giving information to the council and because um only two people were asking, he felt like he didn't have to. And like I've stated before, had the damn police chief. So he wouldn't even respond to Andre when he asked them question. No, I don't live in Rocky Mount. Like I said, I've been going to the meeting longer than anybody on the council and longer than anybody in the damn room been coming to the bees recently. I'm going to continue to speak up. Speaking up, when Black Workers for Justice, uh, our house was right there by the event center. They tore it down. I wish it was still, uh, up and going, but it it had had shut down long before the event center, but I'm a life fully paid member of the Rocky Mountain NACP um, and other organizations, like I said. But most of all, I started out myself as an advocate. And then when I got married, my wife came down and we were uh fighting for children. Uh fight for children long before I even had a child. People used to say, "I hate to see you when you get a child in the system because they going I said it's going to be worse.

Come for me, my child." And they did. And it is documented. I got some damn principles fired. Uh um I was just uh in a meeting this morning about the schools and I should have said something then. Um I've been out here fighting for a long time. Remember when Cara school was was was the principal the black school in Ptop where Samuel A. Gillum were the principal. A lot of good things came out of Carb school. GW George Washington Cowboy School in Pinetops, North Carolina. A lot of them black folk went to DC to work in the White House and governmental jobs and all that. Remember I had joined the CB alumni uh uh as a official member because I didn't graduate from there. And when they was ready to uh um um uh change the the the gym floor and put carpet on it, went to the uh um um chair of the Lumini Edge, I think it was Joe Edge, I think it was, and some more members. And today I got damn carpet on the on the floor in the gym in the black neighborhood. I'm out here fighting by my damn self. U um when it could have been a place for uh the gym could have been open for the neighborhood to go in and play. But then years later, they took the damn school and made it basically a majority white school. parents busting the damn kids in uh bringing them in from all over the the damn uh county just about. And so they need the principal

and I went in set in on the interview. The first principal uh the first person we interviewed was Dr. Florence Armstrong. Everybody liked uh had several and maybe the process weren't done right because uh they brought people in someone had applied for a principal position some time ago. They hadn't even applied for that job. Uh um and then I found out that uh it was a Madison lady from Tara had to have applied. I knew her husband Daniel Madison. He used to work with Congresswoman Eva Clayton. Uh um he was the um worked in the Democratic party. Uh um he taught us the plan organization. I worked closely with him. Went on to Buffer County where he lived. Did not know until that night during the interview session that his wife was the Madison lady at Tara High was a principal, assistant principal. She was damn good. But then you had a white female that was at Stalks. I think it was Stalks, uh, Patilla, one of them. Did not even have her certification. Well, they said she was energetic. They liked her. They was going to give her the position and wait till she became certified. I got the hell up and walked out of the room and went home. So the next day when I went out to the school, this white lady came up to me and said that was in the interview, the teacher and said, "We didn't do anything last night." I said, "Well, I was done." So I think they had another meeting. But anyway, what happened was uh William Dino Ellis was at North Edge home and they got him to come over to call.

That's how they fix the problem. He's on the school board now. He's the only white one up in there now since uh um the other two has been uh defeated during the election. But Car School became a majority. The uh they just took over school. But anyway, just give you a little history uh uh cuz I've been there. But um y'all better wake the hell up in Rocky Mount. You understand that you going to have to sacrifice cuz this is nothing that going to be done overnight. It's going to take some damn years to recover. The boy spin up the fund balance, the reserve. That's why they were able to keep your damn uh utilities down. But um um like said uh Dr. said uh Bradley did a uh uh Brad I think Bradley he did a powerful presentation about utilities that the you the electric and the gas and said what was going to have to be done and um it's going to have to be done and so it ain't no damn hard decision to be made. Like I said, the hard decision is getting past the damn stupidness of folk that is misleading folk out in the community, going to churches. And by the way, Charles Robinson supposedly Jehov first

time voting. Uh um the folk got them all up in their damn churches. Listen to him. But you don't been dealing with Andre Knight, Ruben Blackwell, Richard Jonah, and some others. Uh former uh uh uh uh council women uh Loris Watkins, Angela O'Brien, and then y'all going to listen to these damn newcomers. Charges get on the board in December. Nobody want to see a damn thing raised. I don't want to see gas. I I I buy gas. I I do a lot of writing cuz I I I go to work and I go to meetings. I worked last night. Got off at 3:00 uh uh uh that morning. Back in Rocky Mount 8:00 that morning. Back in Rocky Mountain at damn uh uh 3:00 that evening. And then you going to tell me I don't live in Rocky Mountain. I spend more damn time in Rocky Mount than some of y'all probably do. Been Rocky Mount every damn day. Been working in Rocky Mountain for 39 damn years, but been going to meetings over there longer than that. Oh, I forgot Sarah don't need Incorporated that it's called New Now as a vice uh uh uh chair until uh some Negroes uh uh uh kicked me off and the uh Nash County uh representing the late William Hobbs, he served for Nash County, but we had went to Raleigh. uh uh a bunch of us on the on the um knee board uh cuz uh Reverend AJ Richardson

director had resigned and and I'm still he had done it several times before we got on the council on the board and we was going to get him out but no um Edgecom County uh uh uh former man county manager Joe Durham and former county commissioner Wayne Hines, they kicked me off. He came to the meeting to vote that night. Nash County commissioners kicked the late William Harves off so they can come to the meeting to uh to vote to keep him on. Been there, done that. And everybody know need Incorporated serve the whole county just like OIC is Rocky Mountain. They serve not only the county but also outside of the county. That's one of the problem, one of the reasons why they mad too because now Andre Knight is the chair of OIC. Ruben Blackwell is the director, but Robert Davis and all them they can do uh uh uh um uh um um LE had um uh his own business and uh Robert Davis had his business and and and uh working on the stuff uh building stuff and uh got rid of the uh uh superintendent over there. I think Southern National I believe it was had had worked on the gym if I'm not mistaken and it won't right and he challenged him and ran him up out of here. Just a whole lot of mess. Y'all need to know your damn history but you don't care cuz you listen to the noise. And when you uh sit back and allow the Tim Bones, the false Rocky Mount Rocky Mount concerned citizens and individuals uh to try to attempt to discredit black leadership be elect officials myself and others. And y'all don't say a damn word, but you have benefited from the work that we

have done. And I have done the work and don't and and haven't gotten paid all these years. video on the city council means when y'all won't going to the means ain't going to the means then I'll run to somebody then you want me to tell you about what happened at the me instead of looking at the damn video when co came I was already videoing the mean

not only them but the other ones I went to nobody paid me and y'all y'all negroes gonna tell me I don't live in Rocky Mountain I don't put in the I'm going to continue until I can't do it anymore. No, I don't have to do it now cuz the city does it, but I do it for my uh uh uh records, my documentation, and then I scared the room. Look at the video tonight with that clown back there waving at my at the camera cuz I had my camera on. You're damn right. You want some attention? I'm gonna give you some. That's a good thing about me and my my video and I give you some attention. That's what you want. So don't get mad with me cuz I put the camera on you. You're holling out your outburst. Thought this what you wanted. You wanted to be seen. Let me get ready to close down cuz I'll be coming back. And like I told folk tonight, see y'all at the LGC me took off work. And Andre wrote me went up to the LGC meeting about the fire station. State uh treasurer Dale Fwell. If he could have, you wouldn't have got that fire the funding for that fire station. But Representative Ela Marshall said the people in Rocky Mount needed the fire station, but the city of Rocky Mount need to watch their spending. Yeah, it went from 4 million to 11 mill. I'm not going even go there. You find out, ask your counselor.

Why did it go from 4 million to 11 million? But right now, that doesn't even matter. What matters right now is uh uh um cash flow. You better have some cash flow to keep the city going. So if they call for closing down whatever Imperial Center Bojangles if they own it or whatever to keep the cash flow coming in to take care of that that is mandated. All that is not mandated. The city don't have to supply your needs. So why you listening to the noise over a damn 15% increase? Which goes to show you how they misleading you to come here tonight to the meeting 4:00. Don't wor about it. So y'all just keep on folding laws. Cash flow. You better remember cash flow. You better remember that you need some money. Uh uh uh uh uh. in case if uh something was to go down, somebody said to me tonight uh after I left the meeting that this

thing is just as big as this is what their example was as the 99 flood.

Yeah, cuz it going to take some years to recover. But I'm so glad to see uh Tom Harris, L Dress uh uh become passionate about uh what has taken place and what it's going to take to move forward while two of them are in denial. I think J. Kelly uh uh uh seeed like I said he apologized in a meeting. I heard him on the meet when uh I think it must been one of their meet when L and uh Tom Harris had um had apologized but L Tom have done it opening two me and L did it at this meeting. But y'all act like some damn two year olds coming in there with the crazy comments. Uh uh uh dragging out the meanings with stupidities with the public comments and those on the council that asking the same questions over and over and over again when it has been documented. And I just love it when the uh they ask for miss not miss but ask for stuff and the damn city manager say you already got it. And then when he tell them that then they talking about can you show me and all that kind of foolishness. And then when Tom Harris said to um Charles Robinson about his computer must work wonders down there. That was good

to me. But the wonders is who's feeding him the questions? Who's feeding him the question? But he doing a damn good job of trying to get it out there cuz he make himself look stupiderier and stupider every time he open his mouth. But don't make him look stupid. Make some other folk look stupid too. Cuz I hear people in the audience. Yeah, they agree with him. Then some Ruben Blackwell somebody say something. They agree with them. Like I said, some of y'all folk just damn confused. But I said a while ago, I was going to shut it down. I'm going to shut it down. Cash flow. Rocking about city government must have cash flow. And the LGC expelled it out. You got to have the information to them. Uh uh because of the mean coming up. And like I said tonight too in my comments, I've been I was there when they took the Charlotte from uh um Princeville. They used to come and meet in Princeville a lot. I went to meet up in Raleigh. Uh they when they like liked to had took the damn uh charter again under uh another mayor, but uh they didn't cuz they don't want to. They don't want to do that. But I'mma close out on this. I was at the meeting after the 99 flood when Princeville had to make a hard decision. If it was not for former mayor Deia Perkins, we was at Edgeon Community College that night. Standing room only

again. Me and my videos cuz I videoed them before the flood came and I videoed that night. uh when they had the meeting at Edgecom to college and if it was not for Daniel Perkins there would be no Princeville today. It came down to a tie amongst the members and she had to break the tie. That is the reason why there is a Princeville today. See I ain't talking about the noise. I'm talking about I was there. So, y'all can say whatever you want to about me. You can call me whatever. I've been doing this all these years since uh uh my best friend, the late Otis Camille Barnes, uh gave me a a a video camera back around 1996, I believe it was, as a gift, birthday gift. And I've been videoing. That was the best thing cuz I used to go to the music and take minutes and I didn't have to do that no more. I could video and hold folk accountable. So until I give you the okay that um you are qualified to speak to me on issues uh rocking mount or whatever and you ain't been to around the table like I said tonight don't talk to me we can talk about anything else now don't don't get it twisted but don't come to me talking about what has happened with Rocky Mount city government. I'm not the one cuz I know the story. So on that note,

good night and good morning. This has been late night live, early morning live with the DC smoke. Camila's Butch Dancer the second, the watchdog of the East, the political agitator, and I'm quite sure I've been called some other things, but you know what? I know who's I am, and I know who I am, so nothing else matters.