Do-Gooders and Busy-Bodies

Do-Gooders and Busy-Bodies lurk throughout our society ready to pounce on their next cause expecting other people to pay for their social activism and virtuous longings. Such is the case down in Sunset Beach, we learn from a Wilmington StarNews story.

Some Beach belles organized into an Old Sunset Beach Bridge Preservation Society want the town residents to pay for a $3.75 million patch of land near the old defunct bridge on the Intracoastal Waterway. Town officials thought it was a good idea if they could get “grants” (other people’s money). They also hope Brunswick County taxpayers will contribute $750,000 to the project. Last resort: put the town folks in debt with a 20-year loan.

Carol Scott, apparently one of the more thoughtful town council members, believes this low priority spending spree could jeopardize other more important projects such as traffic improvement and walks.

No matter. Society dame, Ann Bokelman, demands “green space.” She said, “We don’t want to lose this.”

I imagine other more prudent residents might ask, “Why do we need this?” And, “Who is ‘We’?” That may be some of the 1,500 people who signed a letter of support for this spatial vision, but I’ll bet none of them will spend their own money to buy more public land and preserve an old bridge.

Public Firing Of Oak Island Fire Chief

After a DWI recently dismissed by Judge Ola Lewis, allegations of sexual harassment and a lack of faith from the city council, Oak Island has released the Fire Chief John House. This is just messy and sad.  He was offered resignation as an avenue.  Why did this go on sooooo long?   And it isn’t over, when in doubt sue and that’s what the chief intends to do.

In December 2008, House was charged with driving while impaired for an incident in which prosecutors said he had a blood alcohol level of .14, above the legal limit of .08. He was found guilty in District Court, but the case was dismissed in Superior Court in June. The Brunswick County District Attorney’s Office then appealed that decision.

Lack of clarity, communications, leadership. . the list goes on and on.  Oak Island has some work to do.  The public is still upset about the recent 12% tax increase, a sewer system approved with a $4200 PER LOT assessment.  Trust needs to be rebuilt.

No Port Group Goes Too Far??

The “No Port” folks did  a tremendous job of organizing folks against the proposed mega port in Southport. One of the first warning flags was, and remains, that it was proposed by government officials.  Had this been truly profitable, business interests would have brought the idea forward.

The group was able to raise funds (even from a pro-abortion group) and then was able to get EVERY city in the area to draft resolutions against it.  They even got their Congressman Mike McIntyre to oppose it and the state legislature to essentially kill it by not funding the bill to study it.

But as always happens with such groups, victory wasn’t enough.  Now they are hinting at being able to “control” the land in question.  With the Port Authority $6 million in the red, maybe they should simply sell the $30 million 600-acre property?

With future uncertain for the controversial N.C. International Terminal (NCIT), grassroots opposition group NoPort Southport wants to encourage new ideas for the land reserved for the project. But NoPort is not the landowner, county commissioners pointed out. “And they’re trying to tell the ports authority what they can and can’t do with their land,” commission chairman Bill Sue said.

Even the NAACP, searching for relevancy once again, got into the act.

NAACP county chapter president Bernest Hewett said, “I am asking the county commission that before you do anything, put it on the ballot and let the people decide,” he said. “One group of people can’t decide what the future of this is in Brunswick County. Let the people decide.”

Clearly the NAACP didn’t do any research to determine that NC is not a referendum state.  For now the people have decided they don’t want a port in Southport.

Southeastern News Roundup

Government officials trying to convince the public that the new Convention Center in Wilmington will be an “economic engine” for the region. (here at the StarNews)(WWAY coverage here)

School officials proud of new test results even though they include “restesting” students with the same test.  (here at the StarNews)

The “No-Port” folks, fresh off the victory of stopping the proposed port in Southport now want to “suggest” what should be done with the land.  (from the State Port Pilot)