by Jack Stevens
Pittsboro, NC – At the Monday, June 22 meeting of the Pittsboro Board of Commissioners, I heard much of the same unsubstantiated implied accusations of corruption of the Pittsboro board members concerning the Chatham Park development by Pittsboro Matters members that Virginia Penley did. More than one of them brought up the four points: 1) support was made under some sort of duress; 2) a complete failure to understand what was happening; 3) something was discussed behind closed doors, which is illegal; and/or 4) corruption. And of those that did, almost everyone stated that the kickbacks – always option number 4 – was illegal, stated as if they personally had uncovered evidence of that.
I put it down to adults acting like little kids throwing a temper tantrum because they weren’t getting their way, but those were pretty strong implied accusations.
The audio stream you mentioned – the official town record – can be found here.
The video I did of the meeting is not the official record; it’s just one citizen’s recording. There is no editing other than to remove pre- and post-meeting noise. The video is available for viewing on YouTube –
[tube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ny1mhZq143w[/tube]
Pittsboro Matters claims 600 members, which is only about 15 per cent of the town’s population. I know at least one of those 600 “members” is someone who signed up just to get their newsletters so as to more easily keep track of their claims and activities, not because I, uh, I mean he, agrees with them. I am sure there are others.
The claim by one member that he knows of no native born Pittsboro resident that is for Chatham Park just means he only talks within his small circle of cronies. I know a local business owner who lived in Pittsboro since she was born that said she just wished those trust fund babies would give up and let others have some of the good life and the jobs that Chatham Park will bring.