Shelby, NC – After all the meetings, all the commentaries, all the comments, and all the disagreements, the Cleveland Community College Board of Trustees, along with the Cleveland Community College Administration, still doesn’t get it. Acting as if a wink and a nod, and it’s all good, makes everything go away, well, it just doesn’t work that way. The only thing this board did was to remove the President, who had become a liability to the college and then rewarded him with the lottery. The BoT, by administering this gift to the lame-duck leader, showed how truly inept they are. Thornburg was made to look like a genius. He didn’t have to sue. He realized he didn’t have to sue. He was aware that this band of fellow travelers would bend to his wants, and he proved himself to be correct. And then, the Cleveland County School Board decided to throw some gasoline on the fire. That should work out really well for future economic development.
If that’s not bad enough, there was another issue brought up in the Cleveland County Schools BOE meeting. Board member, Danny Blanton stated that he was told that if he did not fall in line with the selection of Allen Langley, he would not receive any support, from whoever the party was. Sherra Miller asked if it was anyone sitting “up here” on the board. Ha Ha Ha…As if any of the people on the board had any support to withhold from Blanton. Talk about transparency. Indeed, one can see right through them. And then. Board of Education member, Donnie Thurman proceeded to throw Blanton under the bus, when he stated that Willie Green had talked to him and withdrew himself from nomination, and of course, neither Thurman nor Green had the time to inform Blanton. Funny that Thurman had time to let BOE Chairman Glover know about it before the meeting. What a wicked web he weaves. I look forward to him spending more time with the family so that he can, in his own words, let his hair down. Yes, please do. Thurman is a reverend, right? Then the part where Thurman claims loyalties between himself and Willie Green, and then in the next breath, states his support for Langley. Say what? I recall a quote that infers that one should be either hot or cold, and not lukewarm.
Of course, none of this is surprising. Looking back at over a year of videos I recorded, while attending these board meetings, from late 2013 through the end of 2014, I’ve seen these people in action. The Commissioner’s meetings were recorded from early 2013 through the end of 2014, producing well over 100 videos for the public to see. This school board has always been the same, self-serving board, that appears to not give a whit about what the people think. And they are too thick-headed and too thin-skinned for the good of anyone.
When a body of people, elected or selected, behaves as if anything goes, then anything does. You may not be able to change the will of these particular people, but you will have an opportunity to find people with a stronger will. What we have seen, during these past months, is the true character of some who have been appointed, some who have been selected, and some who have been elected. A wise person does not keep repeating the same action and expects different results. It will be a difficult task to redeem the unredeemable. Lipstick…hog!
All of this now leads to the point of the money. The $150,000 money. It has already been stated publicly, that state money cannot be used to pay someone who is not working. Some have alleged that the money would come from Cleveland County (taxpayers) and it has also been alleged that the money would come from some money that has already been allocated for some roof repairs at the college. However, neither allegation has been confirmed. I’d like to throw another wrench into the mix. The trustees, along with the chairman, according to the statutes and stipulations, allocated money that they were not authorized to allocate if it is not money that belongs to the college. Of course, there’s always the idea that the party of eight, 7 trustees who voted Yes and the chairman who was in charge of it all, could step who and financially support the college, as the new chairman suggested, upon taking the seat, They could each give $18,750, and that would take care of it. Or better yet, don’t give the man anything other than what’s legally accrued. Rewarding shame is not very popular these days, especially if the taxpayers are stuck with the tab.