Cabarrus Cheap Seats

Alright, I’ve been meaning to get to this; but the holidays, the last article, and all of the end-of-the-year stuff at work has delayed me. So, here goes:

December 13, 2005: The “Soap Opera” 

The end of the controlling inflence of the Raders over the Kannapolis City Council

Darrell Hinnant was “huffy and puffy” in Monday’s Kannapolis City Council Meeting.

He threw personal attacks toward Richard Anderson when Mr. Anderson made a motion to withdraw Grant Rader as a representative on the Rowan/Kannapolis ABC Board and then nominated Ken Argo to fill the position.

Gene McCombs warned Mr. Hinnant “before you hang yourself” you might want to read a letter from the Mayor in your package. The Mayor’s letter confirmed that the Rowan County Commissioners preferred another candidate other than Grant Rader.

This is an important event.

This decision marks the end of the controlling influence of Grant and Patti Rader over the Kannapolis City Council. Moss, Bessent, Hinnant and Cauthen formed a coalition on the Kannapolis City Council with a controlling influence by the Raders. Moss and Bessent are now gone leaving Hinnant and Cauthen in the minority.

One of the main reasons I ran for Kannapolis City Council was to break up this controlling influence by the Raders.

Bob Misenheimer’s election as Mayor and Gene McCombs to Kannapolis City Council marks the end of the Raders controlling influence over the Kannapolis City Council.

How sweet it is!

Harold Smith

How Sweet It Is?

“How sweet it is?” What is that all about? It’s funny; because when *I* asked the candidates why they were running this is the response that Harold Smith left:

I have been fighting for hard working families, senior citizens and small businesses for the past two years. I have attended most of the City Council meetings. I have spoken to the council opposing wasteful spending, higher taxes, higher water and sewer rates and annexation into Western Cabarrus County beyond Lake Howell. 

I have fought for open and public discussions of the issues. I have challenged bureaucratic and foolish decisions by the City Council. I have exposed the excessive debt in the water and sewer fund. And I have informed the public with periodic newsletters.

I am running for the City Council because I believe I can be more effective for the citizens if I am on the City Council and have access to all the information. If elected, I promise to remain independent, represent the citizens and keep the citizens informed on what is going on in the City of Kannapolis.
Sincerely, Harold Smith

Not a word about the Raders. Could this be a hidden agenda from a “straight talker”?

Quite frankly, I don’t see the point. Why someone would expend so much effort hassling elected officials and spreading half-truths. I mean there are men who pursue their old hobbies like hunting and fishing. Others travel the world; but most just hang around the house. Sometimes, they join their wives in watching midday TV. They are sometimes euphemistically referred to as “stories”; but we call them “Soap Operas” Apparently, local government is Harold’s substitute for network TV “stories”

I’ve had a hard time figuring out what it is that these old guys want to accomplish…it’s simple - they just want to win. Coy Privette, Harold Smith…that whole crowd - they just want to be in power for power’s sake. There are no problems they want to solve. No vision. They just look to cobble together coalitions to get them elected. Meanwhile, the rest of us pay our taxes and wonder why things are they way they are.