Thursday, July 8, 2010

Great Moments in CrAzY-ToWn History (The first of a series)


Jane Murray Votes AGAINST A-Plant Resolution


Date:  Feb. 25, 2010
Location: Pike County Government Plaza, Waverly, Ohio
Event: Board Meeting of the Ohio Valley Regional Development Commission

Elected leaders from a twelve-county area serve on the Board of the Ohio Valley Development Commission (OVRDC). They come, many on their own time, to support development projects and to request assistance for our area from state and federal funding sources. These meetings are often attended by representatives of congress and the governor's office. As the Mayor of Portsmouth, Jane Murray is automatically on the board.

Hurricane Jane used her first meeting with this group to cast the only dissenting vote against a resolution to help support the removal of outdated equipment and clean up at the Piketon plant. Seventeen members from Chilicothe, Piketon, Waverly, and elsewhere voted for the measure, proposed by the Scioto and Pike County Commissioners.
Why did she vote against it? Whose judgement was she relying on to make her decision? None other than a full-time anti-nuclear activist named Geoffrey Sea.

Mr. Sea is part of the Southern Ohio Neighbors Group, a tiny crew of anti-nuke kooks, who have caused endless problems for the A-Plant. This is the group Jane has sided with, against the interests of the Citizens of Portsmouth. This is the same Geoffrey Sea who, in January, wrote a letter published in the Portsmouth Times that called Pike County Commissioner Blaine Beekman (a board member of the OVRDC) a "dishonest, self-serving...obstructionist" who made "empty promises and backroom deals." (Click here to read the snide and insulting letter written by Jane Murray's friend, Mr. Sea.)

Jane Murray took it upon herself to invite Mr. Sea to her first meeting ever with this group to give him the opportunity to lecture them about his anti-nuclear, anti-progress views. Arrogantly imposing Mr. Sea's ranting on the attendees at that meeting was WORSE than her negative vote on the resolution.

For the Portsmouth Times coverage of the meeting, click here.
We especially urge you to read our additional information by clicking here.

8 comments:

  1. If Mayor Murray really wanted to make a positive change at the A-Plant, the WORST thing she could have done was to involve Geoffrey Sea. He has alienated so many people in this community, even others with similar concerns stay away from him.

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  2. Crickets, all I hear are crickets. Maybe she was right when she said "there will be no recall"

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  3. Just wondering if anyone has stepped up to the plate, yet. Have heard through the "grapevine"
    that no petitions have been started. I find that so hard to believe considering the mess the mayor's office appears to be in.

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  4. If you can, please give us a list of legal reasons for recalling her -- and the consequences if a recall fails? Otherwise, this will be seen as a popularity contest, and if she is seen to be 'picked on' and assumes the 'victim' role, voter apathy will work in her favor -- again.

    What would really be helpful is a listing of her offenses against the city and us citizens since January 4 2010 that has put her --and us -- in LEGAL jeopardy -- malfeasance, misfeasance, violations of the Portsmouth City Charter and the Ohio Revised Code, etc.

    After that information is made public in a focused 'to-the-point way' the voter will have no excuse for not exercising their civic duty and voting her out of office.

    Thanks for all your hard work!

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  5. The City Charter does not require a "legal" reason for a recall. A reason is required in the petition, but it could be anything, even that you don't like how they comb their hair, to choose a silly example. The justifications that the CAVE people have used to recall or try to recall previous council people or Greg Bauer were not necessarily "legal" charges that could have been proven in court.

    We are working on a series of articles we plan to call "The Case For Recall" that will lay out why we believe she should be removed. We believe that she has committed misfeasance and malfeasance.

    As far as a listing of offenses she has committed since January, the Portsmouth Times had an excellent list on May 9, 2010. (http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/view/full_story/7391272/article-It%E2%80%99s-time-to-stop-the-madness?instance=secondary_stories_left_column)

    Also the City Solicitor's itemization of her deeds is also informative: (http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/view/full_story/7391266/article-Solicitor-Calls-For-Mayor-To-Resign?instance=home_news_lead)

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  6. I wonder if the last recall made so many people upset that it would be difficult to go through it again emotionally. Or, if it would look worse that our city can't work things out and creates revolving leadership. It could just be that it's summer and it's just too hot!

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  7. I want to work helping with a petition. ANYONE know where to go????

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  8. dogface or others who want more info.

    Write to us at ptownu@yahoo.com.

    We will try to provide any information that you need.

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