Elk Konnected Hand out at County Commissioners meeting on 4/25

[Sarge]

Is there one in Penny's Pub?

When Doug had it, there was one in there, but I think it was a converted pool table. I can't really remember, I haven't been in there for probably 20 years.

[Sarge]

Quote from Ross:  Diane that was then this is now. I bet there was never a drive by shooting in Elk County untill just a few months ago either.

Ross, we had a drive by shooting in Elk County? Wow. I sure didn't hear about that.

It was in Longton, nobody was hurt.

[Patriot]

Speaking of being snookered... how do you know?

Look folks, I know you're tired of the core questions in this thread.  I've watched some of you defend the lack of answers based largely on emotion ('but they do nice things' or 'I know so & so and they are real nice').  But when do you wake up and realize that a part of your county is being 'directed' by a private, non-elected body?  What's more important, principles of good governance or personalities?

You've watched for years as your population diminished, your children left for lack of work, your taxes skyrocketed, your infrastructures stagnated, and your public debt grew to half of county revenues.  And you think this is all ok, so long as a few dozen kids get some water gun play or an after school movie and folks attend a meetings controlled by a community organizer purporting to 'involve the public' in decisions that are ultimately to be made by elected officials (who won't hold town halls or public hearings), or the folks involved are 'good people'.  Do you not see that the private organization is steered by people some of whom are also on the public payroll ?  Or are those on the public payroll being steered by the private organization?  Unbelievable. 

Just who's driving the bus?  The voters and taxpayers or special private interests?  How do you know?  Did you elect Elk Konnected, LLC to do your business in county government.  Or did you elect people who were expected to be responsive to the voters & taxpayers at large?  How's that all working out for the future growth of Elk County?

Snookered?  Maybe just a bit.

[Ross]

I'm a bit more simple minded than Patriot and was about to post something similar when his flashed up there on the screen. That was very well written patriot, I wish I could do as well.

So anyway folks please bear with my simple minded post coming up next.

[Wilma]

Maybe if you would tell us why you think the county is being driven by a private entity, we would be more inclined to listen.  Give us some varifiable facts.

[Ross]

It was in Longton, nobody was hurt.

I also heard it continued in Elk City and that three people were involved and were picked up in Independence.

You know I was reading in the paper about people wanting to fight the post office for wanting to close the post office in Elk Falls. I sure admire their desire to fight the closing of their post office but they are going up against Goliath and need to find the biblical David.

When we seem to have lost our local governments to special interests e.g. County Government, state representatives how can we even hope to take on Goliath? Is their support readily available for local problems? Probably not.

Then I read about the complaints against the Governor for protecting the Tall Grass country of Kansas. I don't understand, I mean the company building our wind farm is giving us a lollipop that it appears some people wnat to control the spending of. And maybe a couple of jobs amy come of it. But nobody seems to care about the bigger picture that governments and special interests use to push,  you know, they use to talk about the bigger picture all the time.They don't talk about the bigger picture anymore.

The bigger picture as I see it, is that taxpayer dollars are being used to subsidize the building the windfarms, they are allowed tax breaks, the company building the Elk County wind farm is owned by a company from Italy, it will probably cause an increase in our electric bills, and the majority of hundreds of millions of dollars of profits will probably end up in a bank in Italy, our tax dollars included. Just think about it. If they can just pay our county $1m a year when not required to by law, what is their gain and what are we selling out to?

Sure the attitude exists, "If we don't do it someone else will."  But does that make it right? We are simply selling ourselves out so a few greedy people can make more money. It's just my humble opinion. Don't give it anoother thought.

The indication in the newspaper was that the Governor is in the back pocket of a special interest group, really?
Is that something new int his country?
Is it possible that we have the samething happpening here at home, in our own back yard?
If we do and we ignore it what do you think we deserve?

We tend to see lollipops and ignore why, and ignore how they come about.

If someone walked up to you on the street and handed you a check for $100 and said here this is for you, no strings attached. Would you accept with no questions asked? It would be a nice lollipop wouldn't it?

But after you had spent the money and then weeks later got your monthly bank statement and found the check was written on your own account would it then be such a great lollipop?

I'm just playing with some thoughts, idea's, opinions. Doing a little brainstorming, won't you join in?
I just ask keep it simple, so I can follow along.

On a really large scale this is what I think happened with the financial industry and the mortgage industry and now we are all paying for it. Yes, i guilty too!!! But I am trying to change.

How can we take on giants when we cannot take care at home? And this is everyone's business that lives, pays taxes, votes in Elk County? It's each persons responsibility to ask questions.

Maggie Thatcher years ago diagnosed the terminal ailment of socialists. "They always run out of other people's money."

Who steers the steering committee?

Who are the admitted members who own, and run,
Elk Konnected?

Who is your Leader?

What are your real goals?

How do you plan to meet your goals?

[Catwoman]

The Economic Development Council has existed for years, to try to attract economic development to Elk County.  The problem is, no one really wants economic development in Elk County.  The comment I used to hear was, if economic development came to Elk County, it would attract "that kind of person"...What kind?  The taxpaying kind?  The kind with kids?  The kind that might move in and stay longer than one or two years?  There are those who believe that agri-tourism is the way to go...And I just laugh when I hear that.  Agri-tourism only goes so far...REAL economic development, on the level needed to rejuvenate Elk County, would have to be on the level of attracting a meat packing plant.  There are four main crops in Elk County...Welfare, kids, cattle and rock.  Martin Marietta has the corner on the rock market...The school system is dealing with the kids...Welfare is taking care of those who can't manage on their own...So that leave cattle.  Yeah, yeah, yeah...I've heard the arguments about the lack of potable water.  The main fact remains, you've got cattle everywhere you look down there...There needs to be some development in that area in order for there to be real economic advancement in Elk County.  Agri-tourism dollars are a drop in the bucket, compared to what you could be reaping through the cattle avenue.

[Patriot]

Maybe if you would tell us why you think the county is being driven by a private entity, we would be more inclined to listen.  Give us some  facts.

Wilma, Wilma, Wilma... bless your heart.  The last 200 pages of this thread contain loads of what you seek.  Just read past the personal attacks and distractions.

And it's verifiable not varifiable.  

[Ross]

Maybe if you would tell us why you think the county is being driven by a private entity, we would be more inclined to listen.  Give us some varifiable facts.

I'm sorry Wilma please go back and read the previous 207 pages for the answer. The questions have been asked and unanswered, the situations explained time and a again. Please!

[jarhead]

Quote from Catwoman:
Martin Marietta has the corner on the rock market.

That was  when you lived in Elk County, maybe ? The Martin Marietta quarry is in Greenwood county. Not nit picking---just trying to keep you informed.