The Killing of a Small Town

I have always believed and I continue to believe that the best place to live is in a small town. But it is always sad when a rural community, possessed of integrity and wisdom, gives away to apathy, dishonestly, and plain redneck foolishness. Upon graduation from college, I believed that the best place for me to move to was my native home of Red Boiling Springs, and I’ve not been sorry, but unwise and greedy people have made many of us wishing we could return to the good ole days when morality and common sense ruled and fleecing the town of its tax dollars was a no no.

Reckless spending and lavish salaries have kept the town poor, but none of it has ended up in the pockets of the poor, or used to benefit the children. Red Boiling Springs had the opportunity to lease the swimming pool from The Thomas House and operate it for the children as the City of Lafayette does for their children, but apparently the Mayor and his in the pocket councilmen have chosen to pay the two top police officers nearly $100,000.00 a year, in addition to benefits and a car to drive home instead of putting the money back in the town. So while some enjoy higher paid salaries than the school teachers at Red Boiling Springs with two degrees, others who work for the city getting down into cold ditches to repair broken pipes, are thrown crumbs to live on, which is unfair.

What will happen if the thousands of dollars coming monthly from Nestle’ suddenly stops, and the thousands of dollars of insurance premiums suddenly doubles, as is predicted under the new health bill? Where will the money come from? The Bible says that if one sows to the wind, then he will reap the whirlwind and that applies to a business, a town, and a nation.

It is always disappointing to see those who are supposed to be helping a town drive another nail in its coffin, and that is exactly what the Mayor’s in the back pocket councilmen did when they voted to no longer support the only paper Red Boiling Springs has ever had, and I might add, a paper that has won more state prizes than any paper in rural Tennessee. And none of these men lifted a finger at Christmas time to help the poor children of Red Boiling Springs. In fact, Sheriff Mark Gammons came to Red Boiling Springs and helped a family to get their electricity turned back on, and I salute him for it, but no program of help from the Mayor’s boys!

Here is a warning, and the smart ones will take heed and the dumb ones may end up in court and it could be Federal court. The Doofus in Red Boiling Springs who has seen that some of the policeman in Red Boiling Springs have been told to lean on the Mayor’s enemies had better be wrong, because harassment and stalking are illegal acts, and remember the city’s insurance has already refused to furnish a lawyer for the stupid actions of the City. When one leaves his driveway, and a city cop follows him two or three miles, on his bumper, but discontinues his pursuit at the City Limits, then that person knows that he is being harassed. I’m not the Mayor’s enemy and I don’t know of any who are. He is his own enemy by his foolish actions, coupled with his City Councilmen that he allegedly dictates to in City business.

Jon Wells, the City Attorney for Red Boiling Springs, told me recently that he just worked with the City from month to month. Well, let me suggest that during January he instruct the out of control City officials in morality and in the laws. And let’s hope he will come to the defense of Kimball Hall who was railroaded out of his job because his investigation was getting close, in my opinion, to City officials. I hope the TBI will do a full investigation as to why Kimball was chased out of Red Boiling Springs and replaced by one who is not one of our own.

Payday is coming! The chickens come home to roost! All reap what they sow!