If I were Mayor of Hattiesburg

[beggingforrelief]

Lets have a little fun. What would you do to "improve or change" Hattiesburg if you were elected Mayor?

Here is some of my ideas:

1) Find quality Department heads to run the divisions (start from inside and than look outside)

2) Streamline the administration (no CAO, Re-align departments)

3) Fix the dad-gum streets

More to come.

[58ford]

Stay in town long enough to actually have an idea whats going on in the 'Burg.

[JB2379]

1. I would probably try to establish a good working relationship with all of the city council members.

2. I would try to reach out to all the citizens of Hattiesburg.

3. I would appointment some good qualified people to the school board, so they could improve the school district.

4. I would push for the construction of a new high school.

5. Obviosuly, I would get a new police chief

6. And last but not least, i would start pusing for the anexation of residential areas in Oak Grove:smt118

[daisy]

I would support the above. I would communicate more with the constituents and try to work with the city council. I would have several people I wanted for department heads and bring them befor the councilahead of approval time. I would do that to spare the candidates of the stress and to prevent a logjam of my way or no way. It would save my political power so I could win the next time. I would try to be a mayor to all groups even if my campaign backers say differently. Power shifts all the time. Better to be seen as a mayor for all the people in the city. I would send people to an out of town event to get information and network so I was seen on the homefront.

[IGID]

I bet I know what Betsy Rowell would do.

[58ford]

Attend a different Church.

[Hub a Bubba]

I would resign and move to another city.

[R1ZOOM]

I wouldn't really want to be mayor, but if I was I would make sure that city services were up to par. Fire and Police are, in my opinion, the two most important services provided to citizens by a municipal government. A police department who's hands are tied and is operating at 66% capacity is hardly adequate. The taxpayers of Hattiesburg are essentially being ripped off by the city. They are paying taxes for something they are not receiving. You can bet that if the sanitation department stopped picking up trash at 33% of homes, or if water and sewer didn't worka t 33% of homes something would be done immediately. It's amazing to me that the PD operates at this inadequate level and there are not any serious complaints on a daily basis. Sure, it's not as readily noticeable as it would be if you didn't have running water, but when it takes an hour or more for an officer to show up at your house you are being ripped off, it's no different, the system is broken. I don't fault the officers at HPD at all, they can't help it. The admin, specifically Chief Wynn and Mayor Dupree are the sole blame. If HPD can't keep more than 82-85 officers and are budgeted 120 or so, and they are content to keep this sized force, then maybe they should pay all HPD officers more since 66% of the officers (actually less than that when you figure in admin officers that don't catch calls) are doing the work of 100% of the officers that should be there. They are working a lot harder and get nothing for it. Each officer is essentially doing the work of 1.5 officers but only getting paid to be one officer. I'd be willing to bet that response times in Forrest and Lamar counties are bettter than HPD, when it should be just the opposite.

Wynn needs to go, and if he and Dupree are content with 82 officers they need to pay them more since they are doing the work of 120 officers. Divide up the other 38 officers' pay that are missing from the HPD roster of 120 and give it to those officers who work hard and more than they should have to every day.

[JB2379]

I would also look into organizing a precinct-style police department. I would also attend townhall meetings in each ward at least once a month. I think I would just be more available to the public.

[58ford]

1. give back the stolen hard drives.
2. Search Mt. Caramel Church (somethin's goin' on there)
3. Research the feasability of a city run Donut shop.
4. Offer tax breaks to attract High Quality donut shops to the area.
5. Either Submit the department heads or tell the citizen why the hell not.
6. put Wynn on a high fibre diet (poor fella looks constipated)
7. Have my preacher explain that whole wife covetin' thing.
8. Eat less cheese.

[dalo knight]

I would put the welfare of the Police ahead of the Police Chief. All the officiers we have lost are more important to the security of the city than one Police chief.

[58ford]

I know I kid a lot about the situation downtown ('cause it's so dang funny!)
But, I really do realize the seiousness of the situation.
I and my friends & family have been affected by the rising crime rate in the 'Burg. (some may remember the "Angel Soft incident)
That is why I feel we must seriously address the donut crisis in this town.

[58ford]

A few beavers aren't going to solve everything.

[Maggie-Doodle]

58: You just too dang funny!

[lamarrebel]

If I were Mayor of Hattiesburg . . . .

I'd take out a huge life insurance policy on myself because of the decisions I'd make!

[ACEsmom]

I'd have to spend a lot of money overhauling the PD. Like the $60000 they're spending to do this recruiting all over MS. And the best part - they're recruiting on mostly "black" radio stations!

[MrPaulB007]

So far, I agree with and thank every post. If not realistically, then for the humor. But if I were called to be mayor, I would really still be Johnny Dupree! Call me different, I always have been.

It is easy to ride by someones house and say "that yard looks like crap!" It is quite another to stop and mow it for them because they are doing the best they can with what they have.

Has anyone given him actual physical human help at being Hattiesburg's #1 servant by bringing their #1 qualifications to the payroll? Or is judging him easier? The problem is, most people who are #1 qualified try to see how much money their #1 qualifications can get them. So, the qualification pool is shallow because the salary pool is too!

No man can lift himself up by tearing another man down. No city can either! Figure that out and unity will happen. No man is a man unless he makes this world better by being here. Has anyone ever privately asked Dupree to help him mow his problems or be in the positions where he needs #1 qualified help?

Keep in mind, Johnny could make more money with his qualifications anywhere else than being mayor. What other Phd will take his place with the salary cut demand?

And yes, I would continue annexing Oak Grove if I were Johnny. The math more than proves it works, and history does as well.

[nonnegotiable]

[QUOTE=MrPaulB007]

Keep in mind, Johnny could make more money with his qualifications anywhere else than being mayor. What other Phd will take his place with the salary cut demand?

QUOTE]


Will he resign and take a job that he is more qualified for or is he going to stay and tear the City of Hattiesburg down to nothing!

[MrPaulB007]

Will he resign and take a job that he is more qualified for or is he going to stay and tear the City of Hattiesburg down to nothing!


He will follow his calling, and yes he was called to his job. How else do you explain someone who was working at Sears in the late 70's ending up being Mayor with 66% of the vote?

My humility will not allow me to judge him. I do not deny things are a mess. But, it is a reaped function of the numbers of any expanding population, and a problem nationwide in most metro areas.

Crime rises and density causes several kinds of stench. If he is soley responsible for tearing Hattiesburg down to nothing, then there is a bigger problem. He and his position are not that big.

What you can do with what you have is never enough for some when needs are so great. Why do you think they are recruiting needed positions in out of town markets? The needs exceed the supply of both human and financial resources.

He didn't get a brand new car for a city. Now the citizens want a new car with no problems, while still paying the used car price. The root problems existed before he took office. Last I heard, he didn't write the "reasonable time" language for approving appointments.

I have to admire that he found a loophole no one else did. It brought it to the citizens attention as a need for change. His loyalty to his decisions has also been proven, not that I agree with them. He is a man of his word. That is hard to find in a politician.

To his credit and Hattiesburg's, he has obtained a better education. He did this when he didn't need the qualifications to get the job he already had. I believe he feels called to his position and is trying to do his best to better Hattiesburg. I've seen him in action out of state and he is a good ambassador. Business growth proves that, sales tax has doubled over the last 9 years.

As for "he is paid 90,000 per year and should do more for the city." That 90,000 doesn't buy him any more day light than the rest of us. People in this town make more than six fugures with his same qualifications for managing flocks of a fraction of the size of the Hattiesburg population. He can only do so much, the needs are greater than the resources. Is that his fault?

As a government of the people and by the people, the citizens bear the responsiblity of the conditions. If not, then the problem is bigger than Johnny Dupree. If I were him, I would not run for another thankless four years.

If I did, I would continue annexing as much tax base as possible to gain the needed resources for solutions to the city's problems. That much I do know, history has proven that annexation is a financial shot in the arm for a resource diseased problem.

All of Oak Grove's tax base is the fastest and best available cure. It is little up keep and much chillie for the dollar, more than anywhere else that could be taken.

Oak Grove is Hattiesburg's cure. That is known and proven. Thanks for your opinion, even though it disagreed with mine.

[daisy]

Mr. PaulB007 am I correct after reading all that you said, that you would annex Oak Grove both residential and commercial?Thank you for having fun by playing If I were mayor.

[MrPaulB007]

Mr. PaulB007 am I correct after reading all that you said, that you would annex Oak Grove both residential and commercial?Thank you for having fun by playing If I were mayor.

Yep! There is approximately 85 million dollars of annual assesed tax value in the area of Oak Grove that is attempting to incoporate. I have never seen anyone who couldn't figure out a need for extra money.

Especially when the Oak Grove area, originally anything west of 40th avenue, is the primary catalyst for the sales tax base to have doubled in the last nine years in Hattiesburg.

Who wouldn't do that if they were mayor of Hattiesburg? It is simple business sense and history proves it works with little risk. Hattiesburg is annexing residential and commercial because the revenues support their resource problems. It gives the city more muscle.

Hattiesburg should for the benefit of its citizens, it has that right legally. It is Oak Grove's fault if it continues to let this happen. As in most cases, the enemy is ourselves. Who else can we blame if we don't stand for something?

[wilebill]

Where do I begin? I'll just respond to each of your points.

He will follow his calling, and yes he was called to his job. How else do you explain someone who was working at Sears in the late 70's ending up being Mayor with 66% of the vote?
So you're saying anyone who started from humble beginnings and wound up being a successul politician had a "calling", like the hand of God put them there? If that's true, then I guess Hitler, Genghis Khan, Castro, and all sorts of other despots had a "calling". I hate it when God is invoked for someone's success so that anyone who disagrees with that assessment is branded a heretic or pagan. I'm not saying that what Dupree accomplished is not admirable, but please I feel perfectly comfortable in criticisizing him without fear that God will strike me dead for it.

My humility will not allow me to judge him. I do not deny things are a mess. But, it is a reaped function of the numbers of any expanding population, and a problem nationwide in most metro areas.

Crime rises and density causes several kinds of stench. If he is soley responsible for tearing Hattiesburg down to nothing, then there is a bigger problem. He and his position are not that big. Typical politician speak. In these paragraphs bad things are not his fault because it's beyond his control, yet further down Dupree gets the credit for tax collections going up. I'm not saying that Dupree caused the problems we have, but he should be judged on his response to the problem - that's called job performance. Heads of entities are charged with creating and implementing solutions, but the problems in Hattiesburg are escalating.

What you can do with what you have is never enough for some when needs are so great. Why do you think they are recruiting needed positions in out of town markets? The needs exceed the supply of both human and financial resources. What you can do with a precious commodity (a qualified police force) is to preserve what you have so the need to go out and find more is reduced. When you have a water shortage you save water and use less - same with a gasoline shortage or any kind of shortage. If there is a shortage of qualified policmen then you don't run off the ones you have. If pay is such a big issue where was Dupree asking - no, demanding - a pay increase for the ones we have? Why has he allowed a mass exodus from the department? Why has he allowed Wynn to use up this resource, as you call it?

The root problems existed before he took office. Last I heard, he didn't write the "reasonable time" language for approving appointments.

I have to admire that he found a loophole no one else did. It brought it to the citizens attention as a need for change. His loyalty to his decisions has also been proven, not that I agree with them. He is a man of his word. That is hard to find in a politician. What is this root problem you speak of? And what is admirable about finding loopholes? If that were the case with everyone, lawyers would be society's heroes. IMO, the law about naming dept. heads was written for reasonable people who act in a reasonable manner for the good of the city. Dupree is only acting selfishly by trying to skirt the intention of the law. There is nothing admirable about being selfish and attempting to take the easy road and goes against your idea of his "calling".

To his credit and Hattiesburg's, he has obtained a better education. He did this when he didn't need the qualifications to get the job he already had. I believe he feels called to his position and is trying to do his best to better Hattiesburg. I've seen him in action out of state and he is a good ambassador. Business growth proves that, sales tax has doubled over the last 9 years. See everything I wrote above. I don't have a problem with him bettering himself through education, except hopefully he would use that for the city's benefit as well. That's yet to be seen.

As for "he is paid 90,000 per year and should do more for the city." That 90,000 doesn't buy him any more day light than the rest of us. People in this town make more than six fugures with his same qualifications for managing flocks of a fraction of the size of the Hattiesburg population. He can only do so much, the needs are greater than the resources. Is that his fault? See above. However, $90,000 was the pay when he ran for the job. Surely you're not saying he's allowed to be a slacker just because other people are paid more than he is?

As a government of the people and by the people, the citizens bear the responsiblity of the conditions. If not, then the problem is bigger than Johnny Dupree. If I were him, I would not run for another thankless four years.
That's not a novel idea to blame someone else besides the guy in charge. Whatever happened to the idea of "The Buck Stops Here" that other successful people have adopted? The great leaders of our country served their country to make it a better place, not to instantly garner praise or wealth for themselves.

If I did, I would continue annexing as much tax base as possible to gain the needed resources for solutions to the city's problems. That much I do know, history has proven that annexation is a financial shot in the arm for a resource diseased problem.


All of Oak Grove's tax base is the fastest and best available cure. It is little up keep and much chillie for the dollar, more than anywhere else that could be taken.

Oak Grove is Hattiesburg's cure. That is known and proven. Thanks for your opinion, even though it disagreed with mine. Finanaces is not one of Hattiesburg's problems. You've already said that, now why would you make the above statements?

Those like yourself who expect nothing from our leadership are the only ones who are satisfied with what they are doing for our city. Please forgive the rest of us who believe that our leaders were elected to solve problems and progress our city, not create problems and send us backward.

[Conveyor Belt]

Does anyone else smell a beavers, or is it just me...

[wilebill]

Too bad the intentions of this thread went out the window like the intention of the law to name department heads in a reasonable amount of time...

[daisy]

I'm getting this back on track.

If I were mayor, I would have honest, trustworthy-highly qualified people working around me to help me look good and to do what's best for the city.

I would also have someone that would serve as my eyes and ears in different areas in terms of areas that need to be worked on.

I would also figure which battles I could win and put the others on a backburner or give it to an influential person to most people. Also it's about timing and knowing when to hold "em or fold them.

[gilgamesh]

Thanks, Wilebill, for that eloquent response. I was getting ready to wear my fingers out when I read your post. I would only add a response to one other thing:

[quote]
Has anyone given him actual physical human help at being Hattiesburg's #1 servant by bringing their #1 qualifications to the payroll? Or is judging him easier? The problem is, most people who are #1 qualified try to see how much money their #1 qualifications can get them. So, the qualification pool is shallow because the salary pool is too! [quote]

As a matter of fact, Mr. PaulB, I did. I went to work directly for the Mayor in a position of close advisor and trusted confidant. I worked harder than I may have ever done to give both the Mayor and the citizens of Hattiesburg the best I had to offer. Regardless of what some may think of those efforts, they were genuine and based on years of experience. So, I believe that I earned the right to "judge" as you call it. And I can tell you unequivocally that the job of Mayor is to surround yourself with good people who not only give their best but who have the best to give. And I can also tell you that the Mayor knows unequivocally that he does not have that. Yet, he remains obstinately, irrationally loyal to individuals who he knows do not have the background or the character to do their job adequately, much less spectacularly. Yet he continues to allow them to harm the citizens of Hattiesburg in ways both obvious and oblique. This is wrong...purely and simply wrong and he needs to do better for all the citizens of Hattiesburg.

[gilgamesh]

So, Daisy, to get back to the thread, I would hire the VERY BEST person for every job that I could find, regardless of race, regardless of whether the employees of the City of Hattiesburg reflect the racial makeup of its citizens. Qualification and ability would win over color every day. Then I would give them direction, stand back while they do their job, expect the best from them and get rid of them if they aren't up to the task. Taxpayers deserve no less.

[zorro]

what gilgamesh just said!

[nonnegotiable]

Excuse me for getting off track but Mayor Dupree wasn't making 90,000 when he took office and someone with a PHD ought to know better than to follow another mans way of running the city. Dupree only wants to annex the commercial not the residential part of Oak Grove he wants their Tax Dollars but not their obligation to take care of the citizens of Oak Grove. But I guess that is all he wants from the Citizens of Hattiesburg too!

If I were mayor I would try to hire the right person for the job if they couldn't handle the job I would look for someone else. I would want people beside me or under me that could do their job. Who you hire is a reflextion of the type person you are. (You don't see a Accounting Office hiring a musician to do accounting if they don't know how to add 2 + 2 (I am not saying that musician's cant add) or a muscian hiring someone to play the piano when the don't know how to read the notes.) You can't blame other people (citizens that did not vote for you) for the problems that you have in choosing the people for your dept heads. I would hope that the Dept heads that I would choose would be like any other employee if you can't do the job then you are gone. I would actually listen to my employees, give them an opportunity to advance in their job. I would not allow my pastor to come and reprimand my employees if they need that I would let their supervisor do that. I would listen to the citizens of Hattiesburg!

[wilebill]

I think I read at one time that the definition of a leader is someone who puts the right people in the right place at the right time. That's what I'd do if I were mayor of Hattiesburg.

[MrPaulB007]

Wilebill; Where do I begin? I'll just respond to each of your points.

MrPaulB007; Thanks, I respect your view though it is different than mine. I would rather laugh at the problems Hattiesburg has, but they are embarrassing and sickening. And I am proud to have lived here all my life. We can do better, even if the government can’t.

Daisy, disregard this post because I can’t start my own thread to debate this in…nor do I wish to. Wilebill is singing to the choir with a quartet plus one for back up on this. When he realizes I am on his side, he may listen to my view, or not. Either way is fine with me.

The crux of my point is that if the citizens allow another puppet into office without fixing the root causes, then history will repeat itself. The next mayor won’t be able to go any further with our problems than the legal strings given him/her. Change the strings, the next puppet will dance different.

If Johnny leaving would cure the problem, then Saddam leaving Iraq would have cured that problem, Alchida and Zaukory(don’t even care how their names are spelled) being ousted would cure that problem. In fact, if we don’t man up and quit blaming each other, then we might as well say God is the world’s problem!

Man up, take responsibility for the root causes and run to the future laughing with peace! Quit attacking a man who is no bigger than the position he is given as our servant.

Quote:
Originally Posted by MrPaulB007
He will follow his calling, and yes he was called to his job. How else do you explain someone who was working at Sears in the late 70's ending up being Mayor with 66% of the vote?


Wilebill; So you're saying anyone who started from humble beginnings and wound up being a successul politician had a "calling", like the hand of God put them there? If that's true, then I guess Hitler, Genghis Khan, Castro, and all sorts of other despots had a "calling". I hate it when God is invoked for someone's success so that anyone who disagrees with that assessment is branded a heretic or pagan. I'm not saying that what Dupree accomplished is not admirable, but please I feel perfectly comfortable in criticisizing him without fear that God will strike me dead for it.

MrPaulB007; Good grief! This may have been some religion nerve that was struck, my apologies. Judge him if you have to, but judging his works is wiser and will get you further with the changes you want. BTW, I want them too! God uses all things for His cause. Learn from the current problems, mistakes and don’t let them be repeated. It’s the puppet thingy I mentioned above…

Quote:
Mrpaulb;My humility will not allow me to judge him. I do not deny things are a mess. But, it is a reaped function of the numbers of any expanding population, and a problem nationwide in most metro areas.

Crime rises and density causes several kinds of stench. If he is soley responsible for tearing Hattiesburg down to nothing, then there is a bigger problem. He and his position are not that big.

Wilebill; Typical politician speak. In these paragraphs bad things are not his fault because it's beyond his control, yet further down Dupree gets the credit for tax collections going up. I'm not saying that Dupree caused the problems we have, but he should be judged on his response to the problem - that's called job performance. Heads of entities are charged with creating and implementing solutions, but the problems in Hattiesburg are escalating.

MrPaulB007; True, problems are growing and so is the population. If you are man enough to give him bad credit, be honest enough to look at all of his credit. He has done what good he could for the city.

When the battle is hand to hand and the warriors are so bloody they can’t tell themselves from the enemy, they don’t look across the ranks and assassinate their commander! They go after what is attacking them…crime, civil unrest, disunity, etc…Johnny wants Hattiesburg to shine. It is in his interest. Don’t be blinded by emotion. How many years have you served as Mayor? Maybe you do know more than I about all of his duties…who knows?

Quote:
Mrpaulb; What you can do with what you have is never enough for some when needs are so great. Why do you think they are recruiting needed positions in out of town markets? The needs exceed the supply of both human and financial resources.

Wilebill; What you can do with a precious commodity (a qualified police force) is to preserve what you have so the need to go out and find more is reduced. When you have a water shortage you save water and use less - same with a gasoline shortage or any kind of shortage. If there is a shortage of qualified policmen then you don't run off the ones you have. If pay is such a big issue where was Dupree asking - no, demanding - a pay increase for the ones we have? Why has he allowed a mass exodus from the department? Why has he allowed Wynn to use up this resource, as you call it?

MrPaulB007; On second thought, for the sake of argument, let’s say you are right …it is all Johnny’s fault. Now if we are of the people and by the people, who is to blame? The citizens who create the conditions? Remember, he is supposed to be our head public servant. How can he do more than his public master allows him? You are
almost there…

Quote:
Mrpualb; The root problems existed before he took office. Last I heard, he didn't write the "reasonable time" language for approving appointments.

I have to admire that he found a loophole no one else did. It brought it to the citizens attention as a need for change. His loyalty to his decisions has also been proven, not that I agree with them. He is a man of his word. That is hard to find in a politician.

Wilebill; What is this root problem you speak of? And what is admirable about finding loopholes? If that were the case with everyone, lawyers would be society's heroes. IMO, the law about naming dept. heads was written for reasonable people who act in a reasonable manner for the good of the city. Dupree is only acting selfishly by trying to skirt the intention of the law. There is nothing admirable about being selfish and attempting to take the easy road and goes against your idea of his "calling".

MrPaulB007; Bingo, you asked what the root problem is. The mayor can do no more than his legal check and balances give him. If this is not changed, the door will be wide open to the next office holder. If I believe that Johnny is only to blame for the problems, and not extricate the root of the problem, then history will repeat itself. BTW, finding the loophole should help your cause and that is why I admire intelligence no matter where I find it!

Quote:
Mrpaulb; To his credit and Hattiesburg's, he has obtained a better education. He did this when he didn't need the qualifications to get the job he already had. I believe he feels called to his position and is trying to do his best to better Hattiesburg. I've seen him in action out of state and he is a good ambassador. Business growth proves that, sales tax has doubled over the last 9 years.

Wilebill; See everything I wrote above. I don't have a problem with him bettering himself through education, except hopefully he would use that for the city's benefit as well. That's yet to be seen.

MrPaulB007; I differ, as I have said. He does make Hattiesburg look good when he is out of town by being educated better. Lord knows, we need the help with all the bickering advertised in the media.

Quote:
Mrpaulb; As for "he is paid 90,000 per year and should do more for the city." That 90,000 doesn't buy him any more day light than the rest of us. People in this town make more than six fugures with his same qualifications for managing flocks of a fraction of the size of the Hattiesburg population. He can only do so much, the needs are greater than the resources. Is that his fault?

Wilebill; See above. However, $90,000 was the pay when he ran for the job. Surely you're not saying he's allowed to be a slacker just because other people are paid more than he is?

MrPaulB007; Not saying that at all. I am saying the enormous demand of public need have long out weighed the capabilities of one man and one salary. The resources I am talking about are both financial and human. There is going to have to be some partitioning and delegation so that more is accomplished by the city government, IMHO.

Quote:
Mrpaulb; As a government of the people and by the people, the citizens bear the responsiblity of the conditions. If not, then the problem is bigger than Johnny Dupree. If I were him, I would not run for another thankless four years.


Wilebill; That's not a novel idea to blame someone else besides the guy in charge. Whatever happened to the idea of "The Buck Stops Here" that other successful people have adopted? The great leaders of our country served their country to make it a better place, not to instantly garner praise or wealth for themselves.
Quote:

MrPaulB007; Umm, that was the way the framers set up the constitution some 230 odd years ago for our country, nothing novel about it. All that stuff about “we claim these truths to be self evident…that all men are created equal.” “Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.”

How the snapshot of American society got to be that it is all the government’s fault makes me sick… That one thing made me proud to be from Mississippi after the storm, we didn’t take time to blame the government like New Orleans. We attacked what was attacking us…lack of supplies, housing, water, etc.

Animals have more constitution than Americans who think that way. From birth, they learn to feed themselves or die trying. And a mother will kill her young if they can’t! Please don’t blame the government, change the root causes. It is the only hope for the future!

Mrpaulb; If I did, I would continue annexing as much tax base as possible to gain the needed resources for solutions to the city's problems. That much I do know, history has proven that annexation is a financial shot in the arm for a resource diseased problem.


All of Oak Grove's tax base is the fastest and best available cure. It is little up keep and much chillie for the dollar, more than anywhere else that could be taken.

Oak Grove is Hattiesburg's cure. That is known and proven. Thanks for your opinion, even though it disagreed with mine.

Wilebill; Finanaces is not one of Hattiesburg's problems. You've already said that, now why would you make the above statements?

Those like yourself who expect nothing from our leadership are the only ones who are satisfied with what they are doing for our city. Please forgive the rest of us who believe that our leaders were elected to solve problems and progress our city, not create problems and send us backward.

MrPaulB007; Bravo for the speech round up! It was as eloquent as any political speech round up at a 4th of July caucus support drive!

How you ever got that I ever said finances are not the problem I do not know. I subscribe the school of thought that you get what you pay for and reap what you sew…please verify this misunderstanding. There are human resources and financial. Both will have to increase in caliber, and cost to get the problems solved.

As I have said, you are preaching to the choir on this and seem to have a quartet plus one for back up. There was no need to personally attack me. It seems to be a habit for all your city problems, personally attack someone instead of extricate the root. Remember that I am on your side, and I will accept nothing but the best from our government.

Solve your own problems…and run for mayor. You might just get my support! If you mature enough to not personally attack someone instead of the issues…so forgive me for having a different view to the same problem. Are you from New Orleans?

Wilebill for Mayor! I used to like him until personally attacked me for having different views…of the same problem.

[MrPaulB007]

Does anyone else smell a beavers, or is it just me...

E'tu, Brutus? I thought your insight to usually be balanced. Beavers wanted out of the OG thing, lets leave him there as he wishes. He is a good man.

[Conveyor Belt]

E'tu, Brutus? I thought your insight to usually be balanced. Beavers wanted out of the OG thing, lets leave him there as he wishes. He is a good man.


*sniff* *sniff*... hmmmm.....

[MrPaulB007]

Too bad the intentions of this thread went out the window like the intention of the law to name department heads in a reasonable amount of time...

I thought the intentions were to provoke thought. My bad. How about this...my favorite post on this subject was the "Chief Wynn needs to be on a fiber diet...the man looks constipated."

I have never seen anything but bloodshot eyes downtown, come to think of it...:smt119

[MrPaulB007]

Gilga...wrote"As a matter of fact, Mr. PaulB, I did. I went to work directly for the Mayor in a position of close advisor and trusted confidant. I worked harder than I may have ever done to give both the Mayor and the citizens of Hattiesburg the best I had to offer. Regardless of what some may think of those efforts, they were genuine and based on years of experience. So, I believe that I earned the right to "judge" as you call it. And I can tell you unequivocally that the job of Mayor is to surround yourself with good people who not only give their best but who have the best to give. And I can also tell you that the Mayor knows unequivocally that he does not have that. Yet, he remains obstinately, irrationally loyal to individuals who he knows do not have the background or the character to do their job adequately, much less spectacularly. Yet he continues to allow them to harm the citizens of Hattiesburg in ways both obvious and oblique. This is wrong...purely and simply wrong and he needs to do better for all the citizens of Hattiesburg.[/quote]

Thanks for trying, and I mean that. Many who are judging him and not the issues are making a grave mistake that could end up not curing the real problem. The next mayor could do the same thing.

No man can lift himself up by tearing down another, no city can either.

[wilebill]

Hmmm, exactly where did I attack you? Just because I disagree with your viewpoints? Because I disagree, that is an attack? Has America gotten to the point that disagreement is considered an attack? I've disagreed with people before and had a beer together afterwards. I actually thought I was pretty cordial, but I've been wrong before.

The only thing that came close to being personal was where I said " Those like yourself who expect nothing from our leadership..."

Anyway, I have had thoughts of running for political office, but I have other matters in life that are a lot more pressing. Politics, IMO, is not the ultimate goal in life. But just because I don't want to be a politician right now does not mean that I shouldn't expect more from our politicians. Everybody deserves the best public servant that we can have (emphasis mine).

[MrPaulB007]

Hmmm, exactly where did I attack you? Just because I disagree with your viewpoints? Because I disagree, that is an attack? Has America gotten to the point that disagreement is considered an attack? I've disagreed with people before and had a beer together afterwards. I actually thought I was pretty cordial, but I've been wrong before.

The only thing that came close to being personal was where I said " Those like yourself who expect nothing from our leadership..."

Anyway, I have had thoughts of running for political office, but I have other matters in life that are a lot more pressing. Politics, IMO, is not the ultimate goal in life. But just because I don't want to be a politician right now does not mean that I shouldn't expect more from our politicians. Everybody deserves the best public servant that we can have (emphasis mine).

Couldn't agree more with all of this. I like your posts Wilebill because you are honest. I considered it personal when you deemed my reasoning as not expecting anything from our leadership. In fact, the opposite is true. My ideals on this are not second rate to yours as a citizen, and that was my percieved attack. I didn't think you would have a beer with a second rate citizen at the time I read it.

My appologies for asking if you were from New Orleans, it doesn't matter. I enjoyed the discussion and don't care where you are from, but the Saint's thing had me wondering....have a cold one on me. My newly added signature is a tribute to our discussion and really happened to me. Hope you find it funny, because I couldn't stop laughing when it happened! Thanks,

[daisy]

If I were mayor of the city I'd bring in a rainman to get rid of these long dry spells.

[MrPaulB007]

If I were mayor of the city I'd bring in a rainman to get rid of these long dry spells.

I was wondering if my new signature was creating one in this thread...:smt086

[wilebill]

I was wondering if my new signature was creating one in this thread...:smt086
Nah, I thought it was pretty good. Unique, anyway. I probably need to change mine, it's getting old.

[ynotme297]

Nah, I thought it was pretty good. Unique, anyway. I probably need to change mine, it's getting old.

no,no,no, bill please don't do it. that is you

[58ford]

MrPaulB007,

You seem to be pro Dupree.
Please answer me a question.
Do you believe that Mayor Dupree should submit his department heads for approval by the city council?
So far I have asked this of several seeming pro Dupree posters.
As of yet none have deigned to answer.
Please, I would appreciate your opinion.

[MrPaulB007]

MrPaulB007,

You seem to be pro Dupree.
Please answer me a question.
Do you believe that Mayor Dupree should submit his department heads for approval by the city council?
So far I have asked this of several seeming pro Dupree posters.
As of yet none have deigned to answer.
Please, I would appreciate your opinion.

Submit the choices, don't micro manage, get more done by not micro managing, have enough faith in your choices for other people to have faith in them, and get more done by giving more control to others.

I would give a better answer but am packing for a trip to FGH and will get back to posting later in the week. I am more "pro future" than "pro any man" and I have made enough mistakes in life to realize God's outcome is the ultimate one. Thanks,

[daisy]

I agree with the above and wish you or your loved one well at FGH. Hope to see your posts soon.

[Smoke Diver]

I would support and recognize the International Association of Firefighters local 184.

[big john]

I would repl.p...p..place wynn with bugs b. andp..put road runner in charge of fixin p..p..potholes[sorry wbill]andp..p..pepe in charge of makin everone love everyone:smt006

[58ford]

If I were the king of the 'burg,
I tell you what I'd do.
I'd throw away the cars, & the bars, & wars,
And give and give a strong PD to you!

(Actually, I'm kind of fond of bars, cars & wars)

[half pint]

smoke more cigars

drive faster cars

and forget about the wars

ain't that what its about