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Saturday, September 12, 2009

Dirty Politics In Huntsville

You may have read about dirty politics in the big city of Syracuse, but it seems like Quiet and peaceful Ogden Valley is not immune to big city chicanery . We just received this email with the attached audio file that has been circulating around Huntsville and feel that it deserves some weekend viewing:
Dear Ogden Valley Forum,

This phone recording was forwarded to me this morning and quite frankly I am disgusted. Let me explain.

Huntsville has a two party system for its municipal elections. Not Republican and Democrat, but "Our Town" and "Party 1." No one really knows which party they belong to, and in fact, it really doesn't matter.

One party held their nominating convention last Tuesday and the other was held on Thursday. Each convention nominated a candidate for Mayor and two council members and the ground rules are:
  • You may attend both conventions if you wish
  • Candidates may be nominated at both conventions
  • YOU MAY ONLY VOTE AT ONE CONVENTION
At the Tuesday convention, Chris Stevenson was nominated and placed on the ballot for Mayor where he had flooded the room with family supporters.

Here is where it gets sticky.

Over the next couple of days, Chris apparently called nearly every resident or registered voter in town to invite them out to the Thursday Nominating Convention. That seems fairly harmless, but he went on to tell folks that Tim Hansen was going to be put up for Mayor and he would recommend the support of Tim.

Now Tim is a good guy, but in no way is he Mayor material. And in NO WAY could he be elected to Mayor.

Why would one candidate for mayor be campaigning for another candidate for mayor? The answer is simple: Put Tim on the ballot and Stevenson wins by a landslide.

In the end, Tim must have realized he had been put on the chopping block when he saw some 125 - 150 residents pack into the overflowing town hall (about 3 times the number of residents that attended the Tuesday meeting). When Tim was nominated, he politely declined and a legitimate candidate was ultimately chosen (Jim Truett).



Here is the rest of the story. The attached phone message was left at the residence of Doug Allen by accident as Doug was also going to be nominated for mayor that evening.
And Ogden Valley, you thought brilliant schemes were only reserved for the big city. It sounds like things are about to get exciting in Huntsville, so we will dust off our old election coverage templates and give the candidates a sounding board soon.

Stay tuned and have a great weekend.

12 comments:

"Truett for Mayor" supporter said...

It is one thing to be a blathering idiot and do nothing Town Councilman who could not win reelection.

It is another for the MacKay family members to put this fool up for Mayor. Especially after he was investigated for criminal behavior after forging the Mayor's signature.

And it is despicable to attempt to use a valued and happy-go-lucky, productive town citizen as a foil character and demean him personally by doing so. The MacKays should be ashamed of themselves...that is if they had any shame.

This only proves that NO MacKay, or extended relative of the MacKays, should be elected to any office.

The MacKays continually show their very ugly and less than honorable underside.

Chris Stevenson does not even own property in Huntsville ... never has. If this baffoon is elected by a MacKay block vote, Huntsville will become "MacKayville" and they will grant themselves waivers to do anything they damn well please.

Oh, I almost forgot. One has already built decorative large pillars on town property announcing his grand self-importance to passers-by.

Jim Truett has actually contributed to the Town and served two terms on the Town Council. He deserves all our votes.

Long Live Huntsville said...

Former Congressman Gunn McKay would be rolling in his grave to know of his son in law's continual schemes. Gunn had credibility and integrity, two traits he apparently did not pass on to his son in law.

Another Huntsvillian said...

And he apparently did not pass it on the his extended family members either!

They are the ones who voted for this cretin and participated in this unseemly scheme.

They apparently want this scofflaw and MacKay sycophant to do their bidding.

All in all very disgusting indeed.

Richard Nixon said...

Chris is a nice enough guy but for whatever reason he is always involved in what turns out to be a scheme. A couple of years ago he convinced me to turn over my water shares so he could vote them for his relative. He said there was an urgency because someone was going to take over the water company but it all turned out to be a lie or a scam. We heard he also got the Forest service to turn over their shares and he supposedly forged the mayor's signature to get the town's shares.

Val Southwick said...

He does not have a chance in hell of winning the election against ANYONE, but what scheme will he come up with for the general election?

Enron insider. said...

Val S.

He will likely again summon all the MacKays and MacKay extended family members and relatives to all vote for him. That will account for about 40 to 50 people inside Huntsville Town boundaries. They are the ones (at least most of them) who want the favors and waivers.

But Stevenson will probably come up with some illegal and dishonest way to claim more relative's votes from outside Huntsville proper, with claims that they own property up Southfork and Southlane. This was what he in fact did over the water shares issue. And they do own land too! About 800 acres all total within annexation range of the Town. Which is again why electing any of this clan to public office is just wrong in so many ways. As it presents huge opportunities for conflicts of interest, fraud, nepotism (re the previous MacKay Mayor), cronyism, and malfeasance.

Do NOT vote for this "gentleman" who is married into the family MacKay. That is unless you want to see Huntsville die off and become the exclusive domain of the MacKays.

Jim Truett is the right man for the job. Experienced, trained, and willing to take on all the trials and tribulations of small town and increasingly absentee owner Huntsville. Oh, and I don't think he wasted his time becoming an Eagle Scout either. That is an additional plus!

McKayville said...

Most of the McKay's are very nice and well respected people in the community. Do they really support the schemes concocted by Stevenson? I believe he ran for office a few years ago - does anyone know the vote totals?

Huntsville Undivided said...

90% of these comments are written by the same person...does the tone of the various comments Ring a Bell for anyone? Signing different names, doesn't change your "voice."

Inspite of what you think you know, you apparently don't even know how to spell the Mckay name. Oh wait...if you even know how many acres the families own, we are sure you must know how to spell their name...it's written on the plat map. Misspelling a name is a lame attempt to appear ignorant. If you want to come off as ignorant, you probably shouldn't use words like Malfeasance and Sycophant. And signing Richard Nixon and Val Southwick,come on...how many are going to catch the irony. Just a heads up for your future attempts to sound less educated than you are).

But I digress...

How could you possibly know the mind and the intent of the McKay (and Stevenson) family hearts? Apparently, your mean spirited comments aren't really meant to elect Jim Truett, who certainly would not approve of this sort of underhanded smear campaign. We know Jim wants to bring the town together. This kind of divisive editorializing just makes mountains out of molehills. You have done this on many town issues that don't go your way. That is not Jim Truett's vision. He told this to us personally. He wants everyone to get along. He can stand own his own feet and may not want the support of those with limited minds, cold hearts, and unhelpful hands.
Also, Jim and Angel are very close friends to most of the McKay family. They do social things together. If you are going to attack the McKay family, leave the Truett's out of it.

Also, saying mean things about Tim Hanson is just cruel. How dare you state he couldn't be elected. How rude can you be. Everyone who knows Tim, loves him. He is highly intelligent and kind. You obviously don't know him either.

What have the McKay's (Richardson's, Stirlands, Stevenson's, Jenkins, Seamons, Roberts) ever done to you? Why would you lump all the McKay's into one group. They aren't even all the same political party. They don't always vote alike and they have spirited debates during the elections. Why would you assume something you couldn't possibly know. Do you have hidden camera's inside the voting booths?

The McKay's have never put on airs, but you label them time and time again in a negative light. They have never put themselves above others. But they do come out to support the town. They do participate in a lot of community service and they are good neighbors and people.

Can't you think of anything constructive to do with your time.

I prefer to let this kind of drivel remain uncontested because it is undignified, and usually unproductive, to try and defend the defamed reputations of others. But sometimes, when devious minds write under many different monikers, people without guile may construe the information as fact instead of the fiction it is.

If your talents for writing and energy behind a cause could be turned to uplift and build...you too could be elected someday.

D-Bell said...

Well...since the above poster seems to want to hang just about everything on me apparently; guess I need to set the record straight.

1.) I will bet "Huntsville undivided" $1,000 that I did not:

a. Post 90% of the above comments. It is easy to prove. The webmaster can confirm and the money will be donated to this blogsite by me.
b. I have said nothing - zero, about our beloved Tim H. in any negative light.

As for any personal feelings about the McKays; they are mixed depending on the specific individual. Some good and some not so good based not upon whether I agree with them or not, but upon basic common decency.

I do not feel that a listing of grievances with those with whom I believe have consistently violated basic common decency and or town ordinances is appropriate on a public blog. It is between them and me. Just as are the positive and good relationships with those who as you say "come out to support the town. They do participate in a lot of community service and they are good neighbors and people."

You will have to look elsewhere for your scapegoat.

Put up or shut up. $1,000

Tim Hansen said...

"Another Huntsvillian" is an idiot....scofflaw and sycophant included.

Regarding D. Bell,

I'd like to add another $1000 to his bet. I appreciate nice things said about me but I DO KNOW THAT Mr. BELL PUTS HIS NAME AFTER HIS WORDS, OR AT LEAST LEAVES AN EAsy trail to find them. We may not agree, but at least he owns his own words rather than hiding behind some Oz curtain of no responsibility.

He and I know that he is not 'valley', and represents his own mind.

If anyone would like to call me and get my perspective on this demonization of Chris Stevenson please call 801-645-8651.

I am glad that by throwing my hat in the race I may have helped to now have 2 fine people that can help Huntsville to continue on in a good fashion.

And please, let's let this whole McKay conspiracy diminish away. You've got to be kidding by now, right?

Best Regards,
Tim Hansen

D-Bell said...

I did not even attend either nomination meeting and my wife "Kay" declined to serve as secretary and also did not attend nor participate. This was on purpose to avoid anything to do with Huntsville politics, or any candidate for any office.

Of course the results found their way to us via this website and ironically via a McKay. They stated that their relatives did in fact populate the Town Hall and elect Mr. Stevenson. I would not know one McKay relative from another...but they certainly do. This would seem to make Mr. Stevenson a McKay supported candidate?

And for the record, my support is solidly behind Jim Truett, just as it was in the previous Council election. Not that anyone gives a damn.

And I believe Jim Truett's accomplishments and vision for our Town, as contrasted to that of Mr. Stevenson's, should be the focus of any continuing discussion or campaigning.

Just say'in

Richard S said...

We are all fortunate to have ONE great candidate for Mayor.

ONE who is extremely hardworking.

ONE who continually puts what is best for Huntsville first.

ONE who will do whatever it takes to bring our community together.

ONE who does not play games, but works extremely hard.

The ONE is Jim Truett.