The high degree of animosity some members of the City Council have toward the Guilford County Board of Commissioners was on display at the City Council virtual work session on Tuesday, Sept. 1.
Councilmember Justin Outing made what seemed to be a reasonable suggestion and was repeatedly interrupted by Mayor Nancy Vaughan.
The City Council led by Councilmember Michelle Kennedy is planning to leave the Guilford County Continuum of Care (COC), which is a U.S. Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funded organization established to deal with homeless issues.
The Guilford County COC is governed by a board and run by a lead agency that is currently Partners Ending Homelessness. Greensboro plans to drop out of the countywide COC and start a Greensboro COC with Greensboro as the lead agency.
Kennedy is the executive director of the Interactive Resource Center, a day shelter for the homeless that is one of the organizations that receives funds through the COC.
Outling did not argue that Greensboro should not leave the Guilford County COC but did ask what Guilford County’s position was on the plan.
Outling asked Greensboro Neighborhood Development Director Stan Wilson, “What have the discussions with the county been and what is their position?”
Wilson said, “I have not had discussions with the county.”
Outling said, “I hope that we have a conversation with the county before we would actually take action.”
Councilmember Sharon Hightower then joined the discussion with comments of her own and Outling was attempting to respond to Hightower when he was interrupted by Vaughan.
Vaughan said, “Housing is not a county function.”
Outling said, “Health and human services is a county function.” But Outling had to talk over Vaughan who repeatedly said, “I’m not done.”
Outling said, “The COC is not limited to housing.”
Vaughan said, “The country does not really have a role in this board as the city does.”
Outling tried to finish his statement and Vaughan said, “I’m speaking please let me finish.”
Vaughan who began by interrupting Outling accused Outling of interrupting her.
Vaughan said, “Housing is not a county function. They haven’t been part of the COC as a county function at this point.’
Outling said, “Is the country not a member of the COC.”
Vaughan replied, “They area member, but they have not taken an active role like the city.”
Outling said, “My suggestion was to have the conversation.”
He added, “COC services are beyond housing. That is a component of the services but not the entirety of the services.”
The City Council in this case, didn’t take a vote but Vaughan said that it appeared to her that there was consensus on the City Council to move forward with the plan to leave the Guilford County COC and start a Greensboro COC.
Greensboro already has a conference call scheduled to discuss the topic with HUD on Friday, Sept. 4.
Nancy is such a Jillass, what she can’t successfully argue with logic, she does so with shrill bullying. Obviously both sexist and racist for not allowing Mr. Outling to speak. Even if I don’t agree with all his views, he is by far the brightest and most thoughtful Council member up there. He should be Mayor but I doubt he would want to lead that pack of petulant savages.
If you can’t grasp Fed -> State -> County -> City, you need to step out because that hard headness doesn’t benefit anyone but your personal ego.
The level of ignorance on the city council is unacceptable. Within the first 6 months they had to have a lesson as a group so as to learn about the city government. Requests were made which had nothing to do with government responsibilities, per usual behaviors. Disgusting, and worth the Tsk Tsk they reject. Professional only applies to one person on that council, a learned attorney. They do not show him respect as another councilman either. I hope we survive this next year without more screw ups and hands outs who end up in prison anyway from a lawsuit to the city, from them bungling “how they would be police”. It is embarrassing to be from this city with their antics.
When the uneducated vote for special interest candidates this is what the citizens
of Greensboro end up with.
Where are the rioters when we need them? Did they take the night off? The City and the County should work together and not fight each other. And isn’t the City Council members in office for another year before we are able to vote them out? That is unless they vote themselves in office for another four year term.. Lets hope they don’t vote themselves another pay raise. I don’t think that Greensboro can survive another year like this.
Just pettiness! If there is a joint COC with representatives of both the city and county, why would the city want to form a group of their own? Probably so the idiots on the council can run the show. What happened to local governments supporting each other. I’ll bet if the County Commission was primarily a Democratic group, the city council would not be dropping out of the COC. Where will the additional money come from to support this group? Does a similar group not already exist at the City level? Finally, the council is like a bunch of 5 year old children at a birthday party. They cannot be satisfied with the status quo. They have to fight among themselves over every issue.
Justin should be mayor. He has more common sense than all of them. Miss Nancy disrespected him. I hope he gets up a campaign and runs against her. He will certainly get my vote.
Mine too. Nancy needs to GO.
Justin is the only one on the council with a lick of sense. Actually communicating and attempting to work with the county is booed by Lady Nancy and her sidekick, Mitchell Kennedy (or is it Michelle). Really, Justin, haven’t you learned by now you can’t fight city hall even if you ARE city hall. If not for the fact you are black, you wouldn’t even be on the city council because those hens don’t want a rooster disrupting their gab fests called work sessions. We need men on the council and a fair representation of white men.
So now they cannot even have an intelligent conversation? Is this some kind of power grab or overreach by the city or specific members of the council?
I have NO doubt that if it weren’t for Councilman Outling we would be quickly on our way to becoming the Seattle of the East coast. Being the only male in the room has proven time and time again that, left or right, he’s the only voice of reason (over feelings) in a room full of harpies.
Thank God he’s a strong intelligent man of color or they’d be playing that hand too.
If the present members can’t get the job done vote every last one of them out public officials need to be held accountable for results
A lot of Mayor’s across this Nation have demonstrated their ineptness in trying to run a City. Some from very large Cities and others from small towns. Seems like North Carolina has its share of egotistical individuals trying to do the job of Mayor and doing it very poorly. Lots of them in the Triad.
I wonder why Outling does not just go ahead and convert to a Republican,he has the brashness and the concern for our Greensboro middle class.The Dems only want to spend everyone else’s money.Its time to vote all these people out and get a new crew in :such as Republicans.All of you know Leo Terrell a Fox contributor,well he said he will vote for Trump this Nov .I could see a lot of minorities can and will vote for Trump
If you’re a DINO, you have a chance in Greensboro. Mark Lieberman did it in Connecticut for a long time. If you run with an R next to your name in Greensboro, you’ve got no chance.
The COC program is bull and the supposed social workers don’t know anything about mental health. They don’t fight for you or your rights