It actually looks like the County Gov't is doing everything they can to assume that the Minutemen are guilty of something before they've even had a chance to show up.
Makes me ashamed to say I live here...
Posted on 03/29/2005 5:13:33 PM PST by SandRat
BISBEE - The Minutemen are coming, and Cochise County officials say they're ready for them.
County officials gathered around a table in the Board of Supervisors' conference room Monday afternoon to fine-tune strategies for the upcoming Minuteman Project and to set aside $100,000 to cover possible expenses connected with keeping a lid on the volunteer border-control effort.
As many as 1,000 volunteers from across the U.S. may show up in answer to a call to help prevent further illegal border crossings into Cochise County from Mexico.
Concerned about the implications of volunteers spending up to a month along the border and the possibility of trouble during two planned demonstrations, the Board of Supervisors called the meeting last Thursday to take the pulse of county planning.
Representatives of the Sheriffs, Planning and Zoning, Health, Highways and Floodplain, and Facilities departments answered questions and discussed preparations.
"We hope people will behave and it will go off smoothly," County Manager Jody Klein said.
Klein told the supervisors he had met with all affected departments to coordinate activities.
The Sheriff's Department will be the lead agency for the county and has been coordinating its planning with federal, state and local agencies. An information center will be set up at the Sheriff's Office, which will also be the point of coordination for all other agencies and the Governor's Office. Extra phones and computers are being set up at the center. Members of the public will be able to call in issues and concerns to the center by phoning 432-9500 or, in emergencies, 911. A separate number may also be available.
A single contact point will also be set up with the Board of Supervisors. Senior members of all affected departments will be available to immediately deal with whatever may come up, Klein said.
The phone number to call for those departments, such as Planning and Zoning, Environmental Health and Highways, is 432-9200. The evening number is 559-3601.
Permit requests have been received for two demonstrations at the U.S. Border Patrol station on Naco Highway on April 2 and 3 and one farther down the highway, at the railroad tracks. Those demonstrations will be held from 10:30 to 11:30 a.m. Demonstrations are also planned from 1 to 2 p.m. the same days at the Border Patrol's Douglas station.
The gatherings may be held again on April 16.
No permits have yet been issued for demonstrations in Douglas, however.
Extra trash receptacles will be in place at the demonstration sites, County Facilities Director L.H. Hamilton said. He estimated the cost at up to $3,000, because the county will have to contract with private operators for the service.
"We'll pass on the sanitation costs to the organizers," Hamilton said.
"Enhanced" zoning inspections are planned to ensure compliance with county regulations, particularly in the corridor between Bisbee and Coronado Monument.
No large-scale camping or gatherings will be allowed on private property or any activity that creates a "substantial nuisance," such as traffic, garbage, raw sewage or gunfire.
"We're going to enforce all laws, rules and regulations," Klein promised.
"If a violation of 'an event of public interest' or other zoning violation occurs on private property, such as a gathering, we will notify the owner or occupant of the property and ask them to cease such activity," Klein wrote in a briefing statement. "If they fail to do so, or if we are dealing with a property owner to whom we have already advised of proper zoning requirements, we will cite them into the hearing office."
Speedy action on zoning violations was promised by Planning Director Jim Vlahovich, who noted that the process would normally take more than 30 days.
"If any activity reaches the level of creating a health hazard, the environmental health director, in consultation with the sheriff and county administrator, shall seek an injunction to abate the hazard and cease the activity," Klein wrote.
Deputy County Attorney Britt Hanson told the supervisors that the injunctive process could also be expedited, even on weekends. He said he would ensure that adequate staff will be in place to handle such actions.
Sheriff's Department Commander Rod Rothrock said that if trespassers or property owners do not cooperate, "Call the Sheriff's Department and we will come ... We'll make sure the people will leave the property." Violators will be cited and released but extra jail facilities are lined up in case of resistance.
Because overtime pay may be incurred, Klein recommended that the board approve the expenditure of up to $100,000 from the general fund contingency, to be disbursed at Klein's discretion. "We anticipate that ... there is a strong likelihood of state or federal reimbursement," Klein said.
If additional funding is necessary, the board will convene an emergency meeting to authorize additional amounts.
The funding issue concerned District 2 Supervisor Paul Newman, who said he wasn't sure state and federal agencies would reimburse the county.
Newman sought a vehicle for recovering expenses from organizers of the Minuteman Project, but was told the only way to do that was through the levying of fines for illegal activities.
Newman suggested that an ordinance be drafted to cover similar events in the future.
"It appears this event slipped through the cracks because there's no ordinance in place," Newman said.
Newman was also concerned about racist fliers that recently appeared in the county. Prepared by the National Alliance, in Phoenix, the fliers warn of a "non-white invasion."
He was concerned about the possibility of hate crimes. Rothrock assured Newman that the Sheriff's Department was prepared to enforce all applicable laws.
Newman sought a vehicle for recovering expenses from organizers of the Minuteman Project, but was told the only way to do that was through the levying of fines for illegal activities.
Newman suggested that an ordinance be drafted to cover similar events in the future.
"It appears this event slipped through the cracks because there's no ordinance in place," Newman said.
Newman was also concerned about racist fliers that recently appeared in the county. Prepared by the National Alliance, in Phoenix, the fliers warn of a "non-white invasion."
He was concerned about the possibility of hate crimes. Rothrock assured Newman that the Sheriff's Department was prepared to enforce all applicable laws.
PING!
And just a bit more complaining.
Fliers left on lawns around county by white supremacist group anger Douglas mayor.
BILL HESS
Herald/Review http://www.svherald.com/articles/2005/03/29/local_news/news6.txt
DOUGLAS - A white supremacist group is leaving hate fliers on residents' lawns in this border community. And Douglas Mayor Ray Borane said that leads him to believe that racists intend to infiltrate the upcoming Minuteman Project.
Fliers from the National Alliance state: "Non-whites are turning America into a Third World slum." The flyers were also reportedly distrubuted in Sierra Vista and Tombstone, as well.
Borane said the words on the flier will exacerbate problems associated with the planned month-long Minuteman Project.
He rejects the plan and said the flier proves the organizers of the April event cannot control those who will show up under the pretense of highlighting the poor job done on the border by the U.S. government.
"It's dangerous and repulsive," he said Monday of the language on the flier.
Douglas is primarily a community of Mexican-Americans, he said, and to imply they are responsible for creating a third-world atmosphere is wrong.
What concerns Borane is that the Douglas economy depends on cross-border shoppers, primarily from Agua Prieta.
The combination Minuteman Project with the potential of racists attending will increase problems, Borane said. Those involved in the Minuteman Project "will have no control over the racists."
Organizers of the project have said they checked out those interested in supporting them and have made it known that racists and other hate groups are not welcome.
In its flier, the National Alliance stated if trends continue, whites will be a minority in the United States.
A call to a Phoenix phone number listed on the flier was answered with a taped message.
The speaker said the United States is being harmed by out-of-control immigration, mainly by millions of non-whites. The organization exists to support the values of people of European descent. And there is a need to return to "the quality of civilization our ancestors built," the speaker said.
The message also attacked a Jewish monopoly in the media and entertainment and stated the National Alliance stands for a "free, strong, proud, white America."
Borane said the upcoming border protest requires a strong police presence.
Saying he spoke with Gov. Janet Napolitano and the state's Homeland Security director recently, he said he is convinced that law enforcement is as ready as its can be.
The Douglas Police Department is also prepared, but the plans of the law enforcement departments, federal, state and local, will not be discussed in public, Borane said.
It actually looks like the County Gov't is doing everything they can to assume that the Minutemen are guilty of something before they've even had a chance to show up.
Makes me ashamed to say I live here...
Okay, I agree with Borane that this kind of thing was uncalled for.
OTOH, what do the fliers say that isn't the truth? There are many parts of our nation that really are third world slums.
I've driven through a few neighborhoods in Phoenix that make me long for the Combat Zone in Boston...
Newman, it would seem, is concerned about everything except illegal aliens. Typical hack politician.
wow. they've even figured out how to stop stuff they don't like on private property. we really are all just renters. . . .
sad.
District 2 Supervisor Paul Newman
PAST LEGISLATIVE EXAMPLES OF SUCCESSES THAT AIDED COCHISE COUNTY:
Assisted in establishing and funding the border volunteer corps program.
From the article: Newman sought a vehicle for recovering expenses from organizers of the Minuteman Project, but was told the only way to do that was through the levying of fines for illegal activities.
He can set up a border volunteer program but no one else can??????
"Third World slums"?
Try the trailer court in Carbondale, CO.
The Second American Revolution begins.
Commies, wimps, socialists, marxists, leftists, illegal aliens, treasonous public officials, fifth columnists, the fourth estate, and all other infectious diseases, you may now be officially scared.
I'll bet you if asked, we can find examples in all 48 states. Shoot, maybe even all 50.
I was interviewed on WLS radio about attending the Minuteman Project. Eileen Byrne(talkshow host) was very gracious and supportive of the Project.
If anyone else is going, please freep mail me!!
U.S. Constitution, Article 4, Section 4:
"The United States shall guarantee to every State in this Union a Republican Form of Government,
At FR that phrase is usually "third world cesspool".
If the immigration laws in the US were enforced there'd be no need for the Minutemen to be on the border.
Unfortunately US citizens will have to die in armed conflict with Mexican nationals before this country even begins to wake up to the problem....
East L.A.
Santa Ana, California
and on and on..........
Unbelievable. The communist bas**rds who allow federal law to be broken every hour of every day are now going to vigorously enforce zoning and "spitting on the sidewalk" laws against American citizens - Patriots.
May the treasonous vermin rot in hell.
That amazed me! Too bad they can't make that kind of effort to harrass illegals trashing/tresspassing/gathering on private property.
The Second American Revolution begins?
Is seems to me that the Minutemen only want the laws about illegal immigrants to be enforced. What is Revolutionary about that?
Unfortunately I know the answer to that question. It appears that the political establishment doesn't want the laws governing illegal immigration to enforced. That political establishment will try to portray the Minutemen as extremist kooks but I believe that the vast majority of Americans agree with the Minutemen.
The political establishment is about to get a wake up call.
"The Illegals are Coming, The Illegals are Coming!"
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