Posted on 04/15/2005 6:39:08 AM PDT by Spiff
BTTT...
County says it's ready for MinutemenBy Michael Sullivan
Tuesday, March 29, 2005 12:59 PM MST
Herald/Review
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.
According to http://www.civilhomelanddefense.us/html/march_3__2005.html
"The Minuteman Project will not be required to apply for any special use permits. At a Cochise County Board of Supervisors workshop on Tuesday morning, Director of County Planning and Zoning Jim Vlahovich said the organizers of the project understand all the regulations and have structured the month-long event in a way that they will not be required to apply for a special use permit for any part of the rally. Vlahovich said he recommends a contact and informational outline be provided to the Highway and Flood Plain department, including details of the car parking locations off the road on a proper right-of-way where they will not create problems with local traffic flow.
"'All we need to know is the impact on the of the right-of- way access but I do not see a need, nor is there a requirement for the group to apply for a permit for this activity,' department director James E. Vlahovich told county officials.
"As for utilizing the Miracle Valley Bible College, Vlahovich told supervisors that a permit would be required only if volunteers were planning on occupying a 13-room dormitory on the grounds of the college. Chris Simcox, co-organizer of the project, assured Vlahovich that no volunteers would be sleeping in the dormitory. No permit will be required for recreational vehicles and campers who plan on staying at the facility. 'The lodging of private citizens is not in the public interest and does not fall under any special permit requirement,' said Vlahovich."
I could not find anything else about Miracle Valley Bible College and Mr. Vlahovich.
I think that Mr. Newman is the "bad" guy ("worst" guy?) Supervisor.
Separation of church and state!
What's the technicality being used for this fine? Do you have any guess?
No. I have no idea. I've heard a report that the County office is freaking out right now, all of a sudden. I've also heard that Sean Hannity may weigh in on the scandal.
I called again and got the same story I got before. But this time I said to the receptionist, "Well, it sounds like your boss put you in a bad posititon, didn't he?" She said, "Yes. Definitely." and didn't sound too happy with her boss at that moment.
Guess what. The MMP IS composed of small income individuals. The entire thing is operating on a shoestring budget bolstered only by volunteers willing to sacrifice their time.
Your idea, however, is a good one.
As soon as he heard about the situation, the Chairman of the County Board of Supervisors, Pat Call, went out to the Bible College to get to the bottom of this. It turns out that YES, the Bible College had received a citation and that a hearing will be held some time in May.
Here is some information from someone who is internally involved with this situation at the MMP:
He confirmed that a citation has been issued, that the Bible college has "violated the established use of their property" by allowing the MMP folks to stay there. Chris Simcox says that's not true, the Bible College has an assisted living program and folks stay there all the time. They were grandfathered in for that approval before the zoning laws changed. Simcox also says Vlahovich has a long history of going after folks who try to bring the border situation to light.According to Vlahovich, the amount of the fine has not yet been assessed, but it will be done at a hearing in May.
Vlahovich has been a pain in the side of border security advocates down here. He has essentially shut down a number of the operations of the American Border Patrol. Specifically, he's almost totally grounded their UAV operations despite the fact that you or I can go down to the border and fly our own hobby planes. He's obviously teaming up with Democrat County Supervisor Paul Newman to intimidate and harass border security advocates and certain organizations with which they politically disagree - CHD, ABP, and MMP.
Word is that the attention this incident has received and the telephone meltdown it has caused has caused Vlahovich to back off a bit. We should keep up the pressure though to convince him to lay off groups like the MMP, ABP, and CHD and to stop abusing his power to harass and intimidate them for politically motivated reasons.
This is kind of like the "follow the money" scenario.
In this case, if you stop the flow of illegal aliens and certain individuals object, then it is reasonable to assume that those may have been the people who were benefiting.
It's possible that some of these "objectors" are just looking for attention (or donations). It's also possible that some of the border towns have a cottage industry of smuggling illegals into the country.
Whether it's to the "coyotes", or facilitators of one sort or another it is obvious that these illegal immigrants provide much needed cash flow to the small border towns.
April 15, 2005 -- The following complaint was filed by Rick Corley after he met with Glenn Spencer in his home. Spencer told Corely he lived alone with his dog Star and American Border Patrol's headquarters was in Sierra Vista. Spencer also told Corley that ABP did not fly a "UAV" from his residence, but that on February 24, 2005, ABP did fly a small model airplane (total weight four pounds). Spencer told Corley that a Cochise County Deputy Sheriff watched the plane fly and, noticing that it could not be heard from surrounding neighbors, saluted and left.Corley works for Vlahovich. Hmmmm....According to Spencer, this is but one of a series of problems that he has experienced since beginning to try to move to his new home.
Keep calling. We've got to send them a message that they can't harass and intimidate people down here for political reasons. These abuses of power must stop.
Nam Vet
I spoke with the Supervisor for the area, Pat Call. He said that the issue is NOT with the MMP, that the MMP has been exemplary in their conformity to the law and issues. They met with them well before the project began and they have done everything that was asked of them. There have been ZERO violations on the MMP's part.The issue is with Dr. Harder and the Miracle Valley Bible College. Dr. Harder was told that he would have to get the proper permits for RVs to park on his property among other things for the MMP event. He did not do so. A citation has been issued, but there is no fine yet set. The fine will be determined at a hearing in May, but the TOTAL FINE could only go as high as $750.00 NOT PER DAY BUT IN TOTAL, but it could also be as low as $10 and a slap on the wrist. That would be determined at the hearing.
Pat Call said he went to the site the moment this came down and met with Jim Gilchrist. They WILL NOT be trying to run off the MMP volunteers, this is NOT A LAW ENFORCEMENT MATTER, that this is merely a zoning violation matter that will be settled with a fine (or not) at the hearing in May.
He also said all of their phones are ringing off the wall
Sounds like great ideas to me, and just enough to backfire in Vlahovich's face (which he so richly deserves!)
You may be on to something. The following was from the article in this thread. It seems that some of the town's businesses were complaining.
GOP Lawmakers Visit Tombstone To Support Minuteman Volunteers
He [Arizona state Rep. Ben Miranda, D-16] was also pleased at the resistance the business community has expressed toward the [MinuteMan] project.
"What I was pleasantly surprised with is that businesses down there heed the value of a constant, capable, accessible [and in MY opinion, illegal] workforce and businesses were complaining as much about the problems associated with limiting access to this labor source and also about the tragedy along the border," Mr. Miranda said.
Does that mean he's "going after" FreeRepublic?
I believe Mr. Valhovich is about to bite off more than he can chew, if he hasn't already.
Prior to April 1, the leadership of the MMP were informed of the rules and regulations of the County. To their great credit, they followed the rules and are accomplishing their goal admirably. Prior to April 1, Reverend Harter of the Miracle Valley Bible College asked and was informed of the rules and regulations regarding the uses of his property; he chose to flagrantly violate the rules and ignore the regulations.The Reverend Harter has given the County no choice he has backed the County into a corner and forced them to respond to his flagrant violations. The process and response by the County is the same one used for any person or organization who violates local regulations. The County cannot and will not treat Reverend Harter differently than it would treat anyone else who violates the law.
It is unfortunate that his actions are creating the perception that the County and the MMP are at odds when the opposite is true. Why he has intentionally chosen to force this issue is unclear to me. But, clearly, he seems to be using the success of the MMP to further a personal agenda.
Again, to this point, the MMP participants have been perfect guests and have done an admirable job in drawing national attention to the issues faced by this County relative to a failed federal immigration policy.
Please dont hesitate to contact me, if you have further questions.
Patrick Call
Chairman, Cochise County
Board of Supervisors
520-432-9200
Bump
I'll bet that if the Bible College was renting rooms to illegal aliens that James E. Vlahovich would have no problem with that at all. These anti-American, pro illegal immigrant, politically correct types need to be targeted for removal from office. People, please, do NOT let up in the face of adversity from the forces who seek to destroy the America that we grew up with. The MMP project is gaining traction and sympathy all around the country and will soon be spreading to all of the border states. The ACLU, reconquesta movement, and leftist radicals will say or do anything to stop us.
Now the radical left is not only attacking the MMP but they are also attacking the church.
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