Lies and Deciet Part...5

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 7626

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Nov 02 2014 10:03 PM

The Dothan Elitist had one of its group members, Larry Blumberg and the President of LBA, Beau Benton send out an email to some of the Dothan business community and “those affiliated with LBA”. The email was sent to spread more lies and deceit to the business community about Harri Anne.

Following is the email:

Last week, several of LBA’s senior management met with Melinda McClendon, candidate for the Alabama Senate from District 29. We were very impressed with Melinda’s intellect, background, ideas and passion for public service.

Melinda “ worked closely with the team that recruited the Olympics to Atlanta and later, would help market the state of Alabama to recruit Mercedes Benz to Vance”. Also, “Melinda worked with the City of Dothan and the SOZO Group to bring more than 200 Chinese business owners to the U.S.-China Manufacturing Symposium held in Dothan in March, 2014”.

Melinda actually worked for Macys Department store in Atlanta. After much research I have yet to find any connection to the Olympics that she takes credit for. It took years to get the Olympics put together and hundreds of people worked as a team. I have noticed though that she always takes credit for herself and very rarely does the team get credit… I have spoken with the group that worked diligently to recruit Mercedes and NO ONE knows of Melinda nor her part in the recruitment. Maybe she needs to call and introduce herself. I would like to see the list of all 200 Chinese business owners that came to Dothan. I can't recall that many nor her doing all that work. The City of Dothan and the employees of the city did a lot of this work as well. You need to learn to give credit to the teams that do the work. 

 

In 2010, Melinda was appointed to serve 2 years on the Dothan City Commission after the untimely departure of the sitting commissioner. She accepted this position with the understanding that she would not seek election to a full term on the Commission as her appointment might give her an unfair advantage over other candidates. When her term expired, she ran for and was elected to represent her district on the Houston County Commission. Her service in both positions, which by all accounts was outstanding, inspired her to want to do more for her community and was a major factor in her decision to seek this Senate seat.

I would like to clarify for Mr. Blumberg and his President that the information above is not correct. To be of fact she was appointed to the city commission until an election could be held just a couple of months later. Keith Seagle had stepped down and she filled the spot until Hamp Baxley was elected. Let me note here that in her “speech” the day she was appointed she stated she had NO interest in politics and wanted to go back home as soon as possible. Later when Phil Forrester passed away unexpectedly she ran and won the County Commission seat. Then before that short 2 year term was up she wanted to jump into running for Senate because MIKE HUBBARD and DEL MARSH recruited her. 

 

The other reason for her decision to enter this race was her concern about our representation from our current Senator. Harri Anne, who has held this position for 16 years, missed 69% of thevotes taken in the Alabama Senate from January, 2014 to date. Furthermore, she was absent from some crucial meetings when the City/County/State were negotiating with Commercial Jet which brought several hundred jobs to Dothan.

The main reason Melinda wanted to enter this race is because MIKE HUBBARD AND DEL MARSH inflated her ego and talked her into it. Along with the Dothan Elite. Harri Anne actually had over a 95% attendance record this past year and she only missed meetings that she was not informed about. Yet at the end Paul Lee left it with her so he could come back to Dothan for a meeting while she remained there in Montgomery and worked on the Commercial Jet project. Mr. Blumberg and Mr. Benton you may want to ask Harri Anne about this so you will know the truth.  

 

We believe the Dothan market is on the cusp of major growth which will create new, good-paying jobs. This kind of employment is a huge contributor to the education, public services and quality of life of an area. The new medical college has been a significant generator of jobs and has positively reshaped the east side of Dothan. The recent announcement of the 2,200 acre mega-site 15 miles south of Dothan, which is a partnership between the states of Alabama and Florida, should attract a major employer(s) that could produce hundreds, if not thousands, of jobs. The Dothan area has momentum and we must continue to push for the constructive development of our Tri-State area.

 Are you only focused on the Dothan market or did you forget that District 29 includes Dale County and Geneva County? Ozark and Geneva might want to be included in this growth and be represented as well. And since it appears this email was sent to the Houston County (Dothan City) business leaders then maybe you really aren’t concerned for those areas. 

 

We need someone to represent us who will work diligently with the officials of our City and Chamber of Commerce to help Dothan and the Wiregrass Area realize our potential. We think Melinda McClendon is the “right” person at the “right” time for this job and urge you to consider voting for her for this important position. If you are inclined, please support her candidacy to your family and friends. This is projected to be a close race and we need every vote to help Melinda.

Melinda McClendon is nothing more than a puppet for the Riley, Mike Hubbard and the Dothan Elite to try and run our senator that represents everyone in her District out. Melinda has shown her true self with all the mud she has been slinging since day one. Never stating her platform just attacking day in and day out. 

 

Thank you for your consideration, Larry and Beau

Thanks but no thanks Larry and Beau. We the people appreciates that Harri Anne looks out for all the people in this community and not just the money people and Dothan Elite. 

 

 

Conclusion: The Dothan Elite and RILEY/Hubbard duo are trying to take away our voice by trying to get their puppet elected. We have to take a stand again like 4 years ago and stop it from happening. 

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