[NOTE: Present at the meeting: Gordon Smith, Cecil Bothwell, Esther Manheimer, Chris Pelly, Mountain Voices Alliance members, David Gantt, Jane Whilden..]
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
At the big #avlh2o meeting. #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
All the usual suspects. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
People carrying around Democrat campaign signs. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Elaine Lite starts things off. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Applause for Barry Summers. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Elaine Lite asks everyone to vote NO on the referendum. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
The event is being filmed for MVA website. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Jane Whilden is here. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
And now, Barry. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
There are 4 Asheville city council members here. That's a quorum. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry is pointing out everything he thinks is wrong with the LRC process. Some groans from the audience. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Slide show displays @TimMoffitt's blogpost on "How Local Government Works." Still trying to sell it as a threat. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry is now playing audio of McGrady talking about neighboring gov involvement in merger. Bobbleheads in the audience. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry is once again imputing ill motives behind the merger initiative. It's all so nefarious. Booga. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
I didn't know Barry Summers was a conspiracy theorist kinda guy. Now predicting how these evil plans will develop in NC. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Thus ends Barry's scintillating presentation. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now it's time for Esther. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's wearing glasses. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Lots of "Vote NO" yards signs around. I need to pick up a few. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Esther talking about MSD impact studies. In a lot of detail. Font size keeps getting smaller and smaller for each slide. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Correct. /RT @michaelfmuller: Being a quorum of Asheville City Council...they are therefore doing business, no?
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
I don't see anyone taking minutes. /RT @michaelfmuller: Being a quorum, .. Is this being recorded? For the record? #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
John North is reporting. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Financial Impacts, Governance Models, Asset Evaluation. blah, blah, blah. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Haven't about 7,000 people already voted in Buncombe County? #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now we're looking at a spreadsheet. With numbers and financial stuff. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now we're looking at a photograph of the conservation easement. "Isn't that pretty?" #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
We're looking at a map of the current water sytem coverage across the county. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Esther always makes everything sound important. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
More data on the current system. Another pretty picture of water and mountains. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
I keep saying Esther because I can't spell Manheimer. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Next steps: Public education, more studies, reports, you know, stuff like that. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
On to the referendum. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
The referendum that people are already voting on. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
"To be safe, we didn't veer from the language of the statute." #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
"A NO vote indicates that you are opposed to the merger." Huh What?!@ #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Renee Moss? Who the hell is that? #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's uptalking. Kind of annoying. "Water belongs to everyONE" #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's telling us what an MSD is. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's now speculating on the potential consequences of the merger. Negative speculation, I mean. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Board members are not elected officials. City would lose control for smart planning, etc. #avlh2o #avlelect
14h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Shouldn't the City Clerk be here? Oh who cares about the law. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
"It costs more to get water to the county than the city. It becomes a social justice issue." Really?!@ #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now the favorite bogey man: PRIVATIZATION. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She is equating public-private partnership with PRIVATIZATION. [false] #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's afraid someone might make a profit. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now she's just blathering a bunch of anti-capitalism bullshit. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She claims that capitalist make money buy cutting corners and rendering poor service. [false] #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Only government can save us. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's listing some cases of fraud and implies that this is what will happen here. She says that's not what she's implying. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Urges everyone to vote NO on the referendum to protect our water. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
And now, Katie Hicks. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Oh, that was Renee Maas from Food and Water Watch, Durham NC. She's gone now. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Hicks is reading a legislative proposal to prohibit utility seizure. Everyone applauds. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Hicks: "We should inform people who are voting now." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
And now, Q&A. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Speaker makes fun of @TimMoffitt and then asks, "What is the driving force behind all of this?"#avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
This is making me thirsty. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Esther quotes Moffitt. "just an extension of what was started before. " #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry maligns McGrady. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry says McGrady must be bearing a grudge. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry says McGrady just want's representation on MSD. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Some chick is on Skype to answer questions. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Speaker confirms that NC is a Dillon Rule state. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Speaker claims that this is all because of greed. They're just trying to steal our stuff. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
He doesn't have a question. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
"We need a firm council that will stand with us!" #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Applause. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Skype chick is gone. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
John North left early. Now no one reporting. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Skype chick is back. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She sounds like a robot. I think she is. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Alan Rosenthahl asks what is the environmental impact? And what is the net financial impact to homeowners? #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Esther: "voters can fire and hire elected officials" Unlike, I guess, private businesses. Right? #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
She's using a private sector metaphor to sell us on government control. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Esther: "Rates will probably go up." Barry concurs. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry: "It would be more efficient for the city to take over the MSD." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Speaker: "Why is @TimMoffitt doing this? He's connected to ALEC." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Now asking Jane Whilden a question. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Jane is glad to answer. "Don't like Moffitt's tactics."
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Question to Whilden: "How can we become not a not home rule state or not one." Whilden: "Let me study up on that." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry talking about nuclear energy and fracking. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Hicks continues demonizing honest business people, lauding bureaucratic government. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Q: "Does Buncombe have to pay for lines in Henderson?" #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Whilden completely blew off that home rule question. She has no idea what he's talking about. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
My ass is getting sore. And Esther is talking numbers again. #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Speaker: "I don't like someone stealing my water system." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Q: "Are people outside AVL being disenfranchised on the referendum?" #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry: "BCGOP is urging people to vote NO on the referendum. Not what Moffitt would want." #avlh2o #avlelect
13h Tim Peck @timothypeck
I can't take this clusterfuck any more. Good night. #avlh2o #avlelect
12h Tim Peck @timothypeck
RT @gordondsmith: #avlh2o Summers telling assembled about Rep. Moffitt's threat to end Asheville after City Council voted to hold referendum
12h Tim Peck @timothypeck
Barry forgot to tell "the assembled" what time Moffitt's post was published & what time council meeting was. #avlh2o #avlelect @gordondsmith
