Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Okolona still without recorder/treasurer; no applications received

There is still no recommendations made for the position of town recorder/treasurer in Okolona at Wednesday, October 2, meeting of the Okolona Town Council.

Okolona Mayor Joy McElhannon said she had no recommendations for the position and wondered if the council did. No one commented or gave a suggestion.

"This is an elected position so we must appoint someone," said McElhannon.

Until a new one is hired the town's bills will remain unpaid, according to statements made by McElhannon at last month's meeting.

Council member Hezzie Barton told the mayor he did not feel the racial slur used in the statement towards Benny Pollins was necessary at last month's meeting.

"I thought we were all passed that sort of thing. I don't feel like there is any business for anyone on the council to use such statements and I think something should be done to Kennison," said Barton.

"She won't be attending anymore of the meetings. I can't control what people say," said McElhannon.

"Well you could ask for her resignation or has she already given it to you?" asked Barton.

"No she has not, but she won't be back," said McElhannon.

Randy Clark requested to speak at Wednesday night's meeting to find out why the mayor would not allow his family and others on the Okolona Water System who have chicken houses, to hook up to city water.

The mayor's response in the past has been the pumps couldn't enough water through them to fulfill the chicken houses needs and the needs of the rest of the town.

However, Clark used statements made by McElhannon and information he had looked up to show the council and McElhannon the pumps could handle the volume of water needed on their farm.

"Okolona's Water System has the capability to pump 185,000 gallons of water per day and the storage amount of 100,000 gallons, usage value is at 25 percent.

"My old poultry house water system on my four house farm uses a maximum of 22 gallons per minute when temperatures are above 90 degrees with, the new cooling system that I have installed on my Arkadelphia farm when the temperature is 102 degrees and the consumption is at it's peak, the maximum volume clocked on my meter is 25 gallons per minute and will only be in effect for three weeks of the entire year," said Clark.

A total between $10,000 and $12,000 a year is made by the town of Okolona by four different poultry farms located in the area. For the past 10 years the total revenue made by the town from the farms is $100,000.

Due to salt water in the area of the farms, it is impossible to dig wells to furnish the needed water to the poultry houses without damaging expensive farm equipment.

A storage tank of 100,000 gallons would allow the poultry farms to have uninterrupted service in the case of a disaster or a leak for up to three days during extreme hot conditions.

"We are hoping if possible the City Council of Okolona will assist us through any measure to solve this issue of water being denied to the chicken industry. Because of the denial of help from the council in the past, the poultry farmers and the town have suffered a large lose in revenue," said Clark.

"Randy, I have no objections if the community wants to put up a holding tank as long the tank doesn't cost the town anything," said McElhannon.

"Well I need to know something tonight so I can send off a grant application to try and help us pay for the tank," said Clark.

"That is fine with me, go ahead. I am all for improving our system," said McElhannon.

Clark was seated as Benny Pollins stood to be recognized.

McElhannon said, "You have five minutes Mr. Pollins."

"Well I will start with my usual question. When are you going to fix my property?"

"Do you have another question," said McElhannon.

"When are you going to fix any of the things I have questioned you about?" asked Pollins.

"Do you have another question," said McElhannon.

This went on for awhile until Pollins asked the mayor if there was a bill at the water department for when plumbing work had been done after the water line burst.

McElhannon said no there wasn't because they had not had any problems with the water lines at the department.

Pollins said he had read a statement in another newspaper where McElhannon said unfortunately several of the water records had been destroyed by water damage after some pipes burst.

McElhannon said the only water damage ever done to the department was several years ago when the roof leaked and she felt sure she had a bill from where the roof was fixed.

Pollins said that did not matter he was just wandering why McElhannon had supposedly made the false statement to the press.

Pollins said, "Mayor there wasn't any water damage was there."

"Do you have another question," said McElhannon repeatedly.

Pollins went on to ask certain questions like, "Does Kim McKay pay her water bill and does Kim pay her bill in full," these questions were not answered but followed up with, "Do you have another question."

Pollins asked McElhannon if this was the only thing she could say.

She replied with, "No, I am not answering anything from you."

Pollins then questioned the mayor as to why the Prosecuting Attorney, Henry Morgan had not prosecuted her yet.

"Is it because you paid him $75,000 not to prosecute you?" said Pollins.

"I am not answering that. Do you have another question," said McElhannon.

Pollins continued to ask questions until McElhannon told him his time was up and he needed to sit down. Pollins refused to sit down and McElhannon asked the deputy from the Clark County Sheriff's office to please ask Pollins to sit down.

However, as Pollins was not being disorderly and asking him to sit down could have violated his civil rights so the officer whispered something to Pollins and returned to his seat as Pollins continued to ask question.

McElhannon then told James Paul if wanted to speak he better get up there and not let Pollins take up all the time.

Paul replied with, "Are you going to pay for my hospital bills madam mayor? That man may not want to sit down and he may hurt me if I try to make him."

Pollins finally returned to his seat with Paul being recognized to speak.

McElhannon told Paul he had five minutes. Paul said, "But I requested 10 minutes."

The mayor argued for a moment until Councilman Barton spoke up and made a motion Paul be able to speak for his 10 minutes. The motion was seconded by council member Sue Muldrew.

Paul brought to the mayor's attention of the requirements made to the town when the water system was put into place. Many of the requirements were made by FHA because of loans given to the city for the system.

Paul said the mayor allowing the people from last month's meeting to hook up to the towns water without charging them a hook up fee, was illegal.

Paul also said the documents he had read stated the town was required to obtain accurate records and all revenue had to be deposited into a bank account.

"You haven't done any of this have you mayor?" said Paul.

"As a matter of fact $845 came out of the water money to pay to put a roof on this building right here. That is illegal. You should be put in jail. As a matter of fact you should be put under the jail."

After several other statements about things Paul had read in the documents he looked at the crowd and asked if someone would please pick "Cooter" McCauley up off of the floor as she must be astonished by what Paul was saying.

"I don't have to answer anything you ask or say," said McCauley.

"I know, because it is incriminating isn't it?" said Paul.

Paul then told McElhannon she just kept on lying to the town and he expressed how concerned he was of the mayor's and council member's reaction to Kennison's statement made to Pollins at last month's meeting.

"You may not know what the real meaning of the "N" word is. Apparently you don't. It doesn't have anything to do with the color of a person's skin it has to do with how sorry of a human they are. Maybe you fit this description?" said Paul.

The meeting was adjourned.