Posted:  August 13, 2010

BICKERING BY BICKERS

Trail lawyer and candidate for mayor, Tom Bickers, writing for the Louisville Observer (Deceiver) just plain got the facts wrong but the Mayor and Vice Mayor had a good ole time anyway as the BICKERING went on.   

THE LETTER:  On Tuesday, August 10, trial lawyer Tom Bickers wrote a letter for the Louisville Observer (Deceiver) and that letter showed up in many mailboxes around town.  The letter asked citizens to come to a public hearing.  It failed to mention the public hearing was called by Alderman Steve Dixon to PUBLICLY discuss a new Beer Board Ordinance.  A copy of that letter is provided.   It accused Aldermen Dixon, Tingle and Gallagher of hastily passing a new Beer Board Ordinance which replaced one that went back to 1994.  The truth is the town’s official minutes show that Vice Mayor Gormley also voted “Yes” for the Ordinance too.  Bikers somehow missed that material fact.   Maybe candidate Bob Gormley miss-led Bickers about how he voted?  Bickers also failed mention the Ordinance is not yet enforceable.

THE PUBLIC HEARING:  With about fifty (50) of Bickers’ political supporters in attendance who were primed for the political lynching of three (3) aldermen, trial lawyer Tom Bickers was in his element.   But guess what, Alderman Dixon quickly pointed out to Bickers that candidate Bob Gormley had voted for the Ordinance too – OOPS!  Did the truth stop the Bickers’ hysteria?   Heavens no, Bickers’ had in fact fired up his base by talking about potential “beer joints” and even “drive-in beer joints” and traffic accidents which of course he knew were a complete and ridiculous fabrications so he marched on.  In fact he was so emotional about his attempted political lynching that his voice quivered and broke as he talked and talked in broken sentences.  His political base cheered and Mayor Anderson smiled as the crowd became totally gleeful as Bickers spun his story.  But then Alderman Tingle pointed out that Mayor Anderson had voted for beer sales which Bob Gormley promptly denied as Bickers crowd “Hissed”, had a “Hissy Fit” said Sam of Gracie’s Kennel all knowing Alderman Tingle had it wrong.  Then the Mayor said, “I don’t remember how I voted.”  A period flyer is attached to clear that subject up – Yes Mayor Anderson voted for beer sales in Louisville and NOBODY believes she doesn’t remember and NOBODY believes that Bob Gormley was not aware how she voted.  Sorry Sam, you were had.

THE BACK STORY:  When Alderman Dixon, attempting to bring the Town’s Beer Board Ordinance into compliance with state law, presented the Ordinance for first reading there was no comment from the mayor or the vice mayor as the meeting minutes reflect.  In fact, the Vice Mayor and candidate, Bob Gormley, voted for the Ordinance.  The Ordinance was provided to the Town by state agency, Town Municipal Technical Assistance Service (MTAS), which operates from the University of Tennessee. At the second reading the mayor refused to read it saying she has read it at the first hearing so the audience didn’t even know what was being voted on. Nevertheless, candidate Bob Gormley seemed to enjoy the attempted political lynching as he was being spared by the political crowd because it hadn’t gotten the straight facts from Bickers’ letter.  Neither the mayor nor vice mayor had any objection to the Ordinance whatsoever during the BMA meetings.  But the mayor wise cracked sarcastically and smiled and candidate Gormley did the same throughout the attempted lynching of three (3) aldermen which they seemed to enjoy immensely. Once the Mayor even apologized to Alderman Dixon saying she was out of line in the way she spoke to him. 

BOTTOM LINE:  Candidates Bickers and Gormley and Mayor Anderson saw an INTOXICATING opportunity to spin the emotions attached to “beer” to gain political points thereby perpetuate the BICKERING in our Town. The problem? -- Candidate Bob Gormley voted for it TOO.  The political lynching FAILED – Dixon countered by immediately exposing their lies.   The proof that Bickers, Anderson and Gormley lied is provided.

BICKERING BICKERS’ POSITIONS:   I kept waiting for someone in the audience to challenge trial lawyer Tom Bickers who aligned himself with John Loope (John has been quoted as saying, “I want my town back and I’ll spend whatever it takes to get it back.”  Well folks say Loope has the money.  How did he get it? – Metal buildings and the land they were built on.) and shamefully sued our Town wasting many thousands of dollars in legal fees paid for by the tax payers – thus feeding his fellow trial lawyers with legal fees.  I also waited for someone to ask candidate Bickers how he could justify spending $1.5 million with land for a Town Hall/Community Center a “Big Spending, Grow the Government “ effort he lead.  I waited for someone to ask trial lawyer Tom Bickers why the Town Hall/Community Center was built with tax payers’ money before half of the promised donations had been received exposing tax payers to potential cost over-runs of almost $300,000.  I waited for someone to ask trial lawyer Tom Bickers to explain the offer he said he made to settle his shameful lawsuit but never has been able to produce it.  When Alderman Dixon said he had not seen that offer, trial lawyer Bickers said Dixon was lying.  We are all waiting to see that offer and the proof that it was Alderman Dixon who lied.  It’s been about six (6) weeks now and Bickers has provided no evidence – a seemingly easy task if it exists for a trial lawyer.  I waited for someone to ask trail lawyer Bickers if he promised unemployed Geraldine Anderson the paid Town Administrator job if she would drop out of the race?  Anderson announced last December she was running.  I was waiting for someone to ask trail lawyer Bickers how he felt about alcohol sales in the Town of Louisville since he has a very fine wine collection.  Bickers stirred the emotions of his supporters over beer but I’m told the largest concentration of alcohol in the Town of Louisville may be in Bickers’ wine cellar.   HICKUP! 

REFERENCES:  Now, I know facts are inconvenient things causing some folks to deny them so I have provided the July 13 (click here) and July 27 (click here) minutes of the BMA meetings for you to read.  I have provided the letter (click here)  written by trail lawyer Tom Bickers. A complete transcript(click here) of Tom Bickers’, John Loope’s and Robert Gormley’s lawsuit against the Town of Louisville and three (3) of its elected officials is also provided.  A period flyer which says Geraldine Anderson voted for beer sales is provided.  These are all important facts for you to consider when you cast your ballot.  Also consider that trail lawyer Bickers has now disclosed that he writes for the political RAGG, The Louisville Observer (Deceiver) -- not a surprise since he is Editor Joy Ingram’s next door neighbor.  Also consider that trail lawyer Bickers, while sitting with John Loope and candidate Bob Gormley on the Planning Commission, approved those metal buildings and industrial uses in our Town that we have to look at every single day. Thanks to Tom, John and Bob, those buildings have hurt our property values and put pocks on our wonderful landscape.  Will Tom Bickers and Bob Gormley be in our government after you vote on November 2nd?  Stop the BICKERING by BICKERS. Only those who are bound by the truth (except around campfires) should have the privilege of serving our Town.

Wayne Lance, Co-Founder
Louisville Citizens’ Association
waynelance@yahoo.com
(865) 405-4342