Tuesday, July 22, 2008

Monticello Mayor opposes Two Lakes Plan so the Monticello Midgets can make a quick buck at Jackson's expense.

For several years now, Monticello Mayor Dave Nichols has been on the warpath as he opposed the Two Lake plan for Jackson, claiming it would flood his city. Mr. Nichols has thrown out to the media any excuse he could think of that would discredit or weaken the project.

However, the old saying of "follow the money" holds true in the case of the Monticello Mayor as the Clarion-Ledger reported yesterday:
"Lawrence County and Monticello leaders are taking the next step in studying the feasibility of a decades-old plan to divert the Pearl River and create unique development opportunities for the city.
Jeff Knight, with Williford, Gearhart and Knight Inc. Engineers and Surveyors, will gather information to produce a cost analysis on the potential project to divert the Pearl River down a manmade, half-mile channel around the northeast corner of Monticello.
Lawrence County Community Development Foundation Director Bob Smira said if Knight's study proves feasible, county and city leaders would seek financial assistance from the Mississippi Development Authority for the continuation of the plan....
Monticello Mayor Dave Nichols has said the project would not go forward if it were determined that residents living downstream from the city would experience increased flooding from the river's diversion.
The project would result in the formation of an oxbow lake and island that could be used for waterfront development and the creation of recreational and tourism industries in Monticello.
The plan, created in 1985 by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, has recently been given new life by the interest of local residents and landowners along the river....."
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008807210338

The story reeks of hypocrisy as Mr. Nichols' motives for his fierce opposition to the Two Lake plan become clear. He and his buddies always intended to implement this plan for using the Pearl River for their own benefit. When one follows the money among the opposition to the Two Lake plan, one finds opponents such as the Midgetcello's Mayor sandbagging Jackson's best hope for moving forward doing so because they have their own agenda.

One can only hope that Jackson's leaders will put a stop to the Monticello's Midgets' attempt to make a profit for themselves at Jackson's expense.

Additional coverage: http://www.wlox.com/Global/story.asp?S=8379044

Posted by Kingfish at 11:07 PM

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

A couple of questions:
Which area is more in need of economic development?

Is Monticello Mafia really the best term you can come up with?

July 23, 2008 at 9:06 AM
Kingfish said...

no. it was late and I was ready for bed and dashed it off. I'll think of something. Monticello Midgets sounds better.

and I would say Jackson is in bigger need. Jackson faces challenges and there is a greater need in Mississippi for jackson to succeed than there is for Monticello to be successful.

July 23, 2008 at 9:08 AM
Anonymous said...

I don't mean to trash your choice of words, only that it seems a little inflammatory. Having lived in both Jackson and Monticello, I can only say that Lawrence County is a one trick pony when it comes to jobs. Without GP the whole area would dry up economically. There have been layoffs and rumors that the plant would close or scale back operations. Jackson has a much more diverse economy which is additionally propped up by taxes from around the state (in the form of state jobs). A real estate development isn't going to make or break its economy. But it could for Monticello.

July 23, 2008 at 9:47 AM
Kingfish said...

Inflammatory? I'm calling a spade a spade. For years I've read his tirades against the Two Lake plan then suddenly he announces his own plan for his own city and its apparent from the story it wasn't just dreamed up overnight.

Yes, Jackson has state employees but jackson loses ALOT of tax revenue due to all the state property in jackson. Want to guess who fought Jackson's attempt to get compensation for some of this loss? Nichols.

So yes, I think I am justified in using strong language. Jackson is a diverse city but it still has a huge need for economic development and the state has a bigger need for a thriving Jackson than it does a prosperous Monticello.

July 23, 2008 at 9:51 AM
Anonymous said...

Monticello Mayor Dave Nichols has said the project would not go forward if it were determined that residents living downstream from the city would experience increased flooding from the river's diversion.

"Do as I say, not as I do" Dave Nichols has been cherry-picking flood and river level data for years. The statement above attributed to him is more of the same BS.

July 23, 2008 at 10:21 AM
Kingfish said...

You got it. Like I said, follow the money, it always shows the true motives. Hope The Supes, McGowan, Ben Allen, and some others start calling them out on this crap.

July 23, 2008 at 10:24 AM
Kingfish said...

Here is some more of Nichols' hyperbole:

Trouble Downriver

Monticello Mayor Dave Nichols was eager to speak about the project.

“If this project goes forward, it’ll put more water to the southern area below Jackson,” Nichols said, adding that the current situation was bad enough.

“We’ve already seen it happen. Look at all the development that’s taken place on Lakeland Drive. It has made the water move quicker, and if you come south, you’ll see all the sloughing that’s happened along the riverbanks. There’s a house just above Monticello; during the last big rain about a year ago they lost about 20 feet of the embankment. They had to vacate the house because the river is right up at their house now. I can show you another house where the bank has sloughed away about 16 feet, and there are other places all over. And it’s all because of increased development. So now we’re going to go and put this big island in the middle of the river and all this retail on it and probably a casino and I hate to think of what will happen.”

Nichols' opposition

July 23, 2008 at 10:44 AM
Kingfish said...

Here is a letter he wrote to the CL:

Once again, the so-called flood control lakes plan is in your paper. I say so-called because if you would take time to study the engineering studies that have been done, you would know that this plan as it stands does not provide flood control for the whole basin.



Current zoning laws do not allow one property owner to cause adjacent property owners drainage problems. So why do Jackson and Hinds county continue to try and put more water on us downstream?

Regarding flood control, what is good for Jackson and the Jackson metro area needs not to cause further problems downstream.

Mayor Dave Nichols II

Monticello


http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080624/OPINION02/806240305/1009>Nichols' letter

July 23, 2008 at 10:50 AM
Anonymous said...

Will MS/LA be the next FLAGALA?
Both parties wish to make money, but the Monticello project would be nowhere near Two Lakes in scope. Their plan is 20+ yrs old and Nichols said it wouldn't go forward if impact studies didn't pan out. Admittedly, I don't like Jxn and you don't like Nichols.
But consider this...
http://www.nola.com/news/index.ssf/2008/05/upriver_project_could_threaten.html

July 23, 2008 at 11:09 AM
Anonymous said...

p.s. on last post:
I'm not an environmentalist and I totally commend you for not giving up on Jxn like the rest of the white people there.

July 23, 2008 at 11:22 AM

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