Q1. Why did you decide to write this book?

A1.  I’ve spent a decade or more, along with others, going to city council meetings and informing them of what they’re doing wrong, and nothing changes. I’ve found, in dealing with city officials, that when you expose their darkness, then, and only then, will they pay attention to you and in this case, hopefully, change their ways. 

 

Q2. This book sounds like you’re “down” or “negative” on Muskogee. Is that true?

A2.  Absolutely not. I’m a lifelong resident of Muskogee, except for my 20-year career in the Marine Corps. When I retired, I had a choice to stay in Jacksonville, N.C., or return home. I returned home and haven’t regretted it since. Just because I expose corruption doesn’t mean I’m “down” on Muskogee, it just means that I’m “down” on those who are giving Muskogee a bad name, using Muskogee for their personal piggy bank, and keeping Muskogee from rightfully growing to the benefit of everyone.

 

Q3. Your book names individuals. Was it your intent to make them look bad? 

A3.  Again, absolutely not. There’s a saying, “If you don’t want to see it on the front page of the newspaper, then don’t do it.” I use the word “allege” or “allegedly” 38 times in my book. The word “allege” means to claim or assert that someone has done something wrong, which is exactly what I’m doing. I’m not responsible for the actions of city officials or other individuals, nor the resulting negative publicity, they are. I’m just using public documents, personal experience, and personal experience of others who have had run-ins with the city. Unfortunately, I would have many more “testimonials” to the city’s wrongdoings, but property owners are extremely concerned that if they talk, the city will take retribution. That’s a sad statement about city leadership.

 

Q4. What were your expectations with this book?

A4.  I never planned on writing this book. However, there were three things that created the idea about such a book. (1) More and more people contacted me about being wronged by city officials. (2) I have a filing cabinet full of previous responses from the city to Open Records Act requests. (3) And the fact that after a decade or more of talking to city officials and trying to get them to do the right thing with no results, that’s when I started thinking about how I could influence the upside-down culture at city hall and motivate the citizens to fix it through the ballot box. 

 

Q5. Are you going to run for city council?

A5. Absolutely not.
 

Q6. Are you going to support certain candidates?

A6. The only candidate worthy of re-election is Traci McGee from Ward IV. If she can figure out there’s corruption at city hall, it’s hard to believe that all the other city councilors didn’t know anything about it. I’m confident that the powers that be will get someone to run against Traci, since she is their worst nightmare. 

 

Q7. Why are the other city councilors not worthy of support?

A7.  I understand that eight of the nine city councilors are in agreement to punt the decision about the remaining three inverse condemnation cases (Lacey, Taff, England) until after the election and let the new city council resolve this issue. That delay will cost the taxpayers $1.2 million or month or almost $5 million by the time the election is held. So ask your city councilor if they are going to resolve these three cases before the election and see what they say. This is why I say in the book that the city council doesn’t care about us, if they did they would develop a backbone and settle the cases.

 

Q8. Do you have an agenda against City Councilor Alex Reynolds and if not, then why all the bad publicity?

A8. I respect Councilor Reynolds, a city councilor and a successful businessman, for who he is. I just don’t respect his actions and attitudes. The public has a right to know what type of character an elected official has during his “private” time so voters can decide if this is the type of person they want to represent them. At the state and national levels, this is what reporters do — they check the backgrounds of candidates to see if they are the same candidate who is running for office. That’s what I did here.

 

Q9. Do you expect to receive any pushback from city hall?

A9.  I’d hope officials at city hall and those who run the city behind the scenes wouldn’t stoop so low as to make personal attacks because if they do, that just reinforces what I’ve said in the book — that they will take any measure necessary to protect their Golden Goose.

 

Q10. Why is this book free?

A10.  Because money should not prevent citizens from knowing the truth about their elected and non-elected officials.

 

Q11. Do you plan on writing a follow-up book?

A11. Volume II is finished and can be downloaded here.

 

Q12. Some people might think that your answers are blunt and offensive. Your response?

A12.  I don’t want to be rude and have no intention of being so. But the truth, especially when it's bad, is blunt unto itself. How those individuals involved in responding to the blunt truth is their decision. 

 

Q13. How can someone get a copy of this free book?

A13. The free book is available at the website “reformmuskogee.wixsite.com/vote.” Click here to download the book. If you’re not into technology, you can email reformmuskogee@gmail.com, and a free copy will be sent in a zip file.

 

Q14. Anything else?

A14. Yes. Public service (politics) isn’t dirty unto itself. Becoming a public servant is an honorable quest. However, public service becomes corrupt because the people we elect corrupt the system. That’s why it’s necessary to attend or watch city council meetings, stay in touch with your city representative, know the background of your candidate, and current elected officials, and vote appropriately.