Activists Win Battle
June 24, 1997: Calhoun County, SC.
Educate, agitate, organize for freedom in our lifetimes! June 24,1997...
SCLP INTERNAL NEWS ! (CCLP) CALHOUN COUNTY, S.C. LP NEWS NOTE: for LP information/posting ONLY, at this time ! PLEASE, DO NOT REPOST !
(Note: Calhoun County SC is a small, rural county in central South Carolina. )
Liberty Activists Tania and Ron Houck and Tom Arant reporting...
The County council D/Rs under direction of our own version of "Boss Hog" , "King David" as we call him, tried to sneak through a ordinance for land use controls and building codes. Just after finding out about a Mobile Home ordinance (too late to stop it), we discovered a RSO (Residential Subdivision Ordinance) that had not only been introduced, but to our shock, had already had 2nd reading! (local paper "we" normally get is a weekly)
Synopsis of what happened next; After checking out the Liberty Activist web page, we contacted our state activists TK and ML for advice and hastily made battle plans, via heavy use of internet e-mail messages and instant ICQ chatline, to do a last minute action to inform and rally by word and flyers, as many citizens as possible on short notice, for a sneak attack (so to speak) and meet council head on for the 3rd reading.(scheduled June 23)
We had less than two weeks till the 3rd reading, which was the public hearing and final reading, so we decided to try to delay passage of the ordinance to gain time so we could inform and call out enough citizen troops (so to speak:) to rally for its total defeat.
We researched the ordinance then made and hurriedly distributed a CCLP flyer featuring some details of the worst parts and why we were against it and asked folks to come to rally/meeting.
On the evening of the Council meeting, at the 6:30 rally, Ron Houck, CCLP Vice Chair, gave this statement (and to serve as example). RON; My purpose for addressing this council meeting is simple. To advise council of my intense desire to hold on to my property rights and to show solidarity to my fellow citizens who also cherish their property rights. I pay my county taxes every year without fan-fare even though council spends a lot of it on things I totally disapprove of, such as snowflakes on the courthouse that most citizens of the county will never see . But I have reluctatantly put up with it.
However, when county Government comes onto my property and tells me how to construct my house or do improvements, charges me $100., and promises to put me in jail for not obeying, we have reached a perilous situation.
It would serve the citizens of Calhoun County better if Council were to establish an advisory committee to make recommendations about safe building practices, and let the people voluntarily make their own decisions about their dwelling construction.
Please don't force your ideas on the citizens. Thank You. Ron Houck/CCLP === After the short rally right outside we entered council chambers when the agenda said the ordinance was to come up, but they dragged on trying to wait us out. We had, at conservative estimates, 90+ citizens (holds 80) at the council meeting, all wearing "Just Say No To RSO" (residential subdivision ordinance) labels. Everyone in the crowd had a CCLP flyer and was mad. One Man said LOUDLY "Tom (Arant), I am going to jail tonight" (We did not know him BTW) and we had to restrain his approach on council. Tom Arant and I had to calm some of the others down a bit, but most were content with occasional growling and waving of flyers.
Finally they brought it up and Ron (our VP) started off with the following statement "for the record";
RON/CCLP,VP: We the citizens of Cal. Co., in order to maintain public tranquillity, "respectfully request" that you dispose of the Res. Standards. Ordinance permanently. At the same time we ask that you repeal the Mobile Home Ordinance.
Red China is an example of a Totalitarian Regime. Definition: Relating to a political regime based on subordinations of the individual to the state and the strict control of all aspects of life and property.
Calhoun County Council could be properly classified in with Communist China if this passes.
We, the people are here tonight to let you know that we still live in America and that these 2 ordinances are blatant violations of the rights that this nation are founded on.
We feverishly request that you halt both of these ordinances. Thank You. (cheers :) Ron/CCLP
Ron added; In closing I would like to submit this statement into record from Tom King, Aiken SC.: 6-23-97
Sirs; It is NOT in the best interest of citizens health, safety and welfare for government to pass land control and building Code ordinances as it has been shown that these actions will, without doubt, result in the infringement of individual private property rights and sets up a system raising costs to citizens and provides a false sense of security to the buying public while providing fertile ground for corruption and a system to help defend shoddy builders and speculators from individual legal action. Thank You; Tom King SBCCI Certified #755 (and read Attachment): I am SBCCI (the organization that designs the Codes) Code Certified and a Code expert witness for legal cases in civil Court and Federal Court (including HUD/Mobile Homes) and have been a govt/County Building Inspector, City Building Official, Zoning Official, City Planner, etc., and many years as private Code Inspector/legal case expert. TK (Council listened "intently" to this and accepted it into record)
The chairman or "King" David (or Boss Hog:) as we call him, next told a guy up to speak, that he was "grandfathered in", pertaining to adding on to an existing house- that he wouldn't have to hook up to public water and follow all the other regulations.
The county attorney advised the "King" that , yes indeed, he WOULD have to meet all the regulations to add on.
"King" David turned red and was speechless and feeling like
a Emperor without clothes
Minutes later, Chairman Summers, ("King David") after a particularly inflammatory statement by an (then unknown) supporter up to speak, called across the chamber to ask Ron in from outside in the hall (3 times before Ron heard) and asked Ron to please tell the people that he (Summers) did NOT own a trailer park (or gain from new laws:).
After a few more spoke, council had enough. (They only would give citizens about 15 minutes in the public hearing-so only a small portion of the ticked public overflowing the chamber, wishing to, and lined up, got a chance to speak. I estimate over 25 would have spoke...maybe more. !/2 black, 1/2 white in attendance.)
Hearing loud complaints, the chairman made it a point to say our leaders, Ron and Tom had taken up all of the time (Ron spoke 2+ minutes). The "King" did not like the crowds response. For some reason, the police did "not" show up on time when nervous council called for "moral" support:).- not that the meeting needed it :)
The Council was especially shaken by our video camera(s) recording everything (hope to edit/distribute tape(s) as aid to others and with the Tee's, help raise donations to cover printing,etc.,costs).
By the end of hearing council was giving the typical government line
when caught with their pants down "We didn't know the ordinance said
or had that in it"
At the end of meeting, council members (as expected), tried to get our chair Tom Arant aside and get him to compromise and offered various deals (that they could of course not or would not keep) and told him to please contact the county attorney and they would work out the details:)
We knew then we had them on the retreat and we have no intention of
dealing away our rights, or anyones, with them or or anyone else
The CCLP is pleased to announce that we WON the first battle tonight ( but the war is still in progress ( so to speak)!
Yes, the end result was the ordinance 3rd passing is delayed till July 14th, giving us some time to gather more support/members and build for a final blow (while watching out for rear attacks:)
It was FUN and all promised to return with more friends on the14. Yes, we won the first battle tonight, but must now plan to win the war. YES people are angry in Calhoun County and looking to the LP for leadership! I would like to thank long time LP activists Mary Lou Seymour and Tom King for their support and expertise in this small but important victory. Tania will supply other details as available. Ron Houck, CCLP
(Action "does" speak louder than words alone:)
It was FUN! More later. Tania, CCLP Secretary
MORE from Tania/PRESS; We were featured in the paper next morning and Libertarian was mentioned many times, including officers names. The part above about Red China also appeared in a story in the (O'burg) TIMES AND DEMOCRAT (neighboring Orangeburg County) Tom Arant, our chair of the CCLP, was quoted in the above newspaper this morning as saying that; "council didn't want citizens to have freedom, but instead wants to stick its greedy little fingers in our pockets". He was also quoted in the paper as saying that council was trying to " ram down our throats" the ordinances. AND "no one ever dreamed a subdivision was a piece of land with a house on it." and as calling the hearing a "sham of a hearing".
The paper noted about the hearing; "The only light moment came when LP's Tom Arant questioned whether smoke detectors would be required when a house was repaired and, if yes, who would come into your home to see if it works. County assessor John Wright, the local official dealing with the regulations, quickly answered, "I'll take your word for it. I'm not going in YOUR house, Tom."
Great story! This may be a first "on line supported" successful action. We have MUCH work to do in a short time. Wish us well. Tania
COMMENTS FROM LIBERTY ACTIVISTS
Great story! Thanks for sharing. This is VERY encouraging stuff. I have had SO much fun taking on my own local government. And after having successfully campaigned against both the previous mayor and most of the previous city council, stopped two tax increases, and got term limits passed, I have become in Allen Park, Michigan, kinda like that old E.F. Hutton TV commercial -- "When Tim O'Brien talks, people listen!" I only wish I could convince all of the Libertarians here to start going to their local government meetings (where they can actually be heard!!!) AND SPEAK UP!
--- Tim O'Brien
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.More Libertarians ought to start attending local government meetings. Much can be accomplished in the way of stopping (and actually reversing!) gpvernment intrusion into our lives, property and pocketbooks.
I have found my past involvement in local government matters to be a wonderful source of gaining activist experience and going toe-to-toe with the bureaucrats. More often than not, I found myself on the winning side!
Yes Virginia, you CAN fight city hall!
Gene Trosper
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A proverbial "shot heard 'round the world." My congratulations, and appreciation to you all!
Kevin Burt =========================== Well, I was glad to read this, Ware Shoals has, according to some folks
also passed a mobile home restriction ordinance but I have yet to see a
copy of it. Supposedly it went into effect about 2 years or so ago. I am
going to have to get down to the town hall and see if there is such an
ordinance or if it was smoke and mirrors. Barry West ======================= On behalf of the SCLP I would like to congratulate the Calhoun County
LP on stopping big government in its tracks. Keep up the good work! Rodney
Travis
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