Number 2: January 8, 2002
About Us posted; Join Us; Kudos for arts board, Voter list released, The competition responds.
--------------------------------------------------------------The Birmingham Buzz #2
-------------------------------------------------------------
January 8, 2002
Welcome to the second edition of the Birmingham Buzz.
Our mission: To inform and involve all Birmingham citizens.
Visit us at http://www.bhambuzz.org. If you like what you see, please suggest that your friends and neighbors subscribe, and consider becoming a Supporter. To do so, simply send a request to info@bhambuzz.org. Of course, all feedback is welcome.
In this edition:
1) About Us posted
2) Join us
3) Kudos for arts board
4) Voter list released
5) The competition responds
6) To be removed
1) About Us posted. Buzz #1 went out before the About Us section of the website was posted. Our apologies. Nobody's trying to hide anything. It is now posted at http://www.bhambuzz.org/about_us.htm. Please check back often.
2) Join us. Our next meeting is Monday, Jan. 14, at 6:30 p.m. at Baldwin Library. Please come, listen, learn and get involved. If you like what you see, please pass the word and allow us to add your name to our list of Supporters. Just send email to info@bhambuzz.org
{{PERIOD}}
3) Kudos for arts board. Three cheers for the Birmingham City Commission and local artist Gary Kulak, for their work in creating a Birmingham Arts Board. Read about in the front-page Eccentric article of Dec. 20 at http://www.bhambuzz.org/pdfs/ecc_artsboard.pdf.
4) Voter list released. The Birmingham City Clerk has released a list of those who voted in the November election. See it at http://www.bhambuzz.org/pdfs/voter_list.pdf.
5) The competition responds. Peter Gough and Paul Reagan, editors of the secretive and decidedly anti-development BeLine newsletter, were quick to respond to the first Birmingham Buzz. Wrote Gough to the Buzz:
"Thank you.
"I note that you are seeking political donations and have not registered with the State of Mich. to seek political donations.
"I sent my copy of this to Jennifer Granholm, our Attorney General with the suggestion that proceedings be initiated for seeking political donations without registration.
"I suggested that the action might be consolidated with the action against a local developer for his mailings during the Nov. election.
"We, the residents of Birmingham are weary of these developer-related scams and aghast at the monstrosities -Palladium, Willits, Hamilton, etc. which are defacing our town.
"We are seeking calm, peace and reconciliation in our town. Your desperate mailing is just another desperate effort to disrupt this initiative.
"Remove me from your list.
"Sincerely,
"Peter Gough
"cc: BeLine Mail List."
Careful readers will note that neither our newsletter nor our website contains a solicitation for donations, political or otherwise.
Apparently not satisfied with that reply along, Gough was moved to write again:
"A buffoon is your image, a buffoon you are, a buffoon you always will be," he said.
Finally, several days later, Gough, who serves with Buzz editor Clinton Baller on the board of the Mill Pond Neighborhood Association, softened his tone and became more conciliatory in an email directly to Baller.
"I respect your opinions..." he wrote. "For the sake of our Neighborhood Association I propose that we bury our differences..."
Reagan took a different tack. His first email was congratulatory:
"Best of luck in your new endeavor," he said. "Your mission has the appearance of credibility. I look forward to meeting you when you come out into the sunlight."
After apologizing and posting our About Us section, we queried Reagan about the Presidents Council.
He responded with an angry and threatening phone call in which he called editor Baller a "shill for the developers," a "snake," and, at least three times, an "a--h---." He did not, however, respond to questions about the Presidents Council or what had inspired such wrath.
"You're a special guy; I have a special set of rules for a--h---- like you," he said, and hung up.
Unlike Gough, Reagan has not requested to be removed from our subscriber list.
6) To be removed. To cease receiving our newsletter, please send a request to info@bhambuzz.org.
Posted by on 01/08 at 10:25 AM
Next entry: Number 3: January 15, 2002
Previous entry: Number 1: January 1, 2002