Ann Williams says "It's a lie!"
$15,000 grant written on behalf of McCaysville in question.
“I'd like to bring up that I was pretty well trashed according to the newspaper here,” Ann Williams started off her time before the McCaysville Mayor and City Council members. In the end adding, “The newspaper printed it and didn't check it out.”
Quick background to why Williams brings these questions to the City Attorney and Council stem from a closer review of several issues over reimbursement from the state for over $350,000. Many payments and procedures have come into question which include unusual payments. Some Council approved, others never having been brought before the Council.
Williams made several accusations the McCaysville City Council had made statements about her that in her opinion weren't true and were printed by one of the area newspapers. Williams focused her questions to McCaysville City Attorney Cortney Stuart,
“I'd like to know who said I farmed out; I did not write the ($15,000) grant. I paid somebody in Blairsville.” Names were mentioned, with no conclusion. Williams claimed the newspaper printed this rumor without checking for facts.
“You said I fired Paragon. Me and Thomas (McCaysville Mayor Seabolt) voted to fire.” Stuart answered, “Ma'am, I did not say you fired Paragon. I said the Council fired Paragon.” Williams insisted that was how it came out in the paper.
Williams went on to express, “You also said that you didn't have an engineer because we was trying to save money.” “No, ma'am. I did not say that,” Stuart began her reply, but was interrupted by Williams. “Is that not right?" she asked Stuart and the rebuttal was “I did not say that. No.”
Williams then turned to the BRMNews reporter and made another false accusation, “You printed it!” Blue Ridge Mountains News had never posted anything on Williams prior to this article. Blue Ridge Mountains news is not a print media.
A member of the McCaysville Revitalization Committee which is spearheaded by Chairman Zachary Welch, Williams addressed Stuart once again saying “Also that we have too much power.” Stuart quickly responded, “Yes, ma'am. I do believe that." “Well, that's your opinion,” Williams snapped at the attorney's response.
Williams was referring to the discussion at last month's City Council meeting where she was not in attendance. One of the expenses being looked into more closely was for $26,000 of outdoor exercise equipment ordered by Welch in the name of the City of McCaysville and which the City is responsible in paying. This expenditure was not brought before the Council for approval before it was ordered and shipped to McCaysville.
In summary, the Council decided
Committees, organizations, or others not within the realm of City Officials can not be allowed to incur expenses in the name of the City of McCaysville for citizens to pay.
Proposals for purchases must be approved by the Council; and
Outside sources cannot conduct business for the city, such as dealing with grant issues among others.
After Williams thanked a list of people, she was checked again when asked, “Did you thank everybody that worked for the City, volunteer work?,” a question from a McCaysville citizen.
“Yeah,” Williams answered.
“You didn't thank my wife for all the hard work she done.”
“I never seen her strike a lick,” Williams retorted.
“She made all the ribbons for the...,” the citizen tried to explain but was cut off by Williams, “No, she didn't!” “Yes, she did. I stood and watched her.”
In closing, Williams claims much of what she presented to the City Council was a lie and printed by the newspaper. Only one local newspaper was in attendance of the Council meeting and did not rebut the issues Williams claimed had “trashed her.”
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