21 APR 09: Go Away Mad-ison
Have you seen the British comedy on public TV called "Keeping Up Appearances?" That title came to mind Monday involving a Columbus organization. Actually, it could apply to almost any organization. The only ones which seem to mind displaying "dirty laundry" are the ones arresting drug-runners.
BLOG EXCLUSIVE: A Columbus NAACP official stopped keeping up appearances Monday, revealing to your blog that Bill Madison's recent resignation as President was NOT due to his wife's health after all. The real reason was a different kind of sickness. Madison may have been sick and tired of the chapter's executive board....
Returning a call we made about Sunday's topic, Columbus NAACP Secretary Tonza Thomas told us Bill Madison really stepped down to protest next week's move of the headquarters back to First Avenue. Thomas admitted the overall chapter membership is divided right now. Of course, it would take only one silly act by a law officer to bring them together again.
Tonza Thomas showed surprising openness, sharing details with us about the Columbus NAACP's current condition. For instance, she admitted the original plan for the 100th anniversary "Freedom Fund" banquet was to sell tickets for 100 dollars. But with times tight, they were marked down to 70 dollars -- and they might have even played 1979 disco music during cocktail hour.
But Tonza Thomas also admitted the Freedom Fund banquet did NOT sell out in February. Far from it, in fact - as 300 of the 680 seats at the Trade Center went empty. It's as if Bill Madison announced plans to bring a new minor league baseball team to Columbus.
Do some math, and you'll see the Columbus NAACP lost thousands of potential dollars from the Freedom Fund banquet. On top of that, Tonza Thomas indicated the chapter never really budgeted for the new headquarters on Third Avenue - an office with apparently much higher rent. Attorney Gary Bruce next door apparently isn't "good guy" enough to help neighbors with expenses.
Tonza Thomas revealed by moving back to the old duplex in the 500 block of First Avenue that it shared with a loyal bookkeeper, the Columbus NAACP will pay only $1,200 a year in expenses. The house/office in the 900 block on Third Avenue cost about $9,600 in expenses - which makes the south side of Ninth Street look like the wrong side of the railroad tracks.
Tonza Thomas told me the money savings will rescue some of the Columbus NAACP's community goals. The chapter's online agenda (which admittedly has Bill Madison's name all over it) says one project is the creation of a 100-member marching band. That's the way to liven up those news conferences outside police headquarters.
But is the Columbus NAACP membership united behind this move? "Of course not," Tonza Thomas answered. Yet so far, there's no word of the Rainbow/PUSH Coalition offering discounts for transferred memberships. That idea works really well for drug stores, you know....
Tonza Thomas contends the Columbus NAACP move to Third Avenue 14 months ago was "a mistake," and the move back to the duplex is for good. I can almost hear members who are ministers, as they preach sermons supporting the move - telling congregations to return to their "First love."
Given what Tonza Thomas told us Monday, some recent actions by Bill Madison might be seen in a different light. Remember when Ronnie Reed invited Madison to speak at a Russell County Commission meeting? [15-16 Jan] If high school baseball players can move there from Columbus to seek stardom, so can civil rights leaders.
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E-MAIL UPDATE: The InBox had a message Monday morning, which shared our sentiments very well:
I hope everyone who reads the blog in Columbus is ok after the tornado Sunday night..I would like to say what a first class job Channel 9 did of covering the storm all the way up until they took shelter and then after the storm...Thanks for a job well done!!
One man told me when the TV station crew sought shelter for about ten minutes and left a quiet radar screen on the air, it felt very strange. I can see why. With no other stations doing live weather updates, it must have seemed like Columbus in 1949 - or maybe rural Chattahoochee County a couple of weeks ago.
Meteorologists confirmed Monday an "EF 2" tornado swept across parts of Phenix City and Columbus. Before you ask - no, this scale was NOT invented by the E.F. Hutton brokerage firm.
Let's all be thankful that no one was hurt from the tornado. But did you see the massive damage at Valley Lanes in Phenix City? Shame on the man who tried to tell me the tornado landed in lanes 8 and 9 -- thus leaving a 7-10 split.
It wasn't clear Monday night whether Valley Lanes would be rebuilt. One person told me bowling centers can cost $24,000 per lane to build. At prices like that, they're not "alleys" anymore.
The tornado snapped a radio tower, knocking WFXE-FM "Foxie 105" off the air. There was no word Monday night about when it will be back on the air - so the staff winds up taking "spring break" after all the fans at Golden Park did.
Today's Ledger-Enquirer reports the tornado destroyed the football press box at Pacelli High School, and damaged the baseball scoreboard. But the good news is that Pacelli lost the big game with Brookstone last October -- so the Broocelli Jug didn't have to be moved to a secure undisclosed location.
(BLOGGER'S NOTE: We have a personal storm story to share, but we're going to hold it for this weekend.)
BLOG CORRECTION: Aflac's move to #152 in this year's Fortune 500 list actually was a jump of 13 places, instead of three. No one ever said white DUCKS couldn't jump....
A few other things made news Monday, after the storm passed:
+ Chattahoochee Valley Library System officials revealed they're considering a reduction of hours to cut costs. The main library on Macon Road would be open only from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. from Monday to Thursday - which is really going to change some plans for working mothers this summer.
+ Jonathan Norton was named the new women's basketball coach at Columbus State University. Norton's teams qualified for the NAIA national tournament the last three years at Berry College in Rome - which in the classic words of comedian Garrett Morris means they were "Berry Berry Good."
+ Instant Message to Wane Hailes: That was me. I'm sure you were wondering. I was the white guy who stopped by your office Monday, to pick up your current issue of "The Courier." I wanted to see if you already had the details on the NAACP story. No, I was NOT spying for Piggly Wiggly stores.
The number of unique visitors to our blog is up more than 18 percent so far this year! To advertise to them, offer a story tip, make a PayPal donation or comment on this blog, write me - but be warned, I may post your e-mail comment and offer a reply.
BURKARD BULK MAIL INDEX: 595 (+ 26, 4.6%)
The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author -- not necessarily those of anyone else in Columbus living or dead, and perhaps not even you.
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