Melder's Musings

"What goes on in West Point has no bearing in Starkville."

Not true. Each of the cities that form the Golden Triangle are involved in a number of interdependent contractual obligations. The GTR airport, Eurocoper, and SteelCor are only a few. Each city's government, and the relations between them, affect those obligations and the shared tax dollars that fund them.

"Analyze realities and not cooked up conspiracies."

Reality: three parterns of the same law firm are seeking municipal elected office, each with the potential to affect the other.

Analysis: it's certainly worth questioning their motives, if nothing else.

We do agree on one point. Hosford has no chance in Ward 7.
 

Mr. Melder, my name is Brian Kelley and as you know you have never met me, Scott Ross or Jeff Hosford, yet you continue in an effort to sling mud our way. It would seem that someone as politically active as yourself would appreciate others that are politically involved in an effort to make their respective cities better.

You have got to get those snakes out of your head! ". . .control local government and abuse party titles". Get off of that spaceship and join us down here. At the very least, do a little research before you speak out loud. Scott Ross was serving numerous years in the Mississippi House of Representatives while you were still in diapers. He ran for mayor of West Point 8 years ago and lost by under 50 votes. He was appointed to the College Board by Governor Musgrove where he has dutifully served the past several years. All this before I even knew his name, yet alone was his law partner.

As for Jeff, Scott and I had no idea he was even thinking about running for public office until the final day of qualifying. In a ward that was created as a result of a lawsuit alleging lack of black representation, Jeff is aware that his chances of winning are slim to none as a relatively unknown white republican. He has chosen to use the opportunity to raise some issues he feels need to be dealt with in that particular ward.

As for me, Scott certainly encouraged me to run just as Scott encourages all young civic minded citizens that he feels will contribute to the betterment of society to do. Do you honestly believe that had I stayed in the race and won along with Scott winning the West Point mayoral race (both of which would be heavy assumptions) that would constitute a takeover of local government and abuse of party titles. What planet are you writing this blog from? Please explain how a single alderman and a mayor in towns 20 miles apart can take over local government.

At the very least, have the ambition to do a little research before just rambling off nonsense.

Brian Kelley
 

Mr. Kelley:

Allow me to take your response point by point.

"and as you know you have never met me, Scott Ross or Jeff Hosford, yet you continue in an effort to sling mud our way."

You're right. I do not know any of you, although I am well aware of Scott Ross in his role on the IHL board and his previous attempt at running for West Point Mayor. That's one of the reasons for my concern. Having been heavily involved in Mississippi politics during my time at State, I have never heard of you in particular. If I don't know a candidate, it's probably because that person doesn't have much history with the Democratic party. If you have no history with the Democratic party, I cannot be assured of your committment to it. As for continuing in any effort to sling mud at you, look again. This will be my third writing on the subject. I am only posing questions. Now, thanks to you, I have some answers.

"It would seem that someone as politically active as yourself would appreciate others that are politically involved in an effort to make their respective cities better."

I most certainly do. If that was your intention, more power to you. That said, three law partners running at the same time for related offices does seem at least worthy of asking about. You have now attempted to answer my questions.

"You have got to get those snakes out of your head! '. . .control local government and abuse party titles.' Get off of that spaceship and join us down here. At the very least, do a little research before you speak out loud. Scott Ross was serving numerous years in the Mississippi House of Representatives while you were still in diapers. He ran for mayor of West Point 8 years ago and lost by under 50 votes. He was appointed to the College Board by Governor Musgrove where he has dutifully served the past several years. All this before I even knew his name, yet alone was his law partner."

I do not discredit Scott Ross for his service in the House or on the IHL board. The fact remains, as I have researched and shown in my earlier posts, that he has given signficant monetary contributions to Republicans. As a Democrat, this is most troubling to me. As for you, when I first heard of your candidacy, and because I hadn't heard of you, I began asking people who live in Ward 4 about you. Everyone that claims to know you also claims you are a Republican. If that's not true, take it up with them.

"As for Jeff, Scott and I had no idea he was even thinking about running for public office until the final day of qualifying. In a ward that was created as a result of a lawsuit alleging lack of black representation, Jeff is aware that his chances of winning are slim to none as a relatively unknown white republican. He has chosen to use the opportunity to raise some issues he feels need to be dealt with in that particular ward."

While I am fully aware of how Ward 7 came to be, I have no knowledge of Hosford's intentions. Again, I was asking the question. Now, I have an answer. I hope it's the truth.

"As for me, Scott certainly encouraged me to run just as Scott encourages all young civic minded citizens that he feels will contribute to the betterment of society to do. Do you honestly believe that had I stayed in the race and won along with Scott winning the West Point mayoral race (both of which would be heavy assumptions) that would constitute a takeover of local government and abuse of party titles."

As I have previously explained, I believe that your lack of history with the Democratic party and Scott Ross's contributions to the Republicans do indeed suggest that you will be less than loyal to the Democratic party.

"What planet are you writing this blog from? Please explain how a single alderman and a mayor in towns 20 miles apart can take over local government. "

I am writing from Durant, Oklahoma, United State of America, North America, Earth. Having left State, that's where I live and work now. As for how a "single alderman and a mayor in towns 20 miles apart can take over," my answer remains the same as I gave to Edward Sanders. "Each of the cities that form the Golden Triangle are involved in a number of interdependent contractual obligations. The GTR airport, Eurocoper, and SteelCor are only a few. Each city's government, and the relations between them, affect those obligations and the shared tax dollars that fund them."

"At the very least, have the ambition to do a little research before just rambling off nonsense."

One more time, I have done research into your party involvement...or lack thereof. What you call nonsense I call a question that I wanted answered. Now, you have. My goals are met.

Thanks for your time.
 

Mr. Melder:

". . .I believe that three local attorneys were hatching a scheme to control local government and abuse party titles."

That, Daniel, is a statement. An incorrect, biased, misguided statement, but a statement nonetheless. I may have provided you with some correct factual information, but not due to any questions you asked in your article.

What your article consist of is simply hairbrained conspiracy theories with no factual content whatsoever.

Brian Kelley