Veterans Plaza Update SEP 25, 2023

Hello, Aledo Residents,

We want to keep you informed about some important local matters in a way that everyone can relate to.

This Thursday at 6:00 PM, our Community Center will be hosting a discussion regarding the potential creation of an Aledo Veterans Advisory Board. You can find all the details on the agenda here: 

[Agenda Link](https://www.aledotx.gov/.../regular-city-council-agenda-0).

Remember when Randall Scott and Associates, our city's architect, stated a few months back, "If that 100-year-old tree dies, it would be a great spot to move the Veterans Plaza to"? And our City Manager, Noah Simon, responded, "And we could turn the old Veterans Plaza into a parking lot"?

Well, there's more to that story. We've learned that Mayor Nick Stanley and some business partners have been quietly buying property around the traffic circle. Transforming our current Veterans Plaza into a parking lot not only boosts the value of their properties but also aligns with their other plans. We suspect there might even be a private venue charging us for events, and guess who benefits financially? That's right, the Mayor and his business partners.

We're concerned that Mayor Stanley might try to stack the advisory board with his supporters. And after the last council meeting, it seems like he has significant influence over our City Council. Most council members stayed silent about important issues like the budget and the library, while Councilman Shane Davis was the exception, asking crucial questions. It was quite a scene when the Mayor got visibly upset with Davis for doing so.

We're left wondering if important decisions are being made behind closed doors, which would go against the idea of open public meetings.

To our Aledo City Council members, please take a moment to review this statute: 

[Texas Open Meetings Act]

(https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/PE/htm/PE.36.htm). 

Remember, there are no misdemeanors for elected public officials; the state will automatically escalate any criminal activity on your part to a felony. Keep that in mind when making decisions that affect us, the people.

Let's remember, Aledo is a democracy, not a dictatorship. We don't need to change the titles to "King" or "Queen." What we do need is transparency and a government that truly represents the residents that they work for.

#DefendAledo #RulesForTheeAndNotForMe #RecallNickStanley