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Rhea County Newspaper
"Rhea County's REAL Information Source"
When Kim Denton spoke at the Dayton City Council meeting Monday, she wanted to
address the issue about a skate park of some kind being built in Dayton for the kids who
enjoy skating.

Kim is one of the ever growing number of “moms” who say they are getting sick and tired
of having their kids treated by police as second rate felons.

Dayton Police lead by Grand Poo Pah Chris Sneed have not only been writing tickets and
seizing their skateboards ILLEGALLY, the cops are now telling those kids that “they need
to get their act together” and “why don’t ya’ll play football”… and other comments
spouting from their mouths about what type of sports they think other people’s kids
should participate in.

It simply isn’t right for any person to talk down to another person’s kid. Just as equally
barbaric is for one man to treat another man’s wife like she is a dog when everyone who
has ever met her, knows her to be vibrant, educated and very smart. And oh, by the way,
she ranks in the
13% of persons in Rhea County that have a college degree. I really feel
that those dudes (
they know who they are) who enforce domestic violence laws need to look
in the mirror and practice hand cuffing themselves.

Parents need to teach their kids that “
by law” the police do NOT have the authority to give
advice or otherwise council a child. A child has the exact same constitutional rights as the
rest of us. A child does not have to stand at attention before “the man”, being detained
beyond the issuance of some sort of citation and listen to the cops philosophy on life.

Police are not case workers, or psychologists or attorneys. These guys are enforcers of
the law, that’s it. It is simply a job, nothing more. Additionally, police as enforcers of the law
are not qualified to render or give any legal advice whatsoever, and to do so is essentially
practicing law without a license. [
Tennessee Code Annotated §23-3-101]

So, there is no need for any child to get a ticket, plus be verbally abused, feeling powerless
to do anything in the form of asserting a constitutional right and then on top of that, have
their skateboards seized.

Hey, if I were to walk up to a kid and scare him half to death, make the child humble down
to me as I find it funny and then on top of that take his skate board from him, without his
consent, would I go to jail? Would that not be an allegation of “assault”, “threat and
intimidation of a civil right(s) just to name a couple? Then again, I am NOT a lawyer, but I
do not go around scaring kids, rambling off laws to them, and taking their skate boards
without authority to do so.

I suggest to the youth of Rhea County, toughen up. Read the research links that are within
this site and the ones to come, and educate your own mind. Do not let any person attempt
to educate you when it is obvious to you that they themselves are either under-educated,
inbred, or both.

Now, getting back to the story, once again…

Kim was doing real good with her presentation until she mentioned the small detail about
$50,000 already budgeted for a skate park anyways. Uh oh, when Kim said that the council
each had their own look of “lost in space” on them.

Bob Vincent was clamoring for words as he stuttered around saying how that wasn’t really
what they did, not the entire amount of $50,000...

Kim was naturally taken back by this news and offered to show them the Herald-News
article that contained the article as printed straight out of the budget itself.

City Recorder Tommy Solomon actually smiled real big and was shaking his head YES the
whole time that Kim was saying how the Herald-News printed it in the paper that the
Dayton Council had voted and set aside $50,000 in the 2007 budget for a skate park as well
as a new Recreation Director who will have the duty of overseeing the park.

“Had it not been for the friendly face and welcoming smiles from City Recorder, Tommy
Solomon, I would have felt completely uncomfortable.”, Kim said.

“I could tell that at least with one member of the council that I was on track.  It also helped
to have the group of between 15 to 20 people who came to the meeting and stood up in
support of what I had to say”, Kim said.

Kim then advised the council that she was not alone and that she was the “spokesperson”
for many other people and as she spoke the words she turned and raised her hand to the
people sitting in the room and virtually every person stood up. Not only did these people
stand, along with the people standing in the doorway of the standing room only meeting,
the people remained standing. It was an amazing show of unity and solidarity focused on
a single topic.

Through the discussion that was progressing quite nicely as several adults spoke up in
support of  the skate park. Others even volunteering to help build one. Even the kids
themselves who were many in number conducted themselves in an orderly fashion,
removing their hats and being totally respectful.

One of the council members asked “wasn’t the kids going to the little skate park that the
church had built” and skateboarder Brody Schimel spoke up and said, “it isn’t safe over
there on Delaware Avenue. There is no sidewalks or sufficient lighting and that  it was just
not safe for the skaters”.  Also, a spokesperson for the church that tried to get a skate park
built added that the kids ended up getting a third of the skating area they were originally
promised and that it is not large enough.

Councilman Bobby Doss asked Kim the question, “If we was to go ahead and build a
skate park, could you guarantee that no child would ever break a skating law again”.

I have to admit, Bobby was as nice as he could be and he was sincere as he looked at Kim
and asked her this question. His sincerity in my eyes shadowed the relevance of his
question, but Doss, as well as the entire council, is to be commended on how they allowed
a discussion to flow smoothly. Each councilman gathering input and sharing thoughts
with their constituents. It was refreshing to me to see this.

Kim appeared to be in momentary state of shock as she answered, “NO”. Kim then started
to explain how she, nor any person can guarantee that someone else will or will not break
such skate board law, or any other law for that matter.

Then several people in the crowd of people who were still standing, by the way, starting
asking, “a speed limit sign doesn’t guarantee that a person will not speed” along with
several other examples of how just because a law is passed doesn’t mean that it is 100%
obeyed. If that were to be the case then the city just flushed away over 1 million dollars for
a police department.

Councilman Billy Graham then asked Chief Chris Sneed if the “
police still seized the skate
boards
”.

Chief Sneed replied, “
YES”.

This question about “seizing property without due process, a warrant, any authority, or
anything” was prompted after I had joined in with the discussion that for once, didn’t turn
into a shouting contest.

But I had signed the list of people desiring to speak before the council and I was number
three. Well, the council members really seemed to show an interest but then at the same
time, they acted as though there was never an appropriation of money, let alone $50,000
set aside in the 2007 budget for a skate park.

Dayton City Attorney, Susan Arnold acted as though she had a learning disorder co-
mingled with tunnel vision as she seemed to be like a vinyl record stuck saying the same
thing over and over and over. All she could say was “the insurance company says they
will not provide coverage unless the park is built according to certain specifications”,
yada, yada, yada…

Whoever gave this “woman” a law degree needs to have their head examined. I mean what
is the deal in this town?

Did I just give the impression that the Dayton City Attorney is a brainless bimbo?

No. I would never say such a thing. In fact, I bet she probably “
blew” right through law
school, literally…

But had I "
said it", well then we can all gather at the watering hole and debate it can’t we?

Now, back to my story before I was rudely interrupted by myself...

Kim Denton simply wants her son to have the freedom to enjoy whatever sport he
chooses, just as everyone else can. Whether it is football, baseball, soccer, tennis, skating,
it doesn’t matter. Certainly there is good and bad in every sport,, but that same reasoning
applies to all things, including people themselves.

Honestly speaking, to me at first, skate boarding was a total waste of time.

To me at first, a skate boarder was the “
Viva La Bam’s” the “Jack Ass” guys and kids with
baggy pants running around tearing up public property.

But I was wrong.

By simply allowing for an open mind it is then that we can see our differences, and modify
things accordingly.

Skateboarding has turned Kim’s son, Brody from a chubby, lazy, video playing, TV
watchin’, slumbering around slob (but a smart one) and has turned him into a very athletic,
agile, well rounded individual with confidence and a high self esteem.

Brody as are EVERY skateboarder that I have ever met have been nice, respectful and
polite. They do not deserve to be die cast as “destroyers of public property”. And they do
not deserve to be advised, talked down to, or threatened by police.

If the city can pay $3,000 to have a brand new police car that is already a brand new factory
white color and pay that exorbitant amount of money to paint the car black and white, just
so the car looks different than a sheriff car, then by all means the city can let go of the
money already set aside and build this skate park for the “children“ they each smile and
pat on the head every election day.

But if any one member of that Dayton Council thinks he is so high and mighty and that
being a skateboarder is just one step above a vandal, then I challenge his butt to do one
single board maneuver these people do on these skate boards. It is truly amazing to see
not only kids of all ages, but kids who grew up into “voting” adults who still love the sport
of skating.

In closing, personally I could care less if they never build a skate park. I don’t skate.
Actually, I could care less if they dug up all the walking tracks, ball fields, soccer fields,
tennis courts, dig all that stuff up. I do not participate in any sports like that, so dig ‘em up. I
do not care.

Either build the skate park with the money that has already been set aside and budgeted
for it, or don’t build it. It is really that simple. Build it or put the money back.

“I would like to thank each of them at this time for their support and having the guts to
exercise their right to speak and request a skate park. I have presented something in front
of the council before and at that time felt very unwelcome to speak as well.  However, time
tells all, time also tends to change things.  Let’s keep our fingers crossed that Dayton
continues to “grow with the times” and do away with ‘that’s just the way we’ve always
done things around here’, mentality.”
Dayton Mom tells Dayton Council to grow with the times
~~~~~~
Kim Denton says, "Do away with ‘that’s just the way we’ve always
done things around here’, mentality."

Roy L. Denton