An Exchange between Alderwoman Peggy Ruth and Mayor Crosby:

I Have Been Silent Long Enough

January 23, 2008

An Open Letter to Danny Crosby, Shannon Crutcher, Donnie Gill and
Gordon Rhodes

Recently each of you have made very critical, unsubstantiated remarks
against me in public. After much consideration I have decided to
respond in the same manner – publicly.

ACCUSATION: I am a liar

Donnie – You presented the written transcript of my deposition in the
ouster case at the meeting last night and declared that it was filled
with lies. Last month when the mayor proposed to publish all the
trial information on the city website I knew he would try to discredit
the witnesses, however, because I have nothing to hide, I voted to
publish it. When I took the oath to tell the truth I DID TELL THE
TRUTH as I personally observed it or as it was shared with me by
employees and other victims. There were 38 sworn witnesses in the
ouster case, but not all were called to testify in court. Will you and
Danny be sure to publish the depositions of all 38 people? Many of the
witnesses did not know each other; do you think it is possible that 38
unrelated people all lied? Your loyalty to Danny has made you blind
to the story painted by those 38 witnesses. I can only speak for
myself and I am telling you that I was truthful.

Do not ever accuse me of lying again.


ACCUSATION: I am stupid

Shannon – At the November 28 Board meeting you became very angry and
called out extremely critical comments from the audience, among which
was that I am "stupid". As I have told you in the past, I will accept
your difference of opinion on policy issues, but I will not be
subjected to personal attacks. I expect professional behavior from a
City employee at a public meeting. You later sent a letter to the
mayor and aldermen apologizing for disrupting the meeting, but said
that you would not apologize for what you said. To dispel your notion
that I am "stupid," I would like to advise you that:

- I hold a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from the
University of Maryland, one of the top ten schools of education in the
country.

- In addition to passing the National Teachers Exam and earning
certification in Maryland and Tennessee, I hold an Advanced
Professional Certificate in Maryland, which reflects completion of the
Reading Specialist Masters Degree program as well as other advanced
professional courses.

- I was invited to pursue a PhD at University of Maryland College of
Education.

- I was a state licensed realtor in Maryland.

- I worked in the United States House of Representatives from 1973
until 1979.

So, Shannon, I am not stupid.


ACCUSATION: I am lazy

Mr. Crosby – in your post to the public computer forum,
CoopertownTNtalk.com, dated January 11 and posted January 15, you
responded to former Alderman Kay Morris' question as to whether you
had replaced me on the Board with Gordon Rhodes, our road
superintendent. She asked this as it appears that Mr. Rhodes is
involved in decisions and operations of the city that are not in the
realm of his duties. Your response, "Mr. Rhodes has never been
appointed to any board to replace Peggy Ruth, but if he was, then I
would have an Alderman that would work."

Mr. Rhodes – echoing Mr. Crosby on the computer forum and directed
toward me, "I'm sure this will make a good campanign sloggin, (sic)
"I've never made a mistake as an Alderman because I've not done
anything".

First, let me address my work ethic:

I am about the same age as Mr. Crosby, 53, and was raised by a single
mother who instilled the value of hard work in me from an early age.
I learned shorthand and typing in high school and was hired at age 18
to work in a congressman's office in the US House of Representatives.
By the time I left seven years later when my daughter was born, I had
been promoted twice and was the staff assistant responsible for
helping active duty servicemembers and veterans as well as having the
sole responsibility for making appointments to the US service academies.

In 1973 I began attending college at night. One semester I went to
three different colleges in order to get the classes I needed. In
1987, 14 years later, I graduated from the University of Maryland.
While pursuing my degree, I worked full time at a law firm and was
raising my daughter. My first year of teaching I began working toward
a Master's Degree again, at night. In addition to my day job, I
tutored children after school and taught summer school.

So, don't presume to tell me that I don't know how to work hard.

Now Gordon, about that work you say I am not willing to do. Fool me
once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me. I am not going to be
fooled again nor waste my time. My reply to you was posted in my
behalf on the computer forum on January 9, 2008. I have not heard
anything from you after presenting these examples where I worked on a
project only to be shut out of the process by the mayor and vice
mayor. The first paragraph of the post was in response to your post in
which you said I was not entitled to an opinion on the Hands Up to
Coopertown account unless I was a contributor. As an alderman I do
have a right and a responsibility to know the status of all the city
accounts. However, I had not criticized the Hands Up account, but
rather the Landfill Legal Defense account. You had not bothered to
find out that I had, in fact, already contributed to the Hands Up to
Coopertown Christmas fund. Two days after the mayor requested
donations, I brought a check for $700. While Terri was very
appreciative, I did not get any thanks from Danny privately or at the
meeting last night. Here is that post from Jan. 9:

* * * * * * * * * *
* * * *

Mr. Rhodes, Mrs. Ruth has answered you:

I gave a donation to Hands Up to Coopertown Dec. 20 in the amount of
$700 from myself and other residents. I delivered it to Terri. Greg
Lee, mgr of Wal-Mart agreed to give $25 gift card. Hand Delivered to
Terri with information and Check on Dec. 20, 2007. Check Number 4014

I've been in office since November 2004; Gordon has been there one year.

I took the Elected Officials Academy course offered by MTAS in January
2005. None of the aldermen or mayor has gone for training.

Arranged for school children from the elementary and middle schools to
lead us in the Pledge of Allegiance at Board meetings. Had to end the
activity since it was not a good environment for the children.

Helped mail out the letter asking for donations for the landfill legal
defense fund even though I disagreed with it (the attorney advised us
the money wasn't needed).

Special Census - helped send out the mailing along with Ethel, Susan,
Terry Scott & others

Was given over 400 addresses to contact for the special census. Wrote
letter and paid for copying and postage myself to those addresses;
made phone calls. After some time (couple of weeks?) I tried to give
an update on my progress and was told by Vice Mayor Jack Long"The
census has been called off." No one bothered to tell me.

Asked to research mowing options. Did much research (along with Susan
Slawson) then was told my info wasn't needed. My suggestion was to
rent a tractor to use with our mower when needed for the rest of the
season; they wanted to buy a tractor.

Interstate lighting. Jack asked me to handle as he was going out of
office and Danny was suspended. On my vacation in Florida in December
2006, I talked to the State Transportation Engineer and others at
TDOT, Mayor McCarver, Pleasant View, Mayor Orange, Cheatham County,
James Fenton Economic Development Cheatham County, Mayor Bradley, and
Robertson County and heard their views and concerns. I was in the
process of setting up a meeting of all parties in January 2007, but I
found out upon my return from Florida that Crosby had already held a
meeting of those parties, without the aldermen. CT sent a press
release to the paper about the upcoming meeting then would not let the
reporter in when he came to cover the story.

* * * * * * * *
* * * *
I actually began working on the interstate lighting project in June
2006 but that was not included in the post.

Also, Gordon, don't you think it is a little difficult for me to work
on projects when the mayor has taken me off all committees – again?
The scenario goes like this (I have e mails from the mayor and
published meeting minutes) – "If you criticize the job I am doing as
mayor I will remove you from all committees." It would seem to be a
violation of my Constitutional rights to free speech, don't you think?
His latest tactic was to claim I had too many absences on the Planning
Commission. You will find that I've been there a lot more than he has
over the past 3 ½ years; in fact, he was absent from the last
Planning Commission meeting on January 15, but I was in the audience.
But attendance is not the point; the point is he can't control my vote.

Now Gordon, with respect to your comments about me not consulting MTAS
or the city attorney "because I don't like what they have to say."
According to minutes from Board meetings and e mails I have received
from Danny in the past, he won't allow me to talk to the attorneys. He
said I have to "go through the chain of command" and if I talk to them
he'll make me pay the bill out of my own pocket. Go ahead and look it
up; it's published. I've also been told not to talk to TDOT and other
elected officials, that everything goes through the mayor. If he has
changed his mind and now is encouraging me to take an active role as
Alderman, I would be glad to talk to all kinds of experts, provided I
don't get a bill.


I DID OFFER TO HELP

Gordon, you may not know this, but Danny you do – my husband and I
have both offered to help in various ways; I still have the typed list
of our suggestions from one of Danny's meetings with Henry. For
example, I said that I didn't have experience with building roads, but
I have research and writing skills and with my experience at the US
Capitol, I could help with public relations. Hmm, maybe we could have
saved the salary of the "public information officer"?

With me you got a bonus – Henry – and Danny,if you were wise you would
have accepted his offer of help. As a Colonel, an aviation Brigade
Commander in the Army, he was responsible for more than 1,500 troops,
budget and equipment. He also has a Master's Degree in Public
Administration from Shippensburg State University that he earned at
the same time he was studying at the Army War College. He was a
founding father of Task Force 160 – Special Operations, and
participated in a mission to rescue the hostages in Iran in the
1970's. In addition to his medals for service in Vietnam, he was
awarded the Soldier's Medal, the highest award for heroism in a non
combat area. He rescued people on an Army base in Korea where they
were being shot at and killed by a sniper. He then flew the injured to
a hospital in his helicopter. You know, I may have just found our next
candidate for mayor – smart, educated, a leader, fearless…

Peggy Ruth

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The mayor's response to Peggy Ruth through Phyll Beech (CoopertownTNtalk moderator)
Ms. Phyllis Beach,


I would like to take this time to answer the four
questions that you had for Alderman Mulstadt. He was not present for
most of the questions you have.

Ms. Ruth's Statement #1: CT sent a press release to the paper about
the upcoming meeting then would not let the reporter in when he came
to cover the story.

Yes, the City of Coopertown did send out a news release. This news
release was sent out one day early. It was not an invitation for any
news media to be present. It was a simple mistake that Ed Niec and
Sarai Reid made by sending the release a day early. This was a
private meeting to discuss the lighting project at I-24 Exchange. No
laws were broken, especially the Sunshine Law. The Robertson County
Times invited themselves, and Eric Miller showed up 7 minutes late
after the meeting had already started. This was a meeting between the
four mayors involved. To discuss how the other mayors had received
blueprints when I, myself only had blueprints four days prior to the
meeting.

Ms. Ruth's Statement #2: It is a little difficult for me to work on
projects when the mayor has taken me off all committees.

Ms. Ruth, on three different occasions, on tape at City Board
meetings has quoted Vice Mayor Jack Long instructing her to take over
the lighting project. This is her quote, "This was suppose to have
happened while Mayor Crosby was suspended and Jack Long was acting
mayor." In Ms. Ruth's posting on this website she plainly states she
began working on the lighting project in June 2006. I was present at
all Mayor and Board meetings. Never have I ever asked Ms. Ruth to
work on the lighting project. I have asked Jack Long has he ever
empowered Ms. Ruth with this project. His reply was never. I have
listened to the July, August, September, and October board minute
tapes. Ms. Ruth said this was on tape, I cannot find it.

Ms. Ruth's Statement #3: He won't allow me to talk to the attorneys.

The only statement that I have ever made about Ms. Ruth not talking
to an attorney is when she called George Dean. He was the attorney
that handled the dump lawsuit. The statement I made to Ms. Ruth, "Who
is going to pay this bill for you telephone conversations with this
high dollar attorney?" My reasoning, these were not funds that
belonged to the city. These funds were given by the citizens of this
community; Ms. Ruth has no power over these funds. In fact, the
citizens who donated these funds instructed me to use the funds for
something good for the community, if they were not used for the legal
fight. Ms. Ruth did not donate any funds for the legal fees. In fact,
this was one of her first acts of sabotaging the city.
As far as our city attorney, John Holt. By email, telephone
conversations and talking personally to John Holt. Ms. Ruth was told
the ouster proceedings would not work. He also informed her that he
and I talked three to four times a week.
Basically, since that time, by John Holts own admission, Ms. Ruth
does not ask for his opinion about city business. In fact, when John
Holt would not go along with her she went to her personal attorney
about the ouster petition. If this is not true then Ms. Ruth has
misled the courts. For this is what her deposition says for fact. She
doesn't call Gary Jeckel from M.T.A.S. His statement for this is, "I
don't give her the answers she wants."

Ms. Phyllis nothing other than sabotage.

Ms. Ruth's Statement #4: I've also been told not to talk to TDOT and
other elected officials, that everything goes through the mayor.

Ms. Beach, that's exactly right.
The city of Coopertown's lighting project was sabotage by Ms. Ruth
trying to encourage the other three mayors to use a blueprint and
agree on a blueprint the Mayor and Board of Aldermen had not
approved. Ms. Ruth's input now, after her posting, is very evident to
me what her full intentions were. They did not work. Any project of
this size needs to be engineered by an engineering light specialist.
Ms. Beach you have in your hand the tape from the lighting project
meeting and it is plain and evident that Ms. Ruth had locked in the
lighting project with the other three mayors. She did this without
Board approval. She has promoted with these other three mayors a
lighting project that would not sufficiently light this exit. On the
tape the other mayors made this statement. If this lighting project
did not work sufficiently, the City of Coopertown would be
responsible to pay all fees for installing more lights at a later
date. Also on the tape the DOT Department, Ms. Nancy explained to all
four mayors that they had used this blueprint at one other exit. In a
short time period this city asked the DOT Department to tear these
out and redo the job.
If the City of Coopertown is going to be responsible for all funds to
remove a bad lighting job, then why don't we do the job correctly the
first time, and not waste $200,000 in two counties and two cities.

Ms. Beach, Ms. Ruth has posted that I am taking the deposition to
prove her guilt.
Ms. Phyllis the depositions are a first hand statement of Ms. Ruth's
action and accusations. They are what they are. They say what she
said. No one has to do anything other than to read and from their own
opinion as to her motivations.

The People's Mayor,
Danny J. Crosby