On Tuesday, Jan. 22, Asheville City Council members will vote on a resolution stating, "The City of Asheville approves the attached Food Policy Goals and Action Plan." On Sunday, Jan. 19, WWNC radio host Pete Kaliner and "Dmitri/Raven Ravinoff" debated the issue via Twitter.
On Sunday afternoon, ahead of the city vote, Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith posted a tweet about the Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council's "Food Action Plan." Local Libertarian Tim Peck — who ran unsuccessfully for City Council last year — posted a query about the Food Council's members. "Dmitri Ravinoff" (whose identity isn't known) posted a series of tweets, starting with a question about who "could possibly be against an all-volunteer, grassroots org whose only intention is ending food scarcity?"
Kaliner replied that he questions "whether an elected official is steering tax $ to an org. he's running," and suggested, "That might be a conflict."
A long and seemingly testy exchange between Kaliner and "Ravinoff" ensued. After the exchange appeared on Storify, Smith invited Kaliner to give him a call; Kaliner invited him on his show. Via Twitter, Smith went on to reply to some of the questions Kaliner and "@BCGOP" posed: Although a co-founder of the Food Council, he does not serve on its "action" committee; he's not aware of plans to form a nonprofit Food Council; and in any case, "nonprofits do an incredible amount of excellent work in our community! Helpmate, ABCCM, Homeward Bound, etc."
Smith adds, "The AVL/Bunc Food Policy Council is entirely grassroots organization that's involved over 350 citizens." He encouraged Twitter followers to learn more about the Food Council's action plan at its website.
Click Here to Load the Storify Post
On Sunday afternoon, ahead of the city vote, Asheville City Council member Gordon Smith posted a tweet about the Asheville-Buncombe Food Policy Council's "Food Action Plan." Local Libertarian Tim Peck — who ran unsuccessfully for City Council last year — posted a query about the Food Council's members. "Dmitri Ravinoff" (whose identity isn't known) posted a series of tweets, starting with a question about who "could possibly be against an all-volunteer, grassroots org whose only intention is ending food scarcity?"
Kaliner replied that he questions "whether an elected official is steering tax $ to an org. he's running," and suggested, "That might be a conflict."
A long and seemingly testy exchange between Kaliner and "Ravinoff" ensued. After the exchange appeared on Storify, Smith invited Kaliner to give him a call; Kaliner invited him on his show. Via Twitter, Smith went on to reply to some of the questions Kaliner and "@BCGOP" posed: Although a co-founder of the Food Council, he does not serve on its "action" committee; he's not aware of plans to form a nonprofit Food Council; and in any case, "nonprofits do an incredible amount of excellent work in our community! Helpmate, ABCCM, Homeward Bound, etc."
Smith adds, "The AVL/Bunc Food Policy Council is entirely grassroots organization that's involved over 350 citizens." He encouraged Twitter followers to learn more about the Food Council's action plan at its website.
Click Here to Load the Storify Post
Subscribe to XpressMail. Free Sneak Peek. Every Week.
Want to know what's coming out in Xpress this week before the paper even hits the stands?
We've got your free sneak peek, along with deals available in XpressMail, our weekly email newsletter. (It's the best we can do without time travel.)
-
Comments
-
Related Articles
-
Comments
Make a comment
I took issue with Kaliner's line of questioning.
"I think question is whether an elected official is steering tax $ to an org. he's running, @ravenravinoff. That might be a conflict. #avlgov"
Unlike most journalists I know who investigate an issue and THEN report on it, Kaliner seemed intent on suggesting some sort of duplicitous actions on Councilman Smith's part and, even when presented with logic refuting his assertions, continued to cast aspersions.
What is interesting, and what I hope most people take away from this, is that Kaliner was actually defending the Buncombe County GOP Twitter account. THEY were the ones to originally question Smith's involvement, not because there's actually anything that Smith has done wrong (on the contrary, he's trying to end food scarcity in our county!), but simply because he's been a vocal opponent of the Moffitt/McGrady H2O take-over.
And Smith answered their questions (https://twitter.com/BCGOP/status/293047845861335040), yet they were intent on continuing baseless attacks on their political opponent, helped along the way (and given legitimacy) by Kaliner.
Which makes one wonder if Kaliner is nothing more than the propaganda arm of the local GOP.
Unfortunately we'll see more of this in the coming months. If Smith decides to run for re-election then the GOP is determined on an all-out smear campaign. Heck, they even went after a local business owner who had the temerity to question their rudeness on Twitter (https://twitter.com/NCMattJ/status/293132761210970113).
That's our local GOP.
They want to steal your H2O, keep poor people from eating, & keep young people from voting. And God forbid someone call them out on their behavior because they'll be attacked, too!
By RavenRavinoff
01/21/2013
Dear Anonymous Science Fiction Reader -
You seem to have a hard time differentiating between me and the BCGOP. This is odd, given you quoted my twitter comment at the beginning of your post, and it clearly shows what I believe the BCGOP issue was. You were asking what BCGOP's point was. I was helping you. You claim it's an accusation I made.
I think folks can see that I quoted from the plan to support my questions. Specifically, I noted how FPC participants expressed concerns about a group that was, essentially, leading the enterprise.
In fact, in a twitter response to our chat Councilman Smith indicated there is such a leadership structure (when he said he is not a member of the General Council). I am asking who is on that team. Why do you see this as an attack?
Further, everyone who has followed the creation and work of the FPC understands that Councilman Smith has been a major participant in its creation and leadership. I am not criticizing that at all. However, there remains a question about that leadership structure. As you noted, it probably is partly due to the nature of the 'Dynamic Governance' model. But the FPC can also make its participants list easily available.
Names of participant groups and officials should be included in the plan, in the interest of transparency and full disclosure.
For the third time: YOU asked for feedback on the plan. Now you seem incapable of handling that feedback. Please don't ask for it if you're going to behave this way. It actually undermines your cause.
-Pete
By Pete Kaliner
01/22/2013
Commenters using phony names?
Undisclosed FPC members?
Unlisted nonprofit networks?
Simple questions with nonreponsive answers?
Oh my.
By timothypeck
01/22/2013
Dear Pete,
Your timeline of events seems a little jumbled. Let's go to the records and parse this out so we can get a clearer understanding of how you failed miserably as a 'journalist' in this instance, shall we? Luckily tweets are time-stamped which should make our work a little easier.
First, as I quoted above, you picked up a line of attack first brought forth by the Buncombe County GOP. They insinuated that Councilman Smith had somehow violated Asheville City Council's Code of Ethics and should recuse himself from voting on the Food Action Plan (here-forth referred to as the FAP).
At this point, you were not giving 'feedback' about the FAP. You were taking up BCGOP's line of questioning. And I quickly pointed out that, clearly pursuant to the Council's Cod of Ethics (http://www.ashevillenc.gov/Portals/0/city-documents/cityclerk/mayor_and_citycouncil/CityCouncilEthicsPolicy.pdf), that in no way, shape, or form has Councilman Smith run afoul of this Code of Ethics.
I also stated that Smith is not 'running' the organization and asked you to show me where, exactly, the foul was (https://twitter.com/RavenRavinoff/status/293069921838047232).
Your reply (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293070880299446272) was that the foul would be if there was any benefit derived through city appropriation of tax dollars to the group. Now, anyone taking the time to actually read the FAP (as I would expect any journalist to do) would plainly see that ZERO money is asked for as part of the plan put before City Council (and as MX pointed out in their coverage).
What's interesting about this second line of questioning that you brought up is that it ONCE AGAIN just happened to dovetail with the BCGOP's line of attack (https://twitter.com/BCGOP/status/293036552303566848). Mind you, you still haven't given me 'feedback' on the FAP yet, you're still working in concert with the BCGOP at this point.
Next, having not a WHIT of actual allegations or substance to continue on, you question Smith's actual role in the organization (a role that he had already spelled out for the BCGOP, mind you). Whereas any journalist I know would have contacted the organization and/or Mr. Smith to ascertain this info, you quickly leave that train of thought and move on to questions about the ongoing funding methods of the group (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293076860848467968).
Which is funny because they are not a government entity, nor are they even a non-profit as I pointed out, and have no obligation to provide you with 'transparency'. The FAP was created by a revolving group of HUNDREDS of citizens. It is an idea put forth in front of the council, no more no less. What's more, the funding of this organization has absolutely NOTHING to do with the FAP that is before the council for deliberation. Finally you agree with my assessment (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293092990979809280) and now move on to your next line of attack (which is in fact just where you had already been before)…
"… 1) the request for public funding; and 2) the involvement of elected officials in that request and its approval? #avlgov? " (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293092990979809280).
At which point I ask you "Where in the plan does the council request funding for themselves from the city?" (https://twitter.com/RavenRavinoff/status/293097810474180608) Now, as anyone who had actually READ the plan could see, nowhere in the FAP is there a request for money. But that didn't fit your narrative so I had to ask the question again when you tried to skirt the question. You finally concede the obvious. (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293099025291415552)
Now, once again, I'd like to point out that you have yet in our exchange given me ANY 'feedback' about the FAP, and I have simply corrected you false assumptions at this point. And having to face the truth that 1) there was NO request for public funding and 2) Smith's involvement in the organization funs afoul of no Code of Ethics, you once more switched horses and went back to how the organization itself is funded. You even brought up the hypothetical that at some point in the unforeseeable future, they MAY (or may not) ask the city for money (https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293098759443861505). So, once again, I pointed out that the organization's funding has ZERO relevance to the matter at hand, which is the FAP currently in front of the council for consideration (https://twitter.com/RavenRavinoff/status/293101873576148992).
So, at this point in the conversation, you have yet to give ANY feedback about the FAP that is currently in front of the city council.
Finally, right before Margaret Williams puts together our back & forth on the MX, you come up with some 'feedback'.
"My feedback: I have Qs about public funding to pay for things cited in the plan (ie: coordinator)." https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293105430496935936
Finally. Some feedback. Of course nowhere in the FAP is a 'coordinator' cited, so I'm not sure why you're concerned about how this (non-existent) position will be funded. But at least it's feedback finally, right?
And if there is an item that comes about due to the FAP that needs to be funded there will have to be a decision made on how to fund it. That is the JOB of the city council. When we get to that point Pete, THEN we can have a discussion on funding.
Until then, and as I pointed out on Twitter, you're doing nothing but playing a disingenuous game of 'What If'(https://twitter.com/RavenRavinoff/status/293099903549308928) and trying to smear a local politician who you (and your friends at the BCGOP) have a problem with.
To finish Pete, I'd recommend that next time you do your due diligence. As a journalist you should hold yourself to higher standards than you have displayed.
By RavenRavinoff
01/22/2013
UPDATE!
So Pete Kaliner's response to my reply above?
He says that he's not a journalist, he's just a talk show host!
https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293900862483484672
https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293901274519334912
https://twitter.com/petekaliner/status/293893540898021376
Which is funny, because not only does he call himself a reporter and journalist on his 'ABOUT' page (http://www.wwnc.com/pages/petekaliner.html), but his employer, News Radio 570, calls him a that as well! (http://www.mountainx.com/article/39579/WWNC-picks-Pete-Kaliner-to-replace-Mittan-as-new-afternoon-host)
So my reply above must have been SO on the mark that not only does it NOT elicit a rebuttal from Mr. Kaliner, but causes him to go so far as to deny his very profession!
I have asked his employer, via Twitter, for some clarification and promise to keep you, Dear Reader, updated.
By RavenRavinoff
01/23/2013
The best part of all this?
TODAY is Mr. Kaliner's 1 year anniversary of not being a journalist with News Radio 570!
Oh, the LULZ!
By RavenRavinoff
01/23/2013