The dispute between the Mayor of Cleveland and members of the Bradley County Tea Party is not going away.
City leaders were angry about a flyer distributed in one neighborhood warning residents that their homes were going to be torn down.
Tea Party leaders insist the flyer is true, and accuse the mayor of intimidating the person who wrote it.
The on-going dispute apparently started with this sentence in Cleveland's long-range plan called BCC 2035 discussed publicly in April.
DONNY HARWOOD, PRES. TEA PARTY "Those attending the SWOT analysis concurred that this area would be best served by demolition and redevelopment".
Tea Party president Donny Harwood says the author of the flyer is a new member who wanted to warn residents in the area around the old Whirlpool plant.
But it infuriated the Mayor, who says that's not the plan.
MAYOR TOM ROWLAND, CLEVELAND "I was totally shocked by some of the allegations in the flyer that was passed out." "Why would anybody want to upset elderly people..and people in a well-established neighborhood."
DONNY HARWOOD, TEA PARTY "He saw something that very much disturbed him downtown..and that was the demolition of 300 homes in the downtown area."
City Planner Greg Thomas tells us that the wording was revised on May 31st, after he received complaints about it. The new plan leaves out any mention of demolition in that area. It does contain the phrase, "The city will continue to support its historic neighborhoods."
DONNY HARWOOD, TEA PARTY "This gentleman that put out the flyer was calling me..his family weeping in the background..and telling his children..I could hear them weeping..oh, my God..dad we're in trouble..we're going to got to federal prison."
The mayor says, even if the author is unknown, no laws were broken and any citizen has the right to express his views.
Jackie Gatlin got one of the flyers and says she has been assured by a city representative that there's no threat.
JACKIE GATLIN, BLYTHE AVENUE "I'm happy..I'm actually getting to keep my home, you know....ha ha."
Harwood says Tea Party members will meet at 9 Saturday morning at the Whirlpool Credit Union to distribute more of the flyers in the surrounding neighborhoods.
