Recent newspaper articles need clarification of my feelings about the Taj Mahal jail complex that is planned by the county commission. There is a need for additional jail space, but I disagree that this county needs a jail with 843 beds. Although the commission denies that they are going into the “prisoner business,” a large facility will be built just to stand empty. I doubt it. Can you imagine the extra expense to keep this monstrosity up in furnishings and personnel? Further, I can not see the need to spend $28.7 million for a jail when Hancock State Prison has developed a perfectly good system that could be built for $2.2 million, a mere 7.5 percent of their plans. I do believe the commissioners could not have picked a worse spot. Yes, plans were made for this spot years ago, but this county has drastically changed since those plans were made. Traffic problems alone will be unbelievable.

The present location should have been used for a courthouse, but do we really need a three-story building? Can there be any doubt that the commissioners want to spend $23.6 million for a gigantic courthouse so they can say, “Look what we built”? They complain about lack of space, but the old courthouse on the square is perfectly usable, but is leased to the Chamber of Commerce. Fulton County commissioners have burdened their taxpayers with hundreds of million of dollars on projects that were never approved by public referendum. Fayette County commissioners are doing the same thing. Also, no bids were issued for a project that may cost overrun to about $65 million.

The commissioners say the Signa property was too expensive. It amounted to 560 acres for $10 million or $17,857 per acre. The commission added 21 acres to their proposed complex for $1.4 million or $66,666 per acre average. Don't you wonder just why such an exorbitant price was paid to a few for this property? Commissioner Herb Frady commented that it would cost $25 to $30 million to move the present jail facilities to the Signa property. Actually, nothing was being moved at all. The present jail would have remained in use.

Finally, Commissioner Harold Bost was quoted as saying, “The circus came early this year,” when referring to a possible recall effort. Wrong, Mr. Bost! The circus is scheduled to perform at the Fayette County Commission meeting room three times each month throughout the year. The five clowns sit at the front of the room.

The Georgia Recall code was changed in October 1999, making it almost impossible to recall anyone. Never forget that most of these commissioners violated Georgia Code 50-14-1, commonly known as the “sunshine law,” in March 1999. They should have been prosecuted, but “good old boy” politics prevailed. In my mind, if they had any morals. they would have immediately resigned. The voters need to keep this in mind if they run for election again.

John H. Regan
Fayetteville

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