Councilman’s wife says planning commissioner is harassing her

By JOHN THOMPSON

The political divide in Senoia got a little deeper Monday night as City Councilman’s Bill Wood’s wife, Claudia, took to the floor and accuse a Planning Commissioner of harassment.

She told the City Council that on April 15 and 16, she was holding a quilting retreat at her home.

“On Saturday at lunchtime, we looked out the window and noticed that my-across the street neighbor Rebecca Neill, a member of the Planning Commission of this city, was standing in her yard taking photographs of the cars parked in my yard and driveway,” she said.

Wood said the implication was that she and her group was doing something wrong and she asked Neil at this year’s Progressive Dinner why she was taking pictures.

“She denied taking photos, and said she was just testing her new camera,” Wood added.

Wood categorized the picture-taking as “upsetting, humiliating” and considered it a form of harassment.

Last week, Wood received a letter from City Hall saying that she was running a business in her home. Wood said the complaint was filed by former mayor Dianne Cleveland, a close friend of Neill’s.

“It is not difficult to see the connection between the photo taking and the accusation of running a business,” Wood said.

Wood took offense to the city assuming she was guilty and said the form letter is offensive and should be changed.

The latest chapter in the Senoia political soap opera is part of what Wood calls a “growing culture of harassment.”

Because of the harassment, Wood said people have left town and the “entire city is diminished.”

As she left the podium Wood was greeted with large applause from half the room. Mayor Bob Hannah said Wood’s speech was “said well” and didn’t want to offer any other comments.

Councilman Robert Belisle made a motion that all future code violation complaints be put in writing, which passed unanimously. Belisle also suggested the city’s form letter be less accusing.

Contacted later in the week, Neil expressed dismay that Wood chose to use a public forum to air her grievances.

“This is not the first time I’ve come under fire from this group, and I’m sure it won’t be the last,” she said.

Neil said she has read the city’s code and could not find anywhere that it’s a violation to take pictures. She’s sad that Wood didn’t act in a “neighborly” way and said this is just the latest in a series of events by the League of Neighbors to try to get her to resign her post as Planning Commissioner. But, she added, that’s not going to happen.

“I think the mean-spirited behavior by this group needs to end, so our city can move forward.”


		Friday, May 6, 2005