Friday, May 20, 2005

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War of words escalates in Senoia

By JOHN THOMPSON
jthompson@TheCitizenNews.com

Nearly six months before the election, the political climate in Senoia is already white-hot.

During Monday night’s City Council meeting, Planning Commissioner Rebecca Neill fired back at City Councilman Bill Wood’s wife. Claudia Wood approached the City Council last month and told the city’s leaders that Neill was guilt of harassment and questioned whether that was acceptable behavior for a public official.

But Monday night, Neill questioned whether the councilmen’s wife should be getting involved in city business.

“Ms. Wood also sent an e-mail on Feb.3, 2005 about the city engineer, asking the League of Neighbors about a conflict with his work, and when I inquired about a written complaint, I was informed that there was not one,” Neill wrote.

But Wood said she was just raising a simple question since the city’s engineer received developmental work for the city’s sewer system without bids being obtained.

Neill also said the League of Neighbors have been sending out e-mails trying to get people they like in positions of “power and authority.”

“Be advised that some of these people are already serving on the Downtown Development Authority, Planning and Zoning and anything else they can work in, including the apparent hiring and firing of city officials and your elected seats as well,” said Neill.

Wood maintains that her group is only trying to make the city better, and has not met since March.

The fierce political war has already taken its toll on this small but growing city. One of the members of the League of Neighbors, Perry Benson, has his house up for sale. Neill has also indicated she’s not sure if she will seek to be re-nominated to the Planning Commission in June.

“I find their (League of Neighbors) behavior dishonest, offensive and mean-spirited and this city can not move forward with this type of behavior in any of our communities, boards or council,” said Neill.