The Fayette County News reported the “diligent” work of council to stifle businesses in Tyrone by passing a new sign ordinance in 2009 limiting the size and number of signs allowed at businesses. Along with its restrictive zoning ordinance, the new sign ordinance guarantees the death of its downtown business area.

Please don’t force the citizens to do your job again. All of you took an oath to uphold the law. This means to protect public funds. This you have not done. Will one honest official please step forward and ask the State Labor Department to investigate improper payments for over-time (O.T).

Tyrone and John Weiland Homes were recently forced to settle a case with Tyrone resident Winnie Anderson for damage to her home. The seven year old dispute started when former Town Manager Barry Amos approved Weiland’s plans for the Estates Subdivision that dumped drain water onto Anderson’s property causing flooding.

Tyrone’s Council is unconcerned about a GBI investigation that revealed former mayor Sheryl Lee authorized payments of employee benefits in violation of the law in 2007. The report shows Tyrone’s Council adopted a Payment Plan in 1997 that only allowed leave to be accrued by employees up to 30 days on a “Use It” or “Lose It” basis. Upon resignation or termination employees may be paid for up to 30 days or 240 hours annual leave. Comp Time is supposed to be paid every two weeks, up to a maximum of 80 hours or 10 days, per year.

Tyrone Removes Bad Memory of Old Council. Now that Tri-angle park has been changed to Veterans Memorial Park, citizens no longer have to look at that plaque honoring Barry Amos, Valerie Fowler, Sheryl lee, Paul Letourneau and Michael Smola.

News you will never hear from Tyrone or Newspapers.

Tyrone has lost its motion to quash a lawsuit brought 3 years ago by resident Winnie Anderson. The suit was brought because Tyrone Mgr Barry Amos approved development plans for Wielands’ Estates Subdivision that dumped drain water onto Ms. Anderson’s property causing damage estimated at over $27,000.

Fayette District Attorney Scott Ballard has asked the Georgia Bureau of Investigation for a criminal probe into Tyrone’s finances. GBI Agent Larry Duen went to Tyrone last December and is continuing this year to examine records and interview past and present Tyrone officials. Duen said he has already talked to previous Town Managers Barry Amos & Valerie Caldwell. Ex Mayor Sheryl Lee was also interviewed. D. A. Ballard asked the GBI to center its investigation around the $36,000 in vacation pay that Ms. Caldwell paid to herself and Amos in Nov. & Dec. 2007 under the old Council’s watch. Mayor Lee was alleged to have given Caldwell authorization to write the checks contrary to the Employee Payment Plan. Agent Duen said the investigation could take 4-5 months; and when complete the findings will be sent to the Fayette D.A. to decide if any criminal indictments are appropriate under the law. The Tyrone Council had refused to do its own investigation and have egg on their faces, trying to hide the GBI investigation from their citizens. Let this embarrassment be a lesson to all elected officials to stop secrecy in government and let the people know what is going on.

The Tyrone Police have finished their 3 month comprehensive criminal investigation into the alleged misappropriation of public funds. The Police report has been sent to District Attorney Scott Ballard. After former Town Clerk Valerie Caldwell testified to Council last June 10 that Mayor Sheryl Lee gave her permission to pay herself and Town Manager Barry Amos $36,000 in accrued vacation pay in clear violation of the Payment Plan Ordinance, an investigation into the matter began in late July. The D.A.’s report includes an internal review of the employee payment plan and audit of other records. When the Tyrone Council refused to safeguard taxpayers’ money, the Police were brought in. The report has not yet been made public.

The budget includes $140,000 for legal fees to the McNally Law Firm. But there is no allowance for outside legal fees for the Whalen Law firm who defends the Town against lawsuits. Currently, there are 3 known lawsuits being handled by Whalen, the zoning ordinance suit, the police woman suit and the Whinny Anderson suit.

The answer is YES, according to George Van Leuven of the Georgia Municipal Assoc., if the money was taken without legal authority.

The Tyrone Police Dept has begun an official investigation of the misappropriated funds reported at the June 10 Council hearing according to a letter sent out by Chief Perkins on July 30. The Town Council had earlier tried to sweep the mess under the rug. Incredibly, the Council had decided to allow the citizens money to be taken without investigations until a citizen’s complaint was made to Police.

A citizen’s complaint has been filed with the Tyrone Police asking for a GBI investigation into public funds that were allegedly taken by former employees in violation of Tyrone Regulations. Ex Town Clerk Valerie Fowler Caldwell paid herself and Ex Town Mgr Barry Amos a total of $36,000 in Nov & Dec 2007 according to public records. A thorough citizens investigation shows these funds were taken in violation of the employees payment plan. Town Officials have admitted the funds were taken but have refused to investigate the legalities. Ms. Fowler-Caldwell said, ex-mayor Sheryl Lee authorized the checks for vacation pay. No one at Town Hall has bothered to ask Mayor Lee about this but the ordinances do not give the mayor nor any one else the authority to use taxpayers’ money for this kind of personal use. The complaint also alleges that the Fair Labor Standards Act was violated by paying employees straight time instead of time and a half for overtime. Some employees have asked the Town about this and got the usual put-off of “we will have to look into this”. Officials have known it’s true for months.

Does Tyrone really intend to keep the taxpayers from knowing whether or not public funds were improperly taken by employees? If money was not improperly taken, then the citizens should be told that, so rumors won’t fly. If money was taken, then the guilty parties should be prosecuted. One rumor going around is that the Council doesn’t want to prosecute because the guilty parties might hire a lawyer; then the town would have to spend legal defense funds and cost the taxpayers more money. Not if they’re guilty.

At the May 8 Planning Workshop, lawyer Davenport explained how Tyrone could raise taxes for downtown residents. He said it could be done by creating a Tax Allocation District (TAD) as part of the downtown redevelopment plan. First, the council has to pass a resolution designating the downtown area as a special tax district. Barry tried to do this last year but the election interfered. The new council will now go forward with Barry’s plan. Every residential home and business property will pay the increased taxes. Tyrone can then issue bonds or borrow money pledging your property taxes for security to pay back the borrowed funds. It’s a sneaky way of reducing the deficit and so complex that only a lawyer can fully understand. State usury laws don’t apply, so the citizens can be charged exorbitant interest rates. See O.C.G.A. 36-44-8 for the complex details.

On June 5, Tyrone’s council went into their Secret Executive Session to discuss two new “threats” of lawsuits. The only information citizens received was that the lawyers were instructed to moved forward. What does that mean, who might sue, and why? People don’t sue for no good reason. They sue because their government has refused to help.

After 10 years of restrictive zoning laws, our government has finally succeeded in closing down Tyrone Hardware Company. In 1997 Hardware owner and President of the Tyrone Business Assoc., Frank Mortell wrote a prophetic letter to the businesses. The letter said: “In an effort to save our businesses, we have got to band together to prevent their death”. The subject was our current zoning law that Council was trying to pass that would eliminate land uses for business property in connection with downtown redevelopment with the purpose of “eliminating logical businesses”.

The Bill would mandate locally appointed Ethics Boards to monitor every City and County Government and School Board for violations of ethics. Proponents of the Bill say its overdue because citizens with complaints have no way of being recognized without filing a lawsuit. Local Government Officials often ignore complaints and this was always the case with past Tyrone Officials. Opponents of the Bill are of course Government Officials who don’t want to be held accountable. Most Governments have Ethics laws but no vehicle to enforce them. Tyrone previously had a Citizens Complaint Board and lawsuits were minimal, but when Barry Amos became Town Manager, the Board was eliminated. Citizens are now limited to blogging and suing as their only outlet. Tyrone’s Council should take it upon themselves to reenact an Ethics Board. Appointments could be approved by majority Council vote. Better still, make the Board a 3 member elected office. As with Bill 372, the Ethics Board would have subpoena powers to investigate valid complaints and make recommendations to the Council, who would still have the final say so on punishment. Mayor Rehwaldt, please take the lead in proposing an Ethics Board to Council.

The Town Council voted in Executive Session January 24 to refuse to discuss repeal of the Old Council’s damaging Zoning Ordinances that illegally deleted your property uses. This action was not made public at the meeting or in the minutes. In essence, the lawyers were given the go ahead to defend these ordinances as far as they could go. What ever happened to the election campaign promises?

Just opened in Tyrone. I wish them great success. They should be thankful that Amos and the old government is no longer in power. Otherwise, the Spezzano family would be investing their money, hopes and dreams in a town whose government might pass ordinances without notice that would take away delis as a permitted use for downtown redevelopment and destroy the Spezzano’s business. Like they did to so many other businesses that are still suffering from ordinance 454. They won’t have to worry about Smola sneaking around the parking lot and his wife & her buddies coming in criticizing the businesses like she did at the antique shop, or Barry inspecting the herb shop without identifying himself trying to find some reason to refuse a business license. But beware, ordinance 454 and many other destructive laws are still on the books and Valerie is still the one who decides who and who cannot operate a business in Tyrone.

On December 22, the front page of the Tyrone Citizen printed the story "Walker Bros is victorious in lawsuit." The Fairburn City Council had denied walker a business permit. Brad Sears, also Tyrone's Attorney represented Fairburn, arguing that Walker did not follow administrative remedies. That's the same defense he's using in the case of Shelley vs. Tyrone except that Tyrone's Council has denied numerous licenses, when they don't even have a business license law. Tyrone has fraudulently used an Occupational Tax as a Business License. The Citizen Newspaper stated that the case was over before it started. The Judge ruled that Fairburn's actions were a "gross abuse of discretion", again the same complaint in the Tyrone lawsuit. The Judge also noted that Fairburn's Planning Commission presented no studies or facts for the Council to consider. Also, the same problem Tyrone has when they passed Ordinance No. 454. The Judge's ruling now leaves open a damage claim for Walker of Inverse Condemnation, a 5th Amendment taking of land uses without just compensation. The Courts have ruled that the measure of damages extends from the date of taking to the date the decision is ruled void. In Walker's case it is 4 months. In Tyrone's case its 4 years. Tyrone's damages can be computed to over $300,000 to date and increasing every day at the rate of over $6000 per month until Tyrone's Council repeals Ordinance 454; not for just the current lawsuit but for each and every business or property owner denied their land uses.

In just two short months Eric has gone from a well liked and respected man, who no one had any reason to doubt. What a shame, he slayed himself. I think Eric’s original intentions were good. But in his over-zealous attempts to further his political career, he made bad decisions. I sincerely hope that Eric will come forward and redeem himself by explaining all these questionable happenings. If Eric wins he will become, a minority of one on the Council. His every word and vote will be analyzed by the same people who have fought for years to change our government. If Eric had been fighting with us all along, he would have been a hands on favorite to support. We’re very sadden by events of the last two months. We very much admired the Eric Dial we used to know. Smola, Amos and all the rest who have made Tyrone government a mockery will be gone and Eric will be alone in the crowd.

These people like Mark Darrow and Thomas Webb who are spreading religious hatred and lies directed at Don Rehwaldt never stopped to think who else they are trashing. Many of Tyrone’s residents who attend the First Baptist Church will remember Keith & Jill Stell. Keith is an ordained minister who worked with youth group, preached sermons, and did religious counseling to many Tyrone citizens at First Baptist Church. Jill is my daughter and their children Ben, Abby & Hannah are my grandchildren. I’m quite sure they don’t support your brand of religion of trashing Don Rehwaldt. I support Don Rehwaldt and know him well as a friend and a person who is not a politician but a true representative of all people including both of you & Smola. He will work with all of you when elected. Mr. Darrow & Mr. Webb, I’m one of the people who had their property rights taken away by our government, which in essence is stealing from Keith, Jill, Ben, Abby & Hannah as well as my 90 year old disabled mother, the grand mother of Jill & great grandmother of the children. By the way, I have a Master’s Degree in Religious Counseling from Jerry Falwell’s Liberty University. What church do you two attend and what are your religious credentials, Mark Darrow & Thomas Webb?

Finally, there is an honest person in Tyrone who has brought back the petition that was stolen from Tyrone Tire Co. Thank you for being honest. We believe that you were used by the thief, who has duped you into becoming a co-conspirator to a felony. The thief must be prosecuted because stealing is wrong and we must stop all this criminality in Tyrone’s democratic process if we are ever going to have a decent government. We already know who the suspects are. Don’t allow these people to drag you into a crime. Call 770 486-6065 and tell me who the real thieves are. They will be prosecuted and I don’t want them to blame it on you. This is going to come out, one way or the other. Anyone having knowledge needs to also call so that you won’t be part of it also.

When Barry Amos in 2002 told 14 year Town employee Tammie Brock, that she could either resign or she would be fired and a bad report put in her file for reference in getting another job:

Tyrone Councilman Michael Smola, who is running for Mayor against Don Rehwaldt, can't find many citizens who will let him put up his signs.

Tyrone Mayoral Candidate Michael Smola talks about the Alliance as though they are not worthy of being citizens. Actually Mr.

The candidates were not asked any questions about the budget, which has many discrepancies. I would like to thank Don Rehwaldt for spending many unpaid hours to review the budget.

Not withstanding the Constitutional Right to Freedom of Religion and the Establishment clause of Separation of church and State, Smola and Amos got one of their lackeys to attack Don Rehwaldt on his Rights to Freedom of Religion at the Candidate Forum.

You can tell when candidates for political office are behind in the polls. They start trashing their opponent. Intelligent voters recognize these nasty tactics.

The Tyrone candidates' forum was a resounding sucess. The forum provided voters with clear choices. The old government of Michael Smola for Mayor and Ex-Planning Commission members Ken Matthews & Jesse Nasianceno stuck by their past destructive ordinances of taking away property rights, high density development with sewer and strong support of Town Managers Barry Amos & Valerie Fowler.