I would like to respond to a couple of recent letters published in The Citizen regarding campaign signs.

When making the decision to run for the office of sheriff more than a year ago, I considered many things and their impact on my family. I knew of the complexities in not only seeking elected office, but the daunting task it would be to fill the shoes of Sheriff Johnson. I am equal to the task.

A citizen recently wrote a letter to the local newspapers. He raised questions that deserve to be addressed.

The topic concerned the minutes of County Commission meetings, and it applies to other meetings of official commissions and committees.

In response to Ms. Cox’s recent media statements regarding CRCT results: I agree with raising the bar for our children, as long as you are committed to them and their needs.

“I’m re-enlisting for a second tour of duty.” Those are the words of District Attorney Scott Ballard after paying the qualification fee to seek re-election.

June 5th, 1933 — The United States abandoned the gold standard; 75 years later, this June 5, 2008, we the people of the United States declare a state of emergency, and instate a 10-day bank holiday.

If the arrest of Mr. Rodney Pendleton, owner of 54 Tattoos, is as indicated in the online issue of The Citizen, May 22, it didn’t take long for Mr. Pendleton’s true colors to come out.

I participated in the Peachtree City International Triathlon on Saturday, May 17, 2008. I want to say thank you to Tri4Gold (the non-profit organization based in Peachtree City) for putting on such a wonderful race.

The air was filled with excitement as a large group of World War II veterans and volunteers of Fayette County met at the First United Methodist Church of Fayetteville on May 14 for breakfast and a trip to Washington, D.C., to view the WWII Memorial.

I spoke with [Peachtree City] Mayor Harold Logsdon and [Fayetteville] Mayor Ken Steele today, as well as Councilman Larry Dell.

This letter is in response to a letter to the editor published last week in The Citizen concerning Fayette County Tax Commissioner George Wingo. I do appreciate the followup article by The Citizen questioning one of the baseless assertions contained in the letter. I am happy to assure you and your readers that George did not seek to increase his paycheck.

This letter addresses a front page article in the May 14, 2008 issue of The Citizen newspaper.

Commission Robert Horgan suggests that I may have an “ethical issue” with a campaign contribution I received in 2006. He is referring to a $2,000 contribution from attorney Tommy Craig who was instrumental in securing the federal and state permits for Lake Horton and Lake McIntosh.

Attention, Fayette County citizens: We have a problem.

On May 14, 2008, it was announced that the quarter-billion-dollar Fischer Crossing retail development just west of Peachtree City may be close to getting its stamp of approval from the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA).

The campaign season is in full swing, with only seven weeks left until the people of Fayette County choose their next sheriff. People understand the important role the sheriff plays in the county, and there is a great deal of interest, and even excitement, surrounding this particular race.

As a Fayette County resident, I am highly motivated to participate as a voter in the coming elections for Fayette County sheriff and other offices.

I am so happy to see that these veterans will get to visit their monument, their memorial to the valor they displayed on so many battlefields. They are the true monuments to World War II; they are the soul of our democracy.

To the person who stated, “Lacrosse, a great game for girls and boys too frail to play football”: Your incompetence to the game of lacrosse is extraordinary.

A recent Free Speech letter caught my eye because it stated that lacrosse was a great game for “girls and boys too frail for football.”

I would like to respond to the letter to the editor regarding funeral processions. As a funeral director, this is something that greatly concerns me.

To the nameless Free-Speecher who suggested that certain professionals in our community seek employment at fast-food chains should their seniority be compromised: First, your comment bears no merit because you lacked the courage to attach your name to it. You are a coward, plain and simple.

This is a rebuttal to Ms. Pitts’ response (“In defense of filling swimming pools during drought”) in the May 7 edition of The Citizen. She presented a response to my letter concerning water restrictions that was in the previous week’s edition.

The Fayette County Humane Society would like to extend our sympathy to Corinne Harrington, whose cat Frick was maliciously killed by an arrow. Some of our donors would like to offer a reward for information leading to an arrest of the monster who did this.

I am pleased to announce my intention to seek re-election as member of Fayette County Board of Education for Post 2.

I am a 29-year resident of Fayette County, having moved here with my parents, Tony and Linda Smith, as a teenager. I graduated from Fayette County High School in 1982. My husband, Chip Smith, graduated from Fayette County High School in 1979. (Yes, I was a Smith before I married a Smith.) We have been married for almost 20 years, have three teenaged children attending Fayette public schools, and live in Brooks.

My name is Mark Aasen and I am running for the Fayette County Board of Education, Post 3. I would like to introduce myself and the reasons why I am running, and what I hope to bring to the position.

It is my pleasure to seek re-election to Post 1 of the Fayette County Board of Education. I have served this county over the past eight interesting and challenging years.

After many wonderful years of serving the citizens of Fayette County as judge of the Probate Court, the Honorable Martha Stephenson has decided to retire on Dec. 31, 2008. The election to determine the next probate judge of Fayette County will commence with the Republican Primary to be held on July 15, 2008.

I would like to inform the citizens of Fayette County about the method of recording county commission meetings. I was following up on a vote taken this past December concerning defined benefit plans. I searched on the county website for minutes of the meeting of Dec. 5 of last year and other meetings related to the county defined benefit plan proposal.

I read with somewhat confused interest the article in the April 30 Citizen entitled “Fayette supports regional transit.” I was not aware of the meeting alluded to in the article until two days after the fact. In speaking with several friends and neighbors, neither were they.

Last week our little cat went missing. We searched the neighborhood, called the animal hospitals and even went to the humane shelter, but couldn’t locate her.

Frick, a 1-year-old gray and white loving kitten, was frolicking outside, when suddenly an arrow pierced through his little body. With an arrow coming out of both sides of his midsection, Frick attempted to run back to his loving home on Ridgeview Court in Peachtree City, but [because of] loss of blood, had to lie down under a bush, where his life ended.

Due to the downturn of the economy and inability to obtain adequate funding, a decision was reached that we must close our doors as of May 1, 2008.