Coweta | News

Sharpsburg, Senoia ready for a super Tuesday

Thu, 11/01/2007 - 3:31pm
By: John Thompson

Residents in eastern Coweta’s municipalities head to the polls Tuesday to decide five races in two cities.

In Sharpsburg, voters will decide between Connie Turner and Larry Hyde for the Council Post 1 position and incumbent Standly Parten and Gordy Anderson in the Post 2 race. In Post 3, former Mayor Wendell Staley faces off against Polly Garlington.

But the race that has garnered the most interest is the Senoia mayoral race that pits incumbent Mayor Robert Belisle against former Senoia city administrator Murray McAfee.

“I think one of the main issues is if you want to keep the economic development going on downtown,” said Belisle.

Belisle is proud of all the activity downtown, and said he believes he can continue adding a vibrancy to the city if he’s re-elected. The mayor also wants to continue the efforts of improving the city’s parks and recreation facilities and hopes to work on those issues during his second term.

During his tenure, Belisle points to improving the city’s planning and working on making City hall more efficient. He’s looking in to placing laptop computers into each of the city’s police cars to make the patrol officers more efficient.

One of the things that Belisle is most proud of is the city’s openness in dealing with the public.

“I have a complete open door policy. I’ve gotten residents the answers they were seeking,” he said.

Belisle’s challenger, Murray McAfee doesn’t quite see it that way. McAfee points to the afternoon meeting the city held with Coweta County and Reese Development to discuss the city’s acquisition of an additional two million gallons of wastewater treatment capacity. He also points to the city having a budget hearing in the city’s park at 7 p.m. and wonders if the city is doing everything to keep the public informed.

“To exclude the public is fundamentally wrong,” he said.

McAfee wants any involvement ended with any other entities that are looking to use the city’s treatment capacity. McAfee also wants firm numbers on how the city purchased the Pylant Street Park and vows to dig into the books if he’s elected to see how the taxpayers’ dollars are being spent.

McAfee also believes that continually approving quarter-acre lots could tax the city’s sewer system and wants to bring back truthfulness in government.

The polls are open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Tuesday.

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Should Senoia Elect a Loon?
Submitted by bellringer on Sat, 11/03/2007 - 4:20pm.

Murray McAfee has come completely unglued.

On the one hand, he complains that his signs are being stolen. On the other, he fails to mention that he's putting them on people's properties who don't support him... and they're taking them down not "stealing" them!

This of course has left him with no choice but to litter the city right of ways, and those of Rockaway Rd, SR16 and SR85 with dozens of signs, just stuck out in the middle of nowhere. I guess those represent the support of Senoia's voting worms, snakes, and rodents.

You'd have to look pretty hard to find a McAfee sign on an actual human being's property... and then after you consider whose property it is, it's fairly easy to grasp the meaning of the phrase, "In the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king".

As we all know, Murray's been canned from the jobs he brags make him 'most qualified' to be the mayor of Senoia... and that's the best he's got! Makes one wonder which 'qualifications' he's not telling us about.

Someone blogged about election advice in Senoia being a matter of "Voting one's intelligence" as a spin on the old addage, "Vote your conscience". I'd say that pretty much sums it up this year.

They say Senoia's election is really going to be a referendum on the downtown development underway (which is beautiful)... Senoia's election may in fact be a barometer of the town's collective IQ.

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McAfee Seeks Cuddly Cops
Submitted by Yee Ha on Sun, 11/04/2007 - 5:28pm.

Murray McAfee is setting the world on fire yet again with his latest campaign promise epiphany... "Friendlier Cops in Senoia".

Yes that's correct, McAfee feels that Senoia's finest are "too heavy handed" when it comes to doing their job... which... I believe (and correct me if I'm wrong) is LAW ENFORCEMENT!

It's a toss up as to whether or not this latest boat anchor of brilliance was forged in the mind of McAfee or his campaign manager/financier. While the idea has 'Murray-in-a-pinafore' written all over it, we do know that his chief handler was not appreciative of being busted for her recent DUI... and has it in for 'tough' cops in general.

In an effort to at least attribute ONE idea in this campaign to Murray, reading between the lines we can only assume that Mr. McAfee is looking for a 'gentler touch' from the boys in black. If he's elected, we're sure to be in for such sweeping changes as pink batons, furry handcuffs, and (without a doubt) an annual policemen's ball with Mr. McAfee headlining the entertainment by singing some stimulating showtunes.

After everyone reading this is finished throwing up, let's consider for a moment the fact that police are here enforce the law. Every bit of research shows that this is carried out most effectively when cops show 'zero tolerance' for law breakers. If the law breakers don't like that... GOOD!

Senoia's finest are doing an excellent job, and are doing it on a shoestring budget. Nevertheless, Mayor Belisle is committed to giving them the additional tools they need (i.e. the new K-9 dog units) while building the commercial tax base of Senoia in a controlled, responsible manner so that we as citizens may reap the benefit of improved services, lower crime, safer neighborhoods, all without increases to our residential taxes.

If Senoia isn't first and foremost safe and drug free, then all the other improvements will be meaningless. For Murray's sake, I'll spell it out... "T-H-A-T M-E-A-N-S T-O-U-G-H C-O-P-S!"

Sorry Murray, common sense wins again. Perhaps sewing 'cuddly cop' dolls in your basement is a better career choice. On the bright side, as your own boss, you won't have to worry about being fired!

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