1. Given that there’s a serious economic recession and given that many — if not most — defined benefit plans are in trouble across the nation, explain your position on the county’s new retirement plan.

I am against a Defined Benefit Retirement Plan for the Fayette County employees. My answer is one that has been learned from experience. My wife and I lost most of our Defined Benefit Retirement Plans from Eastern Airlines. She will also experience a major reduction in her future retirement benefits due to a suspension of a Defined Benefit Retirement Plan at her current place of employment. I am now facing the possible loss of my Defined Benefit Retirement Plan at the former Airborne Express, now ABX Air in Wilmington, Ohio due to the situation with ABX Air, DHL and UPS.

An employee does not own his or her Defined Benefit Retirement Plan; it is subject to the courts. Defined Benefit Retirement Plans are an on going burden for administering the program, i.e. private business or governmental bodies. Our county government would be responsible for the program indefinitely which could result in a great financial burden to the county taxpayers in the future. On the other hand, an employee owns his or her Defined Contribution Retirement Plan and they are the masters of there own financial future. Investments within a Defined Contribution Retirement Plan are the responsibility of the employee which allows them to have control of their future retirement income. An employee can take his or her Defined Contribution Retirement Plan with them if they choose to change to another employer. Defined Contribution Retirement Plans are the way of the future.

2. Do you have any numbers on what such a plan will cost taxpayers in 10 years, 20 years? If you don’t have the numbers, why not and why should we believe your projections?

To change Fayette County’s retirement plan to a hybrid Defined Benefit Retirement – Defined Contribution Retirement Plan had its approval in a motion during the Fayette County Board of Commissioners meeting held on December 5, 2007. The motion passed with a vote 4 to 1.

There is Defined Benefit Plan Document (DF Plan Document) available to our citizens from the Staff of Fayette County. The office of Mr. Jack Krakeel, the Interim Fayette County Manager, has this document upon request. This document is an explanation of the Defined Benefit Retirement Plan (DBRP). Go to this website HYPERLINK "http://www.fayettecountyga.gov" www.fayettecountyga.gov to access the phone numbers of the county departments. You can then obtain information that is your concern, including the DB Plan Document.

I do not have the numbers for the DBRP because the Fayette County Board of Commissioners (BOC) has not approved the DB Plan Document at this date and time. The staff of the BOC has requested upon approval of this DB Plan Document a Request for Proposal (RFP) and if this is approved it will take about 90 days to complete.

3. Again, economic realities have forced many private sector businesses and families to forego raises and increased spending. Are county workers — with big new raises — exempt from what the rest of us are facing? Defend (or condemn) big raises using taxpayers’ money at such a time as this.

No they are not exempt. However employees of the county need to be paid a fair market wage for their service to our community. Also, they need to be able to contribute to their Defined Contribution Retirement Programs. This is the responsibility of the County Commissioners and I am willing to make the decisions to assure that Fayette County Employees are justly compensated for their service to our county. I attended the County Commission meeting last Thursday, June 26 and listened to Chairman Jack Smith’s explanation for the county employee raises. I can support this reasoning. The Fayette County Budget passed during this meeting so I do not condemn this action by our commissioners.

4. What specifically will you as a Republican do to ease taxpayers’ burdens when you are elected?
I will pay very close attention to the operation and expenses of each county department. The property owner, the tax payers, i.e. the citizens will have input to my elected office for their opinions to be considered. As an example, the cost of fuel is a strong factor in driving up the cost of our county government. We need to implement fuel conservation programs concerning the use of our county vehicles and to find alternate forms of cheaper transportation where we can.

5. Suppose I’m a real estate developer who wants to rezone 100 acres in the center of the county to double its current residential density. How will you evaluate my request, step by step? And how would your governing philosophy incline you to vote on my request? (If you can’t answer, why should anybody vote for you?)

Fayette County has a Land Use Plan and this provides for conservative growth for our county through approximately 2030 with periodic evaluations. The Land Use Plan is part of the Fayette County Comprehensive Plan and can be accessed at HYPERLINK "http://www.fayettecountyga.gov" www.fayettecountyga.gov . I would consider a request for changing the re-zoning of a property from AR zoning (Five Acre Minimum) very carefully. This would be considered with the best interest of all Fayette County citizens in mind. I will evaluate each request with consideration of the requirements of the Fayette County Land Use Plan which has planned growth in its structure. The structure of the Land Use Plan considers the infrastructure of our county i.e. county roads, water system, etc. We cannot over- stress this infrastructure, which is why we have a Land Use Plan. This is my governing philosophy. I will vote upon these requests with this as my guidance always considering what is in the best interest for Fayette County and our citizens.

As I campaign through out our county, meeting our citizens, this issue comes up quite often. If elected, as a Fayette County Commissioner, maintaining the quality of life in our county will be a top priority of my elected office.

6. How would you describe your political philosophy? Are you more conservative, more libertarian, or more moderate to centrist in your political views?

My political views are conservative. My political philosophy is simply stated. “The American Work Ethic”, I was raised being encouraged by my parents and extended family to “Be the Best You Can Be”. I was encouraged to follow my dreams and to work hard for them.

At times when my dreams were crushed I kept my hopes and dreams alive with prayer and hard work. I was a pilot for Eastern Airlines for seventeen years and when I lost my career there (March 4, 1989), I worked hard to find other flying jobs in the airline industry. I worked for Discovery Airlines in Honolulu (bankrupt), Midway Airlines in Chicago (bankrupt), and Ryan Airlines in Dayton, Ohio (end of a 6 month contract).

Refusing to quit, my hard work paid off. I was hired on August 2, 1991 by Airborne Express (Night Freight Air Carrier) in Wilmington, Ohio. By God’s grace I was awarded a pilot bid for training as a Captain with Airborne Express on the Nippon YS-11 in the first 5 days of my employment. A big Turbo-prop (you should have heard the sound of those engines and seen those turbo-props spin); this was the aircraft no one wanted because it was not a jet. The YS-11 was my command, my dream re-established. By the way, the employees of Airborne Express were some of the greatest people I have ever known. Airborne Express owned and operated an airport, which is about the size of the Atlanta Hartsfield Jackson International Airport, in the corn fields of Wilmington, Ohio. Airborne Express, “what a Flying Club” and I got to work there! My aviation career was restored with hard work and putting my feet to my prayers. My family then was able to prosper in their futures here in Fayette County.

For those of you who are facing hard times, I have been there. Keep your positive attitude, put your feet to your prayers, don’t ever quit, and your dream is just around the corner. I have a deep compassion for people when they fear for their personal well being for themselves and their families.

7. In what area of service is the county most falling short right now? What would you do about that failure?

An area of service that needs attention is the “Meals on Wheels” program. I learned this in a Fayette County Commissioner’s Work Shop meeting on June 4, 2008. The Fayette Senior Center is a hybrid Fayette County service. The Senior Service Center is supported by Fayette County funding. The county owns the property and the building. “Meals on Wheels” is funded by Fayette County. Executive Director, Brenda Brit, of the Senior Services Center gave a presentation concerning the facilities progress since moving from 390 Lee Street in Fayetteville.

In the above presentation, Ms Brit, brought to the Commissioner’s attention the problem facing the “Meals on Wheels” program. The rising cost of gasoline is impacting this program due to the fact that the volunteers must use their own automobiles for this service. The fuel costs are affecting their ability to volunteer. My wife is involved with “Meals on Wheels” near her place of employment and she also uses her personal car for this service.

To help with this situation our nation’s fuel costs need to be lowered. This is a national issue that affects our citizens here in Fayette County on a local basis. Coal gasification, with our nations near indefinite coal supplies, needs to be addressed with a National Energy Independence Program.

What can I do as a county commissioner to promote a National Energy Independence Program? John Adams said, “Let us dare to read, write, think, and speak”. What can any citizen do to effect policy in our local, state, and national government? This is how - Your Citizen Voice “The Power of Our American Democracy” - we can all be involved with our government at every level! Let us as people develop ideas, find ways to solve our problems, and then direct our elected representatives to act accordingly for the common good. This is how our American system of government operates. I have known this to be true from first hand experience.

So, while developing our coal reserves, we, with our American ingenuity, can then develop other environmentally safe sources of energy, and in the process develop environmentally friendly clean air propulsion systems for our automobiles.

This may sound to far reaching for our local needs concerning the “Meals on Wheels” program. However, if our nation had adopted a National Energy Independence Program since the last energy crisis in 1973 our seniors in need of personal volunteer care would not be in jeopardy today.

To help the “Meals on Wheels” program now, I would like to bring awareness of this need to attract a larger volunteer pool of people who have the financial ability to participate in this valuable program. My parents lived into their 90’s and at times in their lives “Meals on Wheels” provided assistance to them.

8. Why are you better for Fayette County than your opponent?

I believe I am the better candidate to serve our citizens for Fayette County Commissioner Post 2 because of the following:

I can and will be more accessible to our citizens. This accessibility will be accomplished via my web-site HYPERLINK "http://www.bobfuhrman.com" www.bobfuhrman.com which I will maintain at my own personal expense to communicate my positions to our citizens. This web-site also has a home office business number with voice mail and a personal e-mail address for the citizen’s ability to contact me.

I will carefully study the issues before our County Commission meetings and listen to the Citizen Voice of our county residents to formulate my decisions before I vote. I will always have the best interest of Fayette County and our citizens in mind when I am voting.

When asked a question either by a private citizen or in a public hearing I will directly answer the question as honestly and to the point as I can; never avoiding the issue. I am attaching the context of what transpired at the Kiwanis Forum of last Tuesday night, June 24, 2008, held in Fayetteville at the Sams Auditorium.

On Tuesday night, June 24, I had the opportunity to be part of a candidate forum hosted by the Metro Fayette Kiwanis Club. This forum was held at the Sams Auditorium in Fayetteville for the candidates running for the office of County Commissioner. For those of you who were unable to attend I want to convey to you what happened concerning a question that I directed to my opponent Herb Frady. Each candidate had the opportunity to ask a question to any of the candidates in the forum. I choose to ask my opponent the following. I am paraphrasing from my memory as to what was specifically said. However, I am very clear as to what the context of the following represents as to the fact of this matter.

I said, “Herb concerning the motion at the County Commissioner’s meeting of December 5, 2008 to change the retirement program for Fayette County Employees from a Defined Contribution Plan to a hybrid Defined Benefit - Defined Contribution plan, how did you vote for this motion? Did you vote “For or Against” this motion? All I asked, in my question to Herb Frady, was “how did you vote, For or Against”? Herb did not answer this question.

I am copying the motion from this December 5, 2005 meeting of the Fayette County Commissioners for your consideration as citizens and voters. I copied this motion word for word from the audio copy of the minutes of the December 5, 2007 Fayette County Commissioners meeting.

Fayette County Commissioners’ Defined Benefit Plan Motion and Vote December 5, 2007

Maxwell proposed - Horgan seconded To Change the Counties Retirement Plan from a single, Defined Contribution Plan to a hybrid plan that includes a Defined Benefit Plan and a Defined Contribution Plan, and to further authorize the Chairman and the County Administrator to develop a contract to be voted on by the full board for the new retirement plan and a committee be formed to review the plan on a quarterly basis to determine the status with said plan becoming effective July 1st 2008 or as soon as practical.

Chairman Jack Smith – For
Vice Chairman Herb Frady – For
Commissioner Robert Horgan For
Commissioner Eric Maxwell – For
Commissioner Peter Pfeifer – Against

As previously mentioned, Herb Frady did not answer my question. He just spoke about his opinion concerning this motion and when given the opportunity to re-direct a question to me he was interrupted and stopped by the forum’s monitor. This was because he was not asking me a question. He was only continuing to voice his opinion. Then he, Herb Frady, turned to me and said, “I am not going to lose any sleep over this because Bob Fuhrman does not understand this motion”. You as citizens are probably wondering what he meant by this statement, as I do. I believe that by making this statement he was not only patronizing me, but all the citizens and voters of Fayette County.

I only asked Herb how he voted, “For or Against”, this motion. I, Bob Fuhrman, certainly can understand “For or Against”. Herb Frady voted “For” the December 5, 2007 motion. This to change the Counties Retirement Plan for the employees of Fayette County to a Hybrid Defined Benefit – Defined Contribution Plan which could place Fayette County at great financial risk in the future.

I presented the question to Herb Frady concerning his vote on the December 5, 2007 motion because of the following situation. On Monday night, June 23, in the forum for County and Tax Commissioners, held at the Fayetteville Public Library, and earlier in the Kiwanis forum, he specifically said he was against the Defined Benefit Retirement Plan and that the current Defined Contribution Retirement Plan was the best one for the Fayette County Employees. There have been three votes concerning this Hybrid Defined Benefit - Defined Contribution Retirement Plan controversy. The first on December 5, 2005 (the above motion), the second, on February 6, 2008, to Request for Actuarial Assistance (this was prepared by Mr. Clark Weeks of WRS Benefits) and the third vote on April 2, 2008 to have Mr. Clark Weeks of WRS Benefits develop a Legal Plan. From this Legal Plan the Fayette County Commissioners now have a completed Defined Benefit Plan Document. The staff of the Board of Commissioners is recommending that a Request for Proposal be the next phase of this process which will take approximately 90.

On the three dates above Herb Frady voted the following; on December 5, 2008 “For”, on February 6, 2008 “For” and on April 2, 2008 “Against”. Herb Frady voted two times “For” --- before he voted “Against” motions concerning the Hybrid Defined Benefit- Defined Contribution Retirement Plan!

The matter that concerns me the most is the vote on December 5, 2007. This was a vote on a motion before a deliberating body of elected Fayette County Commissioners. Its passage began the process which has brought our citizens and taxpayers to the present position of having a Defined Benefit Plan Document and implementation is close at hand. I feel the Hybrid Defined Benefit - Defined Contribution retirement plan is not in the best interest of our taxpayers and it is not in the best interest of our Fayette County Employees.

I asked Herb Frady, “How did you vote on the December 5, 2007 motion”? He did not answer my question. I am perfectly capable of discerning the merits of a motion. I can and will represent our citizens if they choose to elect me as their next Fayette County Commissioner for Post 2.

The above reasons are why I am the better choice for Fayette County Commissioner Post 2 in the Republican primary on July 15, 2008. Bob Fuhrman

9. What are the biggest three challenges facing Fayette right now? What will you do about these three challenges?

1. Public Safety
2. Managing the growth in Fayette County to maintain our quality of life.
3. Keeping our property taxes from escalating out of control.
Public Safety is a major concern of mine and should be on the top of every citizen’s agenda. We only need to look at Liberty Baptist Church as our most recent foray with the criminal elements of our society. I will support our law enforcement giving our sheriff’s and marshal’s departments the tools and the support they need to modernize their effort to stop this outright and blatantly disrespectful behavior from these lawless individuals. I will be available to communicate with our law enforcement officials if I am elected to the Fayette County Board of Commissioners and will convey what I learn to our citizens.

Managing the Growth in Fayette County to maintain our quality of life will be adhered to by following the Fayette County Comprehensive Plan which contains the Land Use Plan. There is growth programmed in these county directives and I will pay very close attention to these plans when considering appropriate zoning requests brought before the Fayette County Commission.

Keeping our property taxes from escalating out of control is a major reason I choose to seek election to the Fayette County Commission. We are in an economic downturn. An effort from all of our citizens will be required to find the best methods to run our county from an economic perspective. I show below the process of how our county taxes are collected because I feel we all need to be informed about this process before we can take the necessary steps together to keep them from escalating out of control.

Local Government “Good Government Starts Here”
As we all know and feel there is a downward force on our economy. Housing values, sales of goods and services are in a downward trend. Along with this economic downward pressure is the rising cost of energy.

The county generates its tax revenue mainly from sales taxes and from property taxes. Taxes from the sales of goods and services are an individual citizen’s decision as their determination to buy or sell is a personal decision.

The County Board of Commissioners establishes the budget for the fiscal year. Each fiscal year property valuations are assessed by the County Board of Assessors. The assessed property valuations are compiled in the tax digest. The County Board of Assessors then submits the tax digest to the County Tax Commissioner to begin the initial billing process for our property taxes. The tax digest is then sent from the County Tax Commissioner to the State Department of Revenue for their legal and financial approval. When the State Department of Revenue approves the tax digest, the approved tax digest is used by the County Board of Commissioners to establish the millage rate. The millage rate up or down establishes the monetary requirement for the budget. The County Tax Commissioner then collects tax revenue from our property taxes.

I am committed to keeping our property taxes from escalating out of control. I am committed to making sure every tax dollar we spend is used in the most economically frugal and responsible manner. As a Fayette County resident and home owner I am concerned that our property taxes do not become the sole source of revenue to solve the problems of the general economy. I will spearhead community involvement to find initiatives to find the ways to keep our property taxes going up in a knee jerk reaction to our present economic environment.

To maintain our good standard of living in Fayette County, community involvement in the decisions affecting our lives needs to become even more focused. I am running for Fayette County Commissioner Post 2 because I am concerned, as you are, about our future. I will be listening to your views as to how to develop effective courses of action for the overall common good of our community.

If I am elected, to be on The Fayette County Board of Commissioners, I will maintain this web site www.bobfuhrman.com at my own expense to make myself available to the voice of our citizens.

As people and citizens we can do great things if we work together and continue to stay involved with our community. My experience from living and raising my family here in Fayette County for the past twenty years has shown me that we are committed people and citizens.