I attended the Board of Commissioners’ meeting on Feb. 9, 2006. A group of Boy Scouts was in attendance. Greg Dunn took the opportunity to pontificate on the various aspects of the political process used by the Board of Commissioners.
When it came time to discuss the portion of the agenda labeled “Public Comment,” he indicated that that portion of the agenda was set aside for the public to be heard on various issues of concern to them, except for those items on that night’s agenda.
I hope the Boy Scouts understood that what this really meant was the Board of Commissioners have absolutely no interest in hearing what the public has to say on any issue whatsoever.
If you can’t speak on an issue listed on the public agenda on the night that the issue is heard, what’s the use of having the public comment period at all?
In fact, why not just do away with all Commission meetings and have the commissioners meet face to face with all the land developers coming into Fayette County? The land developers are the only folks the Board of Commissioners care about.
There was another item on the agenda that night. A serious ethics allegation was lodged by me against the current finance director, Mark Pullium, regarding his apparent condoning of and participation in the abuse of the county’s credit card system to pay for lavish lunches that were supposed to be “business lunches.”
These abuses ultimately led to the dismissal of the former county administrator. The finance director should be the one setting the highest ethical standards in using taxpayer money and he failed to do that.
Yet the Board of Commissioners did not discuss any aspect of the ethics allegation against Mr. Pullium. They took a vote and decided it did not have any merit.
Despite the credit card abuses – which I remind you means your taxpayer money — two years ago, no changes have been made to the official guidebook that covers the county’s purchase card (credit card) program.
Wouldn’t you think that the finance director would immediately issue a directive that the purchase card guidebook be updated to prevent any further abuses involving so-called “business lunches”?
Folks, it’s time to get rid of all the current members of the Board of Commissioners. As time goes forward, please take the time to find out about any and all candidates who come forward to challenge the incumbent members of this current board. They have displayed a consistent pattern of indifference to downright arrogance towards many of the citizens of this county. It’s time for them to go.
Marc Rogers
Fayetteville, Ga.