FreeSpeech for 09-16-09

Tue, 09/15/2009 - 3:31pm
By: The Citizen

Bost Hogg, being the loser in court on the silly recall hearing, should not only have to pay lawyer fees but also pay for the judge. And by the way, why are we taxpayers paying extra for this other judge? We have judges on salary that should have heard the case. Why we paying

It is difficult to believe that Georgia law relating to recalls provides that Robert Horgan’s actions that resulted in an arrest must be connected to his official duties. Horgan was arrested for an expired tag and possession of marijuana (a misdemeanor) which occurred during Memorial Day weekend. The citizens (“We the People”) should be able to recall any elected county official for bad conduct whether or not connected to his/her official duties. Elected officials should be held to a higher standard of conduct, whether or not they are conducting official business. Possession of marijuana and driving with an expired tag are not like receiving a ticket for a single instance of improper parking or for inadvertently exceeding the speed limit by a few miles per hour, causing no harm to other people or property (although these violations should be noted and condemned, and if repetitive, they too should be treated as bad conduct). Georgia law needs to be amended so that the citizens can hold our elected officials to a higher standard.

In regards to the empty Wendy’s building in Fayetteville. You need to come to Peachtree City and see all the empty buildings we have, old and new. And guess what? I wonder who is to blame, the city council or the idiots who keep re-electing these people who are running our once “a great place to live” city into the ground.

Concrete median strips and traffic light islands located at intersections can be hard to see at night; especially when its raining. Could the folks responsible for roads in the cities and the county mark these obstructions with reflectors so they would be more easily seen? Thanks.

To the person who complained that Gloria Furr and Grace Caldwell did not keep their promise to update Shamrock Park: Ask Grace why she wanted to use that surplus money to put more mulch in the new Veterans Park. Gloria has been the one pushing for Shamrock Park, but she can’t do it by herself.

Someone needs to remind the recent venter who complained about walkers on the bike paths on Saturdays that pedestrians have the right of way. They have it every day of the week. And perhaps they crowd the paths because they’re tired of golf cart drivers of all ages not slowing down as a courtesy. This includes parents late in taking their children to school (obviously not on weekends, but the other days of the week) and golfers who don’t want to miss their tee times.

When you ask cyclists (as you ride in your car next to them), “Didn’t you miss a stop sign back there?” you get that patented answer, “We have our rights and the Georgia law says we can ride on public streets.” But the Georgia law says you have to yield to ALL the signs on those streets. If you think you aren’t doing this, just come to the corner of McIntosh Trail and Peachtree Parkway any Wednesday night or any Sunday morning and watch. I’ll stand with you and for everyone that stops, I’ll give you a dollar and for everyone that runs the stop sign, you give me one. I’ll bet at the end of the day, I can take my family to one nice restaurant at your expense. I’m on your side, Mr. Cyclist, but obey the law. Peachtree City police, if you need revenues, I challenge you to come to this same location any Wednesday night or Sunday morning and make your quota. Let me give the city fathers another revenue stream. I have to buy a $15 ugly yellow sticker and put it on my $7,500 golf cart. Why doesn’t this same cyclist have to buy the same sticker and put it on his bike? I vote yes for the same $15 ugly sticker to go on that bike! And lastly, I would support an education class at McIntosh High School in golf cart etiquette. Before any student gets a golf cart stickers to drive/park at McIntosh High School, they should HAVE to complete the cart education course at the school. Those students need to learn to “give one/take one” when they come to a tunnel.

My thanks to the person who can’t stand to see anyone have fun, so she complains to the city about a rope swing on Lake Peachtree near McIntosh Trail and the dam — and lives nowhere nearby. It’s so dangerous. That’ll keep those kids inside playing X-box, where they belong, instead of cooling off for a few minutes in the lake on a hot summer day.

Oh, no, the burn ban is off Sept. 30. The burn ban should be permanent. I’ve got a neighbor who is obsessed with burning. I hope he wets the bed every night that he plays with matches. Seems like he burns everyday that it is not raining. The neighborhood stinks most every day. Be a good neighbor and haul your yard waste off to the recycling center every Wednesday and Saturday.

Just finished reading Free Speech in regards to the poor job PTC’s new grass cutters are doing. The letter must have been from a former grass cutter. I have been complaining about the way our city employees did nothing to earn their salaries. So it really does my heart good to see the new grass service employees doing their work in an orderly and efficient manner. And I am also aware that there is always a supervisor monitoring the progress of work being performed. I have also seen the PTC Public Works Department, along with the Stormwater Department, doing what they do best on the project just north of Crosstown Road. What they do best is to take a pay check for doing as little as possible for it. Where are the supervisors who are in charge of these employees? Probably complaining about how overworked and underpaid they are. Look around you, PTC taxpayers, and see how much money is being wasted and ask your city manager what he is going to do about it besides trying to raise taxes. Why doesn’t he demand that city employees do their part and give the city an honest day’s work for an honest day’s pay? I personally believe that the majority of this city’s employees do what they want to do when they want to do it. Open your eyes and look around.

I hope everyone in PTC read the letter Don Haddix wrote in The Citizen a couple of weeks ago. He hit all of the important hot buttons, and I am sure that if he is elected mayor in November this fine city can look forward to the leadership and vision that we all want and deserve. Let’s all get out there, and let him know how much we support him and how willing we are to do what’s necessary to see him elected.

To the Obama defenders at RSMS: You say, “Act like a citizen and show a little respect.” Obama will receive my respect when he does something to earn my respect. Demanding respect and commanding respect are mutually exclusive. It’s Leadership 101. Look it up. It’s under Good Leadership. You don’t teach children how to respect, you show them. You give them a good example to follow. What example is he setting by bowing down to foreign Muslim government leaders? The U.S. President should bow to only One, but we haven’t seen that example from him yet.

Ah, September in Peachtree City. The beautiful sunsets and turning of the leaves. The rotten smell of burning damp leaves and grass. Surrounded on the paths, roadways and common areas in PTC with grass and weeds two feet tall. A place you used to love to call home. I won’t even get into discussing our city leaders.

When did it become legal to make a U-turn anywhere you so choose? When did it become okay for landscapers to blow grass clippings into the street for the municipality to clean up? When did it become okay to take your child out of school anytime you wish to take a vacation? When did it become okay for the owner of a RV lot to have it look like a junk yard and then when he does not like what the governing body (City Council) tells him about how he has to make it look like he decides to run for office along with his sister-in-law. Do they not realize that they will have to recuse themselves if a decision comes up concerning their own property? Clean up your RV lot, take down your banner and put up a real sign. Have you ever heard the saying, “Play by the rules or go home”? Guess not.

What is happening to our beleaguered country? I despair for any prospects of peace and social justice when I see so many right-wingers sending their children to fundamental religious schools — institutions that deny sound science (everything from evolution to global warming) and promote a narrow, self-righteous view of the world. Social Darwinism with its theories of entitlement for the “fittest” (translation: mentally and morally superior) is more dangerous than any socialist agenda that these parents might imagine is threatening our future. These are the same Neanderthals who will keep their kids home from school rather than have them be exposed to our President’s TV address regarding the value of education. (It was fine when G.H.W. Bush and Ronald Reagan made similar speeches in the recent past. What is different now? Could there be a racist element in this vitriol?) These are the same “patriots” who rant and rave at tea parties, protesting the rising taxation we must all now bear due to eight years of G.W. Bush’s inept leadership, his disastrous war, and a decade of personal greed and corporate capitalism run amok. These are the same rabble-rousers who will sabotage our desperately needed healthcare reform. They have no understanding of the problems, let alone the solutions. But then it is not solutions they are after. They simply want to shout down reasonable dialogue and preserve the status quo, i.e., their own privileged position in this sick society. Where is the cure for this paranoia, the likes of which we have not seen since the good old McCarthy era? Take a tranquilizer and stop watching Fox News — that’s my first suggestion to the radical right-wingers. Sign up for some courses in world history, comparative religions, and philosophy. Do something to start stretching your narrow world view. You are threatening our very survival as a nation.

To the freaked-out protesters of a public option to the private healthcare insurance system: You might want to do a little reading. Start with the history of our Post Office, for example. Read the scare tactics that were employed by private express companies prior to 1913 when domestic parcel post service was finally ushered in. (Socialism! Disastrous to private enterprise! The end of democracy as we know it!) The result, of course, was quite the opposite. Government parcel post service was a boon to business and individuals across the land. History does have a way of repeating itself .

Don Haddix (aka Mr. Flintstone): I read your very long article indicating your reasons for running for mayor. Right around paragraph 7 or 8, you suggested, quite directly, that you were more qualified than Cyndi Plunkett because she was a working mother, and wouldn’t have time to do the job of mayor, even though she indicated she would quit that job (as a lawyer) should she be elected. Are you crazy? Do you not get it? You’ve just alienated 50 percent of the constituency by suggesting that women cannot perform adequately if they are also mothers. We can work harder, smarter, faster and more efficiently than many. We are in tune with our families, our community and our workplaces. Please return to your spaceship immediately and transport back to Bedrock where you belong.

When is the county going to wake up at the corruption going on at Whitewater High School? Two teachers arrested in a prostitution sting. Previously, a teacher was arrested for inappropriate contact (via texting) with a student, an assistant principal arrested for DUI on a golf cart, and a coach accused of housing out of county students in order to play football. What’s going on, Mr. Stillions? Maybe you should pay more attention to the quality of staff you have at your school rather than on your complete focus on your football team’s record.

I am a junior at Fayette County High School, and as anyone with a student in Fayette County schools will know, I have many friends at other schools, specifically Whitewater High. I’m well aware of the story concerning the two teachers being arrested, and the controversy surrounding it. I’ve heard nothing but praise for these people, and what genuine, caring teachers they seem to be. Many have expressed that these two should be returned to their jobs and allowed to continue inspiring our young adults through music, but the fact is that they made a decision that has tarnished their reputations. As students, our lives have been filled with teachers telling us to be responsible for our actions and accept the consequences. For example; a student writes a note in class, gets caught, and has a detention. The student acted, and now must face the consequences. The student may earn straight A’s, be a tutor, be president of the French club, and have already earned all of their Beta Club hours, but that does not affect the fact that they must serve this detention. I do not personally know these teachers, but I respect their willingness to cooperate with the law. The law is a strict teacher.

The radio pundits, the tea partiers, the grand old partiers and everyday citizens in Fayette County have collectively decided not to accept our duly elected president simply because he is a black man. It is obvious that the “Don’t tread on Me-ers,” the protesters who cry, “Too much government, too many liberal policies, don’t talk to my children in school,” are driven by the same mean sentiments about our president. Namely that he is “too black” to govern them, too black to respect, (ergo, he is always referred as Obama, never President Obama and idiots in Congress insult him from the floor of the house), too black to be commander in chief of the military, too black to be a real American citizen, too black to know how to lead this country. So small-minded people turn to radio heads for their direction and leadership. The world is watching and planning and plotting — what next in the U.S., a coup? Will you people just continue to refuse to accept this leader and secede? Will South Carolina and Georgia lead the way? Will anarchy become the new rule of the land? Get over it! The Honorable Barack Obama is the President of the United States and as such deserves your respect and loyalty. Admit it, he has not done anything to cause you not to respect him, except be born black.

It is no wonder that many of our youth today have no respect for authority. Their parents and political leaders have no respect for authority. The action taken by schools concerning the president of the United States talking to youth about education was frightening. The action of the Republicans while the president was talking was embarrassing. Your prejudice is showing loud and clear. Your actions scream, “No black man will tell my children what to do.” How sad for most of you wear that Christianity on your sleeves. You wouldn’t miss church on Sunday and certainly not on Wednesday. You are christians. Not in my book. I am a white female and it appears we are back in the ‘60s here in Fayette County. God help you; you certainly need it.

Where can I find one of those brown shirts everybody is talking about? It seems that the whining liberals have bought them all up to wear to their pity parties. They must be OIC — Obama Issued Clothing.

I was very surprised that there was no mention in the paper last week about the president’s speech to students. No matter what your thoughts, it seemed newsworthy. But I must say that I was completely amazed at Sarah Harp Elementary School’s handling of it. This school informs you every time someone sneezes. There is a highly stressed parent-school connection. They give you every opportunity to inspect all the year’s curriculum and you have to sign a permission slip for everything. Yet at a time when all news outlets are covering the controversy surrounding the speech and 20 percent of U.S. school districts chose not to show the address at all while a majority offered a permission slip and alternate activity, SHES chose for the viewing to be mandatory. It was reported that Fayette County schools were sending home a permission slip. That didn’t happen at my children’s schools. This is a highly conservative state, voting district, and community with massive Tea Party activities, and everything considered, you would think that FCBOE would recognize that some may wish their students to be opted out as many others aacrossthe nation had.

When money becomes worthless and jobs become thin,/ Some will still have their desire to win./Ten years will pass like a leaf in the wind./Intelligence and hard work will be your friend./The have-its now will have it again./The have-nots now will not have it then.

To the residents of Shawville Lane off Braelinn Road in Peachtree City: As those of you who live on the side that abuts the cart path already know, there is NO dumping of yard waste into the greenspace across the cart path along the creek there. Seems that you just feel, also, that you have every right to do it. So, like good little boys, you can pack up your lawn mower clippings and compost them or take that big trip to the recycling center, just like the rest of us do, along with the rest of the debris you throw there in broad daylight and under cover of darkness. Your laziness is not going to be tolerated anymore.

My mother is getting a 21 percent increase in the cost of her property taxes this year. Her home is valued at just below $150,000. I know the governor had to do away with the homeowner tax relief grant. But, for an 82-year-old woman, this is a devastating financial burden. Georgia will soon lose its appeal to senior property owners, who create so little tax burden on state and local services. Costs need to be reined in everywhere.

If Starr’s Mill football parents would just shut up and let the coaches coach, they might be happy with their season’s outcome. Don’t you think a coach is a coach because he knows what he is doing and you don’t? Give them the free rein they deserve and just see what happens. Stop whining about every little thing that does not go your kid’s way. They won their first game didn’t they? I live in Starr’s Mill district and hear it all, and I don’t work at The Mill.

I am a teacher at one of Fayette’s high schools and kids are used to clean the cafeteria at a lot of schools, not just RSMS. It is what it is; most of them have detention for screwing up and this may be a punishment. Or they are limited special needs kids who have a “job.” But most important, it is because there is no money to hire the people who will clean up after the kids who make a huge mess. If you think cleaning the cafeteria is bad, wait until they decide to use the kids to clean the bathrooms that are so filthy the kids won’t even use them. I have used the restroom in many schools around this county and I can say that almost all except elementary schools are filthy. The health department would not even approve them.

I agree with the senior/senior parent from SMHS. Apparently this is not only a SMHS rule but a FCBOE rule. It is absurd that the school system is now telling the seniors where they have to get their senior pictures made. As expensive as it is to get pictures made, it certainly should be the choice of each individual as to who takes the pictures. I understand that a picture will be taken for free for the yearbook. However, it is a default picture (not one chosen by the student or parent). Senior portraits should be unique, not “cookie cutter” like the rest of the yearbook pictures. If that is the way SMHS and FCBOE wants it to be, they should have their “picture taker” (they are not professional photographers) come to the schools and take the pictures just like they do for all of the other classes. We plan to stand firm just as the other family has chosen to do. Too bad SMHS is willing to have a yearbook with only a partial senior class represented.

POW/MIA Recognition Day is this Friday, Sept. 18, designated as a national day to observe and remember the plight of servicemen and women still considered as missing in action or held as a prisoner of war from our recent conflicts. The unique black and white POW/MIA Flag is required by Congress to be flown at federal installations on six specific days each year: Armed Forces Day, Memorial Day, Flag Day, Independence Day, Veterans Day and POW/MIA Recognition Day. Here in Fayette County, you should see the flag flying at all our post offices and the National Weather Service Office at Falcon Field. The flag also currently flies year round at The American Legion Post 105 Log Cabin, Alan Vigil Ford, the Holiday-Dorsey-Fife House and the Peachtree City Flag Court at City Hall. The search for our missing continues to this day and paid off with the recent recovery of Navy pilot, Lt. Michael Scott Speicher, shot down 18 years ago and missing in action since the first Gulf War. The search continues. We must not forget.

So our government has decided we senior citizens do not need a cost of living increase in our meager Social Security because the cost of products have gone down? Will someone please give me an example of a product that has gone down in price? I see a rise in prices almost daily in every commodity necessary to sustain life, especially food. The overpaid bureaucrats, who have never worked for a weekly paycheck in their lives, that make these decisions are out of touch with reality. While they dine on steak and lobster every day, we seniors who worked 40 or more years are lucky to have beans and taters and now they want us to cut out the taters so they will have more of our hard-earned money to dole out to illegal immigrants.

Torture: Do you favor “waterboarding”? Tell ya what: You volunteer to be waterboarded, and I’ll volunteer to be water boy, carrying five-gallon buckets of water. How would you feel if one of our own military personnel were captured, and then waterboarded? The only torture I would favor would be to put the prisoner in a room with Cheney, and have Cheney dressed in full hunting attire. Or, let the prisoner run through the woods, with Sarah Palen flying over in a helicopter.

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Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 10:34am.

today. Egad I'm getting old.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by Davids mom on Fri, 10/02/2009 - 12:02pm.

The music made me scared to death - but I couldn't miss an episode. 50 years! Unbelievable!

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 09/28/2009 - 11:20am.

Yes, I'm still going to call it Falcon Field.

Anyone who hasn't seen this beautiful jet and memorial park surrounding it, please go out in darkness and see it lit up at night. Gorgeous. And, the beautiful new flag and flag pole, thanks to Mr. Cathy and Chick-fil-A.

I just have to say this. Not to take away from the individuals and companies who sponsored this wonderful memorial. I was (as usual) disappointed in and embarrassed for Harry Logsdon, who showed up dressed to go to Y-Not. With his campaign logo (his last name) embroidered on his golf shirt. Beyond tacky.

Our Lt. Gov. Cagle, US Rep. Westmoreland, Dan Cathy, School Superintendent Cathy Cox, State Rep. Matt Ramsey, Ric O'Brien (see www.ridefordaniel.com), Fayette County Commissioner Chairman Jack Smith, Airport Authority Chairman Mike Brady and Ted Mallory, Major General,USAF-Ret. All were dressed for this special occasion. My political opinion of some of the above is less than favorable, but at least they knew how to observe the formality of the event.

Also, thank you to McIntosh Band members who VOLUNTEERED to perform. I hope you enjoyed the ceremony as much as we enjoyed your performance. You should be very proud of what you did in that heat.

Finally, I believe in special little unexpected moments and try to not let them go by. Part of the way through the ceremony, a beautiful mockingbird perched upon the very top of a holly bush in front of the F-16 and behind the speakers. He entertained us with his songs and really wanted us to know there was more than one "bird" there that day.

hutch866's picture
Submitted by hutch866 on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 4:21pm.

Not to alarm anyone, but the animals in my subdivision are lining up by two's and heading for my neighbors boat.

I yam what I yam....Popeye


Submitted by bigon on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:35am.

Now that's funny right there.

Keep your day job.

hutch866's picture
Submitted by hutch866 on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 7:03am.

Well, it's worth what you paid for it, about as much as your opinion is worth.

I yam what I yam....Popeye


Submitted by bigon on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 7:12am.

Don't go away mad.

Just Go Away.

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 5:16pm.

Thanks for the chuckle! I feel your (their) pain.

Submitted by PTCGOIL on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 11:48am.

Those of you getting certain exemption(s) from PTC, do not pay your property tax bill till you verify amount due with Fayette County.

Seems a small matter of PTC not relaying the exempt info. (however) to the county has your tax bill higher than it should be. (Ahem)

The county has mailed revised bills as of last Friday with a letter enclosed that will show the lower amount with the correct exemption(s) posted. Should come in the mail this week, according to Diane at the tax office.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 5:52am.

Are you staying dry?
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by gregm35 on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 5:58am.

Hi Cyclist

Hope you and the family are doing OK.
Linda, Lisa and I are presently in Cherokee NC and it's raining here.

Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 6:07am.

We are doing fine. Enjoy that time. I still think about you guys.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 5:52am.

***
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by gregm35 on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 6:07am.

As you know Wulf was laid to rest here and about every three or four months Linda asks us to bring her to the grave site. She really misses the Wulfman.

Tug13's picture
Submitted by Tug13 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 2:25pm.

I miss him too, he was always so kind.

Tug


Submitted by gregm35 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 8:59pm.

Thank you all for your kind words and prayers. Linda has almost fully recovered from the stroke but she's still struggling with the loss of the Wulfman.

Please keep her in your prayers.

Sincerely,
Greg and Lisa

Submitted by bigon on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 6:29am.

Who's Wulfman?

Who's Linda?

Who cares?

Not me.

WakeUp's picture
Submitted by WakeUp on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 9:38am.

Wulfman was a blogger who was well liked on here. He lost a battle with health issues. If you don't care, then stay the hell out of this conversation.


Submitted by bigon on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 3:20pm.

Cry me a river.

Get over it.

Submitted by Dondol on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 4:30pm.

after reading these two post all I have to say is your an A$$! Sorry Cal, couldn't resist.

WakeUp's picture
Submitted by WakeUp on Wed, 09/23/2009 - 3:58pm.

Clear the play ground. The bully is on the prowl. Due to his short comings, bigon, has to create a monicker which is an "extension" and then proceed to be a jerk. Cal, I promise I won't call him an a$$.


eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 6:58am.

I do miss the Wulfman, I shed several tears when he passed, and I never met the fellow in person. He was a dear dear man. I still have the blog he sent when he got word we were going to send flowers and he wrote that lovely post about using the money for the children at Christmas. Truly a dear dear soul.

I do hope his wife is doing better, if we all loved him so much I can only imagine the loss for her. Linda, I think of you often.


Submitted by MYTMITE on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 4:39pm.

such a special person. He was always that ray of sunshine or that bit of logic that we needed right at that moment. How sad that you have lost him, but how lucky that you had him for the time you did. Remember us to Linda and tell her how much we too cared for and miss the Wulfman.

muddle's picture
Submitted by muddle on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 8:08pm.

I certainly appreciated the input of this gentleman--this gentle man.

There are, of course, limits on how well we can come to know someone through this venue, but I saw enough of this fellow to realize that he was alright.

Funny. He had me figured out (my ID) long before the crazies (Eye-wink) did, but kept it to himself.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 6:09am.

As do we.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 7:43am.

I can't go for a ride and can't work in the yard. I guess we'll have to blog all day. But what are we going to talk about?????
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sun, 09/20/2009 - 2:42pm.

Could it be the sun? Smiling
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by MYTMITE on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 4:45pm.

because I thought I saw it too but before I could get the door open and go outside it was gone, never to appear again. Other than during hurricanes I don't think I can remember this much consistent rain. I am from far south and need to see that sunshine at least for a little while every day or I am ready to go out and do damage. So far we are lucky that there is no flooding here but if it continues to rain??? Just saw that banner on the bottom of TV screen that said flood warnings for Coweta County--that does not bode well for our neighbors--

eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 6:47am.

I am with you on needing to see sunshine for a little each day; this dark dreary rainy weather is about to drive me bananas. Shoot, I even bought a 'daylight' light bulb for me desk lamp to try and brighten things up.


Submitted by MYTMITE on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 9:27am.

I have no sunshine in my life! If possible I try to stay away from everyone 'cause I'm not fun to be around in this damp, clammy, miserable weather. I sad about the terrible things that have and are happening to our neighboring cities. And thankful to be safe. My problems compared to the loss of life and everything you own are miniscule. So, I will suck it up, put on my big boy/girl pants and try not to whine. That said, would still like to see 'that lucky old sun' which evidently has found something else to do than roll around heaven all day! With apoligies to Frankie Laine.

eodnnaenaj1's picture
Submitted by eodnnaenaj1 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 9:47am.

"Seasonal Affective Disorder, seasonal mood variations are believed to be related to light. . . cloud cover may contribute to the negative effects of SAD".

I agree with testy, and staying to myself in my little broom closet office. I certainly can empathize with you. Try to be nice and not take anyone's head off, LOL!

(Hey Git, how about a window in this office! After all I've done for you!)

We'll see about the light bulb, I must say it does put out a different kind of glow, hmmmmm. Of course a couple of weeks at the beach would be nice . . .


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 5:20pm.

The last big rain producer was the remnants of Tropical Storm Alberto back in '94. That low pressure system park itself just west of us and dumped a foot of rain on us. This cut off low pressure system is doing the same thing.

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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


dawn69's picture
Submitted by dawn69 on Tue, 09/22/2009 - 6:46am.

I remember that storm. The rains started July 4, 1994 and seemed as if it would never stop. Several months later I drove down to Blakely in south Georgia to do some research on the mounds for my thesis paper and parts of south GA were STILL under water - that was in February '95!! It's was odd seeing the roof tops of barns sticking up out of what looked to be a lake. At one point, in an area that was drier, I saw a strange black and white pile of something in a pasture up ahead. As I got closer I realized that it was dead cows that had been piled on top of one another.


Git Real's picture
Submitted by Git Real on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 6:04pm.

I like my position right now.

Hey Cy.... We must get our next super secret meet set up. We owe Love those Krystals and hopefully she's healed up enough to digest them without them killing her. Heh..heh..heh... AND..there is another poster that drives our favorite Uncle bonkers from time to time. So how about it Hutch? Cy?

Obama.... The Bernie Madoff Of Washington


Git Real's picture
Submitted by Git Real on Mon, 09/21/2009 - 6:04pm.

IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII HATE THAT RABBIT!!!!! That double-postin' varmit.....


dawn69's picture
Submitted by dawn69 on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 10:39am.

A rainy temperate fall Saturday can only spell one thing = college football. So....put some chili on the stove, don your favorite jersey, and snuggle in for some good ole fashioned fall Saturday fun. Smiling


Cyclist's picture
Submitted by Cyclist on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 11:41am.

Yummy. Kinney Beans, onions, chili powder or packaged chili mix (Son of a Gun comes to mind), ground beef, zesty diced tomatoes. Sometimes, if I'm in the mood, I'll add some frozen diced potatoes. Makes a mean bowl of chili. Topped with some cheese...now that's good eats.
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Caution - The Surgeon General has determined that constant blogging is an addiction that can cause a sedentary life style.


Submitted by AtHomeGym on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 2:44pm.

While I'm not a big bean fan for chili, I favor Pinto over Kidney; and I like to throw in a couple cans of Rotel Diced Tomatos with Jalapenos. I also like to use hot Taco Shells to scoop it up and eat or barring that, just a bowl with some fresh Saltines (and I most likely will crumble some into the bowl!) Oh, and of course, the appropriate beverage to wash it down with! Never done the potato thingy but it sounds interesting. Never met a potato I didn't like!

Submitted by MYTMITE on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 1:06pm.

flies (his second best thing to do after salivating over short-skirted young things on tv) to be his usual nasty self. Maybe you should send him a bowl of your special chili and just add a secret ingredient. Not enough to do permanent damage but just enough to keep him running---and not his mouth. Maybe it would get rid of some of that meaness and give him a rosy outlook on life--no, that's too much to hope for. At least it might give us a respite from his grumpy outlook.

Submitted by Bonkers on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 8:07am.

Two weeks ago all of the weather fools were bitching about GA still being in a drought. Now this week it is sympathizing with people whose hair gets wet! Big trees are falling like crazy from having no roots.

It takes days of rain to slowly soak into the sub-terrain. With so much concrete anymore fast hard rains just go to the ocean.

It doesn't rain all day anyway, go out when it stops between showers!

We need the rain more than your bike ride.

Not that it matters what we wish for---it will rain when it is right to rain.

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 8:15am.

I am putting this here instead of below to give the width needed to post properly.

Here is the part of the Charter dealing with the Mayor's authorities and obligations. There is more to the job and less power to the City Manager than some think. It is not a ceremonial only job.

I will confine myself to those express duties.

--------------------------------------

Sec. 2.3. Duties and authority of mayor.
The mayor shall be the chief executive officer of said city and it shall be his duty
(1) To preside at all meetings of the city council;
(2) To see that all meetings are conducted in a parliamentary manner;
(3) To preserve order and decorum in such meetings;
(4) To inflict such punishment upon any person guilty of contempt before said council as may be authorized by municipal ordinances;
(5) To see that all laws, ordinances, rules, regulations and resolutions of the city council of said city are faithfully executed and enforced;
(6) To appoint and be an ex officio member of all committees;
(7) To see that all funds are properly accounted for and that all revenues are properly and promptly collected;
(8) To inform the council from time to time of the general condition of said city and its affairs and recommend such measures as he may deem necessary or expedient for the welfare of said city;
(9) To inspect or cause to be inspected by one or more of the councilmembers of said city the records and books of accounts of the city and see that they are properly and correctly kept to require such reports to be made by such city staff and given to the council;
(10) To see that order is maintained in said city and that its property and effects are preserved;
(11) To convene the council in extra session as frequently as he may deem proper;
(12) To bind said city by signing any contract, obligation or other matter entered into and authorized by ordinance or resolution of the council of said city, properly passed in accordance with the provisions of this act; and
(13) To do acts and things as may be proper and necessary in the proper conduct of the affairs of said city and as may be hereinafter authorized.
Subject to the limitations contained in this Charter, the said mayor shall exercise general supervision and jurisdiction over the affairs of the said city; however, the responsibility for the daily operation and administration of the city shall be delegated to the city manager who shall report on such activities to the mayor and councilmembers as hereinafter provided.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by Bonkers on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 2:06pm.

That is the way I read the Charter.
It is the duty of the Mayor to oversee ALL other City officials and delegate to them their duties as they are enumerated. Delegate doesn't mean he has no say in it.
He would be a stupid Mayor to try and line-supervise those under the Manager directly, but he can and should tell the Manager of defects he sees.
The Mayor is ELECTED (and council, giving them a vote if they wish)and as does all things of governance is THE BOSS and the responsible one for the others.

Why must some think they have no watcher--even Obama does when he gets out of line. Ask Congress and the Supreme Court.

Weak Mayors sometimes do go to a member of Justice and a judge to eliminate certain officials when necessary, but a strong one doesn't necessarily need to do that. Council is his only check.

DarkMadam's picture
Submitted by DarkMadam on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 5:05pm.

I am just curious. Of the three running for Mayor, who is your current front runner? I can tell by your last post that Haddix isn't it. Can't say as I disagree with you there. You may have stated your preference before but I might have missed it.


Submitted by Bonkers on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 5:21pm.

We have "secret" votes here. Could be Haddix! I may be just trying to get him to think straight.
I am an Independent.

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 2:29pm.

You said so many wrong things I am not even going to try to address them. Read again.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


meanoldconservatives's picture
Submitted by meanoldconservatives on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 5:59pm.

Don, don't feel compelled to answer Bonker$. He will answer himself eventually, if you don't. Much easier....


Submitted by Bonkers on Sat, 09/19/2009 - 4:33pm.

I expected at some point for you to answer in such a way as you just did. That is why I can't vote for you and why you answered as you did.

I said nothing wrong, just not Kosher! Will upset some city officials!

The duties of the Mayor as enumerated surely indicate he is responsible and would be derelict if he didn't keep an eye on the city manager and those who work for him. As in all cases, except corporate employees sometimes, paying attention to the chain of command is the better way to go.

You surely aren't saying that if the Mayor sees the Chief of Police or another staffer not doing his job, he shouldn't ask the city manager to remedy it? I didn't say he would ream the Chief verbally!

Boy, every one walks on eggs maybe is the problem.

NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 8:36am.

I don't believe anyone has suggested that at all. The question is whether it's a full-time job under normal circumstances.

Here's the key part of the charter:

however, the responsibility for the daily operation and administration of the city shall be delegated to the city manager who shall report on such activities to the mayor and councilmembers as hereinafter provided.

That's a typical weak Mayor/strong city mgr form of local government. All personnel decisions besides the city mgr rest with the city mgr, not the Mayor. The day-to-day operations and administration of the city falls to the city mgr, not Mayor.


Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 9:56am.

No, the Mayor does not do the day to day operations management, but he does the day to day oversight of the management.

Read the rest of the Section 2.3. Especially points 5, 10 and 13 plus the part you didn't post of that paragraph:
Subject to the limitations contained in this Charter, the said mayor shall exercise general supervision and jurisdiction over the affairs of the said city;

Those are daily issues.

The enumerated duties plus general Council duties are time consuming. It is nothing to get 20 or more emails a day. Many take time to deal with the involved issues. Then there is Staff working on projects where then need Mayor and/or Council input. Add research for ordinances, projects and other issues and GMA, MAMA, FCGA, liaison, community affairs, State, County and on and on meetings to attend and more.

Where you get the idea that for a city of almost 38,000 people being Mayor isn't a time consuming job I have no idea.

But I can tell you the idea the City Manager handles it all is not reality. Never has been and never will be.

As for this:
All personnel decisions besides the city mgr rest with the city mgr, not Mayor.
Completely false.

All Staff structuring, promotions, hiring, firing and such are handled by Council with recommendation from the City Manager. That is what a call for Personnel Issues for executive session is about.

As well in several personnel dispute procedures the Mayor is the final say, with appeal rights to full Council.

Also note this part of the Charter:
Sec. 2.12. Council Interference with Administration.
The city council and its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager except for purposes of gathering needed information which is of routine matters or is the type of information which such officers and employees can easily and quickly assemble. Except as provided above, the city council and its members shall not give orders directly to such officers and employees, either publicly or privately, but shall coordinate all orders and instructions through the city manager.

So again wrong Council cannot deal directly with employees on some issues and on other deal with them via the City Manager.

Point being personnel issues do not reside solely with the City Manager and the Mayor has a significant role to play in day to day, just not day to day normal operations, but oversight.

For more reading use Internet Explorer and go to Municodes - Peachtree City and search 'charter.' Then click the first results link.

I am not disagreeing getting the daily jobs done as tasked by Council is the City Manager's job, not the Mayor's. Council gives the broad brush stroke and the City Manager and Staff determine how to make it happen, the nuts and bolts. But the rest is not the City Manager's job and falls mainly to the Mayor, and there is a lot of it if the Mayor is doing his job.

That is why you cannot name a Mayor, at least back through Mayor Brown, who held a full time job. Two tried and it didn't work. Either the job intruded too much on being Mayor or being Mayor intruded too much on the job, adding up to the same result, one had to go.

I think your reading too much into some things said. There is a division of labor. Staff has a ton of responsibilities that belong to them alone, Council has a lot of responsibilities that belong to them alone and the Mayor carries Council responsibilities plus a lot of responsibilities for that positions alone. Staff should never try to be Council and Council never try to be Staff. But Staff answers to Council and the Mayor has to day to day duty to deal with issues concerning Staff via the City Manager as well as a lot of other duties.

Being City Manager is time consuming. Being Mayor is time consuming. Being Mayor and hold a full time job elsewhere just does not work. Been tried.

Do not worry. I have no intention of doing the City Manager's job. Don't want it.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 10:34am.

All Staff structuring, promotions, hiring, firing and such are handled by Council with recommendation from the City Manager.

Don, that is simply not accurate and violates the charter of the City. It's also not how the PTC has ever operated under any Mayor/Council.

Are u really rying to tell me that when a part-time person is hired that the city mgr has to run it through Mayor/council first? BS. Are you telling me that whenever ANYONE is terminated it has to go through Council? No it doesn't. Matter of fact, the charter clearly dictates the exact opposite.

Mayor/Council approves a budget that contains all employment slots/ positions. There are very few of those positions that are subject whatsoever to Council review or approval(city mgr, police chief, city clerk, etc) AFTER they have been budgeted for. If you're trying to tell me that if say Rec Worker ABC at Kedron quits today, that you or anyone on Council has anything to do with their replacement, you are stepping way over the line of anything in the charter. Most dept head positions are also not under Mayor/Council purview and for good reason.

Your quote from the charter says it all:

The city council and its members shall deal with city officers and employees who are subject to the direction and supervision of the city manager solely through the city manager except for purposes of gathering needed information which is of routine matters or is the type of information which such officers and employees can easily and quickly assemble.

Almost every person employed by city govt in PTC is subject solely to the city mgr, not the Mayor or Council. Their hiring/firing or promotion is not subject to anything besides the Mayor/Council signing-off on the annual budget.

I'm sure you and other Councilmembers get plenty of emails each day. How you handle them is what makes me want to vote for you or not. Giving every idiot who calls about a train running by Planterra Ridge or calling and crashing 911 about the AiR Show might take up a lot of time, but isn't necessary at all. The job can be an eternity or not, and I'd prefer someone who doesn't get wrapped-up in the minutia and instead is looking at the vision/direction of the City, not who just got a 25cents/hour raise on the Public Works crew. I had to say thatbecause you just stated above that Mayor/Council approves that or not.


Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 11:20am.

Wrong, NUKE. It is how it is done and we have done it over the last two year.

Your mistake is I said Staff and you are now trying to include employees as Staff. They are not.

Council authorized employee slots and Staff fills and deals with them under the City Manager. As well they dispense Merit pay, etc, not Council, who authorizes it.

As I said, the bulk of emails get referred to Staff to deal with them, the second tier is involved with defending what Staff did and a small handful, not many, is dealing with Staff mistakes, via the City Manager. I do not pretend to be an employee supervisor. All dealings are directly to the City Manager or, as shown in the Charter for basic questions, directly to the appropriate Staff member with CC to the City Manager.

Nor did I even bring up the non citizen emails which are whole other area that can get really complex. So, please, don't try to spin this where the City Manger is dealing with it all. He isn't.

Not stepping over the line. Get the employee hand book, in example, and look at the appeals procedure. Mayor there is several, but not all. Appeals can go all the way to Council as well.

Read the Charter again. Such as poin (5) authorizes some of the things you say are over the line.

If still in doubt ask the City Attorney if the Mayor or Council are violating the City Charter. You will get told no.

You have to keep the structures defined and separated when dealing with them. Staff is At-Will, such as the City Attorney are contract and others are hourly. All different. Staff and contract are directly subject to Council, some via the City Manager and some not. Hourly is all subject to the City Manager via the Dept Heads and supervisors.

It is looking like you think being Mayor and Council is a lot less demanding, involved, complex and duty filled than it is.

Like the Special Use Permit to allow Big Boxes. Came from Council in 2006 and I plan to get it removed in 2010. Staff does the leg work but the direction comes from Council and has huge impacts on PTC.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by Ellie Mae on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 1:19pm.

You said (and I quote)"Not stepping over the line. Get the employee hand book, in example, and look at the appeals procedure. Mayor there is several, but not all. Appeals can go all the way to Council as well."

So... This employee hand book is available to all? Please explain where I can obtain a current copy. When an entire department was axed I tried to obtain one of these and was shot down repeatedly! When I did obtain one (for a very brief look) the employee was so afraid of being the next one to be fired it was like a clandestine meeting with a government official! It was explained to me that no one outside of employees of the city were allowed to read it. I never understood what the big deal was! Please explain!

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 1:29pm.

No entire Department was axed. Public Works is still there and working.

In fact we did amendments to the handbook a few months ago and many of the procedures were in the packet and online for all.

Email info@peachtree-city.org and ask where to see a copy. Forward the response to me.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by Ellie Mae on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 1:48pm.

Sorry wrong word. Entire crews would be a better choice of words. Right of way/Landscaping? You remember? Right? The 23 positions where only 2 were able to remain employed. One went to the fire department and the other, Ken Williams, stayed on as supervisor of the new outsourcing company?

But you didn't answer why in January of this year everything was so secretive about the handbook and people were afraid for their jobs and told not to show it. Not to mention talking about it to "certain" trouble makers to the city.

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 1:59pm.

This is the first I have heard of the claim of this secretiveness. No workers approached me or any one associated with them. No one on Council said anything and I guarantee you Sturbaum would have told me.

The accusation is troubling to me as is the lack of anyone approaching me, since Staff and workers who know anything about me know I am approachable and keep it private on such communications.

If you can prove this is the case, I would like to know more. My contact information is in my website link below. It would be an issue I would want to follow through on next year since I do not agree with or appreciate these kinds of actions if they did occur.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


mudcat's picture
Submitted by mudcat on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 5:05am.

I just love it when a politician opens his mouth and accidently speaks honestly and that gives us a glimse into thier soul.

Haddix playing the "full-time housewife and mother" card on Cyndi will annoy all women - and mark my words, there will be a high turnout among women this election. Add the bricks he threw at Scott Rowland because Rowland has a full-time job, Mr. Haddix seems to be a bit prejudiced and judgemental. Are these good attributes that we want to see in our mayor? Not for me.


Submitted by jevank on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 5:58am.

"Mayors Lenox and Brown tried to fill both hats at the same time and ended up either taking a leave of absence or quitting their jobs. Logsdon has said the time demand was much greater than he anticipated and Plunkett says she will leave her job because of this reality. I am retired and an empty nester, which Plunkett is not."

I believe this is the paragraph we are talking about. Hardly the "full-time housewife and mother card," but read the actual paragraph first, then judge for yourself.

Submitted by Spyglass on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 9:01am.

so much better than someone that is not? In many cases, retired means out of touch...in many cases it does not...what is Haddix's point?

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 9:53am.

The point is a working person just cannot handle the time and other demands of the job. They have responsibilities to their work.

When issues are flying the phone rings with questions from Staff, other government officials, developers, citizens and more. I have had many times where phone rings and 10 minutes later I am out the door dealing with something. Cannot do that with a full time job and it happens on more levels more often with the Mayor's job.

The Mayor has an office at City Hall for a reason. Contrary to popular opinion the City Manager and Staff do not run the City, they run the day to day operations of the City. Mayor and Council run the legislative and executive functions of the City, with the Mayor holding more executive authority than Council.

The Mayor is the main contact point for all non daily operational issues, not the City Manager. Those contacts happen during the day during the week, not in evenings and weekends.

The Mayor has duties and responsibilities that neither the Council Members or Staff possess. He has to review and sign off on a lot of paperwork every week. He has to go to the capital at various times for various reasons and attend other meetings in various places at need.

When there are issues between citizens and Staff who is suppose to work to resolve them? Mayor and Council, chiefly the Mayor.

Ordinances do not create themselves nor do they all originate with Staff. The Mayor and Council are the interface on such issues with the citizens and they bring the ideas to the table in those areas as needed and work with Staff on them.

Council Members also have legislative and executive responsibilities that Staff does not have. So the idea they, if they are doing their job, do not feel pressure of balancing a full time job and Council duties is also false.

Most people have a very uninformed view of what a Council does and what it means to be either the Mayor or a Council Member. There is far more to the job than many understand.

While Council Members can hold a full time job and trade off meeting and such between themselves to get the job done the Mayor cannot. He is on call all the time and only he can do the job. The Mayor Pro Tem cannot constantly be stepping in to do the job.

Lenox tried to be both and ended up taking a leave of absence to be Mayor. Brown tried and ended up quiting his job to be Mayor. Logsdon has often mentioned it is a full time job with a lot of demands. Plunkett recognizes it and stated she would not work. As the retired Councilman who inherited the bulk of the Council Member work, especially when the majority didn't answer questions and citizens learned I did, I could not have handled a full time job and the rest as a Councilman, little alone Mayor. There was just too much time demand and I had to be flexible all the time.

Bottom line is you cannot balance being Mayor with a full time job. One or both will suffer.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by Spyglass on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 8:05am.

In your opinion, should our City Charter be changed to say the Mayoral Job is Full Time? That seems to be your position.

Or should it be changed to say, the Mayor cannot hold a full time job outside of City Hall. As you have said, "Bottom line is you cannot balance being Mayor with a full time job. One or both will suffer."

Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 10:17am.

I am saying the requirements of the job conflict with holding a normal 40 hour job to the point one must chose one or the other. Lenox and Steve Brown found that out and in my 22 years here we have not had a Mayor with a full time job as well.

Being Mayor you work during the day, evenings and weekend. You have to be in City Hall a fair number of hours every week day. When an important call comes through on needing to be somewhere quickly you don't have the luxury of consulting your calendar for next week. You go then. When Staff and others need information you cannot say I will get back to you tonight.

In the longer post above I laid out a lot of duties many seem unaware of the Mayor having to meet.

As Councilman with others holding jobs I often ended up the meetings and such they could not attend, 3 or more a week during the day. Non compatible with jobs and as Mayor there isn't 3 others to trade times with. I have had 20 hour weeks and 60 hour weeks.

Tell me, just how many hours a week do you think the Mayor works, slow week to busy week?

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by Spyglass on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 2:55pm.

We have one candidate running for Mayor who is qualified...at least in your mind...I get it now.

Honestly, in the last 2 years, the "look" of the City has gone downhill..your Councils, current Mayor and yourself included, chose to make changes in the way we keep up our fair City...it's not for the better.

But alas, other candidates actually have a job in the real world, so I couldn't possibly vote for them.

No need for debates, you can just say, my candidates have a full time job, thus they couldn't possibly be Mayor of PTC. I would love for you to try that at one of the Candidate Forums....

Submitted by Ellie Mae on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 1:28pm.

It seems to me that you have a grasp of the job functions of Mayor. But can you actually do the job? Just because some have tried to have a full time job and be mayor and failed doesn't mean that all will do the same. You paint everyone with the same brush stroke. Just because are know that you are not capable of doing it does not mean that a better candidate for the job of Mayor can't. Everyone is different. Some are just better at time management than others. It is as simple as that.

Submitted by Bonkers on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 10:38am.

Many working people could be mayor of PTC.

It depends upon what you mean by my "staff." Yours as mayor or the City manager.

Delegation and scheduling of time is the key. "Staff (including the city Manager) gather items for the mayor to consider but he considers them as is scheduled. Not run out of the door like a chicken with his head twisted off! These darn cell phones are doing away with planning---everything is immediate and must be gabby, unplanned gab.

How on earth do you think a CEO could survive (or the President) if he didn't force scheduling?

It is a matter of trust in the City Manager and not minding giving up personal power.

If you don't know how to do that then you shouldn't be mayor.

NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 10:03am.

Did he say that he was a full-time mayor and didn't work at his CFC business during both of his tenures as Mayor? Did he tell you that he was the "main contact" for all non-operational issues in the City and it wasn't City Manager Jim Basinger?

How you describe Mayor/Council is more along the days since Bernie McMullen was hired, not the Basinger/Lenox/Jim Williams era. The nature of the job has not changed much over the years, it's the people involved who have changed and their vision of how much involvement Mayor/Council need to have in the City.


Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 10:32am.

Yes, he stated he took a leave of absence due to the time conflict.

The City Manager is never suppose to be the non operational contact of a City. Staff is suppose to always refer and defer to Mayor and Council on such issues. Government 101.

If you want to get into history PCDC actually had control over many aspects of how PTC was run due to their ownership. We moved more formally to the Council/Manager system when they ceased to have that control, much to the frustration of some of the old guard who feel they are still in control, but are not. That is part of the reason for the need to get ordinances up to snuff because what they could do and demand is not what a municipal government can force and demand.

Under Fred Brown PTC the population was about 13,500 average. Today it is at least 23,000 larger, with more demands on service and infrastructure, more pressures from Coweta, more state and federal mandates and so on.

So, I would take issue with the statement things have not changed much.

Cities that are run on all levels by Staff are not places one wants to live. I could name some in GA but will not. Unelected people being in control is a very big mistake and GMA and other organizations will tell you that quite plainly.

The last two years I have been involved in a few issues of 'how it has been' where citizens were angry for just reasons. Those issues are either resolved or in the process of being resolved.

We cannot continue with the 'old ways.' The old ways pretty much had the developers, not the citizens, in control. The citizens have to be control with due respect to the rights of developers. Priorities and needs are not the same any more.

By Charter, etc, the City Manager has never had the scope of authority you are talking about. If allowed that was Council's fault, but not the way it was suppose to or should have been.

Staff is suppose to execute the policies and ordinances set by Council. All issues lacking that guidance goes to Mayor and Council.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 11:02am.

Even with the Westside annexation committees, water/sewer negotiations and purchase, Airport and Development Authority bail-outs, continued major new developments, etc. Bob Lenox didn't have his hands all over PTC government. It wasn't until Steve Brown became Mayor that you had what would be called a "full time" Mayor. Some would say that was a really bad thing, too.

Comparing PTC to when Fred Brown was Mayor is quite different than to when Lenox was Mayor in terms of size, development, and various challenges that were going on during their respective times.

I am very familiar with how weak Mayor/strong City Mgr charters(and vice-versa) are written and how municipal government is supposed to operate. In PTC, anyone who wants to can make being Mayor or a Councilmember a 100hr week job if they desire to, or they can take care of business and things run effectively and efficiently as a part-timer, providing they have placed the right personnel into their jobs(city staff) that run the day-to-day operations and also can handle citizen calls without turning it into something the scale of health care reform and re-directing all staff to IMMEDIATELY take care of this NOW!

I think you have a pretty solid base to campaign upon(you're accessible, you lay out exactly where you stand on everything whether that makes some happy or some upset, you recognize the village concepts and the things that made/make PTC great) but being a full time Mayor isn't one of them. Hey, it's your campaign and it will likely be successful, but that's my two cents on it.


Robert W. Morgan's picture
Submitted by Robert W. Morgan on Fri, 09/18/2009 - 5:30am.

and decided he wanted to be a full-time mayor doesn't mean that Logsdon and Haddix and whoever else needs to follow that example.

The charter calls for weak mayor/strong city manager period.
The first thing Brown did was to get rid of Basinger (as strong a city manager as you will ever find) and Williams and to neutralize McMennamin because any or all of the 3 were capable of waving the city charter in his face, Sadly no one else was, no one else did. Enabled by Rapson, Weed and even Tenant (who was a strong Brown supporter at first) the city immediately got off track with an illegal building moratorium (which led to Rick Lindsey resigning as city attorney) and the whole 4-year disaster of Brown's rule is now an historical fact.

Logsdon still leans a little too far toward the full-time mayor role, but obviously not as bad as Brown. The obvious conclusion here is to get back to running the city the way the charter says to do it. If you want to change the charter - get elected and try to do it legally instead of using the Brown model. Now that's not to say everyone has to vote for Rowland because the other two have been positioning themselves as available full-time; instead it means that all candidates should acknowledge the city charter (start by reading it) and state you will follow it or clearly state your reasons for ignoring it. That seem reasonable to you?

Candidates get ready with your answer. I promise it will be a question at the Rotary Forum - preceeded by a reading of the pertinent language in the charter.


Don Haddix's picture
Submitted by Don Haddix on Thu, 09/17/2009 - 12:16pm.

What you see up front is not the full reality of what is going on in full. Like an iceberg you see very little of all the substance. A reality now and under Lenox.

Yes, very different between Lenox and Brown. But Lenox was very involved, as he should have been. He did state the demands of being Mayor resulted in his taking a leave of absence because he could not take care of his full time job properly. Plain old reported and stated history. Reality and nothing wrong with it at all.

I am not Lenox or Brown. More open than Lenox and not in the day to day like Brown.

As for the full time versus part time, I think that is where the confusion lies. I think you are picturing it meaning inspecting workers, in Staff Meetings and things like that. Fact is I deliberately stay away from the weekly Staff Meeting because that is when they need open and full conversations between them for which my presence would put a wet blanket. I neither want or should be involved in that way.

My statement it is that not part time means there are no fixed hours or place of operation. Some hours in the office at City Hall, but surely not 40, some hours as I am now, working on issues from my home office, some hours meeting with citizens to hear them out, some hours at the capital at need, some meeting with County, Tyrone or other governments, some meeting with developers and others who want to discuss things, continued working with DAPC to aid their efforts and things like that.

But notice, no mention of measuring grass height, observing Public Works crews or any such thing. Nothing that is Staff duty. More than enough to do in Mayoral duties.

I have had sparse weeks of about 20 hours and runs of every day for two weeks solid of 5 or more hours each day.

Thanks on the campaign comments. Yes some developers and those not really fond of the Village Concept do not like my Smart Growth positions and try to label me anti growth or builder, which is false.

So don't think I am talking about taking over the City Manager's job. This is a Council/Manager form of government, which I believe is the most effective, and Council and Staff have more than enough to do in their own jobs without intruding upon each other, which would be disastrous.

Council has always set the priorities for Staff to work on. We have to get those right for the future.

A running joke at GMA training and other sessions is, "It is only part time, after all."

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com


Submitted by g8trgrl on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 7:06am.

To the poster who commented in free speech about SMHS football - they did not win their first game or their second game, so since you live in the "Starr's Mill District" you might want to check your facts.

NUK_1's picture
Submitted by NUK_1 on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 7:39am.

They lost their first game against Etowah, won against Villa Rica in their second game, and then lost to Tri-Cities, so maybe you also had better check your facts.


Submitted by g8trgrl on Wed, 09/16/2009 - 9:27am.

Tis true, they are 1 and 2 - oops! How could I forget their win? Facts checked!!!!

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