You forgot to mention the developer, one of the businesses is trying do a business deal with the City, the two Commissioners are staunchly pro developer and want to build a commuter rail station here and couple of 'minor' points like that.

Remember, there are three total CCDR's so far for the election cycle.

Plus the Commissioners, who do not live in PTC, held a fund raiser for Plunkett. Why?

That is all I have to say. Make of it what you will.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com

Absolute rubbish Don. Cindy Plunkett has a very impressive base of support who have determined that you are not the best choice. So out of the entire list of supporters listed, you note that two county officials are "bad guys". Sounds like the beginning of a great relationship with them. Nice job there. You also left out a few minor points of your own. What devilish deeds do Matt Ramsey, Ronnie Chance, and the Republican Party have in store for our doomed city?

I have not seen her post on this blog but that doesn't surprise me. She chooses to deal with people in a respectful and thoughtful manner. You will have our city marooned on it's own little speck of isolation...just like Steve Brown did. People Don. Not your agenda.

You let Steve Brown and Cal Beverly do the dirty work for you. I know we will be hearing much more about your voting record and I look forward to seeing you in a defensive posture for once. Your brash people skills will rise to the surface. Your style is detrimental to our city. You continue to confirm my concerns...thanks for that.

Your free ride in the public relations arena is over.

T4T PTC
"you've only heard the haddix/beverly/brown version"
Now it's the other candidates' time to be heard.

If I recall correctly, there was a big stink about the "free newspaper" about a year or so ago. Seems like Harold & Cindy were of the mindset that it was littering our streets.

Interesting she would write an editorial in it now?

I think we have a little fight on our hands. This whole thing is rather 'Obamaesque". It reminds me of a fight between the White House and FOX news?

I have already been called on the In Kind contribution. That issue is being nullified.

Ramsey, Chance and I have been working together and will continue to do so.

As for my voting record, it is all out there and I stand behind it.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com

I didn't say you didn't work together...before you quit, they should work with our elected officials. But one key point of the post is these VERY important public figures have publically announced they choose Plunkett for Mayor instead of you. Lots of other key officials do too. You try to cloud the issue with 'like "in kind" nullified?' what does that mean? Go on with your conspiracy theories about those dirty county officials. Now tonight the paper's headline is 5-1 money advantage. What is the point of this "story"? The paper is trying to paint this as a negative to make it a positive for their candidate-you. Reality is that lots of people back Plunkett and that is bad according to the three of you. You don't see Plunkett and her supporters attacking the people who voted for you, do you? Actually, isn't it true that your dollar totals are obscured? I believe about 85% of your total is self funded. Why isn't that reported....because it highlights your lack of financial support and The Citizen is hiding the fact you didn't raise even 1,000.
You also make it sound like Mr. Rowland is the same as you...and that is a false statement. I think he is respectful of the two of you but people have said he is privately endorsing Plunkett. I don't like rumors but you're blogs are full of them. Your voting record is easy to see...anything difficult, you vote no. real tough.

T4T PTC
"you've only heard the haddix/beverly/brown version"
Now it's the other candidates' time to be heard.

Having joined us - literally, yesterday and cutely tying Haddix to Brown and Beverly and so far successfully suckering Haddix into more of his lukewarm responses - it all has the smell of a PR company trying to discredit their candidate's opponent.

It will be interesting to watch you and the other newbies to this site work the election for the next couple of weeks.

In fact, I'm fairly convinced they aren't newbies at all, just posters with multiple logins.

IF anyone thinks it's worth time on these blogs to try and influence an election, they are NUTS, in my humble opinion.

Mr. Morgan, very interesting observation. Are there in fact last minute, fleeting bloggers who will disappear after the election?

I am intrigued by your comments and reminded of a wise saying someone recently shared with me--- "The difference between an optimist and a pessimist is that the pessimist has all the facts."

T4T PTC's analysis of Council dynamics reminds of the Councilwoman who tried to pass a council resolution banning council members from writing letters to the Editor.

Well, I can tell you, I am not a paid blogger nor am I a newbie on this site, and I wholeheratedly agree with T4T PTC. As I have said before, Haddix has demonstrated a total lack of respect for the council and the process by his complete and total unwillingness to effect change within the council. If they won't play in his sandbox, he takes his toys and heads home, which continually demonstrates his lack of leadership skills. His chonic false accusations and misrepresentations further demonstrate his caliber. Sturbaum may often side with Haddix (and I have found myself in agreement with them numerous times), but he clearly manges to provide positive influence. Haddix's work in Council appears the same as his blogs - negative, negative, negative.

"you've only heard the haddix/beverly/brown version"
Now it's the other candidates' time to be heard.

The reason we only hear the Haddix version is because he is the only one who communicates with the public. Yes, I agree the Citizen very obviously favors Haddix. But Cyndi made the choice to remain silent. Just like Dar Thompson and others have done in the past Cyndi could have wrote a letter to the paper. She could have came on these blogs explained her side. If she doesn't like the Citizen I'm sure the mayor would have allowed her to write a letter in the PTC newsletter that he sends out. There are plenty of ways Cyndi could have told her side to the citizens of PTC. She choose not too.

I REALLY don't like Don Haddix, but "Plus the Commissioners, who do not live in PTC, held a fund raiser for Plunkett. Why?" is a good question. For me... This election has now become "The Lesser of Two Evils".

I voted for Don Haddix in the recent election.

But I will not vote for him in the runoff.

His opposition to commuter rail,and I assume any mass transit for Fayette County and Peachtree City, is unacceptable.

Does he really believe that commuter rail is not in the interests of the growing population of Peachtree City who commute daily to the Airport or downtown Atlanta or is he just pandering to the racists in Fayette County? You know, any form of commuter rail or mass transit brings more crime to Peachtree City. And you know who those criminals are.

Peachtree City needs leadership that is more open minded and looks to the future with vision and not fear.

I hope Haddix changes his position on commuter rail so I can vote for him.

Lion are you saying that only one race of people uses mass transit and don't own cars?? Are you really saying that?

Most people who chose to live in PTC did so specifically because it is a 45min. drive from ATL. We never intended to be close to ATL or all of it's social/ criminal problems. The people who moved here originally did so with the intent of being far away from the social/criminal/differently special problems that big cities present.

Why would anyone who works downtown move to PTC and expect and easy commute? Why would you expect us to change our nice easy small town look just to accommodate people who came here late in the game, and decided that they can't handle the commute?

FYI Clayton -crime-county is canceling their c-tran connection to marta, because it is LOSING MONEY! They can't make a go of it so they are cutting it out. DuuuHHH!!

Please move downtown.

It is well known that such transportation as MARTA (cheap) isn't wanted in PTC for one reason only! It is the traffic generated between Atlanta and PTC by it, period! Same for a bus service.

Whether it is racial or not is an individual's thinking.

I suggest that we install a transit system of some kind to Atlanta and points between, just to save fuel and pollution. but make the fare unaffordable for poor people. Say $15.00 each way. Does that solve the "problem?"

Well said. I have been saying this for years.

Plunkett's state position is she opposes rail as well. So that is a moot point for voting.

My point was the Commissioner's support a range of issues that the majority of PTC and County do not support.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com

in order to cancel out your vote. Commuter rail will not be close to being financially stable in this area. Heavy governmental investment for an annual operating loss. An AMTRAK version of Marta for here. I will gladly find a friend who didn't make the vote last week who I can convince to vote for Haddix. That way he will have no problem losing your vote in opposition to this money draining venture

Haddix is the person we need right now. I think the whole city is sick of harold and cyndi.

....Could it be that Mr Haddix chose to serve on his own dime rather than yours or mine?

Mr.Boone was voted out…Haddix secures double-digit percentage vote tally and forces run off…and lets not forget…Harold!

Sounds pretty clear to me that the folks are not happy with the current course the city is headed down and they voted for a new direction!

Don’t allow a mistake to happen…be sure to vote in the run-off!

Let me speak for Mr. Haddix, although I am only one of the so-called blog minions you spit out in your little tirade. Petty, so petty.

Maybe there are LOTS OF us VOTERS (you know, the ones who gave Mr. Haddix a 45% to 29% vote LEAD over Cyndi who are just fed up with the clubby politco you wash my back, cash talks, attitude of your above mentioned Cyndi donors.

Maybe there are those who vote in this city who don't have big pockets to fund a campaign. You know, like they go to regular jobs every day and hardly are paying their bills right now. Maybe we aren't doctors, or lawyers or people who live in Smokerise that want 6-10 ft. fences and gates on our driveways (ask Ms. Cyndi how she kowtowed to that little issue last night). Maybe we live here for what USED to be the simpleness of this beautiful town before Cyndi and Harry and Lenox and our county commissioners sold this town and county to developers on the west side of PTC and on the West Bypass. You know, the ones YOU listed above.

Finance envy, yeah, could be. Do YOU ever have finance envy AFVet? How about Cyndi trying to run her campaign on HER words and actions, and not on money. Let's see who has and has had more to offer this city then.

Just don't confuse finance envy with vote envy. One of them has alot more envy going on here than that, obviously. And it ain't Mr. Haddix.

The SPLOST resolution was a last minute bucket of garbage created by the commissioners and we all should be monitoring the meetings and attending them as Im sure they will attempt something of the same for the election one year from now. I am very proud of the people of Fayette County voting this down by great numbers. We all should monitor the commissioners work shops and meetings. Also, a big thanks to the FACOG group for their paper inserts and help !!!!!!!

Hey, until they come up with a time machine, you can't worry about not having voted for the past 40 years (and by the way, that takes guts to admit.) But you had your say this time, and your side won. I know it's easy to get discouraged when it comes to politics, but stay involved, stay informed and just make sure you vote every chance you get from now on. Especially when it comes to stating your opposition to ever increasing taxes and inefficent government.

Dan Tennant

Hey Ginga1414 what ever you think, the West Fayette bypass will be built. The money is already in the County Coffers. All’s you, West Fayette Collation and FACOG have done is to cause our property tax to go up in the future. And I see dead animals on the road all over Fayette County. I don’t think you are really hurting unincorporated Fayette County but I do know Peachtree City, and Fayetteville will be hurting with out the help of SPLOST money. Good Job!!

Hey, Save Fayette, "All's" we West Fayette Coalition and FACOG people did was to help inform the voters about little known facts concerning the last SPLOST. Should we all live in ignorance? The voters are the ones who had their say this time around.

They raised our property taxes during the last 5 years of SPLOST. If you believed their bull that property taxes would not go up or be lowered in the future then you drank the commissioner's kool aid. They even slipped in another tax (ESPLOST) promising to lower property taxes and pay off the bonds. They lied, extended the bonds and we continue to pay the interest. They passed the WFB urgently to show the 40 million as if spent on the books therefore creating a false need for more taxes. Now they won't spend that money because they won't actually have it...because of all the hurdles between economy, environmental permits, acquisition of land and a pending law suit they won't win. I fought my property tax with an appeal and surprisingly had it lowered. You can make a difference by using the system of appeal and making your VOTE COUNT as the majority have spoken.

The ByPass is a done deal and what a monument to waste it will be. But, heck, it will keep the Chamber developers happy and the Road Department boys busy. Looking at their work lately like the reflectors all over the road and the needless white drunk bumps, you'd think they were taking their lunch breaks at Mr. Transmission.

Absolutely ridiculous.

Even if the other two were also for it, it still is wrong.

Don't you really know how bad our condition is due to debt?
Having a secure pension maybe doesn't give anyone the right to ignore those hurting. Being on the side of those who would benefit from SPLOST isn't sufficient for election.

Looks like Mayor Bloomberg outspent his opponent by $116,000,000.

Bloomberg isn't a bad guy for NY.
But I don't know his stand on the health plan nor the debt nor the federal tax for rich ones.

Mr. Haddix you had your chance to be different than your opponents in this race and you chose not to do this. You and all of your opponents were and are for a SPLOST.

In my last e-mail to you before the election, I suggested that you take a different approach to the SPLOST and change your position of support for the continuation of this tax. You clearly misread citizen disgust with runaway government and over taxation in a recession.

So, now that you know that we will not have the luxury of SPLOST tax revenues what is the future outlook for the city if you are elected our next Mayor?

It is easy to run for Mayor, it’s much harder to administrate a city during a economic downturn.

I ask you again, what would the first 100 days of a Haddix administration look like? What will be your priorities?

I'm sure you have asked these same questions of Plunkett, as she ALSO wanted SPLOST, as did Rowland.

What was Plunkett's reply?

PTCGOIL - I am still waiting for an answer from Mr. Haddix. Perhaps if he doesn't want to answer in this forum he will tell us in which forum he will answer these questions.

As to Ms. Plunkett I would ask the same questions, but she doesn't grace these pages.

Maybe we can get them to answer together in a common form, wouldn't this be a good way to compare them side by side?

I welcome dialog from either candidate on this issue, what do they intend to do, what leadership will they provide?

It sure would be nice to have a politician that has the mind set of working to SAVE the taxpayers' money as opposed to those that fight for new or extended taxes on the public. They can spend it even before they get it in their hands.

I was hoping that since Mr. Haddix uses this forum as the main way of communicating with the public that he would give us his thoughts. Maybe he's just trying to figure it all out. It's hard to govern when the money runs out. Right?

Same goes for Mr. Plunkett.

Alas, I think we just don't have any out of the box thinkers in this slate.

I have answered that question several times on the blogs, in forums and in letters to the editor.

Plunkett has never addressed what she would do without SPLOST. She has always based here responses on getting the SPLOST and the economy turning around.

It is her turn to address the issue of how she is going to address an over $3 million dollar shortfall.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com

Saying that you have answered the questions posed is not answering the questions.

Why don't you get creative and challenge Ms. Plunkett to an open forum? You pick a place and time where most citizens could be there. You know not at 3pm on a Tuesday, but say high noon at The Avenues on a Saturday. Citizens could ask you and Ms. Plunkett questions directly. Sort of like a townhall.

You both could give opening remarks and we could listen, then throw the forum open to questions.

PTC Observer would be there asking the following to both of you at the same time.

1. Since you both don't have your planned on taxes that you both supported, what do you do now?
2. What would the first 100 days of your leadership look like?

Why don't you send your challenge into The Citizen in the form a of a letter to Ms. Plunkett?

Or is this asking too much of our next Mayor?

BTW - best day for me is November 28th, just in case you want me there.

What say you Mr. Haddix?

Smart, Haddix!!

You have won unless you say something about the SPLOST!
Let sleeping dogs lie.

I dread the next four years.

WEAK Mayor and Council, Strong City Manager...the way it should be...

"WEAK Mayor and Council, Strong City Manager...the way it should be..."
Surely your not talking about Marshmallow back Red Wine Bernie, the one who can't get a simple bridge connected. Oh yha that's a real strong City Manager, you sure you haven't been at that Kool-aid they were talkin bout.

It doesn't matter if the city manager is a great administrator or total bozo; the form of government as specified by the PTC charter as a city dictates the separation of powers to be weak maypr/strong city manager

sigh...

Now that they are in a runoff with each other, it seems sensible to find out what they stand for and how they differ from one another. That leads to 2 questions:

1. Do you intend to adhere to to the weak mayor, strong city manager form of government if elected or do you intend to make a full-time job out of this?

2. Will you replace Bernie with a strong city manager? A no answer here speaks volumes about who should come in second in the runoff. A wait and see answer is even worse.

In fact, why not ask the others in the council runoff as well. I'm sure Mr. Haddix will reply before the sun comes up, but let's try to reach out to the others and see what they think.

How silly. I have never seen a more out-of-touch discussion.

Can you imagine your boss complaining that you are working too many hours or the civic/charitable organization demanding you only work a few hours a week instead of pouring your heart into the task?

You have no idea how many hours it takes to do the job well. Logsdon and others complained about my working full-time hours and a few months after he is elected, Logsdon has reality pop in in the head, and he is pouring in the hours.

Just meeting with constituents alone was about 10 to 15 hours a week. There are regional government consideration too. I also worked a great deal on state legislative issues related to municipal government.

Council members show-up for meetings and a few other things. A lot more is expected of the mayor.

I bought out of two days a week to have that time for mayoral duties. Those two days did not even scratch the surface. And when you have a budget crisis like I did and Haddix will have, you had better have your nose in that budget working on ideas and getting feedback from the staff.

Maybe Don will have something new to add, but so far......

1. He wants to make it a full time job and thinks it already was. In my opinion, he reads "weak mayor" a lot differently than some others in PTC.

2. He said that's a personnel issue for Executive Session. That is the more professional way to deal with the issue. I know a few years ago some candidates openly campaigned in Tyrone about booting Barry Amos out, but I don't know if Bernie is anywhere close to the level of unpopularity and disgust that Barry had going in Tyrone. I think PTC can do a lot better than McMullen and he wasn't a good hire in the first place no matter Steve Brown's opinion, but a public thrashing by campaigning candidates looking for votes probably doesn't help city gov any.

There is NOTHING, let me repeat NOTHING, in the Peachtree City Charter that implies, hints at or otherwise makes any reference to a strong/week Mayor and/or City Manager.

From what I can tell you’ve been making it up as you go.

As a matter of fact the only reference I can find about changing the PTC Charter was from an article titled, “PTC charter being reviewed for possible format changes

“Councilwoman Carol Fritz, who requested the charter update, said the charter was written in the 1950s when Peachtree City was much smaller than it is now. Also, the charter is "unclear" about the duties of council members.”

"The city has grown so much that I don't think the charter is meeting our needs," Fritz said.

“Although the charter doesn't come out and say it, Fritz reads the charter to call for a strong mayoral form of government.”

If you bother to search further you’ll read where it was actually “KING BOB” that wanted the city attorney to “review” to charter for possible changes.

As for you comment NUK:

”He wants to make it a full time job and thinks it already was. In my opinion, he reads "weak mayor" a lot differently than some others in PTC.”

Tell us NUK, where exactly did you read “WEAK MAYOR” in anything?

As for answering your questions, I believe Mr. Haddix has already done that. (see link below)

Hmmm, NUK

So go ahead and try making up some more stories that I can shred. I’ve got the time, not that it really requires much effort.

The opposite of that is Mayor-Council form of government that is strong mayor/weak city manager.

Before everyone gets bogged down on terms and what they may or may not mean, I think MOST can agree that in PTC the city manager can and SHOULD be over the day to day operations of city government and in charge of directly implementing the vision of Mayor/Council. That also means the City Mgr is responsible for all personnel decisions like hiring, firing, promotions, wages, etc. for all positions that aren't subject to appointment by the Mayor/Council. Sound reasonable?

I must have misunderstood the point you were trying to make.

As per the PTC 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."

It may just be me but I don't see any wiggle room on this issue.

The potential of another mayor brown micromanaging everything scares me. Cyndi can be a great mayor if she (and the others) get a strong city manager and let him (or her) manage. How about Chris Venice?

I have to agree that no one - even Bernie - approaches the new low established by Barry. He used to work for Peachtree City way back when and was an obnoxious little jerk even then. I think Jim Williams gets the credit for dumping him.

You have got to be kidding me. You have been going on and on about an "all woman ticket". Of course you were going to vote for her. It is disingenous to say that this made up your mind. I personally see no difference philosphically between voting for an "all woman" ticket or an "all white" ticket. Each decision is reprehensible.

I agree with you completely. Mudcat has been for Cyndi all along. That tripe about all woman ticket was so obvious. Toward the end when she thought she saw the writing on the wall, she changed her tune a little regarding Cyndi. Now that there is a run -off she will use every opportunity to denigrate Don Haddix--even when Cyndi has been guilty of the same things she blames him for. Anyone who would vote for someone because of their gender, color or ethnic back-ground needs their head examined. I don't care if you are male or female, red, white, blue, black or any other color or of any ethnicity, I want the best person for the job. Mudcat can't get over the fact that her old buddies are not in power anymore and Cyndi is the closest she can get to that. Watch her attacks on Don Haddix start out in full force now.

Your intelligent and revealing comments have changed my mind. Thank you.

Of course I am also open to other ideas and could change my mind again.

So what about Chris Venice as City Manager? Haddix can hire her if he has the cojones to deal with a strong woman.

Plunket is going down, but the Learnard woman scares me. Someone told me she's taking money from Bob Lenox. Is this true?

I didn't like her healthcare articles either.

Vote Republican

movement that much? I keep looking for you on the corner of 54/74 burning your bra. I thought we got past that a long time ago. Where did all this come from all of a sudden?--all women all of the time-- Sounds like a femmie radio station blurb. Now me, myself, I prefer to vote for the person not the gender. Maybe your way would work but I wouldn't want to bet the farm.

movement that much. I keep looking for you on the corner of 54/74 burning your bra. I thought we got past that a long time ago. Where did all this come from all of a sudden>?--all women all of the time Sounds like a femmie radio station blurb. Now me, myself, I prefer to vote for the person not the gender. Maybe your way would work but I wouldn't want to bet the farm.

Saturday 9am..
Sounds fun

"A Government big enough to give you everything you want, is strong enough to take everything you have." Thomas Jefferson

you guys have no idea! May draw a bigger crowd than you think!! Who was that guy at Woodstock that sang Freedom, freedom! LOL!

This is a perfectly serious answer and if you think about it, you will probably agree. Where my feminism recently came from is the idea that the past 4 or 5 city councils have not been in touch with the heart and soul of the real people in PTC. Lenox and his crew especially catered to the elite chamber of commerce group, Brown was so inept he actually gave the elite more power than they deserved as an opposition force and of course that led to Logsdon and the other two who are certainly not in touch with the average PTC person and their wants and needs. I and others could give hundreds of examples of past and the present council pursuing things that are just plain stupid and ignoring things that are really important.

I want a group on council who has only one special interest - maintaining the quality of life we have here. Higher taxes to pay for green space is idiotic on the surface and certainly won't happen, but the mindset is correct. I'd rather they debate that and arrive at some rational conclusion than to listen to the finger pointing on the bridge to nowhere or the guy's illegal structure in Center Green or God help us - selling streets to a developer. As I have said before (also quite seriously) - Doug McMurrain is not going to push this new group around - regardless of who wins in the runoff. This year has given us a good group of candidates and i admire all of them for stepping up.

Gender based voting is not particularly smart - Exhibit A and B would be Hillary Clinton and Nancy Pelosi, but in the case of PTC, right now I feel a complete overhaul of council is needed - and with 4 seats changing hands for sure -- why not the women? None of the female candidates are horrible and I assure you if they were I would have never promoted the all female vote. I love living in PTC and everyone I encounter does as well.

Women are much more likely to let the professionals do their job instead of letting their ego and macho work or military experience get in the way, as many men do. They are also (obviously) better at listening to regular PTC people and their concerns.

Think about it. All 4 women or even 3 or 2 get onto council and that is a huge improvement over where we are now.

The obvious flaw in the the all female scenario is Cyndi the incumbent councilperson becoming mayor. She would probably be manipulated by the females on council and be led from behind, but it is not worth worrying about, Haddix will win the runoff 2:1. We will have 3 new councilwomen and Doug (remember him?) and a much improved city council.

reply. Even tho' I do not agree with you 100% it is much better than the other stuff you had been putting out there. It made it appear you were only interested in having an all female council for the sake of having an all female council. Thanks for you reply.

p.s. Re your references to Bonkers, he just doesn't get it but then he never does.

I don’t entirely agree with you, but I can respect your process. What has bothered me through this election cycle is a mindset (exemplified by Plunkett’s insulting “Let’s make history” mailing) that the candidate’s gender is more important than their voting record, their experience, or their stand on the REAL issues facing PTC.

There’s a lot at stake in this election and runoff. To turn it into some kind of schoolyard “boys vs. girls” competition endangers our property values, our personal safety, and everything else we value in PTC.

Sweep, broom, witch - get it?
Let's make history - sort of like electing our first half black President, right?

Nevertheless, the women in the race all bring a connection to the real citizens of PTC that we have not had since Fred "the real mayor" Brown. Even Plunkett whose obsession seems to be recreation. At least that is something that can be worked with and tempered and balanced with fire and police and cart path upkeep.

I didn't mention budget because the failure of SPLOST gives the politicians perfect cover for raising taxes. And that will happen. - no matter who we elect. The new rookies on PTC council will do it but the cost per homeowner will be under $100. The ones you really have to watch are Fayette County Commission and the school board. Together those clowns could actually tax some people out of their homes.

Mudcat, you say we really have to watch the Fayette County Commission because "those clowns could actually tax some people out of their homes."

Are these the same County Commissioners who held a fund raiser for Cyndi Plunkett?

Maybe you need to re-think your all-women voting plan.

First Mrs. Learnard wrote:
Line Creek development: It’s the best deal we are going to get

Then she tells us:
Learnard: ‘Stick to PTC plan’; big boxes a detriment to local businesses

To me it looks like we got an ear full of "just tell the voters what they want to hear" from her at the debates.

Her rhetoric and Cyndi's are almost identical.

Scary isn’t it?

I was impressed with Ms Learnard early in the campaign, but as I did my research she started looking a lot like Ms Plunkett.

My November 3 vote went to Walsh and my December 1 runoff vote will go to Walsh as well.

Don started on Cyndi the day after the election, calling her supporters "special interest groups". A couple of bloggers, myself included, have asked Don politely to tell who these supporters are. We need to know, if their donations weren't recorded legally, we certainly need to know. As of yet, I've not seen answer. Seems strange to me, as he's usually very forthcoming on these here internets.

Maybe Mr. Haddix has decided to take a breather. Give him a few days at least.

We all should start to get ready to go into "Haddix withdrawl" on here (a very rare condition) since he will probably not be in a position to talk with us about everything as freely when he is mayor.

I will miss his honesty and candid comments. He has done his best and I know we will pull for more of the same from him after the election.

or he just flat out made it up because he thinks it sounds good while he's posting on here.

I think it's part frustration, due to the cost of running for office to just try to help run this city. I have met him and I truly feel he wants us to remain a village type town (if at all possible). He hates phonies and wants to get to the issue(s) and solve them.
If you were at council meeting last night, you would have been astonished at how much of a mess Harry and Cyndi are right now dealing with the issues at that meeting. Harry berated a homeowner so badly there were about 10 people who SHOUTED at Harry to apologize to her.
Cyndi, on 2 items that should not even be issues (fences & cell towers) could only blither (and I mean blither...have you ever heard anyone talk very fast for 5 minutes and at the end realize NOTHING came out of their mouth?) and she just tells city staff to work on it. She and Harry both talked so dismissively to paid employees, (David Rast, especially) that if I were him I would have clocked both of 'em on the way out. We need to realize the workload some of these paid staff have, and no raise this year must stick in their craw, too.

I would strongly favor a one on one debate for all runoffs. Maybe Rotary would be willing to hold one. Just a suggestion.

Didn't say that, Mudcat. False statement by NUK.

PTC is a Council/Manager, not Weak Mayor/Strong City Manager, form of government. I have posted the City Charter delineating the Mayor's responsibilities, which I will abide by. Weak Mayor means purely ceremonial. Council/Manager means the Mayor is not ceremonial only but most assuredly is not a Strong Mayor system.

The City Manager is the day to day operations administrator of the City. The Mayor is designated the City Supervisor and Chief Executive.

There is no need for the Mayor to sit at City Hall 40 hours a week. He has no business going around supervising workers.

But he has more than enough to keep him busy during the week with his own assigned duties.

If you think Cyndi is going to just turn over all of government to the City Manager, think again.

Read the City Charter and you will see what I will confine myself to doing.

That is my only comment here. Just don't like false statements being made.

Don Haddix
Candidate for Mayor
DonHaddix.com

"but a public thrashing by campaigning candidates looking for votes probably doesn't help city gov any."

Maybe I read this wrong but are saying that the candidates are discussing McMullen's future?

I am saying it would be a bad idea for the current candidates to be discussing publically the city manager's future, NOT that they are doing it presently.

It's not only a bad idea but out right stupid if any candidate were having that discussion with anyone at this point in time.

As we're no doubt going to be having some 'newbies' on the council I would suggest that they first get some proper training/education before attempting to make those kind of decisions.

There are rules that need to be followed and we don't need people making bad mistakes their first few week in office.

whatever #@%$#@#

Then why is it backwards here?

He's already answered your question.

Tax Bottom Line

Do an advanced search on SPLOST with Haddix in the 'Only display documents written by' block.

Good questions Observer, can't wait to hear the answers. I am more interested in the longer term approach, like a four year term, than the first 100 days, but like you, I am interested in priorities.

One term that drives me nuts is this tendency to refer to the Mayor's tenure as his or her "administration". It's not like a governor or president who may appoint thousands of people to key positions. The mayor really has no more power than a council member, other than to preside over meetings and sign on behalf of the city. The mayor and four council members collectively appoint the city manager and establish policy to be implemented, of course, but there is no "administration". I know, I know, it's nit picking, but it just is an annoying term that I see thrown around a lot.

With the defeat of SPLOST, more than likely, PTC is going to have to raise taxes or face some very serious cuts in Services, included Cart Path Upkeep etc....it's a shame, but it's true.

That said, best of luck in the runoff.

I am not a fan of Dan Tennant, but I also thought to ask the same question as he about the "special interest" comment. Tell us what special interest it is that is feeding her coffers, otherwise stick with facts. People will have a lot more respect for you.

While you have a great grasp on the issues facing our great city, I always have this sour taste from you jumping on this lame newspaper forum to spread your "know it all" attitude. It is very "Steve Brown" and not necessary to win. More importantly, Steve Brown like politics, equals a Mayor who will fall on his face. You need an attitude check and a demeanor that welcomes people who don't agree with you if you plan to run this city in a way that gets things accomplished, rather than destroying relationships with state and local govt entities. I'm all for fighting for what you believe in, I encourage it, but have some grace about you.

Stop coming on this web forum when you get elected, it is nothing but a bad flashback of how Steve Brown acted, and we all know he is like the rodent that won't go away.

Don't raise our taxes to cover the shortfalls, the SPLOST vote should tell you this.

Ouch! The Direct PAC is back in action. Looks like a cat fight (time to put the rumor and innuendo in the microwave and serve it hot).

I disagree with the admonishment that PTC4LIFE has for you. All you have to do is examine the public filings to see where candidates get their money. If Haddix feels that he is justified by labeling her money as special interests, then so be it. Her voting record certainly belied the fact that she was beholden to special interests. It is the apex of folly to assume that she will vote and govern differently if elected for mayor.
I am certainly in favor of more governing officials using forums to have a give and take with people. Otherwise you get what you get, smoky rooms and under the table handshake deals. Politics has been rough and tumble for the entirity of the US existence. Pretending that it isn't doesn't make it so

Haddix knows that most will not go examine the public filings, so he is a typical politician like the others.

I love the fact that so many like to use this term of "beholden to the special interest" it is so weak, yet so many buy into it. Does anyone ever consider the cost to fight legal battles? Does anyone consider the cost to the quality of the city if the city loses a legal battle, and a judgment gives the city zero power to control the outcome of a development?

Regarding open forums, last time I checked the Mayor has an office and council meeting they show up at, where the public is invited to participate. The Mayor also has the city newsletter he/she can use. The public has email access, phone numbers, a car and two feet to walk them to city hall anytime they like.

Yah know, again the term "smoky rooms" and "under the table deals" really did not enter PTC politics until that rodent showed up and started using his journalism degree to create half truths and doubt in PTC residents who only read this lame news paper for their info.

If residents of PTC old and new got out and met these people that the rodent claims to have made illegal this and that, they would figure out his claims are baseless. He still spews the "illegal loans" mantra about the Development Authority, yet last time I checked nothing illegal was ever found true. But then he will say they paid off the GBI.

Preach on, brother!

contact and confer with our mayor and council members. That would be great if it were actually true. As I have mentioned on this forum more than once, I sent many e-mails to the above over the years, and the only replies I got were from Mr. Haddix. During the last term of office when I e-mailed Logsdon and Plunkett several times on an issue and finally sent them e-mails asking why no response, Plunkett never responded, Logsdon's response was that my feelings on the matter were different from his so why should he respond. Now if he had felt sure in his views on this matter, I would assume a good mayor or council member would have welcomed the opportunity to spell out why he was for an issue and try to sway me with his logic--not good ole Logsdon, my views were different from his so they and I didn't matter. Plunkett showed her contempt by never replying. Since Mr. Haddix has been on the board, I have never asked a question on this forum or by other methods that he did not respond in a timely manner with all the information I would need to make a decision. Even when I expressed my view was different from his he took the time to explain his views. This to me is a politician that cares about his city and his fellow citizens. I would rather see him blog here every day than have a person in office who refuses to respond unless you believe as he does. I certainly hope, for the good of our city, that Mr. Haddix has a landslide win in the run-off.

"Yah know, again the term "smoky rooms" and "under the table deals" really did not enter PTC politics until that rodent showed up and started using his journalism degree to create half truths and doubt in PTC residents who only read this lame news paper for their info."
You must not have been around here under the term of Bob Lennox or know anything about the dealings with Steve Black and PCDC. Not to mention how we were railroaded into purchasing the then privately held sewer plant (owned by Steve Black) at an enormously inflated price. As I've said before please do your homework before you put your finger on the keyboard, your just showing people your ignorance. Also, if its such a lame newspaper, then why on earth do you waste your time withit, hum?

Read my name. I've been around longer than those you mentioned. Yes I know exactly what has happened and just because Cal Beverly and Steve Brown say it is so, doesn't make it true.

If you look up my past post, I rarely visit this rag.