Commission, practice what you sue about

Here is a quote pertinent to The Citizen’s Open Records request to the Fayette County Commission for a copy of the forensic audit of the Sheriff’s Department:

“There is absolutely nothing silly at issue here. It is all about good government, visibility of spending taxpayers’ money and accountability of the property paid for by those taxpayers. It is about whether or not all elected officials must comply with federal, state and local laws. It is also about whether or not those charged with the responsibility of enforcing our laws must themselves obey them.”

That quote, ironically, is from the pen of Commission Chairman Greg Dunn, in a letter printed Feb. 1 of this year, chastising my previous column urging the two guys to act like grownups, meet and work out their differences man to man.

Now Dunn is making excuses for refusing to release even the invoice for the cost of that audit because the information figures in the county’s lawsuit against the sheriff over federally dispensed drug seizure forfeiture funds.

Dunn also wrote just two months ago: “I was amazed to have you tell us to ‘take it private.’ You have consistently demanded that elected officials do everything openly, even when the law allows some exceptions. Do you really want us to retire to the proverbial ‘smoke-filled room’ and cut a deal? Is the law only important when you say it is?”

No, Mr. Chairman, but that seems to be your latest stance, because it seems to suit your purposes at the moment.

Again, Dunn: “You are trying to convince the public that the commissioners have some hidden motives. You are trying to make the public distrust us. If we did something wrong, or even want to, what is it?”

Well, how about hiding a publicly funded audit? But, wait — Vice-Chair Linda Wells discussed “missing” or “unaccounted for” items during a talk last week to a meeting of Republican women.

I guess you and other commissioners can selectively “leak” from the hidden audit whatever serves your purposes as long as you want to. At least, so long as you can blame your decision on the unelected sixth commissioner, the law firm of McNally, Fox and Grant.

Again, Dunn, just two months ago: “It is about avoiding the pitfalls and decline of so many other Georgia communities when the rule of law became an annoying inconvenience to be ignored and/or rationalized away. If we are to continue to prosper, the rule of law must remain an absolute for all to follow, most importantly, our elected officials.

Greg Dunn, Chairman

Fayette County Board of Commissioners”

Amen, Mr. Chairman. Preach it.

But may I suggest modestly: Practice what you preach.

Release the forensic audit to the public. Let the taxpayers have what they have paid for.

Another suggestion: Follow the written opinion of Georgia’s attorney general and the clear meaning of the state’s Open Meetings law: Don’t vote in secret session. Also, record on your official minutes what the executive session votes were about that resulted in the expenditure of public money.

The Fayette County Commission has for years taken dozens, if not hundreds, of votes in secret session and has never — not ever — recorded what those votes were about or how much money was involved in them.

I invite the voters and taxpayers of Fayette County to examine the minutes of county commission meetings online and determine for yourselves how much secrecy is part and parcel of the current county commission.

Don’t believe me. Check the minutes yourselves at http://www.admin.co.fayette.ga.us/administration/boc/minaaboc.asp. Go back months, years. The same secret pattern is consistent about expending your money.

The commission is intent on opening up the sheriff’s financial activities to the world. The least the commission could do is to open up their own activities to similar scrutiny.

Where Are You Horgan ??

Submitted by Get Real on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 1:37pm.

All right Robert Horgan. We got you in there as an outsider under the impression that you were going to clean things up. Where are you on all this. Are you with the taxpayers or are you with the Gang of Three and the Sixth Commissioner? You have access to the truth Robert or has the 6th Commissioner set you straight??????

It is really amazing how Top Secret this audit has been. What is really amazing is the trust that Linda has in the Fayette Ladies GOP. The taxpayers aren't allowed access to information but it's okay for Linda to leak this "confidential" info at the GOP Ladies Wine and Cheese Party.

Do you think Linda has received her call from the Sixth Commissioner yet asking her if SHE'S LOST HER MIND? Isn't this funny watching these hypocrites having to wear their own soiled diapers.

Come on Robert Horgan....We're waiting.

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Horgan

Submitted by vox on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 9:19pm.

Get Real do you really expect any action by Horgan.
what a joke. He will sit there like a bump on a log. He is so far over his head it is frighting. It would take him years to get up to speed even if he has the capability to do so. (which he doesn't). I am vox et praeterea nihil.

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Horgan 2

Submitted by Get Real on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 9:35pm.

No Vox. I really do EXPECT action by Horgan. You're right...my expectations are probably a joke. But, yes I do expect them to do what is right ALWAYS. I am however, under no illusions. My point is he was elected to do the right thing. He probably won't and he will just blend in with the rest of the elected hacks. You are vox et praeterea nihil....whatever the heck that means. I am the Lion. Or the shaved cat as some might mistakenly call me.

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Leaky Linda and the 6th Commissioner

Submitted by Joey Jamokes on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 1:18pm.

Wow ! Leaky Linda and the 6th Commissioner. How do you guys put this all together? And where does the new guy Horgan stand on all of this? Is he one of Dunn foot soldiers or is he an independent thinker?

Note: Although The Twins are big fans of Ann Coulter, they didn't happen to be at that Ladies GOP Breakfast.

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GOP Women's Dinner

Submitted by justaskin on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 1:34pm.

I guess neither you or I were at that meeting Joey, but at least I knew that it was a dinner meeting. What is interesting is that neither was anyone from the Citizen there according to one of the ladies who actually attended. So where did Mr. Beverly get his information?

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Good Blog by Cal....

Submitted by fayetteobservers on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 7:54am.

Good Blog by Cal....The Citizen is the lone voice for Open Government around here. The selective view of public officials of when to release and not to release public information is usually determined by the political agenda of the individual politicians. Public duty takes a back seat to aggressive politicians and greedy lawyers. The law is not followed because (unlike Florida) the laws in Georgia have no teeth. So County Lawyers say “don’t worry” we have legal defenses. And they know that the only party that might sue is the Citizen. Since the Citizen surely doesn’t have an unlimited legal budget, the Commissioners play the odds and win. And the closed meetings— why in the world does the Commission have separately hidden hand written notes ? You’ll never see those meeting minutes. Cal is right— when Dunn accuses the Sheriff of closed procedures Dunn is “the pot calling the kettle black.”

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Isn't this in court?

Submitted by justaskin on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 6:59am.

I thought this issue was going to be settled in court next week?
What is the urgency? Won't this all come out before the election anyway?

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The sky is falling

Submitted by Robert W. Morgan on Wed, 04/26/2006 - 4:40am.

Never thought the day would come when I agreed with Cal completely. But I do. There is no excuse for Dunn's double standard, except possibly the fact that full disclosure would reveal something embarassing to him right beore an election. You think that could be it? It will probably come out anyway since Maxwell is so tight with Randall Johnson, but as we learned many times, the coverup is always worse than the crime. This will really be interesting to watch.

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