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Page 2 - The Wiregrass Farmer, December 30,2015
Councilman aware of dispute, not sure about investigation
Sycamore Councilman Jim Galt-
Brown is the city’s equal employment
officer.
As such, he said he knows about
the dispute between Police Chief Lee
Ann Daabes and Councilman Fred
Eister.
Beyond that, not much else.
“I am aware she told me today that
she has made an official statement,”
he said. He said he does not know ex
actly what was said. “She told me
things Fred said. Beyond that, you
know what I know.”
He’s also not sure if there will be
an investigation or what that investi
gation might entail.
“I will refer you to the City Charter
and the personnel management pol
icy. I do not know exactly and pre
cisely the extent of my authority to
investigating anybody in this regard,
above and beyond my authority as a
City Councilman,” he said.
So, will there be an investigation?
“I don’t know,” he said. “I have
been notified of it. I have taken it
under advisement.”
As for the issue at hand, Mr. Galt-
Brown wouldn’t offer a comment be
yond this: “The administrative
leadership of Sycamore Georgia has
the interests of the employees at cross
purposes to the interests of the people
of Sycamore.”
DAABES
(Continued from Page 1)
my family alone,” she said.
“I have a good husband. I
know Muslims have a bad rep
utation. That’s not my hus
band. He loves me and he
loves my kids. He works
hard.”
Chief Clark was married
earlier this month to her hus
band in a ceremony at
Sycamore City Hall presided
over by Municipal Court Judge
Aleta Larger.
Chief Clark’s most recent
complaint about Councilman
Eister partly involves her mar
riage.
A public post on her Face-
book page, which she repeated
during an interview with The
Wiregrass, states, “I have been
through hell trying to keep my
job as chief, but tonight i (sic)
have had it. I was advised by
city council member fred eister
(sic) that I could not assist him
after he had followed me all
night long, because I was no
longer an American because I
was married to an arabic
man..(sic) And this man is a
self proclaimed (sic)
preacher?”
In Monday morning’s inter
view, she said, “This is my
boss. I shouldn’t have to deal
with that. It (the marriage)
shouldn’t have anything to do
with my job.”
OTHER OFFICERS
Chief Clark said the prob
lems have included other offi
cers in the department.
One former officer was put
on probation following an ac
cusation of wrongdoing. When
the same incident happened
again, the officer resigned.
Chief Clark said she talked
to JC Harris, chair of the police
committee, and other Council
members. She said they told
her “you know what you need
to do.”
Mr. Eister, she said, was dif
ferent. Chief Clark said he
asked if there was something
to do that would allow the of
ficer to stay on the force.
“I’ve got written statements.
I can back this up.
Another officer also re
signed because of Mr. Eister,
she said.
This officer was on patrol
when he and Councilman Eis
ter had a discussion. In this
case, Chief Clark said Mr. Eis
ter was following the officer
around. The officer then got
behind Mr. Eister. They
stopped.
“He cussed (the officer) out.
(The officer) was scared they
were going to go after his cer
tification. He quit that night,”
Chief Clark said.
The chief said a woman was
walking around Sycamore
Park, where the stop took
place.
“That girl came to the po
lice department the next day
and wanted to know why Fred
wasn’t arrested,” she said.
Officers in the SPD do have
recording equipment. Neither
this incident nor the stop Chief
Clark mentions above were
recorded. She said she didn’t
start the recording in time, nei
ther did the other officer.
EMBATTLED
Since coming to work in
Sycamore, Chief Clark’s
tenure has not been smooth.
Mayor Wayne Woodruff once
called on her to resign and if
she didn’t, he asked the Coun
cil to take action. That issue
was apparently worked out. At
the next meeting, the mayor
and the chief said they were
working well together.
Mr. Eister has also com
plained about the chief in prior
council meetings.
This time, “he’s taken it too
far,” Chief Clark said.
Keith Reynolds, a former
Councilman, is back in office
as of the January meeting.
Chief Clark said she knows
what will happen.
“I am not trying to postpone
them voting me out. If they
want to vote me out, so be it.
Don’t go after my family. Do
not bring my family into this,”
she said. “I want people to
know what they have got in
there. This man is not a
preacher. He’s not.
RESPONSES TO EISTER
• Leave the US for the Mid
dle East
“Oh my god,” she said
laughing. “You are kidding me.
I never in my life said that. I
want to move out of Turner
County to Tift County.”
• Following Eister
“I did the other night. I did
not know why he kept riding
by. It was 11 o’clock at night.
He could have been riding by
to get my attention. He could
have had someone in the back.
I did go by his house when he
and his wife got out of the car.”
She offered help, which the
Councilman refused.
• Threats
“I threatened to sue him. I
didn’t threaten to harm him in
any way,” she said. The state
ment about suing came after
the incident with the officer at
Sycamore Park.
“I said we could sue you for
that. That’s racist. You done
the same thing to me and I am
female. He left me alone for a
while after that. It didn’t start
again until it was in the paper
that I am married.”
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EISTER
(Continued from Page 1)
by the police.
“I have been constantly ha
rassed. Back in September, I
reported to and a record was
taken by a Sheriff’s deputy be
cause of them following me
and harassing me.
Councilman Eister said his
family is now afraid to go out
when Chief Clark is on duty.
“It is the point that my wife
is in fear of what Chief Clark
will try to pull the next time
with her following us and ha
rassing us. My son was con
cerned enough that he has a
dash cam.”
THREATS
Councilman Eister said the
chief has threatened him and
his family beyond lawsuits.
“She threatened my home.
She did it over the phone. She
was yelling. She threatened my
home and my family and even
threatened to come out to
church and disturb that. She
threatened to come out to
church and disrupt the services
there.”
THE MARRIAGE
Councilman Eister said he
heard Chief Daabes got mar
ried, but does not know to
whom or what her husband’s
faith is.
“I said she decided to not be
an American. I heard she mar
ried a Muslim. I heard her say
she hates this place and wants
to move to the Middle East. It
has nothing to do with religion.
I never mentioned religion or
marriage. I have no idea (about
her husband). I never met him
or nothing.”
OFFICER
INTERACTIONS
Regarding the officer who
was put on probation and later
resigned, Mr. Eister said he
agreed with the other Council
members. The idea that he
wanted the officer left on the
force “is not true. I concurred
on his being asked to resign.
He did. How much truth there
is to the whole thing, I don’t
know. I wasn’t present.”
In regard to the incident at
Sycamore Park, “I don’t cuss
anybody at any time.”
Councilman Eister pointed
out he’s also supported the
SPD, the chief and officers in
the past.
APREACHER
Councilman Eister is an or
dained minister since 1969. He
presently serves as the pastor
of Bethlehem Baptist Church
in Fitzgerald.
RESPONSES TO CHIEF
CLARK
Councilman Eister said he
doesn’t know why the chief is
leveling these accusations now.
“I don’t know what her
agenda is, unless it is to find an
excuse to sue the City of
Sycamore. I don’t know. I
don’t understand what her
agenda is.”
• The stop.
He said they did not drive
back and forth.
“My wife and I drove home.
We drove down the street
where she was parked (once).
It wouldn’t matter if I drove
down the same street 10 times
in one day. What is wrong with
that? Is it illegal?”
• Harassment
“She seems to have forgot
ten that I was the one who
made the motion to promote
her to chief.”
As for attacks on other offi
cers, Councilman Eister said,
“Rather than attack, I am the
one who investigated the com
plaints and in writing exoner
ated him and her at the same
time.” That investigation in
volved a third police officer
and interactions with a member
of the public. Chief Clark did
not address that investigation
in her interview.
“She’s got a lot of people
upset.”
2015 - The year in review part 1
January
Week 1
The well at Eureka sees an
other delay. The first well is to
be capped and a new one will
be dug a short distance from it.
County Commissioner Joe
Burgess proposes to rotate the
chairman post at the workshop
meeting. Nick Denham is
sworn in as Count Commis
sioner. Police Chief Joe Saxon
resigns. For the first time in
more than a decade, the Board
of Education will have a new
chairman. Phillip Crawford is
replacing Sam Brown who
served for 12 years. The Turner
County School board chooses
what kind of system they will
use at the next meeting.
Mark Coley Jr. takes na
tional championship and All-
American.
Week 2
New mayor Sedric
Carithers promises an open
government and to do what is
right for the City of Ashburn.
A grand opening for Walmart
was held.
CARD
(Continued from Page 1)
The Turner County Chris
tian Learning Center provides
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students, giving them the op
portunity to embrace the
Gospel, to grow in Christian
maturity, and to apply Biblical
principles in the many choices
they face daily in life.
Recognizing our
newest subscriber
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We Wish You a
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Christmas &
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Headlines
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The School board eyes con
tract with Moultrie Tech for
Driver's Ed.
The Turner County Rebel
wrestlers head to the state
duals in Macon.
Week 3
A promised explanation of
the three types of school sys
tems the Board of Education
can have didn't quite material
ize.
Week 4
The Chamber gives out
honors at the annual Chamber
Banquet. Wayne Blue receives
Citizen of the Year. Wray Reid
gets Farm Family of the Year,
Triangle Chemical receives In
dustry of the Year, Raines
Pharmacy is Small Business
and Chamber Volunteer of they
Year is Horace Hudgins. New
chamber president Stevi
Thompson says 2015 is going
to be a better year.
Kiwanis celebrates 100
years.
The Rebel wrestling team
took 3rd at the state duals tour
nament.
February
Week 1
The Ashburn Fire Depart
ment ranks as a Class 2 ISO
ranking.
Rep. Jay Roberts introduced
a bill to change Georgia's fuel
tax.
The airport expansion is
forcing the 4-H shotgun range
to be moved.
The DAR celebrates 125
years.
In sports the Lady Rebels
are headed to region tourna
ment.
Week 2
Unless the City Council can
find some other way to make
the Water Department have a
balanced budget the City audi
tor suggests a water rate hike.
The hike suggested is $5.50-
$7.50.
Still no answers for the
school board.
Week 3
The Turner County Devel
opment Authority announces
that Flash Foods is coming to
Ashburn. This project prom
ises $4.2 million and should
create 34 full time jobs.
The Sycamore Council is
aiming to lower its ISO that
would lower the cost of prop
erty insurance within the City
limits.
The Chamber honors STAR
student Rachel Lord. Meghan
McBride is the STAR teacher.
Lady Rebels and the Rebels
are region champions. Malik
"Bull" Holley takes state
championship, going unde
feated all season. Ten other
Rebel wrestlers go to state with
8 placing.
Week 4
A split City Council voted
to amend Ashburn's rental
property ordinance. This will
require anyone with 3 or more
rental properties to have a busi
ness license.
New nurse practitioner Kim
Massey for Ashburn Primary
Care is welcomed with a re
ception at Quail's Landing.
Advancement to quarterfi
nals for the Rebels basketball
team.
March
Week 1
A rep for TransWaste Serv
ices says putting the County's
garbage bills onto the property
tax rolls is the best way to han
dle collections. The Commis
sioners took no action on his
suggestion but do plan to con
tinue to work on ways to im
prove to collect the bills.
Ashburn City Council is
looking at removing some stop
signs. Ashburn and the County
consider a joint firefighting
agreement.
The 20th ANTi vers ary of
the Fire Ant Festival officially
kicks off.
JJ Alfau captured the 141 lb
title at the NJCAA national
championship. Two other
teammates were crowned na
tional champs.
A ribbon cutting was held
for Rescue's Smokehouse Grill
at their new location at the
Inaha exit.
Week 2
With a unanimous vote the
Ashburn City Council raised
the base rate for water in the
City by $3.50 a month. The
new rate is $14 per month with
the hike taking place in April.
City Councilman James
Burks wants 52 percent pay
raise for the Council.
Also the City and County
now have an automatic aid
agreement for fighting struc
ture fires in the County. This
(See YEAR Page 3)