Newspaper Page Text
May 11, 2022
Page 5A
ON THE OUTSIDE LOOKING IN by Don Daniel
Local candidate
doesn’t want
any publicity?!?
ell, just in case you don’t read this newspa
per, watch television news, or your inter
net news source is impossible to connect,
the political season has begun. The most
interesting race is shaping to be
the gubernatorial race between
David Perdue, Gov. Brian Kemp
and Democrat Stacey Abrams.
And then there is the senate
race featuring former UGA
great Herschel Walker. The
odds makers are giving Her
schel the senate seat and Kemp
the nod to hold on. I am afraid
Abrams will win.
Up here in District 3, the
school board could get a shake-
up, not that it is needed but as
the old adage goes “variety is
the spice of life” I expect “variety” is not what District 3 voters
want.
About the weirdest non-interview I have ever had was an
attempted interview with a county commission candidate. I
will not use his name because he doesn’t want any publicity in
this newspaper because, according to his comment, every
thing in this newspaper is “twisted”. He was confident that he
would be elected “because I know everybody in this district
and I don’t need any advertising or news story”.
FINALLY, SOME motion/action is being taken by the
Forsyth City Council on blighted property, but not as strict
by exempting commercial properties from being appraised
befor demolishing. In other words “half-a****” as one city
resident commented.
HIZZONER WAS not at the last Forsyth City Council
meeting, probably off on some city business and taxpayer-
paid-for soiree. Councilman Mike Dodd, mayor pro-tem,
ruled the meeting even with councilman John Howard’s seat
vacant.
Here are a few, since the council meeting lasted only 34
minutes, unattributed comments: “come forward and address
the council”; “We skipped number six”; “I’ll entrain a mo
tion”.
Still no idea when the mayor-designated council member
and recreation chairman is going to reveal where the pickle-
ball court(s) are going to be located.
OVER AT the county commission meeting, there were no
fireworks (they were expected) in regards to the land deal
where the commissioners spent $700,000 of taxpayer money
in 2009 to buy property. The commission chairman hoped
to go duck hunting on the property. They then sold the
$700,000 taxpayer owned property for $103,000. As pointed
out, that was a loss of $600,000. The most unusual aspect of
the sale is that no one has taken responsibility for the obvious
law breaking, except the county manager who has vainly
attempted to take responsibility. Otherwise, our “district
bosses” have only apologized asking for forgiveness.
Honestly, our commissioners and county manager, in my
opinion, have only given excuses and blaming each other for
breaking the law and as one county resident commented,
“they are causing a haze and fog, hiding transparency”.
Couldn’t have said it better.
Hey, here’s an idea: no commissioner salaries, no meal
reimbursements nor for travel, no pay for hotel rooms, no
pay for convention registration, etc., you get the idea, until the
$600,000 is paid back into the taxpayers’ coffers.
Eighty-nine checks were paid according to the latest county
check register, totaling $352,402.08. Guess the money the
land was sold for, $103,000, has long been spent and gone.
Here are few outstanding checks paid: $1,276 paid to Active
Pest Control; $5,498.39 to Adams Equipment Company;
two gates, one at Cabiness and another at High Falls, $2,000
to Affordable Fence; $9890.37 paid to American United Life
Insurance Company life, disability, supplemental, child life,
supplemental employee life and supplemental spousal life
insurance; $677.68 for flysheets and binders; $24,431.15 for
Butts County water; $7,387.98 paid to Central Georgia EMC
for electricity; $54,718.67 paid to Charles Abbott Associ
ates, Inc., for (no details) March building services; service for
spring time change, Dee’s Clock Works, $350; Forsyth Ca-
blenet, $3,779.79; Macon Water Authority got for $85,172.65
for water in south Monroe County’; Power050 PowerDMS,
$7,509.98 accreditation fees; $8,689 for AC for Cad, paid to
WW Williams company; $5,593.60 paid to Vaughn Sudeen,
PC Atty at law; $28,977.05 paid to Walthall Oil Company for
inventory gasoline.
I’M OPEN for suggestions how we can celebrate this news
paper’s 50th birthday this November. No, I will not publicly
shave my beard! But if you have some fun ideas, let me know.
THE REASON for the delay for the zoning of845 acres
on Highway 41 and Zellner Road was because the lawyer
representing the request had Covid and Maida Evans was the
first with that correct answer to last week’s The Question. She
gets a certificate for a dozen Dunkin Donuts, Dairy Queen
Blizzard, a carwash at Big Peach, slice of Jonahs’ Pizza, single
dip at Scoops, slice of Shoney’s strawberry pie and a fried
green tomato appetizer at Whistle Stop,
Here’s The Question for this week: What is name the off-
duty fireman who doused the fire at Walmart? First correct
answer after 12 noon on Thursday gets the goodie certificate.
I AM offering the chairman of the county commission,
county commissioners and county employees they designate,
particularly the county manager, a professional three hour
media relations seminar at no charge. Will bring in a couple
of other media professionals to assist.
I will keep you posted if the offer is accepted.
THIS FROM and by Lily Tomlin: “The trouble with being
in the rat race is that even if you win, you are still a rat”. Here’s
one more: “He who hesitates is not only lost, but miles from
the next exit (anonymous)”.
Contact Don Daniel, the founder of this newspaper, attul-
laybear@bellsouth. net.
^Reporter
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Former AJC editor Minter:
Reporter amazing newspaper
To the Editor:
ou have an
amazing news
paper!
I spent al
most two hours last night
reading news-editorial,
columns etc, and also the
ads.
A staff of only five?
When do you/they sleep?
I’ve developed an interest
in Monroe County people
and affairs. If I’ve done
that from this far away,
local people must be glued
in. Much good reading,
MINTER
even if you don’t know the
writer or subject.
It’s easy to oppose, criti
cize, investigate if you are
a big city editor with an
expensive law firm behind
you. A ball game entirely
different in a small town.
Takes courage to walk
down the street where
you are likely to meet face
to face, or even fist to fist.
You also have to defend
Don Daniel.
Who sells and composes
all those ads? Amy Haisten
and Donna Wilson must
be several people, like
Herschel Walker.
Repeat: The Monroe
County Reporter is an
amazing newspaper.
The Reporter is a lesson
in how hand-held ink on
paper newspapers not
only can survive but can
prosper in a time when
new technology suppos
edly has sentenced them
to history.
Jim Minter
Fayetteville
Jim Minter is the former
executive editor of the At
lanta Journal-Constitution.
Edge: Thank you MCR for keeping us informed
To the Editor:
would like to give a shout out
to the Reporter for keeping
the general public informed
on community news, politics,
and on good articles. I particularly
enjoy Will, Don, and especially Steve
Reece’s section. I laugh out loud at
some of Steve’s articles.
I appreciate the dedicated city and
county employees, along with the
common sense these people stand
for, along with “some” of the County
Commissioners, Board of Educa
tion, and City Officials. I still believe
the County Commission should be
more conservative when selecting
someone to decide which roads get
paved in the county, and in what
order. I think Junior Watts has more
knowledge of the county roads than
hired outsiders.
I don’t always agree with articles in
the paper, but they do cause you to
be more aware of what is going on in
the county.
Harry Edge
Forsyth
Reader: Land deal leaves a bad taste
To the Editor:
am severely disappointed in the
leadership in our county. I have
lived in Monroe County for a
little over 2 years. The entire
land deal just leaves a very poor taste
in my mouth.
A good friend of mine has a say
ing, not sure if he heard it or it came
to him through his experience.
“Character is not developed, but
revealed.” I would encourage each
citizen make their voice known at
the ballot box. It is up to each and
every one of us to say, “No more!”
The commissioners acknowledge
they violated the law in this deal. If
we do not hold them accountable,
we give them permission to con
tinue ignoring the law.
It seems to me many people shake
their head when they hear of cor
rupt practices in the capitol city of
Atlanta, but ignore what is going on
in their own county. Anyone who
thinks this is a malfeasance, you
have my ear. Thank you for your
time.
Keith Hayes
Monroe County
Mother of Year thanks
community, daughter
To the Editor:
would like to personally thank
each and everyone who con
tributed to making me feel like
a superstar this Mother’s Day!
Thanks to the Reporter team, each
business in this community that
sponsored this amazing feeling, and
a HUGE shout out to Jasmyn Porter
for being the most amazing daugh
ter ever, and having such beauti
ful words to say about me, when
I’ve just been doing what I feel I
should’ve as their Mom! Thank you
Magnolia Med Spa, The Pickled
Okra, Big Peach Car Wash, Co-
Tique Boutique, Fox City Brewery,
B. Monroe, and Flowers by Helen.
I am so thankful to be a part of this
community, and grateful to have
such awesome businesses here!
Ashley Cohran
Forsyth
Ashley Cohran
GUEST COLUMN by Mike Bilderback
Former chairman: MoCo voters don’t
have to tolerate county lying, stealing
B y now, many of us have
been made aware of the
County bid rigging the 103
acres at Plant
Camellia. If you are still
undecided as to whether
the County engaged in
bid rigging, consider the
following:
1. Sales contract not
entered into minutes
36-10-1
2. State law forbids
direct sale to individual
36-9-3(a)(l) The spirit of
this law was broken be
cause internal memos,
emails and texts demon
strate that they steered this in such a
way that only one bidder would be
successful.
3. Public Notice completely miss
ing 9 acres 36-9-3(a)(l)
4. At least one cycle of public no
tice missing 36-9-3(a)(l)
5. Bid of 1/10 of assessed value is
an irresponsible bid 36-9-3(a)(l)
6. No bid tab made available for
examination 36-9-3(a)(l)
7. No vote in executive session
to acquire, dispose of,
or lease real estate is
binding on the county
until a subsequent vote is
taken in an open meet
ing where the identity
of the property and the
terms of the acquisition,
disposal, or lease are dis
closed before the vote.
50- 14-3(b)(l)
UNFORTUNATELY,
I haven’t heard of a single
interview by any law
enforcement agency; I’m pretty sure
there is no warrant required for that;
hopefully an investigation is forth
coming. I have been advised that
these kinds of cases are complicated
due to the above code sections being
on the civil side of the law; I suppose
it’s akin to white collar crime where
thieves know how to avoid leaving
evidence behind.
SCANDALS LIKE this reinforce
the already heightened distrust of
politicians. Never would I have
thought we’d see a vital resource
such as the withdrawal point at Plant
Camellia be taken from the citizens
of this County in this illegal manner.
Where’s the sense of honor, duty and
patriotism toward the people they
are supposed to serve? I hope and
pray voters will make wise decisions
in the upcoming election. We have
before us a blaring example of what
happens when the electorate makes
the wrong choice.
LYING AND stealing do not have
to go hand in hand with politics.
Mike Bilderback is the former chair
man and former District 3 representa
tive on the Monroe County Board of
Commissioners.
BILDERBACK