By now, many of you know that Mayors Ken Steele (Fayetteville), Dan Langford (Brooks) and Gary Laggis (Woolsey) voted Nov. 8 to replace Mayor Don Haddix as Fayette’s mayoral representative on the Regional Transportation Board. Ken Steele voted for himself. Mayors Haddix (PTC) and Don Rehwaldt (Tyrone) did not attend.
I have read all 38 pages of HB 277 and there is no provision in the act to remove a mayor once he has been seated. The provisions for Haddix’s appointment in paragraph 1, page 22 of HB 277 were previously met, so this highly inappropriate and possibly illegal power play orchestrated by Ken Steele must not be allowed to stand.
Mayor Ken Steele is the last person in Fayette County the citizens of PTC should want as their roundtable representative. He has already done enough harm to Fayette County and must not be allowed to inflict further damage.
Mayor Haddix has said he will not step down and he intends to fight this highly irregular and most likely illegal power play brought about by Ken Steele. Mayor Haddix deserves our support.
The “kangaroo court decision” taken [Nov. 8] must now be communicated to the Georgia Department of Transportation director, Mr. Todd Long, as he has the final word. His contact information is: Mr. Todd Long, P.E., P.T.O.E., Director of Planning, Georgia Department of Transportation, One Georgia Center, 600 W. Peachtree St. N.W., Atlanta, Ga. 30308, 404-631-1021, tlong@dot.ga.gov.
If Ken Steele’s outrageous action is allowed to stand, there is nothing to prevent him from doing the same thing in the future.
Please join me and many other Fayette County citizens in stopping Ken Steele before he does any more damage to our county. Write or call Mr. Todd Long and let him know how you feel.
Jim Richter
Peachtree City, Ga.
