Over the past two months, we’ve come about as close as one can to witnessing a feeding frenzy against toxic government. The new kids on the block, Commissioner Steve Brown and Commissioner Allen McCarty, are working long hours to put an end to the secret meetings and backroom dealings of the Fayette County Board of Commissioners. They have shown a lot of courage.
The two new commissioners are being backed up by a growing cast of Fayette County citizens from all parts of the county. Similar to what we’ve witnessed in Egypt, your neighbors have been turning out for commission meetings in droves. The motto is, “We’re not going to take it anymore!”
Dozens of citizens leave their chair in the packed meeting room and come down to the podium to make a public comment. Some demand transparency and the end of the half-baked schemes. Many cry foul and insist the worthless West Fayetteville Bypass be stopped immediately.
We, the local taxpayers, have refused to accept the excuses from the three leftovers: Chairman Herb Frady, Commissioner Lee Hearn and Commissioner Robert Horgan. They are forcing the “Road to Nowhere” down our throats at the same time they ignore the top priority project in the East Fayetteville Bypass.
Now, thanks to Commissioner Brown and Commissioner McCarty, the East Fayetteville Bypass, the road we were all promised, appears to be back and fully funded. The excuses of the three leftovers about there was no money to build the East Fayetteville Bypass has come crashing down on their heads.
I have doubts about whether the three leftovers are dealing straight with us. It’s up to them to build the East Fayetteville Bypass first. If there’s any cash remaining, then they can finish building the West Fayetteville Bypass, even though it is useless. Otherwise, if they keep building the West Fayetteville Bypass first, we shouldn’t trust them.
At the upcoming March 2 workshop meeting, Commissioner Brown is taking on another big rip-off in Fayette County. He is proposing a resolution be passed that removes all of the mass transit buses planned for our county. We need to take the time to be at the 3:30 p.m. meeting and show our support for not allowing MARTA into Fayette County.
Fayetteville Mayor Ken Steele and former Commission Chairman Jack Smith kept voting Fayette County into the regional government’s mass transit plan. Well, now it’s time for the Board of Commissioner to just say “no” loud and clear.
If we wanted to live near MARTA buses, we would’ve moved to Fulton County. Show up to this meeting because our quality of life is on the line.
There’s no other place to go to avoid the destruction mass transit brings. Come take a stand for Fayette County. Join us on March 2 at 3:30 p.m. to show your support to remove Fayette County from the regional mass transit plan.
If you don’t come, you have no one to blame but yourself.
David Barlow
Tyrone, Ga.
