I am submitting some comments I made during the April 28 Board of Commissioners meeting:
Several events came together over the past few weeks that have brought me to write a letter to the editor. The culmination of these events came to a head last week over dinner with a group of friends at a local restaurant in Peachtree City.
Over the course of the evening our conversation turned to local politics. I started a discussion about county politics and the issues that were important to me, these being:
1. West Fayetteville Bypass
2. Mass transit to Fayette County
3. Appointing a relative to the Board of Elections
I was surprised that these issues were also important to everyone at the table and we spent the rest of the night discussing our disappointment on how several commissioners sitting on the board have chosen to handle these issues.
I first want to say that none of us live near the West Fayetteville Bypass, but we can see the road for what it really is. It is nothing but a road for developers. Since it is a road for developers and three out of five commissioners want it so badly, I say let the developers pay for it. Don’t use my tax dollars to pay for a road that only benefits the developers.
Second, mass transit in Fayette County. The fact that the three commissioners from the previous Board of Commissioners all said that they do not want mass transit in Fayette County, but then three of them (Frady, Hearn, and Horgan) turned around and voted in favor of keeping the bus routes in the county, is beyond troubling.
So which is it? Are they for mass transit in Fayette County or do they oppose it? I suppose this is a rhetorical question because I feel the way you vote speaks louder than what you actually say. Even the transportation planner from Atlanta Regional Commission said we did not need mass transit here, but still the majority of this commission voted in favor of keeping us in the transit plan.
Third, but definitely not least: I don’t know the full story and maybe one of the commissioners involved could educate me, but it is my understanding three commissioners from the previous board tried to change how the Board of Elections is comprised.
Instead of having one member appointed from the Republican Party, one appointed from the Democrat Party and the third member appointed from the County Commission, I understand they tried to change the law to have the county commissioners have approval authority over all three members. But then because of public outrage they had to revert back to the previous practice.
Commissioner Hearn then nominated his cousin, Addison Lester, to supersede an already very well qualified [Marilyn] Watts to the board of elections. Commissioner Hearn described Addison Lester as “a friend from church” and never mentioned he is related to the gentleman.
On top of all of these election board shenanigans, we now find out Addison Lester, Commissioner Hearn’s cousin, owns 100 plus acres near the proposed route of the West Fayetteville Bypass.
I am asking that Commissioner Hearn re-examine his decision of nepotism. Please do not put Mr. Lester onto the election board. Do not continue to disappoint the fine citizens of Fayette County.
I have never written a letter to the editor of The Citizen, but I felt compelled to write this letter and say there is a great deal of worry and resentment about the direction commissioners Hearn, Frady, and Horgan are taking.
Joshua Bloom
Peachtree City, Ga.
