Commissioner David Barlow has made his feelings known, in no uncertain terms, about Commission Chairman Steve Brown. However, he has failed to say that Steve Brown works longer and harder than any other commissioner on the board.
Chairman Brown works for this county no less than 10 to 14 hours each and every day.
He attends meetings throughout the region and state that the other commissioners could attend, but don’t. Mr. Brown regularly attends ARC, regional transportation, adjacent county meetings, etc.
Our county commissioners have educational opportunities that are funded by our tax dollars. That is all well and good. I want my representatives to be as well informed as possible. However, some of those educational opportunities also include being wined, dined and entertained by lobbying companies. Steve Brown has been privately criticized for not attending the entertainment sessions provided in Savannah by lobbyists.
I have never once heard Mr. Brown cast disparaging comments about any of his fellow commissioners. He has always been very supportive and respectful of individual board members’ talents and opinions.
All of the commission meetings have been conducted with the utmost professionalism, under Mr. Brown’s leadership. Since he has been at the helm, all Fayette citizens have been able to enjoy an inclusive atmosphere during commission meetings. During a past administration, one commission chairman screamed at citizens.
The taxpayers of the entire metropolitan Atlanta region would be locked into a 10-year plus transportation SPLOST, if it weren’t for the grueling work of Steve Brown and other concerned citizens.
Chairman Brown has initiated cooperative working relationships with adjacent county leaders to help solve problems that affect our adjoining counties.
He has brought in the best talent he could find for administrative, legal, and water issues. And, he accomplished all of that while making sure the county budget was balanced. In fact within the first few months of his leadership, Chairman Brown stopped the long-standing practice of deficit spending that had become the norm for many previous commissions.
I am extremely tired of all the egos puffing themselves up with criticisms of Steve Brown. My late husband was a big believer in “Show Me.” If all you have is petty criticism, take that to the school yard where someone wants to hear it.
“The credit belongs to those who are actually in the arena,” Theodore Roosevelt said.
I trust, admire, and respect Steve Brown’s abilities as our commission chairman, and strongly advise our commissioners to keep him in that position. Voters in Fayette County are awake, now. They have a voice, and they will remember what happened on Jan. 9, 2014, when our current commissioners run for office again.
Lynn Tolbert
Fayetteville, Ga.
