Takeaways from District 5 forum
• Clifton to Oddo: You’re indecisive, disloyal Republican
• Haddix: I stopped TDK Extension, complained to EPD about county water
• McCarty: Lamented district voting lawsuit outcome, cautioned about regionalism
• McHugh: As ‘un-politician,’ understands real behind-the-scenes reasons for decisions
• Oddo: Governed by Golden Rule as fiscal conservative
Republican candidates for the at-large seat on the Fayette County Commission had their say at an April 18 forum held at the headquarters of the Fayette County Republican Party in Fayetteville.
At-large candidates include current Chairman Charles Oddo, former Fayetteville Mayor Greg Clifton, former Peachtree City Mayor Don Haddix, former Commissioner Allen McCarty and former county accountant Emery McHugh, III.
The forum began with candidates offering opening comments, which tend to make the case for a candidacy.
Clifton began his remarks telling Oddo that his comments are not personal and asked him not to take offense. Clifton noted that he had served as Fayetteville’s mayor for the past four years.
“My record shows I was effective in that office. I have numerous reasons for throwing my hat in the ring for this race. Among them, the incumbent, in my opinion, has not run the commission meetings well, with many going past 10:30 p.m.,” said Clifton. “He has been indecisive in matters large and small, even with the location of the microphone during the meetings. To me, that is a sign of indecision. Above all, I entered the race because I believe that Fayette County needs more dynamic leadership at this time than the incumbent has provided.”
Clifton said his education, his personality, political and work experience combine to make him the best candidate.
“The incumbent ran as a Republican, yet as soon as a Democrat (the late Pota Coston) was elected he voted to make her vice-chair of the commission. I cast no aspersions on Pota Coston who was admittedly a wonderful person. However, since she had no prior experience in elected office, I think you will agree that it was neither a wise nor a very Republican thing to do,” Clifton said.
“Regarding the NAACP (district voting) lawsuit, when you (Oddo) ran the first time you said you would continue to defend the county against the unfounded lawsuit. After I lost my re-election to Fayetteville’s first black mayor, I appeared before the board of commissioners and emphasized that my loss in that race proved that the NAACP had no case. And I asked them to not to settle out of court. However, after spending nearly $1 million of taxpayers dollars, (Oddo) without consulting with the rest of the board proceeded to meet with the president of the NAACP. He went on to vote for an out-of-court settlement that paid the NAACP $125,000 for suing the county. While I’m not a lawyer and was not a party to the negotiations, I can tell you I would not have voted to give them $125,000.”
Up next, Haddix began his remarks saying there are a lot of issues, adding that he would hit the high points of some.
On the topic of transparency, Haddix said he was the first in the county (as mayor in Peachtree City) to push for streaming meetings and having electronic newsletters “so the citizens could subscribe to them and keep abreast of the meetings that were coming and the news and additional items that were coming into the city.”
Citing the past issue of the extension of TDK Boulevard over Line Creek, Haddix said the issue kept getting hotter with more problems.
“So I reached the point where I went over and sat down with the county chairman, I presented my plan for ending it. He agreed with it and that plan was approved by both the (Peachtree City) council and commission. And so that put TDK to rest,” Haddix said.
Haddix said the Fayette County Water Department had been a “hot potato” in past years.
“As mayor, I had filed a lot of complaints to the county about the quality of water and the objections of the citizens to what was going on,” said Haddix. “The response to both me and the city manager was ‘there are no problems.’ So I filed a complaint with the (Ga. Environmental Protection Division) and I followed up on that complaint. EPD did come in and do an inspection and ordered the county to do repairs and upgrades totaling about $4.5 million to the water system.”
While there continue to be complaints about the water, Haddix said he recognizes and appreciates that the water system is meeting federal standards.
“But any cursory research on the Internet shows that there are water issues all over this country and the (federal) standards do not address those issues. And there is so much to be fixed,” said Haddix.
McCarty began his comments noting that he began streaming commission meetings with his own equipment.
“I did that, made things open so that anybody in the world could see what Fayette County is like and what we do, how we do it and why we do it,” said McCarty. “And yes, we have problems with the water department. We have problems with the budget. While I was commissioner we did achieve a balanced budget, a AAA-rating, open meetings. My goal is to finish the jobs that I started when I was first elected.”
McCarty said he would have been re-elected had it not been for the Democratic lawsuit “that took place to divide Fayette County.”
“… there are a lot of people in this county who cannot vote for anybody but the five (at-large candidates) running,” McCarty said, referencing the one at-large seat on the commission. “I am very unhappy with the money we spent.”
McCarty also commented on the planned balloon festival and $60,000 being spent to bring the festival here. He said the county will not make that money back.
“I believe in a strong vision. The visionary process is extremely important. Without a vision people perish,” said McCarty. “But we need to be sure it’s the right vision, that it is our vision, not the regional commission’s vision being placed upon us. It’s our decision, we should make those decisions.”
McHugh in his opening remarks described himself as an “un-politician.” McHugh cited his rural upbringing, his education in accounting and his work as a CPA, auditor and finance director, including for Fayette County government.
“I understand the motivation behind many politicians,” McHugh said, citing his work in local government. “There are a lot of things you don’t see. I understand what’s going on in the county.”
Oddo began his opening comments by humorously saying he did not know what to do with the microphone, referencing the open statement by Clifton minutes earlier.
“I firmly believe in the Golden Rule and I’ve conducted myself accordingly as a commissioner,” Oddo said after noting some of his accomplishment on the commission. “I’m a fiscal conservative. The vison statement of the Fayette County Comprehensive Plan guides my governing.”
One of the questions asked why the candidates decided to run for the commission seat.
Haddix said that while he respects everyone on the commission, “I’ve seen some decisions I really don’t get too thrilled with.”
As an example, Haddix cited what he called the handling of the NAACP district voting lawsuit.
“I felt it was very clumsy. As citizens, we really had no idea what was going on. We were left out in the dark,” he said. “Then when it came time to settle it, we were left out in the dark because they said they were under a gag order from the judge, which may or may not be (the case).”
Haddix said since 2007 he had been “really into” economic development, adding that nothing (presumably in the unincorporated county) has changed.
Up next, McCarty said he ran the first time (in 2010) because he believed he was not being represented properly.
“Things happened in the county that my neighbors and I didn’t like. I do believe in vision as long as it’s ours,” said McCarty. “I’m running again because of things I’ve tried to start during my first term and got voted down on that I can bring back to the table and fix for this county to keep it a safe, happy, successful place for families, not just Millennials. Millennials is just another word to divide people. We don’t need to be a divided county. We’re all citizens.”
McCarty also said he would do all he could to keep MARTA from coming to Fayette.
McHugh followed, saying there were things the commission had done that irritated him. One of those was the move to give the chairman and County Manager Steve Rapson “the right to sign any contract under $200,000 and obligate the taxpayers to that. I’m against that. That’s absolutely ridiculous. The second thing is, in February 2013 this board met in executive session and gave $17.5 milllion that belonged to the unincorporated county taxpayers away to the cities.”
While he did not say so, McHugh’s apparent reference was to the local option sales tax (LOST) distribution shared between the county and municipalities which, in all Georgia counties, requires negotiation every 10 years following the census.
McHugh also referenced what he said was a “spot-zoning” of what is now Pinewood Atlanta Studios and the remainder of the large acreage that was annexed into west Fayetteville.
“It’s nothing but a spot-zoning. It was 1,200 acres annexed into Fayetteville. The density went from one (home) on three acres to eight on one acre. Yes, I’m upset,” McHugh said.
Oddo in his response the commission has set the stage for a strong financial county, and now it’s necessary to continue that work.
Oddo on another issue referenced the comments regarding the approval by Rapson of contracts of up to $200,000.
“Those had all been budgeted. There’s nothing new,” said Oddo, then turing to the $17 million referenced by McHugh. “We came in on the commission. LOST negotiations were already in arbitration. We stood a chance of losing, the cities stood a chance of losing. We had to take a position, we compromised. The former commission started at 50 percent. That’s where we took it up. We lowered it to 48.5 percent. If anything, the $17 million figure is less than $2 million. That’s a big difference.”
Up last on the question was Clifton, who described Oddo as a “go-along to get-along” chairman.
“We need a commission chairman who will say “no” when necessary,” Clifton said. “On the subject of “no,” I opposed the widening of (Ga.) Highway 54 East and especially McDonough Road. It will only make access to McCurry Park and (county public works facilities) more dangerous. The chairman voted against a resolution to ask the (state transportation department) to not continue with that project and he voted to spend $1.3 million in relocating utilities.”
Clifton said he sees less harmony on the commission, with some split votes and long meetings.
Candidates responded as a group to two more questions, with moderators asking individual questions near the end of the forum.
For a complete video view of the forum visit www.myfayettegop.org.
