In recent years, Fayette County has faced a series of controversies that highlight a troubling trend: the lack of transparency in our county government. As a candidate for Fayette County Commissioner District #2, I believe it is crucial for our officials to operate with openness and honesty. The community deserves to be fully informed and engaged in decisions that affect our daily lives and our county’s future.
The Animal Shelter Controversy
One of the most glaring examples of this lack of transparency is the ongoing controversy surrounding the new Fayette County Animal Shelter. The shelter has faced numerous allegations of mismanagement, including inadequate care for animals and financial irregularities.
Despite repeated calls from the public for a thorough investigation and accountability, the county commissioners have been slow to act. These actions erodes public trust and raises questions about what is being hidden from view.
In fact, the main engine of change has been a dedicated group of ladies who remain relentless. It has been their persistence that identified the major issues with the shelter and pressured the county to recently hire a qualified animal shelter director.
The QDS Data Center Controversy
Another contentious issue is the proposed QDS Data Center. This project has sparked significant concern among residents, particularly regarding its environmental impact and the potential strain on local infrastructure.
Over 100 households are now being told that they will have powerline towers installed on their properties. The health risks and property value drops are simply too much for the residents to endure; many of whom are senior citizens.
Many community members feel that the decision-making process has been opaque, with insufficient public consultation and a lack of clear communication from county officials. The failure of both city and county officials to hold meaningful dialogues with residents who are affected seems callous at best and negligent at worst.
The Starr’s Mill Gas Station Project
The Starr’s Mill gas station project is yet another example where transparency has been sorely lacking. The project was approved despite strong opposition from residents who were worried about its impact on traffic, local businesses, scenery, and the environment.
Large gas tanks being in close proximity to one of our fresh water supplies seems needlessly risky. Additionally, the construction is in direct conflict with the county’s Comprehensive Zoning Plan. The approval process seemed rushed and lacking in proper public input, leading many to question whether their voices are truly being heard.
The Need for Transparency
These controversies underscore the urgent need for greater transparency in our county government. Transparency is not just a buzzword; it is a fundamental principle of good governance. All three of these projects lack long-term impact studies conducted by subject matter experts.
If they have been conducted, those results have not been readily available to the citizens of Fayette County. When officials operate transparently, they build trust with the community, ensure accountability, and make better decisions that reflect the public’s needs and values.
To address and inform the public about all issues that directly impact them, I propose the following steps:
Step 1: Transparent Communication Strategy
Establish a comprehensive plan detailing how and when information will be communicated to the public. Ensure the plan includes traditional media, social media, community meetings, and the county’s website.
Step 2: Proactive Public Engagement
Schedule and advertise public meetings to discuss the controversies openly. Use these forums to provide factual information, answer questions, and gather community feedback. Organize smaller, informal gatherings in various neighborhoods to discuss these issues directly with residents. This could include town halls, coffee meetings, and attending local community events.
Step 3: Information Dissemination
Website Updates: Redesign our official county website. Create dedicated pages on the county’s official website for each controversy. Include background information, current status, FAQs, and ways for residents to get involved or voice their concerns. Utilize social media platforms to share updates, dispel rumors, and provide clear and concise information. Regular posts, live Q&A sessions, and community polls can engage a broader audience. Issue regular press releases to local newspapers, radio stations, and TV channels. Host media briefings to ensure accurate reporting and address any misinformation.
Step 4: Collaborative Problem Solving
Establish advisory committees comprised of community members, experts, and stakeholders for each issue. These committees can provide recommendations and act as a bridge between the public and the commissioners. Use surveys to gather public opinion and ensure that decisions are reflective of the community’s preferences and concerns.
Step 5: Continuous Monitoring and Feedback
Provide ongoing updates about the progress and any changes related to these issues. Keep the community informed about the outcomes of public meetings, advisory committee recommendations, and any actions taken by the board. Create multiple channels for residents to provide feedback, such as online forms, suggestion boxes at public buildings, and dedicated email addresses.
Fayette County is at a crossroads. We can either continue down a path of opaque decision-making and eroded public trust, or we can embrace transparency and build a stronger, more inclusive community. I believe in the latter and I am committed to working tirelessly to ensure that our government serves the people openly and honestly.
Bobby Jones
CDR USN (Ret.)
Candidate for Fayette County Commissioner District #2
The QTS data center (not QDS as the author states) is an interesting case. It is a unique use of land in the county, one that has not been done before. The tax revenues generated from the data center buildings and the installed equipment will be a huge boon to local government. It should allow Fayette to reduce millage even during the period of any abatements. I’m not as optimistic about the School Board reducing the millage, but if it prevents staff cuts and millage increases great.
To the poster complaining about what is being built on that land, tough cookies. That is the funny thing about property rights, folks are free to sell their land and develop it within the parameters of local zoning. Those folks wanted it to lie vacant and undeveloped for their own enjoyment. They could have bought the land themselves to preserve it. I don’t deny that a data center is less appealing than a forest, but that’s not the neighbor’s decision to make.
Interesting you stated QTS was “boon to government, ” not the citizens. So the residents on Graves Rd who have nothing to do with surrounding QTS area must suffer the decision of our government and have their land used for power lines they don’t want. These are nice homes that won’t be able to be sold once said power lines are installed. I’m sure you’re going to espouse how local government has nothing to do with Georgia Power. But there had to have been discussions prior to building of power requirements. I’m sure residents in the QTS center would of been happy with a housing complex there instead a cement graveyard. As for tax reductions..yeah I’m sure that won’t happen. The council will find some other project the citizens won’t want or need to spend said money on. The millage rate may decrease by .01% but our home assessments won’t. As for FBOE Im sure taxpayers are joyous over paying more taxes so 70 administrative people keep their jobs.
I don’t deny that it is far from ideal for the folks on Graves Rd. That power lines must be built absolutely stinks. However, you do not own nor have any right to dictate the use of the land that QTS is building on.
One part of your reply that particularly stood out was
“ I’m sure residents in the QTS center would of been happy with a housing complex there instead a cement graveyard”
That is hyperbole in the highest degree. As a keyboard warrior it is easy for you to espouse “hot takes” completely divorced from reality, just like your take on taxes
“ As for tax reductions..yeah I’m sure that won’t happen. The council will find some other project the citizens won’t want or need to spend said money on”
I understand your frustration and emotion driving that. There are plenty of places near us that are likewise focused on subordinating economic development. Pike County may be more your speed.
Concerning the Starrs Mill Gas station example, I don’t recall Mr. Jones standing up at the meeting on Dec 8th 2022, voicing any opposition or concerns to the rezoning request when this was first approved. I was at that meeting, and quite frankly to the best of my recollection, absolutely nobody spoke in opposition to the request. I had seen the article in “The Citizen” several days earlier and decided to see what was going on.
At first I was aesthetically concerned, but during the hearing, it was made known that the owner’s father had previously owned the property for 50 years and where the gas station had stood at that location before it was condemned to widen hwy 74.
If the public had serious concerns, they should have been aired at the Dec 2022 meeting before approving the changes to accommodate the new gas station.
As for the Data Center, we can thank the Fayette County Development Authority selling this albatross to the city of Fayetteville. By strategically annexing this property into the city limits, it thus avoids control by the county commissioners.
I’m not sure what they were thinking when they committed to a data center that needs a quarter of all the power generated by the new nuclear reactor that just went online 7 years late, and where they would run the massive new power lines to feed this behemoth power hog. Unfortunately we can’t vote the FCDA out of existence as they are a NGO.
As it stands, the rhetoric for transparency seem to reflect nothing more than some election year posturing by a candidate attempting to rout an incumbent.
If you want transparency, read the agendas, and pay attention to what your government is doing, and most of all you have to attend the meetings.
Pretty sure he was serving his country while you were safely sitting in a BoC meeting… Bobby Jones graduated from the US Naval Academy in 2001 and honorably served our country for 22 years! Thank you for your service, Bobby, and I’m looking forward to you serving our county as a county commissioner!!
Cmdr Jones you are right on transparency. Our local government is as transparent as the Biden administration. The QTS data center that no one wanted yet there it sits in its cement glory surrounded by residents. Now the residents who didn’t want it, have to pay the price by having their land stolen by the power company to feed the machine. Then you look at the Town Hall bldg. It’s a monument to the bureacrats. Every time I go in there it’s empty except for bureaucrats. Was that $25 million well spent? Yet they can’t afford a nice community center or aquatic center for families. Though we are not party affiliates, I may change my vote for you if you practice what you preach. But if you are true to your word I ask that when the mayor race comes about you replace Mayor Johnson. That buck for this mess should of stopped with him
Unlike state and national elections, local elections are non-partisan. I wish I lived within Bobby Jones’ district in the county because I would happily “cross party lines” to vote for the better man (Bobby). In the upcoming elections, residents in District 1 (Maxwell) and District 2 (Hearn) will have a chance to make a change in how the BoC conduct business and represent citizens. Every registered voter in Fayette County will have the opportunity to vote for District 5 – at large seat (Oddo). Mr. Jones cannot replace the mayor of a town or city, nor can any commissioner. The mayors we have are elected by the residents of their town/city.