My name is Allen McCarty and I’ve lived in Fayette County for 15 years. As a candidate for county commissioner, I feel the voters deserve to know exactly who I am and what I stand for.
I’m not a politician; I am a retired television engineer with experience primarily in management, broadcasting, and station construction. I’ve built TV stations from Atlanta to Salt Lake City, working very closely with all phases of government in the process.
My platform is simple. I favor open government like we used to have in Fayette County. Over the past several years, I have observed changes in our county government that I don’t like. This is why I have decided to run for the office of commissioner. Here are some of the problems I’ve observed:
As a member of the Atlanta Regional Commission and the Regional Transportation Board, our county commission chairman voted to bring MARTA into Fayette County. I oppose MARTA in Fayette County.
Our commissioners approved a raise of almost $14,000 for the new sheriff, just before he took office. Taxpayers should not have to pay more for services than the pay scale allows.
The state court judge received a large pay raise shortly after the two incumbent commissioners running for reelection took office.
Our commissioners also agreed to hire an attorney for the state court solicitor to negotiate a raise for the solicitor.
Our county attorney was contracted to get a performance review, and never received one. Yet, he received an 11.11 percent salary increase after only one year.
Our county administrator’s contract only provides for a performance review “if he requests it.” This flies in the face of fundamental business principles that performance is measured, but that is not always done in Fayette County.
Open Records Act requests were made to determine how Phase II of the West Fayetteville Bypass replaced the East Fayetteville Bypass as the number one project. No documentation as to why that happened was ever produced.
The county did not tell the truth about the Atlanta Regional Commission conducting a traffic study that justified the West Bypass. The ARC not only denied that it ever made such a study, it stated that it made a negative observation that it felt that the West Bypass was not justified as a feasible project.
The consultant hired by the county recommended against four lanes for the West Bypass, stating that four lanes would never be needed. Never is a long time. Subsequently, the right-of-way was cut from 120 to 100 feet.
If the purpose of a bypass is moving traffic away from downtown Fayetteville, how could a two-lane road with stop signs and possible traffic lights ever serve as a bypass? Perhaps it serves special interests instead.
During the planning stage, rather than sitting down with impacted landowners to try and work out an equitable solution, the county instead simply drew a road plan and started buying property without having obtained the required 404 Permits from the federal government for crossing wetlands.
Additionally, other people said that when they brought up to the commissioners the subject of how county projects would impact their property, they were answered with rude remarks, and basically told that they will just have to get out of the county’s way.
Being a people person, I believe that all public officials are obligated to respect, to the utmost, the individual dignity of all their constituents. A commissioner does not sit in an ivory tower. He works for the people. He or she must account for his or her demeanors not only on the job, but also in matters of social responsibility.
Here’s my promise to you. I will do my utmost to put the citizens’ interests first, and solve the problems now plaguing the current administration. My goal will be to serve the citizens of Fayette County in a way that will earn their respect. I will promise you that I stand on the principles of open government. If I am elected, you will know that I truly care about your individual problems and will do my utmost to address the concerns of all citizens.
I urge everybody to exercise their right as American citizens to vote in the forthcoming primary election.
You have my assurance that, if elected, my full-time job will be serving the people of Fayette County. I may be contacted by telephone at 678-571-8417, or by email at allenmccarty@earthlink.net.
Allen McCarty
Fayette County, Ga.
