Anyone who has ever dealt with government at any level knows there is this perpetual frustration of government always trying to circumvent or override the best interests of the citizens.
Sometimes it is the self-interest of the an elected official or government employee, and other times it is special interests who profit off of government decisions who drive the public attention away from the people.
I consistently tell people to never trust government (bipartisan) and to never trust Steve Brown. Left unto its own devices, government will always veer in the wrong direction.
Certainly, there are some honorable people in government, but the citizens should never be required to simply believe their government is performing in an appropriate and nondiscriminatory manner. We have seen enough corruption in government to know that it must demonstrate responsibility and accountability in an open and transparent manner at all times.
Most elected officials and government employees fail to realize in our current age that the citizen taxpayers are the boss and government works for the citizens. The term “public servant” is viewed by many in government as an insult.
If your local government extends a few minutes to speak and uses a stopwatch on you at the podium in public meetings, they really do not care what you have to say. Since 2013, the county government truly began to listen to the constituents and the stopwatch was thrown in the trash.
Over the previous two years, everyone, elected official and citizen alike, was shown respect and allowed to participate in what was an open forum at the county. Even people not politically aligned with me, had to admit that everyone was granted full access on expression and the process was fair and impartial across the board.
In 2015, the Board of Commissioners has had three meetings in a row where the rules on agenda items have changed each time. The “selective enforcement” is clearly designed to obstruct open expression on certain topics. The claim it’s okay to do something one meeting and not the other is absurd.
The new chairman told me he was going to decide how to handle the introduction of materials and presentation of agenda items on an “issue by issue” basis. That would be opening the door to dishonest or biased conduct by those in power and is an insult to the citizens of the county.
The surest way to create enemies in government is to stand firm on implementing measures for responsibility and accountability.
When we had the water quality crisis in the summer of 2013, I began discovering one damaging thing after another regarding our water utility. I witnessed behavior that I would personally consider negligent.
I felt that we needed some honesty in the process and the citizens and water customers were entitled to know the depth of the problems and mismanagement. Commissioner Barlow went as far as claiming there was absolutely nothing wrong with the water system. In the meeting minutes you will read where I was condemned for speaking out.
No apology from me for revealing to the constituents (the boss) what has since been recognized as a reprehensible disregard for the health of the water system.
We will have two items on the March 26 Board of Commissioners meeting in which I hope to correct wrongs that I helped to create. Although the intentions of the board were pure, both issues have spun out of control to the point where I personally have had no confidence in the process for some time.
The Board of Commissioners is ultimately responsible for the county government, especially concerning finances and the creation of policies and procedures. Unfortunately, the board put itself in a position where accountability is significantly lacking in those two areas.
The county administrator was given undue control of certain areas in spending and the creation of policies and procedures. I have complained and asked for changes for over a year, and nothing has happened.
If I am going to promise the citizens an open, transparent and accountable government, then I have to be man enough to admit my mistakes and act to correct them.
I do not like the direction the county government is heading. It is no secret that I disagree with Commissioner Barlow on his defense of water utility management and his racial insults. Likewise, our county deserves a meeting system that is fair and impartial to the elected officials and the citizens.
We have to strive for responsible government that recognizes the citizens and behaves in a fair, open and transparent manner.
Steve Brown, commissioner
Fayette Board of Commissioners
Peachtree City, Ga.
