We have three emperors in Fayette County who wear no clothes. They are dressed only in an aura of dishonesty and deception they have woven around themselves
I sat with a large crowd of people at the April 14 County Board of Commissioners meeting. One person after the next went to the podium to complain about the lack of transparency from the three emperors. In fact, “lack” is probably an understatement and “nonexistent” might be more appropriate.
One knowledgeable gentleman addressed the three emperors saying Chairman Frady told him a report by a company called Street Smarts said we needed to build West Fayetteville Bypass. This gentleman had since found the report and read it. He was there to state to Chairman Frady and everyone else present that nowhere in the report did it say any such thing.
Another nice man politely said Chairman Frady claimed the Georgia Regional Transportation Authority (GRTA) did not have the type of powers over transportation and transit as Commissioner Brown had claimed previously. The gentleman read from the Georgia State University Law Review and said GRTA could cut all transportation funds from a local government as well as build, operate, or even force, local governments to operate public transit systems. It was very evident Chairman Frady was wrong.
A third man got up to speak saying his research showed what Commissioner Brown has been saying is true and Chairman Frady was the one who needed to get up to speed on the issues. He also thought it interesting that former Commissioner Maxwell and former Chairman Smith bragged the county was a financial powerhouse while campaigning, but their first month out of office the county manager said we needed to raise taxes to keep the county afloat.
A fourth man spoke saying Commissioner Horgan made the claim at a past meeting that there were no priorities for 2004 SPLOST funds as Commissioner McCarty and Commissioner Brown have claimed. The man pointed out the county records undeniably showed there were obvious documented priorities and he chastised Commissioner Horgan for not doing his homework and for speaking without the facts.
To think Commissioner Horgan has held his seat since 2006 and doesn’t know basic information regarding the SPLOST is fundamentally cheating the taxpayers.
Yours truly, as others, complained about sacking a long-time employee in favor of a cousin and the credibility of future elections.
In the end, Commissioner Hearn gave what seemed a half-hearted apology for not telling Commissioner Allen McCarty, Commissioner Steve Brown and the general public that the person he appointed to the Board of Elections was a relative living locally in the county. The apology ended with Hearn saying he only “worried what the Good Lord thinks.” I wonder what the Good Lord thinks about not disclosing family ties related to government appointments?
It was obvious to all present, he felt the apology sufficient to appease the masses and fully intends for his relative to stay on the Board of Elections. I can’t think of a more insulting gesture.
Now the county will actually have a relative of Commissioner Hearn overseeing his re-election race results in 2012.
We need public servants to represent us with honesty and sincerity, not emperors. It’s time for a change.
Gail Onesi
Tyrone, Ga.
