Mr. Cannon should know better,

considering he is an elected official, but his lack of qualifications

to be serving in his position of town councilman may be why he doesn't

understand what the law says in this matter.

According to the Attorney General's

office, the Georgia Open Meeting Act indeed require all meetings to be

held publicly except for some very special cases. As the Attorney General's

office pointed out to Mr. Cannon, no law was broken since the Open Meeting

Act specifically allows for meeting in which the governing body consults

with legal counsel pertaining to pending or potential litigation.

This provision was provided

because of the state legislature's adamant belief the Open Meeting act

should not be construed so as to repeal in any way the attorney-client

privilege.

You would think Mr. Cannon

would know this, considering the number of times he and the Tyrone Council

have done exactly the same. Maybe he does know this and Mr. Cannon is

just willing to go to any lengths to mislead the public and to influence

the upcoming county commissioner race and his reelection in November.

Mr. Steven Harris, Fayette

County Solicitor General, stated in his response letter to Mr. Cannon,

"I am sorry that you felt it necessary to air this complaint to the

media on the same day you requested my assistance and before I had an

opportunity to investigate and research the matter. I feel as if my office

is being used for political purposes, which I resent."

I hope the county commissioners

accept my sincere apology to them for the action of Mr. Cannon and understand

most of the citizens of our fine town are not represented by his poor

conduct, lack of qualifications, and failure to build a positive working

relationship with all the officials in the county and the state.

Just as Mr. Harris resents

his actions, so do I. Mr. Cannon again has shamed Tyrone with his backward

ways and methods.

Eric Allen

[email protected]

Tyrone Watch Community Action

Group