Citizen Newsletter #255 Sat, March 26, 2011 9:56:36 AM

From: Henry Citizen <hccitizen@hccitizen.n... View Contact

To: hc.citizen@hccitizen.org

The Citizen Newsletter

Issue # 255 March 26, 2011

The Conservative Voice of Henry County

Contact The Citizen at hc.citizen@hccitizen.org Your comments and submissions are always welcome!

McDonough Town Hall

In This Issue
A City of McDonough town hall meeting for District 4, which is
represented by Councilmember Monta Brown, will be held on
Tuesday, March 29. This activity will be held at Henry County
• News & Announcements Middle School from 6:30-8pm. The purpose will be to share
• Stockbridge Town Hall information and receive feedback among citizens and elected
• City of Stockbridge officials.
• Transportation Tax Extortion
• Your Voice Please share this information with family, friends, and neighbors.
• John Douglas: Anyone Home?
• Henry NAACP News Thank you,
• Columbus GA Tea Party Leslie Balog
Executive Assistant to Mayor Copeland
770 957-3915

Check out the event page on www.facebook.com/mayorbilly

Stockbridge Town Hall -- Citizens Speak Out

Editorial / Publication Policy
Available in HTML (original) or PDF format
Send email to hc.citizen@hccitizen.org
The Citizen newsletter is available online
at Scribd.com View online at
IMPORTANT FACT ... the meeting was called by the Georgia Delegation
AND NOT BY CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS WHO PRESSED FOR THE
CHANGE IN OUR LEGISLATION!
We were able to draw out about 95-100 people ... I stopped counting
at 88 but more people arrived after I had completed my count.

http://www.scribd.com/larry_stanley
Several speakers were confused about the litigation settlement (as
Mayor Stuart’s name appears on the request to change the charter)
and Rep. Davis did his best to "read between the lines” and say that
because the document was signed by the Mayor, this did not
essentially represent the mayor's wishes/feelings.

Rep. Steve Davis and Rep. Howard Mosby responded to a brief Q & A
period following citizen input. Sen Jones had left about 900PM.

Before the conclusion of the meeting; one person directly asked all
Your Support is Appreciated
three representatives what they heard and how they would vote.
Rep. Davis said he heard the community loud and clear and his vote
The Conservative Voice of Henry County has was "No!"
opened a venue for news, comment and opinion that
exists nowhere else. It is because of you; a steady
list of people who read and submit articles sharing
ideas and principles.

Or visit www.hccitizen.org

Rep. Mosby indicated he did not like having a gun

held to his head (a veiled reference to Mr. Welch????) and would
vote "No!" Rep. Mayo .... who spent the entire evening saying
nothing .... indicated that he was "on the fence" regarding his vote.

Ms. Allie Gelineau questioned about how much money Mr. Welch's
firm received in representing the city for the law suit and I believe it
was Councilwoman Gilbert who said Allie [Gelineau] should file for this
info under a freedom of information request.

Mr. Don Gordon asked about why Mr. Welch's firm continues to
represent the city when one of their principals was under at least one
federal law suit. Rep. Davis indicated that this was not the place for
that discussion.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Apparently city attorney Buddy Welch had a personal meeting with the
Stockbridge legislative delegation before the Town Hall and was doing
some major league arm twisting for the passage of the bill!
 Senator Emanuel Jones did try to call the vote to pass the local
legislation, but could not muster enough delegate votes.

Following our explosive Town Hall Meeting of Thursday night.....

Apparently Buddy Welch had someone in the Georgia House pull an

end run around Rep. Steve Davis and the Stockbridge delegation late
Friday afternoon, using alternative means without his delegation
approval!!!

Will this nonsense ever stop??? Probably not!

Dream as if you will live forever. Live as if you will die today.

~ James Dean

Thank you for your support and participation

Stockbridge Town Hall Meeting

Hello Friends, Residents and Citizens of Stockbridge:

Thursday evening the State of Georgia Delegation, which oversees the City of Stockbridge, called for a Town Hall Meeting to
hear the citizen's views regarding the impending change to our City Charter.

This meeting was an open forum and all interested parties, regardless of where they reside, were invited to attend.

The meeting was chaired by Representative Steve Davis. Also present were State Senator Emmanuel Jones and
Representatives Rahn Mayo and Howard Mosby.

There was an exceptional turn-out of approximately 100 people, citizens and interested parties, at this most
important meeting!

Representative Davis convened the Town Hall meeting at 7PM and it concluded at approximately 920PM

Following introduction of members of the Georgia Delegation, Representative Davis briefed the audience as to the purpose of
the session and why it had been called by the Georgia Delegation. He expressed his concern that the pending charter
change, which had already been PASSED by the State Senate (Senate Bill 189) and was now awaiting passage by State
Representatives, had been pushed-forward WITHOUT ANY INPUT FROM THE CITIZENS OF STOCKBRIDGE. He further
indicated that he desired to hear from our community BEFORE bringing forward a vote on the House version of the change in
our charter.

The format of the Town Hall allowed for citizens of Stockbridge to first express their opinions and then other interested
parties had the opportunity to express their opinions as well.

Once everyone had been heard, a brief question and answer period ensued.

It should suffice to say that the majority of people who spoke indicated their overall objection to the passage of said
legislation. Virtually everyone requested that the proposed change be placed on a ballot for the Citizens of Stockbridge to
decide how we wished to be governed.

Near the conclusion of the meeting, one citizen asked for each member of the Delegation to indicate how they would vote on
the pending issue. Representatives Davis and Mosby indicated that they would NOT vote for the pending legislation;
however, Representative Mayo indicated he was unsure of how he would vote at this time.

(Please note that Senator Jones was the sponsor of this bill in the Senate and had previously voted "YEA!")

There are only 6 days left in the current governmental session. Should this bill not come out of committee for a full vote by
the House, it will remain on the agenda pending the next seated session of our State government.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO WERE ABLE TO ATTEND LAST EVENING! AT LEAST YOUR VOICE WAS HEARD AND WE NOW
AWAIT FURTHER OUTCOME RELATED TO THE CHANGE IN OUR CITY CHARTER.

Respectfully,

Richard Steinberg for Concerned Citizens of Stockbridge (CCS)

City of Stockbridge

On Thursday evening the Georgia House delegation representing the city held a Town Hall to solicit public input about the
proposed local legislation that would change the city’s charter.

In June 2010 Mayor Lee Stuart filed a civil lawsuit against the City, specifically against four council members, to preserve
the authority of Mayor to veto spending resolutions. Stuart, by all accounts, has upheld his campaign promises to curb city
spending and review policies that have allowed local cultural and social elite a free hand in city finances.

Mayor and Council

Four members of the city council have opposed Stuart because he has used the Mayoral Veto Power to stop land deals and
unquestioned invoices paid to selected businesses. He also approved use of City employees, time and equipment to improve
a historical cemetery, a responsibility that legally fell upon the City. Wording of the existing City Charter states “all council
members” must vote to override a Mayoral veto. Only Councilor Mark Alarcon stands in support of the mayor.
Stockbridge’s Four Horsemen of Spending and Graft chose to re-interpret the Charter and declare a simple majority of
councilors could override the mayor’s veto.

At the March 24th Town Hall about 100 people heard Councilor Kathy Gilbert explain the local legislation was requested as a
result of a legal settlement between the mayor and the City. It should be passed by the House delegation and the charter
should be changed. Ms. Gilbert said, “The settlement is too important to be jeopardized.”

Local activist Judy Neal gave an impassioned performance in support of the Charter change and passage of the legislation.
She said the authority of elected officials to act on decisions made in executive session should stand, even without public
input. She said, “executive sessions of the Council are private and confidential.” Ms. Neal also said, “There is a process for
local legislation.” When the 3-minute speaking time ended and she was asked to close her comments, Ms. Neal said, “I
knew he [Rep. Steve Davis] would cut me off. He doesn’t want to hear what I have to say.”

Every other person to speak decried the backroom deals and forced legal compromise. Especially, there were calls to the
House delegation to deny passage of the legislation because of the secrecy that has surrounded it. Citizens of the City and
others were allowed to voice comments. Larry Stanley, editor of The Citizen, spoke to the legal issues regarding executive
sessions. He accurately said that privacy and secrecy are valid, but those privileges end when a decision is made and action
is chosen by the council. “At that time the public has every right to know,” he said. Stanley also said the legislation is the
result of secret meetings and changing the City’s form of government should be voted upon by the citizens, with clear and
open understanding of all the facts.

The strong pleas of all speakers defended Mayor Stuart for his honesty and integrity. Two speakers actually condemned the
four city council members and city attorney for their attempts to deny an elected mayor the authority to represent the City
as its chief administrative officer. One person noted the City’s job posting for a new position, City Administrator, which is
created by the new legislation even before the Bill was made public or passed by the legislature.

The Citizen calls on the Stockbridge Delegation to do absolutely nothing with the proposed legislation. It will automatically
remain ‘in committee’ until the next legislative session. That will allow time for several related questions to be placed on the
ballot for approval by the Citizens – not simply by four councilors and a high powered attorney so far out of touch with their
constituents.

Transportation Tax Extortion

At the Hack Line Charles Mobley has pointed out the heavy lifting required to convince voters to approve a 10-year, multi-
billion dollar tax increase. http://charlesmobley.wordpress.com/2011/03/26/others-envious-of-henry-county-ga/

Mobley reports: Henry is in good position to not be left out of the loop. So many times we have had no dog in the
race and got less than table scraps. This turn it seems at least we’ll be heard.

The referendum will be in 2012 and is crucial to transportation over the coming decade. If it is to pass in Henry it will
need to have projects that benefit us greatly on a timely manner. Being promised our share 15 years from now is not
going to work. Let’s face it, Henry is the last metro county to get additional lanes on an interstate and the commute
is the worst in the state of Georgia. Other Counties look at Henry’s 203,000 residents as second class and small
change.

If Henry is to pass the referendum Mathis will have to bring home the bacon and make sure it is cooked. Mathis
shoulders a great deal of liability in the 2012 referendum and all of the Metro area will be watching as well as those
of us in Henry.

Supporting the notion of a tax increase for transportation on a regional basis is tricky at best. Everyone wants their
share of the funding. Our State legislators passed the buck on the tax increase to the voters so they would not have
to decide to raise taxes. Tax increases are a no-no for getting elected again. those elected need to make hard
decisions. Mathis will have to do some heavy lifting and she and others will go on record of favor of the tax increase.
 The Citizen had a conversation about the tax increase with Chairman Mathis. It was the first one-on-one meeting in over
four years, and Mathis was very cordial and professional, giving her reasoning for promoting the 10-year tax increase.

As Chair of the Henry commission Mathis has participated in every phase of planning with the Georgia DOT and the newly
created Roundtable who will determine allocations from the multi-billion dollar regional tax. She said, “Henry is getting what
we need because we have a developed transportation plan.”

Chairman Mathis said a major concern among metro counties is whether each will actually see a benefit from the new tax.
Mathis said that making sure each county gets back at least the amount of the tax paid in is a major priority of the
Roundtable members.

Mathis noted another priority concern is that the 10-year tax is planned and managed so that all projects will be funded and
completed within the ten-year life of the T-SPLOST. The Citizen found that concern interesting since Henry County has
never achieved that goal. Now in its third SPLOST Program, Henry County has a history of loosely defining tax-funded
projects into broad categories, and allowing shifting political winds to guide actual selection, timelines and shifting of funds.

Mathis made clear that counties where the tax referendum fails will lose 30% of state DOT funding. She said, “That provision
of the law actually means there is no opt-out provision.”

Citizens are faced with extortion. Either we accept a Roundtable of six individuals, including Henry’s Chairman Mathis,
to divvy up a few $Billion dollars (think of the power and influence granted this small committee); or, we will lose an
undetermined amount of future allocations from the State.

If history is a guide, we will buy into another tax increase and a small group of people will wield all the power and influence
of spending our money. Political and financial elite across the state will have access and influence, but citizens whose pocket
is being picked will not.

If principles of small government, lower taxes and truly transparent representation are important, this new 10-year tax must
be defeated.

If extortion must rule the day, then Citizens must take control.

YOUR VOICE

Biscuits & Brunch Hey Henry is a regular feature of The Henry County Times

149 Burke Street
Stockbridge, GA 30281
(770) 507-6800
Hey Henry, responding to the Hey Henry relating to GA legislature members being
stupid, they usually train at the local level. Refer to the purchase of Tara Field, the
police shooting range (needed in 10 years?), Nash Farms, etc.
Hey Henry, I would like to run for commissioner in Henry County, but I don't live in
your area. How would YOU- Henry County- like this, knowing I live in another county
rather than yours. Would this make you uneasy?

Cemetery Research Letter to The Citizen,

Group
www.crghenry.org
Signature Broadcasting
Network – SBN TV
We’re all about you!
http://sbn.tv/
McDonough Arts 2011 events
For more info contact: Debbie
Withers 678/522-4020 or
debwithers@gmail.com
Regarding Mrs. Temple's assertion in your March 23, 2011 edition of The Citizen
Newsletter that my Political Vine article was "retracted", that is a faulty description of
my correction. What was retracted was a description of a minor error I made regarding
4 people being together in a room conspiring to call the media. The 4 individuals (Vicki
Temple, Sam Fleet, Joanie Scott, Charles Mobley) did not get together to hear a tape of
the meeting, they were all four at the meeting. All I corrected was the description of
events to retract the comment regarding "all 4 of them being in a room listening to the
tape."
I have since spoken to Jon Shirek of 11-Alive who told me he first received several calls
and phone numbers of people who were at the meeting, and he proceeded to
investigate solely on the basis of those calls. He did not actually receive a copy of the
tape of the meeting until many hours after he had already received calls and voicemails
from people at the meeting about Sue Everhart's comments. My article still stands
except for, again, the minor correction regarding 4 people in a room listening to a tape.
Thank you for your consideration to re-print this in your publication to correct my
record.
Kindest regards,

http://www.mcdonougharts.net Bill Simon

www.PoliticalVine.com
678-560-9910

Spring Fever Cure: two outdoor events

hosted by McDonough Arts
Save the dates: Art in the Park (April 2) and Arti Gras (April 17)

McDonough, Ga -- Got spring fever? Indulge the urge to get outside for two fun
events on the McDonough Square hosted by McDonough Arts. Attendance is free.

Art in the Park

 Main Street McDonough
Program
5 Griffin Street McDonough, GA 30253
770-898-9868
www.mainstreetmcdonough.com/
Artist demonstrations- visual, performing, and literary arts; photography
Saturday, April 2 noon-5pm on the Square in McDonough
Artists interested in participating in this event (no fee) should contact Jeff Hunter at 770/633-6738

Arti Gras

A New Orleans-style festival featuring live music, food, arts and crafts

Sunday, April 17 noon-5pm on the Square in McDonough

Advertising your business or
organization in The Citizen will
reach thousands of people
every week.
Send us your logo or photo
and ad copy to
hc.citizen@hccitizen.org or call
404-425-2361 for info.
Rates: Your Voice column ad
(as shown here) - $10 / month
Article length ads with logo or
photo (max 125 words) -
$20 / month
Artists interested in this event ($25 booth fee) should contact Faye Meyer at 678/763-
3710 by April 1
Henry County Airport
Georgia Senate Bill 202 was passed by the Senate and is now in the Georgia House for
final approval. The county commission voted to request local legislation to allow
spending untold $Millions to acquire the Tara Field Airport.
To amend an Act entitled "An Act to create the Henry County Governmental
Services Authority," approved May 6, 2005 (Ga. L. 2005, p. 4014), so as to add
airport facilities within the definition of the term "authority"; to modify and clarify
the powers of the authority; to provide for the issuance of refunding revenue
bonds; to modify the investments authorized for moneys of the authority; to
expand the purpose of the authority to include providing public airports and
landing fields; to repeal conflicting laws; and for other purposes.
To what extent?

[Project] also means and includes public airports and landing fields for the use of
aircraft, related buildings and structures, and facilities, buildings, and structures usual
or convenient to be located at or co-located with such undertakings; extensions and
improvements of such facilities; and the acquiring of necessary or convenient
property, both real and personal, so as to assure the efficient and proper
development, maintenance, and operation of such airports and landing fields
deemed by the authority to be necessary, convenient, or desirable for the operation of
such airports and landing fields anywhere within or for Henry County."

How to pay for it?

The authority is authorized to provide by resolution for the issuance of revenue

refunding bonds of the authority for the purpose of refunding any revenue bonds
issued under the provisions of this Act and then outstanding, together with accrued
interest thereon.

At 12:30 AM most of us are in bed sleeping or watching the late shows on TV. But one
night just a few days ago a McDonough Police officer stopped a pick-up truck for a traffic
violation. After getting consent to search the truck, he found in a bag some flashlights,
gloves and some vases that go in cemeteries. Henry County Police was called in to
investigate and one of the people said to one of the officers that the vases were taken
from Eastlawn Memorial Gardens Cemetery just two hours ago. They were charged with
theft by taking and bound over to Superior Court these are felony charges.

Our County’s cemeteries are very important to us. They are our link to our past. The
citizens that rest in the Henry hillsides made Henry County the great County it is today
and they deserve a clean honorable place to rest in peace. We would like to thank the
McDonough and Henry County Police Departments for doing a fine job on catching the
suspects with the vases. With all citizens coming together we can protect our cemeteries
from vandals that only care for self and not the community as a whole.

From the staff of the Cemetery Research Group you are some of the Counties finest
thank you and God bless.

Alfred Britt
Founder CRG

Dr. Mike Moon

Senior Researcher

Anyone home?
Surveying the world situation at this writing, the attacks on Libya are continuing while Japan lurches from telling us
that its nuclear power plants are being brought under control to telling us there are new or growing problems. In
the Middle East, neighboring countries have sent troops into Bahrain (home of the US 5th Fleet) to save that
government from its own people, the US budget deficit in February was more than the entire deficit for 2007 and the
price of gasoline continues to rise. No doubt this is time for decisive leadership from the United States, a crucial factor
in regaining the equilibrium we need for stability and what passes for peace these days.

In a time of world crisis and turbulence, all eyes turn to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and the occupant of the White
House who is the most powerful person on earth. But don't turn your eyes to the Executive Mansion now, no one is
home. Our President, First Lady, their daughters, her mother and the girl's Godmother and by all reports, many others
are all in South America on yet another foreign trip funded by the endless well of money provided by the American
taxpayer. After a couple of stressful days in Brazil, its off to Chile and then El Salvador before returning to the White
House and whatever crisis happens to still be boiling at that time.

Indeed, at the height of the Japanese crisis, Obama spent an afternoon playing his 61st golf game since becoming
President and later took enough time to sit down and fill out 68 NCAA basketball tournament slots and then film a
segment on ESPN to explain them. When it came time to tell the American people about our attack on Libya, he was
standing in front of the cameras in the capitol of Brazil, the first time such an announcement has been made by a
President while visiting a foreign country.

Our military participation only came about because the French had taken the lead and were on the verge of attacking
Libya, basically giving us an ultimatum to either participate or get out of the way. With the British and other NATO
members following the French, with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton participating in crisis meetings in Paris more as a
spectator than a leader, with even Senator John Kerry, D-Mass, infamous for his anti military remarks, beating the war
drum and the President eager to get on with his travels, Obama finally gave the signal to get our military involved. But
he was not about to let this third front in an escalating middle east war slow him and his extended family down from
enjoying the luxuries awaiting them in Latin America.

What more can be said about Obama's lack of leadership? The world demands great things of American Presidents;
some are able to deliver, some are not. Clearly this President is not able to deliver. He values his free time and travels
around the world more than remaining here at home to manage American responses to world situations. Ronald
Reagan used to say the President lives above the store. This President is living it up above the store while the world
burns. So in the absence of anyone being at home in Washington, the world lurches from one crisis to another with no
end in sight. It's a very dangerous situation but we should all settle in for another two years with no changes expected.

Former State Senator John Douglas was chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans, Military
and Homeland Security in the Georgia Senate for six years. He and his family live in Newton County. He can be reached at
jfdouglas@aol.com.

Henry’s NAACP to recognize local leaders

Henry Daily Herald

The Henry County branch of the NAACP plans to honor local residents and groups, its members believe have
made a difference in their communities.

The organization’s Seventh Annual Freedom Fund Awards Banquet is a gathering of Henry County’s elected officials,
business and religious leaders, and community members at-large, according to Eugene Edwards, President of the Henry
County Branch of the NAACP. The awards banquet is scheduled for 7 p.m. today, at the Merle Manders Conference
Center in Stockbridge.

Edwards said the event is made possible each year through donations and ticket sales from individuals, organizations,
and businesses. Carabbas Italian Grill-Southlake in Morrow, he noted, will provide the banquet meal free of charge.

“We’re bringing people together — the communities, elected officials, and churches...,” Edwards said. “[In] doing that,
Henry County will be a much better place to live.”

Edwards said the evening’s awards will include the branch’s Community Service Awards, Education Award, and the Bass
Reeves Award.

To be honored for his community service is Lee Kelley of the non-profit Men On A Mission, an organization based at
Shiloh Baptist Church in McDonough. Edwards said Kelley is involved with helping the organization feed the hungry and
provide community service to those less fortunate.

Stockbridge Mayor Lee Stuart will be honored for community service as well, said the branch president. “Since
Mayor Stuart has been elected, he has done a tremendous job here in Stockbridge,” Edwards said.

The mayor, according to Edwards, has been involved in getting neglected parts of the city cleaned up and bringing them
out of disrepair. “He’s also known for his passion for kids,” Edwards added. “He’s not a guy that you can’t talk to. And I
think that is very important to the citizens of Stockbridge. Overall, we call him the people’s mayor.”

Luella High School, in Locust Grove, will be honored with the organization’s Education Award. Luella Principal George
Eckerle and Assistant Principal John Reynolds, are expected to accept the award on behalf of the school, which opened
during the 2003-04 school year. Eckerle said he was appreciative, and humbled by the award.

The school leader said maintaining and increasing classroom rigor is another role for the school of 2,058 pupils. He said
major challenges face educators in preparing students for a world after high school. One of them is keeping up with and
competing with technologies that young people use in order to provide higher quality education.

Henry County NAACP President Eugene Edwards said the organization’s Bass Reeves Award recipient will be Deputy
Gregory Gleaton of the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. Gleaton was chosen from several nominees, from different law
enforcement agencies in Henry County. “Gleaton has done numerous things with the sheriff’s office,” Edwards said. “He
has been outspoken in the community, and helpful in guiding young people to be successful citizens.”

Columbus GA TEA Party

Continuing Revolution Rally

This past weekend we asked you if we should stage a protest in Washington, DC, on Thursday, 3.31.11. Thousands of
you let us know that we should and we hear you loud and clear.
On Thursday, March 31, 2011, Tea Party Patriots will be holding a Continuing Revolution Rally on the East Side of the
Capitol Building from noon to 1:30pm. While the Congress continues "business-as-usual" with their short term
continuing resolutions, we will be there to Continue our Tea Party Revolution and demand they make the tough
decisions we sent them there to make.

We sent them there to repeal Obama Care and they did, but if they are serious about that vote they won't let another
CR pass without removing the $105 Billion in funds already appropriated to Obama Care.

We sent them there to repeal Obama Care and they did, but if they are serious about that vote they won't let another
CR pass without removing the $105 Billion in funds already appropriated to Obama Care.

We sent them there to cut spending and while they may tell you that they have cut $10 Billion from the budget in a 3
week period, the same day that the last CR passed in the House, an additional $72 Billion was added to deficit... in ONE
DAY.

They pledged to us that they were going to cut $100 Billion in spending this fiscal year, so far they have failed to follow
through on that pledge.

We sent them there to make tough decisions, to be leaders, and yet they are timidly passing mediocre spending
reforms as if they are avoiding conflict with the Democrats.
We sent them there to be BOLD and yet their actions are showing otherwise.

This is merely a continuation of the battles fought over the last two years. Help us continue to gain ground and build on
the successes we've had. They are testing the waters and waiting for us to go away. We're not going away!

The Citizen Newsletter is provided by

Henry Citizens for Responsible Government

Larry Stanley, Editor
899 East Lake Road, McDonough, GA 30252
€
Please report broken links or other problems
Contact: hc.citizen@hccitizen.org
Henry Citizen Mail List Opt-In
Unsubscribe: Send E-Mail to HC Citizen
Write UNSUBSCRIBE in Subject: line