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Citizen Newsletter #296 Henry Citizen (hccitizen@hccitizen.net) hc.citizen@hccitizen.org; Wednesday, October 5, 2011 6:44 PM

The Citizen Newsletter

Issue # 296

October 6, 2011

The Conservative Voice of Henry County

Contact The Citizen at hc.citizen@hccitizen.org

www.scribd.com/Henry_Citizen View or download at www.scribd.com/Henry_Citizen In This Edition DAVID RALSTON ON T-SPLOST BUTTS COUNTY GOP JOB FAIR IN MCDONOUGH LAMBERTON FOR AUSTELL COUNCIL RICHARD STEINBERG SPEAKS OUT PROBLEMS WITH MASS T RANSIT ONE A T A TIME YOUR VOICE DICK YARBROUGHS GURU JOANIE SCOTT CALLS OUT MATHIS Published stories come from THE CITIZEN CONTRIBUTOR NETWORK, where individuals publish their unique perspectives on some of the worlds most popular issues and topics. Do you have a story to tell? Become a Citizen contributor. Submit your opinions, commentaries and articles to HC.CITIZEN@ HCCITIZEN.ORG

Watch Speaker David Ralston on TSPLOST:

http://youtu.be/SzEctxcJ208

Editorial / Publication Policy

Speaker David Ralston in the well of the Georgia General Assembly. We are all Atlantans. We all ride MARTA. The success of the state of Georgia depends on the success of Atlanta. This Georgian, member of the House of Representatives from Ringgold, former and future Democrat, is selling a load of bovine scatology.

Your Support is Appreciated

Butts County Republican Party

Please make sure you come by the Butts County Republican Party Booth at the Jackson Alive Festival in downtown Jackson, around the square, this Saturday, October 8th! Hours are 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM.
Information should be available for Presidential & other candidates. If you are a candidate, or a representative for a candidate, please contact us about being included at this event. We will also have the forms available for Voter Registration. The deadline to register for elections this November is October 11th. We can use more Volunteers to help setup the booth (starting around 7:00 AM), give out information during the day, assist with Voter Registration, and then take it down after the event. Please contact us now! So far, we have only heard from the following: Ken, Pat, Mick & McKenzie. Have a Terrific Tuesday! Debbie Moon Chairman, Butts County Republican Party GopButtsCounty@gmail.com

JOB FAIR in McDonough On Friday, October 21, the City of McDonough will host a fourth annual Job Fair. This event will be held from 10am-2pm at McDonough Presbyterian Church (427 McGarity Road.) The Atlanta Regional Commissions Mobile Career Resource Center will be on site. The bus has thirteen stations that will allow visitors to perform various activities such as online job searches, resume and cover letter development, on-line tutorials, and individual assessments and exploration of training eligibility and options. I have attached the event flyer. A roster listing the companies that have registered to participate to date is on Mayor Copelands Facebook page and will be updated regularly www.facebook.com/mayorbilly (Look for the Job Fair event link on his wall.) There is no cost to attend this event and registration is not required. Over 200 positions are being advertised! Please share this information with family, friends, congregations, etc. Thank you, Leslie Balog

Visit www.hccitizen.org

Fall and Food Festival on the McDonough Square October 8, 2011 10-5pm

LANCE LAMBERTON

Candidate for Austell City Council

As you may be aware, I am now a declared candidate and will be on the ballot for Austell City Council, Ward 4, with the election to be held on November 8th. Under the circumstances, to avoid any perceived conflict of interest, such as using my position as president of the Cobb Taxpayers Association (CTA) to advance my candidacy, I have asked Mr. Brett Bittner, who is CTA's Vice President, to take over the operations of CTA until the election, and to serve as our spokesman; a request to which he has graciously agreed. The good news is that as a candidate, there is no restriction on me speaking out against the T-SPLOST, which is CTA's primary concern. The difference is that I will speak out as "candidate" Lance Lamberton, and not "president" of the CTA. In fact, in a few days, both the MDJ and the League of Women Voters will be publishing information where I take a forthright anti T-SPLOST stand. Quite frankly, "forthright" is the only way I know how to be, and I hope that will bode well for when I win my election to the Austell City Council. If you'd like to learn about my campaign for City Council, please log ontowww.lambertonforcouncil.com In the meantime, thank you for your past and current support of CTA. In liberty, Lance Lamberton 404-925-8960

22,900 Over 22,900 reads at Scribd.com Over 4,100 subscribers

www.scribd.com/Henry_Citizen View or download at www.scribd.com/Henry_Citizen

Richard Steinberg Speaks Out

Since there are several critical issues in the upcoming election, I have taken the initiative to record my thoughts and comments in video format. Five separate important messages, each of which addresses different focal points, are available for your review on YouTube. I have provided links to the THREE videos that are currently uploaded ~ others will follow in the next few days. I encourage each and every person to see what I have to say as these topics will decide the future course / direction of Stockbridge. As always I welcome your thoughts, ideas and suggestions as together we strive to accomplish our goal.

Video #2: http://youtu.be/Crf8hgUdofg

On Fiscal Responsibility

Video #3: http://youtu.be/PNmjnE62YpE Voice And Friend Of The People Video #4: http://youtu.be/VggCkhMrrKo
Our Children and the Elderly

ADVANCE VOTING: October 17 - 28 at the Henry County Board of Elections, 345 Phillips Drive, McDonough, GA 30253 EARLY VOTING: October 28 - November 4 ONLY AT THE TED STRICKLAND CENTER, 130 Berry Street, Stockbridge, GA 30281 ELECTION DAY: November 8 - ONLY AT THE TED STRICKLAND CENTER, 130 Berry Street, Stockbridge, GA 30281

VOTE FOR RICHARD STEINBERG - STOCKBRIDGE CITY COUNCIL

Transportation Investment Act (TIA)

Part II: The Problems with Mass Transit
By Steve Brown, Fayette County Commissioner (stevebrownptc@ureach.com)
(FULL DISCLOSURE: I am a MARTA transit patron; and I own a MARTA Breeze Card; and I do not want to eliminate MARTA; and I cannot support 55-percent of the TIA funding going to mass transit.) In the previous section, Part I: What You Need to Know, we discussed how the players behind the 2012 TIA TSPLOST referendum want new high density land use in the outer suburban areas, making sure that they support land use policies that would support our proposed transit investment (Transit Planning Board minutes, November 29, 2007). In addition, we learned that the referendum would be a windfall for construction, engineering and consulting firms even though 55-percent of the funding would be directed to fewer than five percent of the commuters. Part I demonstrated a hint of conflict of interest with the Atlanta Regional Commission (ARC) Chairman, Tad Leithead, also being the Chairman of the Cumberland CID, receiving the largest project on the list: $1.2 billion rail line. Likewise, we discovered the Metropolitan Atlanta Chamber of Commerce is developing a $5 million ad campaign in favor of the regional TSPLOST that fails to mention any of the negative positions. The last thing we learned was that a permanent regional sales tax for mass transit appears to be on our horizon (not a soul can tell us how the current and expanded mass transit would be funded in the future, otherwise).

If it were not going to create one of the largest ongoing debt loads in metro Atlanta history, it would be amusing to tell you that the mass transit plan is something the top elected officials wish for you to use, not them. Truly, most of the elected officials who claim it is absolutely vital that the region expand mass transit do not use mass transit; instead, they are 100 percent behind you using mass transit. Even the members of the various transit committees drive their automobiles to the meetings. I have gone to ARC meetings and with rare exception have been the only one who took transit. Out of all meeting participants, I had the worst access to transit. (For the record, I will say that MARTA CEO Jim Durrett does utilize transit for all of his metro travels which is why he has my utmost respect for being genuine.) Bob Ross with the Fayette County Local Issues Tea Party (http://fayettecountyissuesteaparty.org/) asked the fundamental question, How many cars do we need to take off the road in order to justify the extraordinary expense of expanding mass transit rail lines? The ARCs answer is they do not know. Imagine that. The number one reason given for expanding transit rail is getting cars off the road, but no one can define what success looks like? Likewise, rail ridership is declining, so what leads us to believe expanding rail will attract riders? Allow me to show you the three types of public opinion on mass transit using an Atlanta Journal-Constitution story entitled, Transit finds some support in Cobb from September 9, 2011. First, Cobb resident Coakley Pendergrass says, We consider ourselves a progressive area. We have to bring transit to Cobb. This quote sums up the liberal view on all matters, meaning money and facts are irrelevant if I feel its the right thing to do. Second, Cobb resident Ron Sifen saying, If we are going to spend a billion dollars on a project in Cobb, I want it to be for relieving traffic congestion and this project doesnt do that. This is the common sense approach, asking what this project does for our commute. Again, there is no answer from the elected elite because the project is more about the developer, contractor and engineering firms raking in nice profits. Finally, State Senator Doug Stoner (D-Smyrna) explains, This is about how do we give alternatives and choices to commuters in this county. Sen. Stoner believes it is worth billions of dollars to give a very small percentage of the Cobb commuters a ride on a train. This is the kind of political rhetoric, broad and bland, that makes people distrust politicians. Coincidentally, Sen. Stoner works in business development for Croy Engineering of Marietta, so try to guess which firm got the contract to do the Alternatives Analysis study for the Cumberland CID rail proposal (http://mdjonline.com/view/full_story/15508932/article-Critic-says-senator%E2%80%99s-support-oflight-rail-a-conflict-of-interest)? The AJCs coverage of the TSPLOST is quite tarnished. MARTA has lost half a billion dollars each of the last two years and they have over a $1 billion of unfunded maintenance. MARTA chief executive Beverly Scott recently warned that another $2.3 billion of unfunded maintenance is forthcoming over the next 10 years (AJC, MARTA chief warns of $2.3 billion in unfunded maintenance needs, Sept. 26, 2011). The regional government is trying to convince us the answer is making MARTA bigger. This is utterly ridiculous. Here is where we see the handwriting on the wall with the following quotes from the March 22, 2007, Planning and Funding Committee Meeting (Transit Planning Board). In talking about all bus and train operators in the region, 91% of operating expenses are paid by local sources; primarily coming from local general funds. The federal government is backing out of providing operating funds for transit systems. The analysis continues, Additional sources are going to be needed just to operate and maintain the current system we have in place today. And finally the real goal, We need to look at what funding mechanisms we can successfully implement to make up for the funding shortages. The federal funds are going away and the counties with transit, especially DeKalb and Fulton, have no intention of fully funding MARTA. Get ready for a permanent regional sales tax (this is what the ARC, Metro Atlanta Chamber of Commerce and key legislators are hiding from the public). The ARCs 2025 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) gave unprecedented expectations for increased mass transit ridership leading to 2025 with no rational justification for the predictions. MARTA bus ridership is projected to increase 70 percent with virtually no increase in bus service. This has never been accomplished before and is simply not believable, (W. Cox and L. Creasy, A Common Sense Approach to Transportation in the Atlanta Region, June 23, 2000). The exposure of the exaggerated claims continued, Overall bus and rail passenger journeys are projected to increase more than 250,000 daily from 2000 to 2025. This is five times as many new passengers as have been attracted to MARTA rail and bus services over the past 20 years. It is not likely that this result will be achieved. MARTAs fare has risen to $2.50, the same as New Yorks Metropolitan Transportation Authority, but with a lot less network coverage. Despite MARTAs expansion [up to year 2000 for this study], transits work trip market share (percentage of workers using transit for the work trip) has dropped since 1980. Moreover, the new ridership has been costly, on average more than $30 per one-way trip. (W. Cox and L. Creasy, A Common Sense Approach to Transportation in the Atlanta Region, June 23, 2000). At one time downtown Atlanta accounted for 25 percent of metro employment, but that figure is now well below 10 percent. The difficulty for MARTA is that mass transit is more effective in dense urban areas and much less effective in less dense suburban areas. Thus, the proposal of running more transit extensions in vast suburban areas is illogical. What metro Atlanta lacks is a sufficient surface street network. We simply developed a lot of the land,

allowing traffic to collide and congest amongst the interstate highways which amalgamate in downtown Atlanta. Our funding would be better spent creating new and better routes around the bottlenecks. Many of the transit rail projects that made the TIA Executive Committees final draft are underfunded by hundreds of millions of dollars. To make matters worse, transit rail projects are notoriously underestimated in planning documents historically. For example, the early stages of the MARTA rail system experienced a 58 percent capital cost overrun, according to a federal report, (W. Cox and L. Creasy, A Common Sense Approach to Transportation in the Atlanta Region, June 23, 2000). MARTA actually attempted some magical accounting to hide cost overruns of the recent North Line expansion. While the cost overrun has been kept low, this has been done not by keeping the costs low, but by increasing the amount of the contract, to $463.2 million. When this FFGA cost increase is compared to the original FFGA amount, we see an increase of $81.9 million, or 21.5% [overrun] (actually, it is not clear from the available information that the GAOs $26.1 million increase is included in the above $81.9 million cost increase if it is not included, the overrun would be $108.0 million, or 28.3%, of the original FFGA), (Thomas A. Rubin, CPA, CMA, CMC, CIA, CGFM, CFM, Locally-Funded Cost Increases of U.S. Rail Projects Beyond the Perspective of General Accounting Office). Again, who is going to be expected to pay the balance of the underfunded and overrun prone mass transit rail projects? Can anyone show us an example of work trip increases by running new transit rail into the suburbs? And what exactly is the model of success if the regions transportation planners do not have a target number of cars to be taken off our roads with the addition of expensive new transit rail projects? Ladies and gentlemen, if they cannot answer those three questions, we need to drop the mass transit projects from the TIA SPLOST.

ONE AT A TIME
This probably sounds crazy, but just yesterday I was in Wal Mart looking for a wastebasket. I found some made in China for $6.99. I didn't want to pay that much so I asked the lady if they had any others. She took me to another department and they had some at $2.50 made in USA. They are just as good. Same as a kitchen rug I needed. I had to look, but I found some made in the USA and they were $3.00 cheaper. We are being brain washed that everything that comes from China and Mexico is cheaper. Not so. That is also why I don't buy cards at Hallmark anymore. They are made in China and are expensive. I buy them at Dollar Tree....50 cents each and made in USA. One Light Bulb at a Time A physics teacher in high school, once told the students that while one grasshopper on the railroad tracks wouldn't slow a train very much, a billion of them would. With that thought in mind, read the following, obviously written by a good American . . . Good idea . . .. One light bulb at a time . . .. Check this out. I can verify this because I was in Lowe's the other day for some reason and just for the heck of it I was looking at the hose attachments... They were all made in China . The next day I was in Ace Hardware and just for the heck of it I checked the hose attachments there. They were made in USA. Start looking ... In our current economic situation, every little thing we buy or do affects someone else - even their job. So, after reading this email, I think this lady is on the right track.. Let's get behind her! My grandson likes Hershey's candy. I noticed, though, that it is marked made in Mexico now. I do not buy it any more. My favorite toothpaste Colgate is made in Mexico... Now I have switched to Crest. You have to read the labels on everything.... This past weekend I was at Kroger . .. . I needed 60W light bulbs and Bounce dryer sheets. I was in the light bulb aisle, and right next to the GE brand I normally buy was an off-brand labeled, Everyday Value." I picked up both types of bulbs and compared the stats they were the same except for the price . . . The GE bulbs were more money than the Everyday Value brand but the thing that surprised me the most was the fact that GE was made in MEXICO and the Everyday Value brand was made in - get ready for this - the USA in a company in Cleveland , Ohio. So throw out the myth that you cannot find products you use every day that are made right here... So on to another aisle - Bounce Dryer Sheets... Yep, you guessed it, Bounce cost more money and is made in Canada... The Everyday Value brand was less money and MADE IN THE USA! I did laundry yesterday and the dryer sheets performed just like the Bounce Free I have been using for years and at almost half the price! My challenge to you is to start reading the labels when you shop for everyday things and see what you can find that is made in the USA - the job you save may be your own or your neighbors! If you accept the challenge, pass this on to others in your address book so we can all start buying American, one light bulb at a time! Stop buying from overseas companies!

(We should have awakened a decade ago....) Let's get with the program and help our fellow Americans keep their jobs and create more jobs here in the USA.

YOUR VOICE
Henry GOP Hosts T-SPLOST Meeting
I saw the Chair just before the meeting last night; she looked like a wet whipped puppy. She looked even worst after the meeting. During and after the T-SPLOST presentation it was very clear to me that the citizens present were adamantly appose the T-SPLOST. I could tell by the look on BJs face she was embarrassed by the questions and concerns that were posed to Todd Long. Did you notice that she had it set up for her to not take any questions?

www.ProvisionProperties.com

Cemetery Research Group

www.crghenry.org

The heat is on. The biggest problem BJ has now is she wants us dumb and uneducated citizens to go away. We will when she loses the election in 2012. The big money people, mostly from out of county, can give you all the money you need and want for a campaign, but they can not get you elected.

"What you permit, you promote" Signature Broadcasting REMEMBER THIS IN NOVEMBER 2012 & VOTE ACCORDINGLY

Network SBN TV Were all about you! http://sbn.tv/

TYRONE CANDIDATE FORUM

Doors open at 6:30pm for meet and greet with the candidates. For Mayor of Tyrone: Derrick Jackson & Eric Dial City Council Post #1: Linda Howard & Tammy Proctor City Council Post #2: Ryan Housley & Pota Coston ALL CITIZENS ARE ENCOURAGED TO ATTEND! (Thanks to Chip Young for providing the location)

www.henrycountybeekeepers.org

or for more information call 770-473-5434

for more information please contact Leslie Edwards 770-460-9448 leslie@leslieedwards.com

Henry County Farm Bureau sponsored the tent for the 4-H Cattle Show at the
************ Henry County Fair this year. Farm Bureau volunteers, including Directors, Womens Committee and Young Farmer Committee members, met at the Henry County Fair Grounds at Windy Hill Park to set up the tent prior to the beginning of the 2011 Fair. Also assisting were members of the Henry County Cattlemens Club. Be sure to visit our booth at the Fair October 4-8, 2011, and register for our Gift Basket - two of which will be given away. Also at our booth are College Scholarship applications and Teacher Mini-Grant Applications. We are promoting BEEF this year.

Picture #1 - Farm Bureau volunteers who helped set up the tent for the 4-H Cattle Show at the

Henry County Fair Picture #2 - Farm Bureau Table at Fair - with Scholarship Applications and Mini-Grant Applications and Beef Recipes and information on Beef Picture #3 - Farm Bureau Table at Fair - with Farm Bureau Womens Chair Eleanor Toppins and Womens Committee Member Nancy Craig Picture #4 - Farm Bureau Baskets will be given away - Free Raffle - sign up at Farm Bureau Booth
friendsofrichardsteinberg@gmail.com Campaign Committee Visit our website at www.friendsofrichard.com Make Donations Payable to: Friends of Richard Steinberg 254 Kensington Trace Stockbridge, Georgia 30281 770-912-7036 Look For Us On Facebook at Friends of Richard Steinberg

Dear Citizen, I just sent an email to Fred A. explaining my thoughts on the grant for Nash Farms. I stated to him that at this time we, as taxpayers, dont need to spend anymore money on this piece of property. There are many more issues that need to be addressed. My feeling, and I expressed this in the email, is that if we have enough money to match the grant, we should spend that money on calling back the employees we laid off. I suggested to him that there are many other ways to build the walking paths. Such as using the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, school and/or church organizations, etc. to get these paths built. I dont know how Fred will respond, or if he will. I did mention to him that I would be watching to see how he votes on this issue and will respond accordingly. Let me know your thoughts when you get the time. Thanks for putting out a great informational county bulletin. God Bless and keep on digging. Hugh McDonald (Ol 1st Sergeant) FOUNDING FATHERS TEA PARTY PATRIOTS
Visit the website: http://fftpp.weebly.com/index.html Read the current newsletter:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/67432039/Founding-Fathers-TEA-Party-Patriots

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NEWSLETTER published monthly by Steve Ramey (Greater Gwinnett County) Steve Ramey Semper Fidelis et Vigilo!

Don Henderson wrote:

Just received an invite to a fund raiser for BJ from Sahar........WHY? ... she should just ask Billy for some money..... Oh wait, he is unavailable. Maybe Shailandra could ... no, he's not available either.... What about the lady who was going to assist the abused girls ..... No, I understand she is working on a new ADULT web site... BJ just seems to have a problem choosing friends who don't have problems

Eleanor Smith wrote:

To all Henry County citizens that are on my facebook. Richard Steinberg is running for Stockbridge City Council. He has had six signs stolen or torn up. To steal signs is just about as low down as you can get. Hope the citizens of Henry County will help him replace these signs and show those that are doing this that we will not tolerate it. If anyone sees someone around any of Richard's signs, please call the Henry County police. Be sure to take a picture on your phone. I want to see them locked up. We don't want people like this living among us.

Skeeter Skates doesnt care much for due process when terrorists are involved

by Dick Yarbrough
Everybody needs a guru. Someone you can go to whenever you find yourself stuck on the horns of a moral dilemma. Some climb the mountain tops of Nepal to sit before an old guy wrapped in a bed sheet and listen to him prattle about inner beauty. I am very fortunate. My guru doesnt live on a mountain. Skeeter Skates is owner of Skeeter Skates Tree Stump Removal and Plow Repair in Greater Metropolitan Pooler, which to my knowledge, has no mountains, just a couple of piles of wood shavings from the local sawmill. Skeeter isnt much on inner beauty but he has a lot of common sense. That is why I seek him out when I am confused. Make it quick, Hoss. Skeeter said with a touch of irritation in his voice, Ive got my hands full trying to grease up a Baumalight ST324 Tree Spade with non-slip step pad. You ever handled one of these things? I admitted I had not. I didnt think so, he said, Ive got rusted chain saws sharper than you. Besides, you never call unless you want something. Skeeter Skates gets right to the point. I told Skeeter I needed some perspective. I said the American Civil Liberties Union and some sourpuss woman on MSNBC and even Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul were in a tizzy because a known terrorist that helped plan the Fort Hood massacre and a couple of aborted attempts to blow up airplanes and buildings in the U.S. had been killed by a drone in Yemen. They say Anwar al-Awaki was an American citizen who was killed without due process of law guaranteed by the U.S. Constitution. Wait a honkin minute, Skeeter said as he turned off the engine of the Baumalight ST 324 Tree Spade with non-slip step pad, Are you saying this bunch is upset because we took out a guy that made his lifes work killing Americans and they think he was supposed to get due process? I told him that seemed to be the case. Well, what kind of due process did he have in mind for all those innocent people that got killed because of him? I said it was my opinion that due process was not a part of Mr. al-Awlakis decision-making. He just hated Americans and wanted as many to die as possible. Son, let me get to the bottom line here, Skeeter said, because I dont have a lot of time. Ive got a Quick Stump-Away stump grinder attachment with pistol grip control harness and factory-installed Parker flat-faced coupler sitting over in the corner and it aint gonna fix itself. I have no idea what he is talking about. I just know Skeeter is awfully proud of his work and considers himself the Donald Trump of the tree stump removal and plow repair industry. We werent doing a thing in the world wrong when that sorry bunch of scumbags attacked us on 9/11. As a matter of fact, I was digging out stumps over in Liberty County that morning, minding my own business, he said, but they sure as the dickens have me riled up since then and most other Americans, too. There is still a bunch of em over there hiding in caves that want to hurt us. And we think that traitor deserved due process? Hells bells, boy! He is the enemy. Him and his crowd want to kill us all. The more of them we can send to wherever it is they think they are gonna go when they take their final dirt nap and the quicker we can do it, the better. I could tell Skeeter was ready to wind up our conversation. Tell your readers, he said, that I wouldnt waste a warm beer on the ACLU if they were on fire. I wouldnt watch that stuck-up woman on television brush her teeth and I wouldnt help Ron Paul if he was running for a bus, let alone president of the United States. And you ought to quit giving them free publicity. Youre just wasting your bosss paper and my time. Now, if you will excuse me, I have to go do some honest work. Thats something you newspaper folks wouldnt recognize if it bit you in the behind. Then he hung up. I am proud to call Skeeter Skates my guru. He may not wear a bed sheet or talk of inner beauty and he can be cranky, but he makes an awful lot of sense.

BJs Sidewalk Statements Dont Match Grants Facts

Posted by Joanie Scott
http://proofofright.wordpress.com/2011/10/03/bjs-sidewalk-statements-dont-match-grants-facts/

Apparently neither my District Commissioner, Fred Auletta, nor the Chair, herself, feel they have any obligation to respond to my email from last week objecting to the grants theyll be voting on tomorrow. Heres a hint for them: Maybe if you communicated more with the citizens BEFORE voting on these wasteful spending resolutions, you wouldnt be experiencing this backlash. But thats okay. Keep ignoring us and well be sure top ignore you, too, next election day. Statements made by Henry County Board of Commissioners Chair BJ Mathis in email responses to others, however, simply cannot be reconciled with the actual GDOT grant documents for Nash Farm and Panola Park. If something has changed from what the grant documents say then she should be providing that documentation to the citizens on the county website. Otherwise she just looks like a liar. Again. In email responses about the sidewalk grants, Mathis wrote:

Lets talk about the trail to Panola Park. The grant combined with a contribution from a private organization called the PATH Foundation will pay for this 100% with NO money being spent by Henry County. Now, lets look at the actual grant application that bears Mathis signature. At the bottom of the first page it asks: Local matching funds will be provided in the form of: Henry County will provide $50,000 from the General Fund. PATH will provide $178,000. Which is it Madam Chair? And heres what Mathis had to say about the Nash Farm grant: Our Road Dept. whose salaries we already pay every day will actually pave the trails. Again NO money is being spent from the county budget on this. Once again, lets look at the actual resolution the Board will be voting on tomorrow: Whereas, Henry County would be required to provide 20% matching funds which equates to $108,400.00 for the project construction, which the county intends to meet using a majority of in-kind services in the form of surveying and site grading to meet local funding requirements; Again, which is it? Is no money being spent from the county budget or are we committed to spending $108,400? Actually, by accepting these grants, the County will be agreeing to pay for the entirety of these two projects up front totaling more than $1.4 million dollars. The GDOT eventually reimburses the county for its portion agreed to in the grant. To suggest that no money is being spent on these projects just because the county employees are already being paid is absurd. Yes, those employees would be paid no matter what project they would be working on. But, if we can afford for Road Department employees to be spending time on such low priority transportation needs like walking trails, then we clearly have too many Road Department employees. The county has already budgeted the $158k (the combine portion of these two grant projects) in the salaries of these engineers and other laborers. As a result of these grants, we now have high paid employees working on low priority jobs. If the county cant find a higher priority use for these employees then the Roads Department should be trimmed and the cost savings should go to restoring full employment to county employees who are now being furloughed four days a year. Essential services are not being provided to the citizens of Henry County and we are being inconvenienced by the closings of the tax and tag office, our courts, and animal control, etc. due to the furloughing of employees. The purpose of local government is to provide its citizen with essential services needed to maintain safety and public order. When offices are closed because employees are furloughed, citizens no longer have access to those services. Accordingly, all non-essential government activity should cease so that citizens may maintain access to essential services for which they pay. The Henry BOC must stop spending on ALL non-essential expenditures until they have completely restored all essential services to its citizens. UPDATE: Someone brought up a really great point to me this morning about these sidewalk grants. When I told him about this issue, his first reaction was some concrete company is going to make a lot of money on this! Hmmm, which of BJ Mathis campaign contributors happens to own a concrete business? Guess well have to wait and see who gets the contract.

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