Henry County and L.L. Bean
I got a L.L. Bean Christmas Catalog in the mail. As I was looking it over it came to me that I cannot afford anything in it at all. The truth be told they are overpriced on all they have in my book. It also has come to me that this Christmas season will be a bleak one at my house. You see being on disability and having a few medical problems I live Month to Month and sometimes not to the next Month. But I do what I can and try not to complain but this year I have to let it out. I have been watching people and they as a human race are losing what it is to be human. It’s the same way with companies also, they forget they serve humans.
There is a war going on and people don’t even know it is happening right in front of them each day. It is class warfare, the people well to do against the people who have very little or nothing.
It is getting old to see the way people are treating each other. I have heard people with tons of money say they don’t need to help people that don’t have much. What would these same people say if they were the ones needing help?
What has really got me mad is the people that don’t have much are being forced to help the ones with lots of money and they will not see any benefit from it. The County Commissioners decided to lie to the people when they ran for office when they told them they would not raise taxes. The Commission had a chance to let the people know that they work for them. But they chose to not roll back property taxes where they should be and help the people. They chose to line the County wallet and the hell with the people especially the poor people of the County. We the people that this action has hurt will never see anything out of this increase tax money we are forced to pay.
There will be no Christmas decorations up this year at this house, my money went to the greedy County Commissioners agenda that don’t include me. So remember me and all the poor people you screwed when you open your presents and have fun knowing you put sad faces on so many people in this County. Hope you have a good Christmas knowing all this and by the way what are you celebrating? True Christians are celebrating the birth of Jesus who believed in helping his fellow man. So what are you and please tell us the truth this time.
Alfred Britt
Blog owner
Hello there at the Henry County Community News Blog. I have some information to share that is of importance to the people of Henry County. As of Friday last Henry County Board of Commissioners Chairman Tommy Smith filed with Henry County Superior Court a request for an injunction for relief against the five current Commissioners on the Board. Chairman Smith is asking for the court to allow him the authority that was given by the Georgia General Assembly. The voters gave the Chairman certain powers to run the job in 1990. Chairman Smith has tried for two years now to be the CEO of the County Government. It seems that this Board and previous Boards have been unconstitutionally allowing the county manager to be the CEO the same powers granted to the Chairman by referendum in 1990. This process goes all the way back to 1974. Apparently, the Board members of 1992 took it upon themselves to make a change because they didn’t like what the General
Assembly had done by creating an Ordinance giving the powers to the Manager. This was done in an unconstitutional manner and could be considered illegal. Thus, Chairman Smith is seeking to rectify the problem through the Superior Court of Henry County. This is a problem that should never have arose within the government of Henry County because the Board in 1992 went against a legal vote by the citizens in 1990. Every Board since that time has had a chance to fix the problem created in 1992, but have chosen to leave it alone. The job of the Chairman of the Board of Commissioners also rises to the level of CEO of the county and to not allow that right and power to the Chairman should be grounds for a Chairman to seek help through the Court System of Henry County, Georgia.
A Concerned Citizen of Henry County, Georgia
The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following a link on this site. Any article sent by citizens are their own property.
Today the March to the Sea started 150 years ago. Click on link below to hear Dr. Mike Moon
talk about the march and the effects it had in Henry County Georgia. We hope you enjoy this part of our history.
The Staff of the News Blog.
Video link
A survey about the City of Stockbridge Georgia City Council voting it's self a pay raise.
Take the survey here.
Pay Raises, Politicians and the People
Pay Raises
If you’re not already in the “know”, the City of Stockbridge City Council will be voting on whether or not to give themselves a pay raise from their current salaries: $8,700 a year for council members and $10,700 a year for Mayor Tim Thompson. I wonder what the line would be on the likelihood of this measure passing if Las Vegas odds makers were to get involved. Would you take that bet?
Following in the most hallowed traditions of our U.S. Congress, Georgia State Legislature and the City of Atlanta, the newly elected members of the Stockbridge City Council have found themselves facing the incredibly difficult task of judging their intrinsic worth 11 months into their new term.
This seemingly innocuous agenda item will be voted on this coming Monday, November 11th, at 6:00 pm during the regular monthly session.
Since the City of Stockbridge so graciously allows citizens three (3)-minutes to speak to council members on any subject they wish, I was a little surprised to find that I was the only person to get up and speak to the mayor and council on this topic.
I started off by saying that theirs is one of the only professions that I know of where the “employees” get to vote on if they deserve to be paid more. We should all be so lucky!
Then I sincerely acknowledged the fact that I know all of them on a personal level; I know that each of them came to the “job” not motivated by how much money they could make, but by their dedication to the community and desire to serve.
You see, part of the reasoning that went into the decision to propose a pay increase, is the fact that, compared to the other 14 or so municipalities that have a similar population to the City of Stockbridge, our city council members on average are paid roughly about $900 a year less. And our mayor is paid about $1,300 less annually.
But since we are “comparing ourselves among ourselves”, the Stockbridge City Council got wind of what they pay Mayor Billy Copeland and his council members down in McDonough. Well, not to be “outdone”, they felt that since the City of Stockbridge has a slightly higher population, they should be paid at least as much as our neighbors to the south, which is $12,000 a year for each council member and $18,000 a year for Mayor Tim Thompson.
The problem with this, I pointed out with the two minutes I had left, was that this comparison wasn’t really apples to apples. First of all, the City of Stockbridge pays for the medical insurance premium of the mayor and city council members that gives them and their spouses’ full coverage, which is not included as part of their compensation package for salary calculations. “How ‘bout them apples?”
My second point was, what exactly have they done to deserve a pay raise? I’m not suggesting that they haven’t been working hard. However, from everything I know, it’s the city attorney, the city manager and other appointed lawyers who do most of the heavy lifting.
Also, let’s consider the four (4) lawsuits that the City of Stockbridge is embroiled in: 1) a suit brought by former City Clerk, Ronda Blackmon, for wrongful termination, 2) another suite brought by the Downtown Development Authority (DDA), 3) a countersuit against the DDA by the city and 4) former Councilman Richard Steinberg’s lawsuit against the city for excluding him from executive session. You may begin to appreciate the price-tag the citizens will end up bearing: nearly $750,000 in legal fees this year alone with no end in sight. And city council is considering a pay raise?
Going back to the now infamous eminent domain case against the Meeks’ flower shop, to the removal of Mayor Stuart by City Council, to the more recent ceding of property and slightly over $26-million dollars given away to the DDA, and finally the forced resignation of a council member, the City of Stockbridge continues to engage in activities in which tax payers are not gaining any tangible benefits, but are certainly paying the price.
Politicians
Most would agree that the negative impact of these self-inflicted wounds that our city’s politicians have brought upon us over the past several years is incalculable. The brand that is Stockbridge has been severely tarnished.
So, with one minute to go I offered a suggestion. Since any council-approved vote on a pay increase doesn’t take effect until the next election cycle year (2016), why not pose the question to the public in the form of a referendum? In other words, what’s the rush? A community vote, if you will, on whether or not our elected officials have actually done enough in the minds of the citizens to warrant a pay raise would go a long way to re-establishing trust.
I finally ended my comments by stating my belief that if they voted on the measure without a referendum, then they were just like typical politicians in Washington, D. C. or Atlanta.
As you could probably imagine, my comments were received by a deafening silence (if only looks could kill). But if you don’t agree with your friend from time to time, isn’t the whole point of being a “real” friend that you tell them the truth, even when they may not want to hear it? And continue being their friend even when they don’t agree with you?
The council members may think a raise is merited given the incredible amount of time needed to “fix” the mess left by the last administration. Time spent away from family. Time spent going to Georgia Municipal Association and Atlanta Regional Commission meetings to learn how to be good government servants. But when you run for office, you should know the requirements of the job before you “apply”, and an “employee” shouldn’t have to self-promote for a raise. Their actions and tract record will warrant one.
Now, in all fairness to Mayor Tim L. Thompson, he doesn’t actually get a say in this matter, because he doesn’t vote unless there’s a tie. But he hasn’t spoken out against the measure either. I mean, why speak out against a measure on which you have no say? The council might just spite you and increase their pay, but not the mayor’s. Oh, what a tangled web we weave!
The People
I respectfully challenge the mayor and city council members of Stockbridge to ask any citizen in the city limits, “Name one thing that the newly elected mayor and council have done to materially improve your situation?”
As a property owner, I see the value of my home being negatively affected by the general appearance of the Hwy 138/ North Henry Boulevard corridor. Homeless people inhabit the area off of the I-75 and I-675 exits. Trash and unkempt landscaping all dissuade real estate professionals from bringing clients to view the homes in the north end of the city. For all of his faults, Ted Strickland spent our tax dollars wisely and kept Stockbridge looking clean, which is one of the things that attracted so many transplants like me to move here in the first place. Incidentally, I raised these same issues over a year ago.
I’m going to go out on a limb and imagine what some of the residents of Stockbridge might articulate if asked:
If I’m jobless, help me to find a job by hosting a job fair. McDonough has one every year. Why don’t we? If we’re going to start comparing ourselves to McDonough, maybe we should start by doing some of the things they do in McDonough to make life better for citizens.
If I’m a parent, give me options! How about an early childhood development option, like allowing Head Start to use the old police station that’s sitting there on Burke Street collecting dust? Or allowing the Boys & Girls Club to use the old fire station on Berry Street to promote programs that provide at-risk teens after school alternatives?
If I’m an adult, with no high school diploma, how about using some of the un-used space at the Merle Manders Conference Center to provide access to G.E.D. classes taught by the Southern Crescent Technical College? I think many residents would be shocked to know that it’s been about three (3)-years now since they stopped providing this valuable resource to the community since the library started its furlough days.
Not one of these ideas actually “costs” us any more than what we’re already paying for in taxes. Each of the aforementioned buildings either has the space, or is already being maintained by the city -though they are not being utilized, or both. And if Rudy Kelly and Ted Strickland could figure out a way to amass a $20+ million dollar Reserve Fund and keep the city looking clean every day, then surely our politicians can figure it out, considering all the money we’ve seen walk out the front door lately!
Again ask the people, what exactly have they done to deserve a pay raise? If the people vote, “Yes”, then I’m all for a pay increase. If not, then it’s back to the people’s business.
You know what? Come to think of it, I should be getting paid for writing this article.
-by Houston E. Nelson, III
A resourceful, penny pinching, outside-of-the-box thinking, unconventional suggesting, fiscally conservative and socially progressive, tax-paying, family-focused, God-fearing, concerned citizen of Stockbridge, Henry County, Georgia
The owner of this blog makes no representations as to the accuracy or completeness of any information on this site or found by following a link on this site. Any article sent by citizens are their own property.
The 2014 November 4th Midterm Georgia Election—Henry County
The election was held on a beautiful day in Henry County. Of the 120,143 registered voters in Henry County, 29,788 cast votes thus 24.79% voted. That is better than the usual 15% that will vote. The people should when voting vote for the person they feel will do the best job. For decades Henry County had voted hard shell Democrat until the mid-1980’s, thus creating a Republican stronghold in Henry County. That stronghold would last until the election of 2014. This year the county voted Democrat for Senator with Nunn receiving 53.75% and Perdue receiving 45.16%. The Libertarian Ms. Swafford received 1.09% of the vote and was no decisive factor in Henry County. Then, for Governor, Carter the Democrat took Henry County with 53.51% and Deal received 44.97% of the vote. The Libertarian Mr. Hunt got 1.52% of the vote and was no factor between the two in Henry County. For Lt. Governor, Stokes the Democrat received 51.04% of the vote and Cagle 48.96% of the vote in Henry County.
For Secretary of State the Democrat Carter received 51.74% and Kemp received 48.26% of the vote. For Attorney General Greg Hecht the Democrat received 52.98% and Sam Olens received 47.02% in Henry County. For Commissioner of Agriculture Democrat Irvin received 51.05% and Black received 48.95% in Henry County. For Commissioner of Insurance Democrat Johnson received 51.16% and Republican Hudgens 46.48% and the Libertarian Metz 2.36% not a factor in Henry County. State School Superintendent Democrat Wilson 53.22% and Woods 46.78% in Henry County. The Labor Commissioner Democrat Shipp 52.21% and Butler 47.79% in Henry County.
Dist. 4 PSC Republican Everett 61.66% and Liberatarian Monds 38.34% in Henry County. Dist. 1 PSC Democrat Blackman 51.28% and McDonald 45.15% and Liberatarian Gilmer 3.57% in Henry County.
US House of Rep. Westmoreland Republican 100% no opposition. US House of Rep. Dist. 10 Republican Hice 69.48% and Dious 30.52% in Henry County. State Senator Dist. 17 Republican Jeffares 100% no opposition. State Rep. Dist. 73 Republican Yates 53.64% and Driver 46.36% Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 76 Democrat Scott 100% no opposition Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 78 Democrat Douglas 75.19% and Deraney 24.81% Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 90 Democrat Stephenson 100% no opposition Henry County. State Rep. Dist 109 Rutledge 100% no opposition. Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 110 Welch 53.10% Republican and Shipley 46.90% Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 111 Strickland Republican 50.32% and Nichols 49.68% Henry County. State Rep. Dist. 130 Knight Republican 100% no opposition Henry County.
Henry County District 3 Commissioner Republican Barham 60.76% and Payton 39.24%. Henry County District 4 Commissioner Republican Prince 100% no opposition.
Henry County District 5 Commissioner Democrat Holmes 100% no opposition.
Henry County Soil and Water No Party—pick 3 Rollins 30.70%; Turpin 25.42%; McQueen 22.19%.
Amendment #1 Yes-74.83% No-25.17%
Amendment #2 Yes-70.83% No-29.17%
Referendum A Yes-76.61% No-23.39%
The results are unofficial and do not count the provisional Ballots.
Out of the 27 votes taken in Henry County for Party affiliation, 16 went to the Democrats and 11 to the Republicans. This is a significant shift in the voting record for the county.
At the time of this printing Deal and Perdue were winning handlely in the State as a whole. But Henry County is interesting.
Update as of 1045pm the provisional ballots came in and Gov Carter took Henry County. Senate Nunn took Henry County. Cagle came back and took Henry County. Kemp took Henry County. Olens took Henry County. Black came back and took Henry County. Hudgens took Henry County. Woods took Henry County. Butler took Henry County. Mcdonald took Henry County.
Just over 50% of the voters voted in the County. This is a good turn out. That is 64,065 Citizens came out to vote.
