More History to be removed by the misguided

“More History to be removed by the misguided”

The following should make people boil about what the Henry County BOC is now contemplating at Heritage Park.  The park was created to be a place to put historical items from Henry County’s past to be remembered.  It looks like the “woke” crowd doesn’t want any remembrance at all.  They have already removed the Confederate Monument from the square in McDonough and placed it in a shipping container.  Read  the following:  “Henry County is considering the removal of the historic train and other items at Heritage Park in McDonough. The board of commissioners will consider voting to surplus the items during the Tuesday, November 16, meeting.

The meeting will start at 5:30 pm. This is one hour earlier than the normal time. Agenda items from November 3 are also on the agenda. The board had to cancel the November 3 meeting because a quorum wasn’t present.

Heritage Park historic train

The train at Heritage Park is a steam locomotive. The train commemorates the Camp Creek train wreck. The wreck occurred in McDonough during June 1900.

County staff are recommending the board surplus the steam engine. To surplus an item allows the county to discard, sell or scrap the item. In their report, staff write the following:

Heritage Park is home to old structures and buildings that have not been maintained over the years. At this time, the cost to repair the buildings and structures isn’t worth preserving as we head in a new direction with revitalizing the image of the park. The train symbolizes an old train wreck which occurred in Henry County years ago. We are looking to [improve] the park and area to shed light on the positive things that have happened and are happening in Henry County. The silo and old road scraper are rusted and unsightly. We are recommending surplus these items so we may remove them and begin improvements to the park.

What do they want next the destruction of the Veterans Wall of Honor?  If those who claim to love history continue to vote these unworthy people into office then there will be more destruction to come.   The train they are wanting to scrap is a representation of the engine that crashed in the Camp Creek Train Wreck of 1900 when more people died at that incident than any other train wreck in Georgia History.  This is an item to let the people who visit Henry County know of the accident and those who lost their lives.  The other items they are scrapping were donated to the Park for museum pieces.  They are likely to want to do away with the Veterans Museum at the park as well.  This type of destruction of history is always done by those with no morals, scruples or thinking processes.  Please let these people who fill those chairs hear an ear full about what they are planning at the meeting. 

 Because public comment occurs at the end of the meeting, residents can also email board members in advance. Email addresses for each commissioner are below:

Chair Carlotta Harrell – charrell@co.henry.ga.us

District I Johnny Wilson – johnnywilson@co.henry.ga.us

District II Dee Clemmons – dclemmons@co.henry.ga.us

Dist. III Greg Cannon – gcannon@co.henry.ga.us

District IV Vivian Thomas – vthomas@co.henry.ga.us

District V Bruce Holmes – bholmes@co.henry.ga.us                                                                                                                                          The staff

Some Will Sell Their Soul For Profit

                                                                                                                                                                     

“Some Will Sell Their Soul For Profit”

It has been debated by many as to how much it takes to sell one’s soul in removing the Confederate monuments in the local cities.  The company that removed the Monument from Conyers and then McDonough is Roper and Sons out of Covington, GA.  They took money that was freely given by those that call themselves elected officials, to remove essentially grave markers for those troops who died in battles far from home.  Those monuments were placed in the towns by the United Daughters of the Confederacy to remember those who did not come home and their bodies were not recovered.   They were removed at the bidding of those racist officials who are doing it for political gain and folly.  Those who are doing the work think of themselves as just a family trying to do a job, but they are following the unlitigated greed that has caused so much angst and furor among many of the citizens.  They see only a way to get rich off the deaths of those ancestors who fought and died for their homes and families.  There is no excuse for what is occurring with the removal of those monuments.   Here is a good symbolic reference to what has occurred.  The commissioners are no different than the Roman ruler of Judea Pontius Pilate.  And the people who are removing the monuments are akin to Judas who sold out Jesus for 30 pieces of silver.  Yes, pure old fashioned treachery.  Always remember those who did this to the dead.

The Staff

Those Who Want Anarchy and Ruin in Henry County

“Those Who Want Anarchy and Ruin in Henry County”


Many families of Henry County today had relatives in the War Between the States and they owned slaves too.  It is no secret.  It was a time of wanting to fight to keep the northern army from taking and destroying their homes.  Many of those who left to go and fight never returned home to be either buried in a mass grave on a battlefield or buried in a cemetery located on a Prisoner of War camp in the north.   Several years after the war the United Daughters of the Confederacy placed several monuments across the  country to those who died and never returned home to their families.  Fast forward to today and those of the BLM, Antifa, and Communist Party are attacking and forcing  these monuments to be either destroyed or removed.  In many cases, such as in Henry County, they waited till the board of commissioners was filled with those who would want to destroy or take away any vestiges of that time.  The district 2 commissioner who forced the ousting of those who had the museum to the war at Nash Farm also pushed for the removal of the monument in McDonough.  They moved the statue at a cost of over $39,000 to Work Camp Rd by a Covington Crane Co.   The four African-American BoC members all voted to remove this statue during a time of the pandemic.  They saw an opportunity and took it.  What is sad to hear now is that many of those descendants of those who died in far off battles want to help fund a fountain for the center of the square.  All they are doing is pandering and appeasing those who wanted this statue gone and looking out for their businesses and pocketbooks instead of remembering their family members.  The lust for money and power runs deep in Henry County.   Some even helped the district 2 commissioner by being her mouthpiece and Toadie.  They made money off of the farmers market at Nash Farm where it was once owned by a Veteran of the Confederacy.  Yet, they had no qualms about making money there.  It didn’t bother them at all.  Many lurid and underhanded people have been involved with the actions of the last three years in Henry County.  They have caused the racial divide to become such that it reverts many of those gains made taken back nearly 60 years.  They don’t care about peace or unity, they always want to divide.  They claim they are doing this in the name of civil rights, but they would not make a scab off the behinds of those true civil rights workers of the 1950s and 1960s.   Most of them were not even born in that time and have no true idea of what was happening then.  There have been monumental changes from that time in the workplace, in housing, and in every aspect of our culture.  But these who want to divide have caused it to sound as if they are totally living in that time and they are not.  Most of these people are being led around by the nose by the people who want anarchy in our nation.  They better understand that these people don’t give a damn about them or what is right and wrong in our nation.  All they want to do is see it fail.  And if true anarchy and communism take over then they will be enslaved by those they looked up to and followed right down the path to hell.   Many of them will likely be eliminated because they won’t need them anymore.  Look back in history to Hitler, Stalin, and Mao.  Look at the millions who died to appease their lust for power and glory and they ruled with an iron fist.  People better wake up before it is too late and the New World Order has taken its seat on the throne of power.  There is an old saying, “Be careful what you wish for because you might just get it.”


The Staff

Citizens Are Wanting Answers To Some Issues about Nash Farm

“Citizens Are Wanting Answers To Some Issues about Nash Farm”


With all the issues that have come before about this piece of land in the 2nd district of Henry County from the way it was purchased to all the other issues that have been connected to this property, here are more questions that need answering.  Why would a couple who work for the county be granted a token rental deal on the cottage home at Nash Farm?  Why would the local farmer who has had farmers market sales at Nash Farm for a sweetheart deal and sits on a county board be allowed to do this?  It legal wranglings this is called nepotism.  Also, why should the taxpayers of Henry County be put upon to pay for a company to put an ice skating rink on the property?  That company will make money at the expense of the people of the county.  They are not paying the county the county is paying them and there are several concerns about the rink itself.  The following is a FOIA information by local citizens.

 “Caretaker’s Cottage” on the Nash Farms property at 24 Babb’s Mill RD.

According to the Henry County records the house is being rented for $200.00 per month to two Henry County Parks and Recreation Employees, a Supervisor II with a salary of $45,659.83 and a Program Administrator, with a salary of $40,430.00 that is a combined income of $86,089.83.



This lease was implemented in 2008 and it appears to have not been reviewed and adjusted since then.

Which brings me to several questions:

1. Why hasn’t the rental rate been adjusted to today’s market values?

2. How is this house marketed for rent?

3. Who determines who qualifies to rent?

4. Who sets the rent value? (BOC)

5.Why are we renting to these County Employees with a combined income greater than $86,000.00 annually? In my opinion this creates a conflict of interest due to the fact not all Henry County employees have the option to rent this property.

6. Why isn’t this property with rent this low offered to a person on Social Security with an income level of less than $12,000.00 a year?

It appears to me that this is an unrealistic rental rate to County employees with their income levels is political motivated in nature.

Let me state, if the current rental price remains the same for 2020, my sister that has lived in Henry County in a trailer park for 30 years and has an annual income of $12,000.00 in social security has a desire to rent this property for $200.00 a month upon the renewal of the lease in 2020.

Since, obviously you have not checked into this issue, I will supply this information I have checked and found for an average house rental in Henry County is approximately $1,299 for 3 beds and that's $170 below the national average rent of $1,469.

So, $200.00 rental a month is $1,099.00 below the fair market value. That is a $145,068 savings for the tenant over the eleven years as a tenant. (sweet deal no wonder we have a Corvette in the carport).

Now the issue of the Ice Skating Rink

1. Henry County entered into a Contract with Ice Days LLC to erect an Ice Skating Rink at a cost of under number 5 of the Contract Header Terms. “The initial term of this Agreement is for the 2019-2020. County agrees to pay Company the sum of $35,000 due upon contract acceptance for the first season. Each consecutive season up to 4 pending approval by the Board of Commissioners will cost $20,000. Each consecutive season must be approved no later than 45 days after the completion of the previous season and payment made by August 1st to guarantee our ability to return at that rate.”

My question is: Who was appointed to make the decision to negotiate this terrible deal for the citizens and why? Why aren’t they paying us?

2. Contract Header number 10 Rental Fee. “County and Company agree no rental fee is to be paid by Company for use of the premises for the duration of this contract. In exchange Company agrees to provide 4 dasher wall spaces for advertisement to the County.”

My question since, the Board of Commissioners has no product or business and is not in the Advertising business, what would we be advertising? Who would be authorized to advertise and by whom? Who with the County will review the Advertisers ad to make sure it is not Political advertising? Who will get all the proceeds from all the other advertisers on the walls? The most important question of all why aren’t they paying us?

I was on site and observed the installation of the floor for the rink and have some serious question concerning the safety of this installation. The floor deck consists of 4X8 sheets of plywood panels with concrete block support for leveling. I observed no interlocking devices connecting the panels together to keeping them from separating during peak usage by the public.

Was the installation inspected by any Professional Engineers? If so, where can I get a copy of the report?

Before any public us of this platform and due to the high liability, it should without question be inspected by a Certified Registered Professional Engineer to certify the safety of this structure.

I was on site Friday November 22, Saturday 23, Sunday 24 and the construction of the structure was still not complete, nor where there any installation personal on site. That breaches this contract by violating paragraph “3” in the agreement grand opening date for the term shall be Friday, November 22, 2019”. The power Company had made their connection to the new 3 phase electrical panel that cost the citizens $8,000.00 on Friday.

Why didn’t the Vendor pay for this installation? Who will pay the additional power bill associated with the extra power usage?

Contract Header number 3 “Use of County Property by Company for Ice Skating Rink. County shall make available to Company the use of the Premises consistent with the Operating Agreement for installation and operation of the Ice Skating Rink on the Premises during the Season in which this Agreement is in effect. County shall make such space available to Company for installation of the Ice-Skating Rink Twenty Eight calendar days in advance of the agreed upon opening day of the term. Barring unforeseen weather and or construction delays out of Company control the grand opening date for the term shall be Friday, November 22, 2019”

These are just a few of my concerns and ask that the BOC reexamine and cancel this contract. Please respond with any resolution that you will take to rectify my safety concerns for the citizens that will be unknowing use the venue without knowing if it is safe or not.

No real answers have been provided by the BoC in these matters which continues the pattern of past BoC members.



John Wesley McDermont

Voter Apathy put through SPLOST V

“Voter Apathy put through SPLOST V”

Henry County again proved that voter apathy is a virtue in their lives.  Of the over 175,000 registered voters in Henry County roughly just over 16,500 voted in the early voting and election day together.  This is approximately 9.43% of the registered voters who put SPLOST V through and the Sunday early alcohol sales through as well.   This means that barely a handful voted to put these measures through according to the statistics.   Over 230,000 residents, 175,000 registered voters and only just over 7,500 approved SPLOST V.  This tells a story where most of the people don’t care.  For those that do care, the best way to solve this problem is to shop outside the county and online for your merchandise.  Take your tax dollars to another county where the taxes are lower.   This meager election turnout is a continued sign that people are tired of the same old problems.  But don’t complain if you find that you won’t get what you were promised in SPLOST V because a lot of what was in SPLOST I, II, III, and IV didn’t materialize either.  Let us know how all this works out for you because those who don’t care to be involved will one day wonder what happened when the tax is so high they cannot afford to live in Henry County anymore.

The Staff

Vote No for SPLOST V

"Vote No for SPLOST V"

This idea of a SPLOST V is an ongoing slush fund for those elected officials who do well to shine their seats at meetings. When SPLOST I was initiated so many years ago it was only supposed to last for a specified time and then go away.  It was supposed to be used to fix some roads and other facilities.  Well, that didn’t pan out too well because there are still projects today that are not finished from SPLOST I, II, III or IV.  And guess what, if you vote for another SPLOST V tax then there will be projects to add to the unfinished list.  The elected officials found an easy way to garner cash from the taxpayers with this type of money accumulation.  If they want something done why not put out bonds or get a loan.  They are already taking in a ton of money on property taxes, sales taxes, car tag taxes, fuel taxes and don’t forget school taxes that go to the Board of Education.  Yes, the citizens of Henry County are taxed to death and they want to keep on with another tax.  They threaten you with your property taxes will go up.  Guess what Sherlock, they already have gone up.  The millage rate may be the same, but those evaluations on prime properties went up.  As long as the voters continue to vote for a SPLOST there will always be one on the ballot whether you really need it or not.  How about the traffic in the county? Are you loving it, guess what some of the previous SPLOST projects that weren’t finished were supposed to help with fixing the traffic problems.  Some of those funds were transferred to other areas.  Why you may ask? To help those in those seats politically.  They used to go out and arrest people in the old days for what these people are doing to the citizens.  It was called all types of names anything from swindling, bunco, the pyramid scheme, racketeering, and many other names, especially during the gangland days of Chicago and New York.  Today it is for the children, the elderly, for physical fitness and for your pets.   They want to take your money for a privately owned water park.  The county attorney has already seen problems with this whole scenario because he knows it will come back to bite them in the backside.  If you want to do something good for yourselves and the county VOTE NO FOR SPLOST V.



The Staff

The Future Maintenance of Projects

“The Future Maintenance of Projects”

The SPLOST V project list contains an option that should be handled by a private entity.  The aquatic center has been on the dream list many times around and it is yet to see the light of day.  Knowing the track record of the BoC these projects have a good chance of not being done so as to transfer the money to other areas that were not voted on by the citizens.  Yes, they will ask and promote these things yet cannot fix the parks that they already have in the county.  Maintaining the parks is an expensive endeavor and yes you the taxpayer are on the hook to pay for all this, in the long run, many times over.  For example, they set aside $2 million for a ball field and park.  Then, over the years it will cost far more than that to maintain by hiring staff and the future costs of building materials will go up.  That leaves the citizens with bills long after those in elected office have retired to another state.  If they are not properly maintained they will fall apart and you then have nothing.  Don’t let those in power leave you like a deer in the headlights with a debt they created for their own gain. Whether it is political or monetary gain to friends the money is a bottomless pit for those who pretend to know what they are doing.  Get out and vote NO for SPLOST V.



The Staff

The People Need To Do Their Homework On SPLOST

“The People Need To Do Their Homework On SPLOST”


The people need to do their homework on the SPLOST V proposal that is on the ballot.  Go back and look at the BoC Meeting held on June 18, 2019.  In this meeting, the commissioners approved a one-page Resolution 19-163 where they called for a new SPLOST  program.  Eleven days later on July 29, 2019, the BoC again discussed the projects that would be on the list.  The Staff requested a $30 million bond also for the ballot.  After they discussed all this, they approved something.  You have to look closely to see what type of smoke and mirrors they are playing within this discussion.  During the meeting, the county manager said that the resolution had to be to the election board by August 1, 2019 to be placed on the ballot.  The strange thing is no written resolution shown or was one offered.  Normally these are shown to the public.  Then came the August 20, 2019 BoC meeting where the county attorney said that even though the BoC approved a motion that was to be a resolution to meet the requirements of SPLOST law, it was merely a motion and not a written resolution.  He requested the board rescind the resolution that was not in writing and approve his 13-page resolution.  After some commissioners questioned the validity of the projects it was approved.  Now the question begs to be answered is this resolution legally valid for the ballot?  Since the resolution had to be done by August 1st and was not done until August 20th.  How could it be on the ballot? This is a very good reason to Vote NO on SPLOST V.  


The Staff 

Here is why not to vote for SPLOST V

“Here is why not to vote for SPLOST V”


It is being revealed every day that the former SPLOST programs voted on by the citizens have either been wasted in many cases or never finished as promised.  For example, the money that should have gone to the Hampton Senior Center was diverted elsewhere and the final building was not what was promised.  Yet the county bought the center in Locust Grove because the city could not afford what they built.  So, the Hampton money went to them.  That is not right.  The SPLOST was not designed to be handled like they have done ever since its inception.  The people of Henry County voted for SPLOST IV which included $5 million for a study on the interchange to be built on Bethlehem Rd at I-75 to divert truck traffic in the area.  But the three democrats on the BoC decided recently to take this off the ARC wish list for Henry County.  Why?  Who told them not to put it on there?  The BoC Chair said there are no plans for an inland port on Bethlehem Rd.  Why did Norfolk Southern Railroad buy all the land between Hwy 42 and I-75 on the northside of Bethlehem Rd?  Discussions were had about a decade ago about them building an intermodal train yard there for shipping trailers brought in from Savannah to be put on trucks to go across the southeast.  They would need the exit at Bethlehem Rd to handle all this traffic.  This was part of the agenda back then and the intent would be for this to be built in 20-25 years from that time.  The Chair of the BoC needs to learn the difference between an inland port and an intermodal rail yard.  If these commissioners can do no better than what they have done since they have been in office then it is a good idea to Vote NO on SPLOST V in November.  It is not for the children that is for sure.


The Staff

SPLOST V A Clear Attack on the Poor and Working Class

While listening to those of the elite class speak about the need for a SPLOST continuation, it has come to many that this program of continued taxation for those who have an agenda are clearly working to put the poor and working-class people out of the county.  They are already working behind the scenes with a blight ordinance to get rid of people who live in what they deem as a blighted area.  Many poor and hard-working people live in homes that are considered beneath the upper crust of people.  Many old residents live in them on social security and barely get by and cannot afford to fix those homes that were their dream in their prime of life.  Those in the elite class do not care and would rather see those residents put away in a home for the elderly away from them.   They want to see those homes bulldozed and making a way for new businesses, apartments, and one half million dollar homes.   They want more tax money because these elderly, retired and disabled citizens don’t pay as much property tax money as those in the business and elitist homes pay.  That is why most of those you see in the public promoting SPLOST V are from this group of elite Henry 
Countians.  Vote NO to SPLOST V  to send a message to that elite class that those elderly and disabled people deserve a home of their own just like them.


The Staff

People Making Money With SPLOST

Those of us who don’t want another SPLOST in Henry County understand that there are people who do want the SPLOST.  Some give reasons that are tailor-made responses being passed around by the group that wants the SPLOST.  Another group of people are voicing their approval of the SPLOST and trying to make John Q Public think it is a wonderful idea.  But what is troubling is that some of these who are pushing for the SPLOST are making money off the SPLOST that is put in by the taxpayers of the county and from outside the county.  Sure they want the SPLOST so they can build the line share of the large ticket items on the project list.  And what does this show?  It speaks of greed, gall, ego and above all deception.  The old cliches about why we need a SPLOST have worn old when we finally see where the money taken in goes.  It looks bad to see people promote a SPLOST and then benefit personally from it, especially those out there having a hard time making ends meet.  We hear from those who have relatives working on the SPLOST committees that just a few short years ago raised the roof about the SPLOST.  This tax is a slush fund for the mediocre leadership in office and those who benefit from it that have ties to the leadership.  It has been a never-ending trip down the rabbit hole to a bottomless pit and the projects are not completed and some go back several years.  Just keep in mind, you get what you vote for in office.  It is time to cut the ties between them and the slush fund.  Vote NO For SPLOST V.


The Staff

Malfunction Junction and They Want Your Money?

“Malfunction Junction and They Want Your Money?”

The Henry County Board of Commissioners recently voted to not approve the Bethlehem Road exit for I-75 on the proposed SPLOST V list for the ARC.  The Board had it put on the SPLOST IV ballot about five years ago.  Now they don’t want to follow through on it.  This is why you don’t need to continue a SPLOST program because they are sending your money down a rabbit hole to nowhere.

Even Commissioner Gary Barham made the following statement at the meeting:

“Gary Barham noted that funding for the interchange was clearly defined on the last SPLOST program approved by voters several years ago. “We can’t ask voters to approve SPLOST V if we can’t follow through with SPLOST IV projects,” he said.”

The three voting block commissioners who have their own agenda and like to travel to Washington for training for African-American politicians made sure to block the vote by voting against the interchange.  Little do they know that Norfolk Southern who owns a vast amount of property in that area plans to build an inland container port there.  This is a Federal project and when the railroad wants something they will get it regardless of the petty commissioners.  That interchange will go in and someone’s tax dollars will pay for it.  

Those who are handling your money on the BoC cannot be trusted to open an umbrella much less than to handle your money that is so hard to earn.  VOTE NO ON SPLOST V.  This has to end.

The Staff

Too Many Cronies Have Hands in the Cookie Jar

“Too Many Cronies Have Hands in the Cookie Jar”

The best thing a voter can do this year at the polls in Henry County is to vote no for another SPLOST.  They call it SPLOST V and it is just another way for the commissioners to have a private slush fund on you the taxpayer.  And they said your property taxes will go up without it.  Guess what, they are anyway.  With the increase in valuation of the property your taxes are going to be higher.  They love to throw out that veiled threat every time this subject comes up.  Just follow the money and see where the funds have gone in years past.  The rules are plain and simple on SPLOST.  A list of projects is supposed to be approved by the voters.  But in years past much of this money was not all used, many projects haven’t gotten done from earlier SPLOST’s, and where is all this going?  It is going down a rabbit hole or abyss to nowhere.  It also laughable that those who are encouraging people to vote for SPLOST such as the Chamber of Commerce, those barking it up are those who work for the Chamber.  This cash cow is going to be even larger this time around.  Remember all that is built and approved through SPLOST must be maintained over the years by guess who, yes you the taxpayers.  Don’t let a mere 8-10% of the registered voters get away with pushing this multi million dollar tax extension any further.  This has to end so the taxpayers can have a little piece of mind.  Think about this: there are plenty of county roads that need widening and improving.  Monies have been set aside from earlier SPLOST and there are still dirt roads in the county and Why?  The county is a giant bureaucracy that is continuing to spiral out of control.  Those on the commission have let you all down by not doing their due diligence.  There is a commissioner who several people in the Stockbridge area have contacted about a proposed development on Miller’s Mill Rd and this commissioner apparently feels it is beneath them to answer those constituents.  Remember and keep notes as to what these BoC types are doing when the next elections come around.  If they can be elected they can be defeated at the polls.  The people of Henry County who work hard all week, come home and have to deal with crime, and roads that you can’t move on want better.  It is time for the people of Henry County to take the county back away from those who don’t care what happens on the local level.  They are all ladder climbers waiting to move up that next wrung.  If you go to the polls and  vote for this SPLOST and you feel something hit you in the back it will be your change. Because all you are doing is giving in to those who are laughing all the way to the bank.  Step up and remember these words  We the People and we want our rights restored that have been systematically removed from the local level to the halls in Washington where many of those there today began on the local level.  Vote No For SPLOST V in Henry County for the betterment of the county and it’s taxpayers.


The Staff

Reason For Voting No To SPLOST

"Here is an example of why the voters should not approve a SPLOST V in Henry County this fall.   The article makes it clear about the BOC wanting to reallocate the money already voted upon by the citizens of the county for the Bethlehem Rd interchange on I-75.  This is the same interchange that will help the flow of traffic as Southern Railway builds the inland rail yard for the Port of Savannah.   The same commissioners who have been causing issues in the county are the ones who want to move the money.  Read closely as you will see the 5th district commissioner admitting they have moved SPLOST monies before which is illegal.  The prudent citizen can see that they are likely wanting this money moved to the convention site at Stockbridge near I-675 and I-75.  Read the article below from the Henry Times Newspaper."

Fate of I-75 interchange uncertain
 Monroe Roark    May 27, 2019    
  Will a new interchange on I-75 between McDonough and Locust Grove ever happen?
Although the process has been in the works for some time, a few members of the Henry County Board of Commissioners have their doubts that it will ever come to pass and they decided to not spend some $4 million earmarked for design work on the project, saying that the money could be better spent in other areas.
The problem with that reasoning is the money in question comes from SPLOST funding and its use is strictly limited. Other commissioners who want the project design to proceed stressed that the will of the voters who passed the SPLOST referendum, with this item clearly included on the project list, should be respected.
The vote at the May 7 regular Board of Commissioners meeting was to table the issue so more information could be provided in a workshop setting.
 Commissioner Dee Clemmons was the most vocal in opposition to moving the design forward, saying that past history shows there is no guarantee the state or federal government will follow through on the project and she didn’t want this kind of money spent with such uncertainty. She said there were several examples of this with regard to state highways in the county that should have received improvement funding by now but kept getting pushed back on the calendar.
 “We cannot be fiscally responsible as a board if we spend $4 million without knowing for sure [if the project will ultimately be approved],” she said.
 Clemmons’ position was shared by Commissioner Vivian Thomas, who also said the money can be better spent elsewhere.
A recent letter from the Federal Highway Administration states that the proposed interchange project near Bethlehem Road is “acceptable” and could happen pending completion of a required environmental process and placement on the Transportation Improvement Project list (TIP).
But Commissioner Bruce Holmes said the predecessor of one of the officials named on that letter told him several years ago the interchange would never happen because the result would be multiple interchanges too close together.
“Until we get clarification from the FHWA that they will fund it, we should redirect these funds,” he said.
When county manger Cheri Hobson-Matthews pointed out that it is a Tier 1 capital project in the SPLOST program and money cannot simply be redirected, Holmes replied, “We reallocate SPLOST money all the time.” But Matthews reiterated that, by law, the funds must be spent only on certain listed capital projects.
The initial allocation for this project was $5.5 million, according to SPLOST transportation director Roque Romero. A feasibility study was conducted looking at four possible locations between the current interchanges at Hwy. 155 and Bill Gardner Parkway. The results of that study were approved by the Georgia Department of Transportation.
Romero noted that the design work would be done in phases, with the first step actually costing about $500,000. The rest would not be spent if the project didn’t get the go-ahead, but it will be dead for certain if nothing is done, he said.
 “You’ve got to start somewhere,” said Romero. “If you don’t start today, you’ll be further behind.”
Board chair June Wood said the design should go forward.
“This county is so far behind,” she said. “We need to come together as one voice and advocate for our priorities.”
Wood added that the project ties into a regional concept and will help the county as well as the Atlanta area. “This is funding that the voters have already voted for.”
Commissioner Gary Barham agreed. “I don’t see how we can sit on this and not move forward,” he said.
Clemmons said that Henry County could do everything it needs to do in these areas with funding from a T-SPLOST if it were placed before the voters. She did not mention the fact that a regional T-SPLOST was soundly defeated at the ballot box a few years ago and citizens have been very vocal in opposition to another one since then.   Thomas made the motion to table the issue, directing county staff “to prepare a complete workshop” to study the details. Wood seconded.

"The Henry County Watchdog Group"

The Double Standard

 "The Double Standard"
It looks like Henry County, GA has a huge problem with how they are treating one section of society in their county.  Just a few weeks ago the Board of Commissioners did not allow the SCV group to have black powder gunfire or cannon fire for the re-enactment at Nash Farm.  This has been allowed until the change in leadership in the county to a not so diverse group of people.   On Monday, April 29th there will be some filming done in Stockbridge for an HBO series.  There will be simulated gunfire in the filming and the people doing the filming let them know that everything will be fine and that it is not real.  But still, it is gunfire that would have been the same case at Nash Farm.  Those who are in the SCV should think about seriously suing the county over this issue.  This is nothing but pure reverse discrimination and a right in your face attitude about it.   If one group cannot use simulated gunfire then the no one else should be able to do it.

Henry County Watchdog Group.

Commissioners Needs To Help Our Police Department

The citizens have time to think about the safety and welfare of the community as a whole.  Not just the average people on the street, but those who the county hires to protect these citizens.  The Henry County Government is doing a poor job at providing the necessary items that the police department needs to do their job properly.  They are doing an outstanding job with the tools they have currently, but at a shortage of personnel and proper equipment.  This became apparent recently when a hostage standoff occurred and two of the HCPD swat team members were wounded.  It doesn't look good for other jurisdictions to have to come and take care of a problem in the county.  It takes away from the security of those other jurisdictions.  The Henry County Board of Commissioners need to provide more funds to equip and train our police better and to hire more people to do the job properly.  This has been an ongoing problem with the county for some time now.  These people in blue deserve better.  If those on the Board of Commissioners cannot provide the needed funds for these people  then, there needs to be a better Board of Commissioners elected to do the right job for the citizens of this county.

The Blog Staff.

A Bad Rezoning For Miller's Mill Road

   "A Bad Rezoning For Miller's Mill Road"
It is not bad enough that traffic can be horrendous on Miller's Mill Road, now the Henry County  Board of Commissioners has decided to make the situation worse. They okayed the rezoning of the property on Miller's Mill Road between Berry Hill Airport and Moseley Park.  Hundreds of homes and condominiums are coming to the site.  Think about when they are having ball tournaments at Moseley Park and the added traffic that brings along with the traffic from these homes and you have a recipe for disaster.  The schools are already overburdened with students and these added homes will bring another load of children upon the area schools that will not be able to handle them.  The 4th district commissioner who pushed to get this development in the area said that it is the school's responsibility to make sure there are enough school's.  Spoken like a true democrat.  Yes, go up on school taxes on your homes to build more school space for more and more children.  Your tax dollars being shoved into a draw with a bottomless pit.  She will be our next ambassador to outer space.  No one on the BoC was listening to the public who were there to speak on the building of this ant hill.  They already had their minds made up.  They didn't give a tinker's damn what those residents had to say.  And with children in the audience, it should be called child abuse to watch their political leaders create such a debacle.  The BoC is nothing more than a yes person for the developers and big money.  Many have wondered how much they are making on the people from outside coffers.  Maybe a federal investigation into their checking and savings accounts is in order.  Especially, the one that cannot sit up straight in his chair.  That is nothing more than a rude human being saying I don't care about you as long as you pay and I will be glad to soak you every year day in and day out.  Henry County has turned itself into a wasteland of greed and piss poor planning.  Traffic, crime and lower property values are coming.  And the chance for a plane accident will always loom over those homes.  And do anyone at the BoC care? That answer is no.  

The Blog Staff.

The People Now See That Racism is Ruling The BoC About Nash Farm

 "The People Now See That Racism is Ruling The BoC About Nash Farm"
At the March 19, 2019, Henry BoC Meeting, the commissioners heard from Parks and Recreation Director Tim Coley about the upcoming Southern Jubilee Festival and Civil War Re-enactment that goes along with it.  According to the ordinances of Henry County they have to come to the BoC to ask if they can use black powder for the guns and cannons that will be used in the re-enactment.  The board voted 3 to 3 which caused the question to fail clearly along racial lines.  You can't have a re-enactment without the guns.  There would be no bullets or cannonballs in the guns just black powder.  What do they want them to do, use cap guns?  During the public comments, those who have permission to have the event from Henry County were clearly upset with the commissioners.  These people are members of the Sons of Confederate Veterans.  They are likely to file suit against Henry County for establishing this precedent because there is nothing in the agreement about having to go to the BoC for permission.  Also, the BoC in former years has allowed this event to take place without incident.  Now since there is a voting block on the commission they want to use their racist mind to obstruct an event that would bring money to Henry County.  Now it is likely to cost Henry County.  Even the county attorney alluded to this point.  The people in the audience could clearly see that there was some contempt by the board members with one another.  The commissioner for the district who likes to be called the "smoking hot boss" is nothing more than a racist who wants Nash Farm to go away.  She already got rid of the Civil War museum there and brought in some of her friends there for a farmers market at a better price.  The 5th district commissioner said he couldn't support a group who has ties to Nathan Bedford Forrest.  Now that is a big statement from a little-minded man who must think General Forrest is still living. (That could be from his being hit in the head playing football which he filed suit with the NFL about.)  If this is the case we cannot support him or his other colleagues who vote with him because of Malcolm X.  They cannot make the past go away and they cannot make the white race go away either.  All they are succeeding in doing is awakening a very large sleeping giant.  This type of political problem will only cause the sore that is festering in Henry County to grow and one day bust. 

Blog Staff. 

The War On The Poor Has Begun In Henry County, Georgia

"The War On The Poor Has Begun In Henry County, Georgia"

It was apparent watching from the audience that the Henry County Board of Commissioners on January 22, 2019 declared war on the poor families of Henry County.  The county attorney made his presentation about creating a new board to oversee an "urban redevelopment authority" to take care of what they might perceive as "blighted" areas in the county.  They have probably been looking for a way to remove the people who live in mobile homes, poor areas around the west side of McDonough and other areas.  If a company wishes to own a piece of land now they will have a way to remove any obstacles that might be there.   This is the kind of action that causes the deaths of people who are barely hanging as their lives are not as well kept as those people who take your homes from you.  There are a lot of elderly, disabled and poor people who live the best they can and now they have found a way to make sure they go away.  Even small struggling family businesses could be declared as a blight in an area because they don't fit. The problem is a lot of these people were in Henry County first.  The new built up around them..  But those in power don't seem to give a damn about them they only see money signs for tax dollars.  And they proved that by adding more houses and townhomes along Jodeco Road after many people were against it.  The fact is those on the board who voted for this project had already made up their minds before they even sat down in their chairs.   Henry County is fast turning into a seething pit of waste and dereliction of duty.  But as usual the poor of the community will be the ones to suffer at the hands of unlitigated greed.  They have pissed on the poor for so long and now they have found a way to bury them.  In the US Constitution, the document stresses that a man's home is his castle and it doesn't say how large or condition that home might represent.  But those who pretend to lead only follow what they are told to do by those in the background who have an endless stream of money in their pockets.

The Staff

We are getting the giant screw to the back once again

"We are getting the giant screw to the back once again"

Yes, Henry County residents we are going to get screwed and tattooed all at the same time thanks to the Henry County Board of Commissioners and County Manager.  They apparently have no feelings for the poor, the working people, the elderly or the well to do.  Since, they raised the assessments on our homes and did not lower the millage rate, which they could have done so, our taxes will be higher.  They apparently have no compassion for the citizenry.  The tax digest has gone up considerably in the Henry County and they are going to make good use of it.  Think about this folks.  If you own a mobile home, stick built home or even rent a place you will pay.  Those in the mobile homes will pay in some cases more than the home might be worth.  The stick built homes will definitely see a sizeable increase in their property taxes.  And even if you rent, your landlord will be paying a premium on the property tax since they do not live in the home and guess what, they will pass that along to the person renting the property.  The only people doing well in the scenario are those people who can't seem to handle money.  And we definitely do not want to hear about them being conservative.  They have no idea what the word means.  They are liberal spending politicians and those that carry the moniker of Republican are just closet Democrats and some of the Democrats are Socialists.  Spend, spend, spend and spend some more like there is no tomorrow.  While you sit in traffic on I-75, Hwy 42, Hwy 155 and other roads just remember that they will only be doing token work on any roads for the foreseeable future.  You feel that screw tightening.   And with the rise in property taxes on the homeowners the Atlanta Motor Speedway and other large properties will be getting a tax break from the county.  Yes, folks while you go to work and eck out an existence and those on Social Security and Disability hang on to life, you will be paying the line share of the taxes.  Feel that screw now.  Yes, a business that takes in multi-million dollars per year will get a break.  Bless their little hearts.  No wonder Henry County has been changing as of late.  Those moving here think it is something different and it is nothing more different than what they just left and could be worse than where they moved from to here.  The bottom line is that the whole thing sucks.  And now they are out pining for SPLOST V.  Yes, just think they want to extend that 1 cent sales tax to cover their slush fund on parks and things that the county has too much of today.  And there is even talk that they want to possibly have a 1 cent tax for bus and train service.  Think about sitting in the already horrendous traffic behind that big fat bus.  And train service would be years down the road at best.  They are over five years behind in sending the train to Lovejoy.  Yes, the politicians promise everything under the sun to get elected and then they go off like misers figuring ways to get more money out of the people.  If they reduced some of the bureaucracy in the county that would save a lot of money.  Plus, quit buying properties that will cost the taxpayers for years to come and their children as well.  Think about how much money goes from your taxes to the Henry County BoC, BoE and the Henry County Water and Sewerage Authority.  They take in more than most of the other counties in metro Atlanta.  And what do you really have to show for it.  They will take this county down the slippery slope to a place they will never be able to crawl out of in the decades to come.  As things continue to change more of the people who built the county are dying or leaving and that will leave a whole new face on the county that will not have the same feelings as those who worked so hard to get the things they have today.  But remember that screw in the back.  That is your destiny.

A tired tax payer.