“Your Not Even Safe After Death”

 

“Your Not Even Safe After Death”

In Henry County, it has always been a problem about the desecration of the old family cemeteries of the people who came here and forged a community out of the wilds of Old Georgia that had its early inhabitants of the native Americans who we bought land from to expand the growth of the European people moving westward.  On part of this land in Henry, was the White and Foster families.  They forged farms and crops to create a life for themselves.   Fast forward to the 21st Century and a developer decided to build a subdivision on the land owned by the Whites and Fosters.  They knew of the cemetery close to the old Dutchtown Rd and they removed 35 graves from that site to the Hasiten Cemetery on McGarity Rd.  It wasn’t right to move those graves then just so people could play golf.  No one really knew how many family members or even possibly their slaves were buried on this property. That was in 2004.  Let’s move forward to 2025 and a nice couple bought a lot in the subdivision to build their dream home.  Low and behold they found a cemetery on the land.  A study was done and it appears there are at least 16 more graves located here.  Now this brings to mind how many homes at the end of the cul-de-sac are built over graves that were not located.  Again they are going to move these new graves to the cemetery on McGarity Rd with the others already moved there.  It is sad that people cannot even rest after death; they have to be moved to accommodate greed and the lust for money.  They made a movie 40 years ago named “Poltergeist” about a subdivision built over a cemetery.  Instead of moving the graves they just moved the headstones.  And the departed became unhappy with homes built over them.  Henry County values for the dead are pitiful.  They allowed a church to build over a slave cemetery about 17 years ago in the Stockbridge area and many wondered how that would play out.  It is shameful how the resting places of those who came before us are treated in Henry County.  It makes one wonder how those who let these things happen for a dollar can afford to sleep at night and how will they answer for this on judgment day.

The Staff.

Very Important Info For Henry County Citizens

Henry County continues to be running high numbers of people infected with Covid-19.  The sad report is that out of nearly a quarter of a million people who live in the county only 23 percent have been vaccinated.  This is a poor number for this many people and knowing that the vaccine has been available for months.  The Christmas holidays are fast approaching and that means there will be large groups of people gathering and in those there will be people who either have Covid-19 or are carriers.  They could spread this disease to the elderly and those with poor immune systems and out of those several could die.  It would be a heavy burden upon a person knowing they could have prevented the death of a loved one for taking a shot that doesn’t cost anything.  Wearing a mask helps, but it is not the only thing to help against this horror.  Wash your hands regularly and practice safety to make the holidays a merry time ahead.

The Staff.

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

Henry County Continues the Apathy

Henry County Continues the Apathy

It has come and gone that in this election only 9% of the registered voters in Henry County turned out to vote.  There are over 171,000 registered to vote in the county.  This is pathetic.  It continues the trend of the last several years of elections that only a handful turn out to elect or vote on decisions that cost the taxpayers in the pocket.   There is an old saying that goes like this, “you get what you want and deserve.”  There is a new tax for roads that will go to the hands of those who do not know how to handle the taxpayer's money in the county.  Those few who voted handed them the key to the treasure chest.  Those who voted in the municipal elections also had a low turnout of just 9% and they have put people either back in office or those who have strings attached to them that run back to the underlying problem in the county.  It appears those in the county who don’t vote have no feelings about their own lives or the lives of their loved ones.  It begs the question as to why register to vote if you don’t exercise your right to do so?

Enjoy what you get as things will continue down a path of disorganization for the foreseeable future.

The Staff

What's Up With This

 

“What’s Up With This”

The city of Stockbridge has voted to spend $30.5 million of the T-Splost at a recent meeting of the council.  Remember some of these very same members complain regularly about the road conditions in the area and how slow it is to get around in the area.  According to the breakdown of projects, they will put $4 million on the Rock Quarry widening project and $2 million on the Rock Quarry Rd extension that has been discussed for years.  The other $24.5 million dollars is for trails, sidewalks and pedestrian bridges.  It seems that foot traffic is more important than highway traffic.  Complain about not being able to get around in the area and then give the bulk of the money to foot traffic.  It must be a sign of the times they feel they can get somewhere on foot quicker than by car.  You just can’t make these things up about these people.  This sounds just like those people on capitol hill in Washington, D.C. who love their pork barrel projects that they include in infrastructure bills.  Hope you people are awake because while you were sleeping the project money to fix the road problems was allocated to local pork.  Remember this while you sit in traffic and maybe you will remember it at the polls next election.

Carlos San

Stockbridge,GA.

A Stack Of Papers

 

A Stack Of Papers.

I often wonder how people make it through their lives without just driving themselves off a cliff. People are calling for us to boycott companies because some of the people that run them have different views as they do. They think by not buying a company’s product they will hurt them and make them change their minds. Well, they are as smart as a turd in a septic tank thinking it is in an oasis. First of all, not all of the employees of the company may not have the same views like the ones that run it. So you may be hurting people that don’t hold your views that work for you and that is stupid. 

Let's take Coca-Cola. It is just a stack of papers that allows it to have property and that is it. The company is so large in scope the few that will boycott will not even make a blip on their bottom line. So why deprive yourself of a product you like on its own to try and change a few that run the company that will have no effect on your cause? 

I have seen so many people call for boycotts because the new President is not who they wanted. Guess what you lost the election so get over it and move on. I don’t like some things he has and will do but I do hope he does a good job for America to help us all. We all need to come together for the betterment of our nation as a whole. To all that have asked all your friends to boycott companies and the Democratic President and his policies. I have one question for you: if you don’t like him or his policies he has done I take it you returned your $1,400 to the Government, if not you are a hypocrite or as my mom would say “A Two-Faced Son Of A Bitch”. So change your diaper and get with the program. 

The Staff.     

The Leper of Henry County

 

“The Leper of Henry County”

I have known for a long time now that I am nothing in the eyes of those around me that I am like a leper.  I live a quiet solitary life in a world much akin to a leper colony where people don’t want to be seen with me.  Much of it is because of my size and people have made fun of me all my life.  They don’t want to be seen with the oversized man  because it will cramp their style. This is how the people who had leprosy had to live and I can relate to their situation.   People out there don’t know how sad I truly am and how many tears I have shed just wanting some human contact and a kind word.   I am always worried about the spread of the current virus and knowing that people don’t follow the rules is why it is spreading even farther and wider than earlier predicted.   I may sound harsh about the virus and what needs to be done, but I mean it in a way to help others and not hurt them.  People have unfriended me because of it and some are family members.  Truly, truly sad, but this leads me back to the knowledge that I am just a leper and will be avoided at all costs to promote their own idealistic thoughts and harsh realism.  I am a person with feelings that do get hurt a lot because of those who are thoughtless in these matters.   I often feel so alone and lost in a sea of the lost and I know I can speak with the Lord because he is the only one who truly knows my heart and what is inside.   Remember when you cast a stone in my direction you are only getting hit yourself in ways you don’t understand.   I lost the one who loved me and wanted to share their life with me to those who hate our way of life.   Now I am attacked and blacklisted for speaking my mind.   I will not beg and I will not ask for people to recognize me more than they would a dog or cat.  I am a human with a heart and I will not lower myself to those levels. 

So, I will continue being the Leper of Henry County. 

Can Little Kids Learn?

 

This bad virus that is called covid-19 was created by some bad people in the far off land of China.   They let this highly dangerous weapon loose on the unsuspecting people of their own area.   Then, it was carried worldwide by those same unsuspecting people.  The government there did not tell of this being unleashed like a bully on the playground.   The bully always takes your candy.  This bully takes your life.  Doctors and other people who learned of this problem tell us to wash our hands a lot, stay at least six feet apart and to wear a mask to try and stop the spread of the weapon that is among us.  This bully is picking on our parents and grandparents more than it does us here on the playground.  Many of our elders are not heeding to the advice that is given to try and save their lives.  Now a vaccine is going to be given and many have said they will not take it.   If we don’t take our medicine we are punished.  So, many of those who refuse to go by the rules will be punished by not letting them on public buses, trains and airplanes.  Many will pay the price with their lives for not obeying the rules because the bully that is the virus will win.

Wear your mask kids or you may be put in a long time-out.

The Staff.

The Ultimate In Stupid

 I have a rant to throw out there.  It is so perplexing to watch as those who claim to be good republicrats and demosocialists who gripe about toilet paper and paper towels being stripped from the shelves but you won’t wear a damn mask.   The ultimate in stupid.  Worry about not having supplies, but not staying safe.  If you get sick and die you won’t need those supplies.  The incoming President said that he would shut down the nation if he has to so it can get under control..  That is why there is panic shopping.  The numbers of the covid are rising daily and there seems to be no relief in sight and the vaccine is not ready yet and it will be for the first responders and the very sick first and then the rest of us in the Spring of 2021.  People going out in masses and wondering why the spread of the virus is going on.  Any damn fool should be able to see the problem.  The peak of this problem will happen during the holidays and I guarantee those who get sick wouldn’t want to admit it to no one because they have set such bad examples for others.   The government is trying to help you not hurt you in the rules.  Each person is responsible for the safety of themselves and others.  That is the part of the equation that people don’t understand or just don’t give a damn about.  They either say it is a hoax or they panic too much.  They need to look at the middle ground and stay safe and this will get under control.   And another issue is what if the vaccine doesn’t work because this weaponized virus might mutate once again.  Then what?

The Staff

Proper Way To Vote

 

As you begin your journey to go vote in the upcoming weeks please remember there is a proper way to vote.  I have read and seen on social media throughout the weeks, months, and even years that people tend to vote by party lines only, and if you are one of those that do this you were voting Improperly. I have seen people that say they vote only Republican or Democrat down the line. This is a tragic and improper way to vote.  We must first look at each individual candidate researching their history if they have a voting history if not research who they are and what they stand for and ignore the issue if they are Democrat or Republican. 

Then, you can make a more informed decision as to their validity of being a good representative of the people. This is the only way we will have checks and balances within the system of the government if we stack all Republicans or all Democrats into an office we are looking at what we have today we are on the verge of Anarchy because one side thinks the other side has too much power. In the end, it is your responsibility to vote appropriately for the person you believe represents you the best and that would be best for the office of which they are seeking.  Any way that you choose to vote either in person or by absentee ballot vote it is your right but that right does come with the responsibility to do it the right way. If not or if you choose to vote for all Democrats or all Republicans you will get what you deserve and that is either no power to say anything about your community or government or you will have all the power and risk Anarchy and inviting a government that serves no one. Please remember this last thing we are all Americans and should get along with all true Americans.  This election more than any in recent years is of vital importance both locally and nationally because we have elements of communist insurgency in our midst who want to destroy our way of life.  Not since the Cold War has this been so evident.  Vote and vote wisely to save our nation and our destiny.

 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

Henry School System Commits Child and Elderly Abuse

Henry School System Commits Child and Elderly Abuse

Early in 2002, a child was born into my family, a beautiful little girl. I helped to raise this little girl I watched her grow into a thriving little toddler going off to school to learn so she can be a great citizen of society. She went through Middle School on her way to becoming a teenager and later on an adult. She started High School and was going to graduate in the year 2020. All of us and the family are so proud of her and her accomplishments that she has made and as the school year was ending we began to prepare for her graduation in 2019. I purchased a four-wheeled walker so I would be able to walk to the stadium at the high school to be able to watch her graduate and receive her diploma. You see I suffer from neuropathy in my legs to the point that they are numb and I must have help to be able to walk and keep my balance not to mention suffering from heart failure which limits my breathing. Everything was going great until the pandemic here in early 2020. Then, everything changed the last part of her senior year. When the school system did not know how to handle this they finally decided on a plan so that they can still graduate and walk across the stage with their diploma. However, they decided not to have it at the stadium of the high school. They decided to have a grand place for graduation. They decided to have the graduation ceremony at the Atlanta Motor Speedway. A very large place that one must have to walk at least half a mile to get to the stadium itself. something that I could not do even with my walker. so I set out to find out if they would have shuttle buses or anything to help the disabled to get to the seats. I contacted the head of the school multiple times without an answer.  That is a sad state when a principal of a school will not help a disabled person to be able to see a loved one graduate high school. I tried to contact individuals at the school board, but no one answered my emails or phone calls. Calls to the Atlanta Motor Speedway we're never answered by anybody. it was as if they did not want disabled people to attend the event. This is a sad state that our community is in when the disabled are treated like we are not wanted.
So, on the night of her graduation, I was forced by the Henry County School System to sit at a computer and watch it online and not in person to be there for her. You do not understand how much this hurts. This is an event that I can never get back nor my loved one. This was a once-in-a-lifetime event for both of us and it is gone forever. And in this regard, the Henry County School System committed child and elderly abuse.  I ask you if you are reading this please call, email or whatever you can do to get in touch with the Henry County School System and let them know you are very disappointed and they're inactions to assist the disabled at the graduation ceremonies of 2020. As a result of this inaction by the Henry County School System, I would like to see the school system disbanded and restructured with new personnel that hopefully have a heart. I would also like to see the particular principal involved fired on the spot. Hopefully, this will not happen in the future and disrupt other people's lives by missing such an important event. 
Schools Announcement of Ceremonies for 2020 PDF
Blog Staff.

You could have heard a pin drop.

JFK'S Secretary of State, Dean Rusk, was in France in the early '60s when DeGaulle decided to pull out of NATO. DeGaulle said he wanted all US military out of France as soon as possible. Rusk responded, "Does that include those who are buried here?"
DeGaulle did not respond.
You could have heard a pin drop.

When in England, at a fairly large conference, Colin Powell was asked by the Archbishop of Canterbury if our plans for Iraq were just an example of 'empire building' by George Bush.
He answered by saying, "Over the years, the United States has sent many of Its fine young men and women into great peril to fight for freedom beyond our borders. The only amount of land we have ever asked for In return is enough to bury those that did not return."
You could have heard a pin drop.

There was a conference in France where a number of international engineers were taking part, including French and American. During a break, One of the French engineers came back into the room saying, "Have you heard the latest dumb stunt Bush has done? He has sent an aircraft carrier to Indonesia to help the tsunami victims. What does he intend to do, bomb them?" A Boeing engineer stood up and replied quietly: "Our carriers have three hospitals on board that can treat several hundred people; they are nuclear powered and can supply emergency electrical power to shore facilities; they have three cafeterias with the capacity to feed 3,000 people three meals a day, they can produce several thousand gallons of fresh water from seawater each day, and they carry half a dozen helicopters for use in transporting victims and injured to and from their flight deck. We have eleven such ships. How many does France have?"
You could have heard a pin drop.

A U.S. Navy admiral was attending a naval conference that included admirals from the U.S., English, Canadian, Australian and French
navies at a cocktail reception. He found himself standing with a large group of officers that included personnel from most of those countries. Everyone was chatting away in English as they sipped their drinks when a French admiral suddenly complained that, whereas Europeans learn many languages, Americans learn only English. He then asked, "Why is it that we always have to speak English in these conferences rather than speaking French?" Without hesitating, the American admiral replied, "Maybe it's because the Brit's, Canadians, Aussie's and Americans arranged it so you wouldn't have to speak German."
You could have heard a pin drop.

AND, finally...
Robert Whiting, an elderly gentleman of 83, arrived in Paris by plane. At French Customs, he took a few minutes to locate his passport in his carry on. "You have been to France before, monsieur?" the customs officer asked
sarcastically. Mr. Whiting admitted that he had been to France previously. "Then you should know enough to have your passport ready." The American said, "The last time I was here, I didn't have to show it." "Impossible. Americans always have to show their passports on arrival in France !" The American senior gave the Frenchman a long hard look. Then he quietly explained, ''Well, when I came ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day in 1944 to help liberate this country, I couldn't find a single Frenchmen to show a passport to."
You could have heard a pin drop.

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