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"

Henry County Has A Problem

Henry County has a problem with the government and those who work for the county.  According to a recent article in the Henry Daily Herald, the county management relieved Fire Chief Nish Willis of her duties.  In other words they let her go.  She was a veteran fireman with many years of experience with the LaGrange Fire Dept, City of Atlanta Fire Dept and as Fire Chief of the Riverdale, GA Fire Dept.   According to those who worked for her at Henry County she was doing an excellent job.  She was also proposing adding more people to the be on the fire trucks.

That might be the crux of the problem here.  She was wanting to hire more people to work for the Henry County Fire Dept.  Since the county doesn't like to hire too many people to handle essential services for the county such as the fire dept and the Henry County Police Dept., that goes against the grain of what they are doing on the BoC.  And the county manager has the authority to hire and fire since the legislature took that away from the BoC chairperson.  They want your tax money, but they have a shortage of employees at both the police and fire services.

There has also been discussion about her wanting the flags removed from the fire trucks.  Interesting that this would come up since it was reported on when it happened last year not too much was made of it then.  She wasn't let go for this.  She was let go because she was taking the fire dept in the right direction and the county wanted a left hand turn instead.  

These are the types of decisions you want to remember as you go to the polls for the upcoming elections.  Because these people on the BoC hire the county manager and those who work for them.  And no government is better than it's leadership.  That is why there is so much discord on the BoC from time to time, as well as, with the city councils of the cities in the county.  Trouble seems to flare up a lot in each city in the county a good deal and this doesn't need to continue because it is letting you the citizen down by the lack of good government and essential services.  

The Staff

The Citizens Get Taken Again over the Golf Course

The Citizens Get Taken Again over the Golf Course

According to the agenda for the July 19, 2016 BOC Meeting in McDonough, they will be discussing lease agreements for mowing equipment and Golf carts for the Cotton Fields Gold Course inwhich the County has taken on through the Department of Recreation. I looks as though the people will be on the hook for some sizeable money for this equipment leases to the tune of around one half a million dollars over the next 48--60 months. Why didn't the Golf Course already have this type of equipment? Who dropped the ball on this one and how much more will it cost the taxpayers to pay for this adventure.

They will also be discussing something is a double standard. A few years ago the BOC installed a rule saying no smoking or beer allowed in county parks. They will be approving a change to allow smoking and beer consumption at the Golf Course. Now this isn't right at all and if the Golf Course is to be a part of the Parks and Recreation Department then citizens should have the right to smoke and have a beer at the all county parks. This seems to be an elitist ruling because most people know it cost a good bit to play golf. Most working people in Henry County either don't have time to play golf or cannot afford it. By banning smoking and beer at the parks it was a serious infringement upon the rights of the citizens who paid to have these parks built. The citizens should take the BOC to court over this matter because it is a double standard.

Marcus Joseph Alexander

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Unsafe Dams in Georgia and Henry County

Unsafe Dams in Georgia and Henry County
This is not a big secret in the government and planning areas of Henry County as the Georgia Safe Dams Dept and the Army Corps of Engineers has put together reports on Category II and Category I dams.  The Category one dams could pose a threat to life.  This problem was announced in the Henry Herald Newspaper in 2004.  Then, again in 2008 another article came out about these dams.  Then in 2013, it was announced that Henry County has 15 category 1 dams.  Four communities with these dams have approached the County for assistance with these repairs.  They are Lake Dow, Lake Dow North, Swan Lake and Lake Cindy.  At that time $28, 470 was allocated to explore what needed to be done to fix the dams.  A consulting firm would be called in to study and present plans to the County.  In 2004, it was mentioned that it would take at least $1 million  to repair each dam.  The same was reported again in 2013.  Commissioner Preston said that he worries about the loss of money from taxes from Lake Dow if they lose the lakes.  He said it hurts District 2.  He should be worried about Lake Cindy which is in his area, but it has mobile homes around it and they don't bring in the money like those homes in District 3 where Lake Dow is located.  Commissioner Holmes made it known that he concurs with Preston in this matter.  He thinks it might be a step in the right direction for Swan Lake.  That's real intelligent of him. Now again another article from the Neighbor Newspaper of December 30, 2015 described the same problems.  And once again $28, 620 was allocated to do another study on the same dams by Schnabel Dam Engineering, Inc. of Alpharetta as of September 2015.  Then, again in January 2016 the County held a meeting to discuss TAD's for this project.  The question that begs to be answered is how many times is the county going to spend money on studies and do nothing? Some have asked does a dam have to fail and cost lives before action is taken? Where are the other 11 dams that are considered category 1 dams in the county and why aren't they being looked at for repairs as well?  An article in the Jacksonville, Florida newspaper from July 2013 notes that Georgia has 500 dams that are rated as a high hazard according to the Army Corps of Engineers.  This is something that needs to be discussed here in Georgia and we have to find out more from other states.

Our References are:
1. The Henry Herald Newspaper 2004, 2008, 2013, and 2016.
2. The Henry Neighbor Newspaper 2015.
3. The Henry County Update Newsletter 2013.
4. The Jacksonville, Fla. News 2013.

Staff of the Henry Community News