Drop The Gloves Feller vs. Berry

Here are the letters from the Tribune and Georgian:

Sandy Feller's letter

SPLOST VI is one big spending plan
Dear Editor,
SPLOST (Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax) VI is a spending plan for the next six years. It calls out a cap of $70 million to be spent on a variety of projects. The problem with the plan is its lack of detail. The spending is attributed to a variety of projects with no breakdown. This means that there will be no give-back of any surplus funds to the taxpayers whatsoever.In the past, when a project (such as the new courthouse) was completed, the surplus funds were given back to the taxpayers. For example, during the Robert Becker administration, over $2 million was given back to the taxpayers. During the (Stephen) Berry years, this policy was abandoned. As a matter of fact, on several occasions staff was told to spend the money. "It's SPLOST money." He said it and they did it.
If the county and the cities want the people to support SPLOST VI, they should be more forthcoming. Put numbers after each line item. The figures must exist or else how did they arrive at totals? I realize that they are only estimates but they have the moral obligation to be honest with the people they are asking to come up with the money.

Sandy Feller
St. Marys

Steve Berry's letter

It's a good thing Feller is out of office
Dear Editor,
As to Sandy Feller's letter last week about the spending of SPLOST money ("SPLOST VI is one big, vague spending plan," Feb. 9), he referred to the "Robert Becker administration" and how $2 million was supposedly "given back to the taxpayers."I didn't know we elected presidents here in Camden County, so I'm unclear what the "Robert Becker administration" actually means. But Mr. Feller's letter also refers to the "Berry years" and alleges that no monies were similarly returned to taxpayers. Feller went on and ranted and raved about the proposed projects for SPLOST VI, and urges that those should be itemized in detail.
All I can say is that during the so-called "Berry years," Mr. Feller himself served on the county commission. At no time did Feller ever make any motions to return any monies to the taxpayers. If there was money to return, why didn't he make that happen when he could? The answer is simple. There was no money to return.SPLOST V contained a detailed and precise list of projects (which the board of commissioners steadfastly required). The voters overwhelmingly approved that list and SPLOST V money has been spent exactly as the voters approved. There is no excess money. The fact that the "Becker administration" ended up with 2 million unaccounted-for dollars (which was indeed rebated to the voters) begs the question of how in the world did that ever happen?Again, the answer is simple. Poor management. Poor decisions. Thank goodness the "Becker administration" and Mr. Feller are both no longer in office.

Steve Berry
County CommissionerDistrict 3

Rick says,
If poor management and poor decisions means giving back 2 million to the tax payer I say bring back Feller and Becker.

Berry has totally lost his mind. Berry says"But Mr. Feller's letter also refers to the "Berry years" and alleges that no monies were similarly returned to taxpayers." This line in his letter tells me that during the "Berry years" maybe Steve also had poor management and poor decisions because he makes it sound like money was returned during his years also. So was money returned or wasn't it.

So see what is a poor judgement for one person it not for the other.

School Board Meeting Tonight

According to the people that teach our students, there is a school board meeting tonight. But it is hard to tell as they have the wrong date and last month agenda on their website. This kind of waiting to the last minute to post things and inform parents of events is becoming habit. Notes that come home from school have to be signed and returned the next day because these people do not plan ahead. Case in point, DLR is having a Valentine's dance today. We as parents found out yesterday. The same thing happens with field trips also. Now the board of education is doing the same. They wonder why complain. It seems no one knows who's doing what. Come on out to the meeting they are always very interesting.

Open Meetings, Will Mr. Rowland Keep His Promises

Dear Mr. Rowland,
During the last campaign season you promised to have open meetings. That was the theme for some reason. I believe Mr. Lee said the same thing. I understand that it may take you a little while to get settled in to your new post, but the last meeting had executive session. For those of you who don't know what executive session is; it is when the board goes and talks about things they don't want you to know about. Like disciplinary actions against teachers or administrators. They don't feel like we need to know who's been bad. After all we only supply the money. But as I have pointed out this is an illegal action. Once they put on the agenda that the work session was about the discipline of a teacher. I emailed everyone (the board) asking when the evidence was presented to the people, as state law requires evidence to be presented in public, with no response. Mr. Rowland you can not discuss things like that in executive session without the people knowing the evidence first. This happens all the time and it needs to stop. This statement must go:
There are three subjects which cannot be addressed in an open public meeting:
1. Individual personnel information that deals with an employee's job performance.

There are two more but I do agree on those since they involve minor, except for when the parent wants to make their child’s name public. That is their right.

But the first must go. Because than the only way to get info out on bad employees is to go to the paper and than all hell breaks loose.

Can anyone cite for me the law that states you can not talk about an employee’s job performance at the meetings? No you can't because there is not a law that says that. There is no law stating that executive session is require, it clearly states may go into executive session. MAY!!!!

Mr. Rowland I am going to hold you to your promises and I look forward to working with you to make this the best school district in the country not just the state.

Your Views Don't Matter

Camden County our First Amendment right to free speech is under attack once again. From the school board limiting your comments to only good comments, don't say anything bad about anyone. To the Commissioners office trying to intimidate the people with their power to know the past. To the St. Mary's city council wanting to do away with public speaking part of the meetings. To the topper having your attorney threaten prosecution for using your your right to free speech. We now must stop with the election of the same old people. The Sheriff's people. Because Ms. Sears is on the Board of Commissioners District 4 lost any vote they had on the Sheriff's Office. That is if the board obeys state law. State law states that Camden County Deputies can be county commissioners, but they must refrain from votes concerning the Sheriff. I am assuming since a deputy is an employee of the Sheriff that this law must include all employees. Here is the link http://www.legis.state.ga.us/legis/1995_96/leg/fulltext/hb699.htm
This bill was introduce by Charlie Smith Jr. and I think this should be explain. This is the only county to have a State law like this. Why? Why have the other counties not followed suit and draw up a stupid law like this. So I ask Charlie Smith to please explain yourself on this one. It was you who sponsored this bill and it should be explained in full. He is the one that can tell us whether or not it includes all employees. A very strange bill. No one including the Governor's office understands what this bill is suppose to do. So if anyone has any answer please let me know. We are under attack from within, but we can stop and more of you must speak out.

A BIG THANK YOU GOES OUT TO MR. SOUTHWELL. HE HAS TAKEN A STAND AND I HOPE A MEDIA HUNGRY BIG CITY ATTORNEY DOES NOT MAKE HIM CHANGE HIS
MIND.

Sheriff's Attorney Pops Off

From the T&G.

Sheriff's attorney questions quality of letters to the editor
Dear Editor,
I have no desire to engage in a letter-writing campaign concerning my client, Sheriff Bill Smith. I am writing in response to Robert Southwell's recent letter to the editor ("Sheriff's ethics, competence called to question," Jan. 12) only because I am mentioned, not only by name, but also in a way that could subject Mr. Southwell (and also your newspaper) to a valid claim for defamation.The recent controversy in which I represented Sheriff Smith before the State Ethics Commission was minor at best. The only thing Sheriff Smith did wrong was to inadvertently fail to mention two or three low value pieces of property he had inherited from his parents in a 2002 financial disclosure statement. The theory behind the original complaint, filed by a thoroughly-defeated political adversary, was that if the voters had known of the omission, it might have affected somebody's vote. Sheriff Smith got about 85 percent of the votes in that election, and, if everybody in Camden County had known of the minor omission, I don't think it would have changed a single vote.The only reason Sheriff Smith paid the $1,500 fine was because I advised him that the value of his service to Camden County for the entire day, when he would otherwise have been required to come to Atlanta to appear before the commission, was more than $1,500.Camden County is fortunate to have a sheriff with the competency and good character of Bill Smith. I am proud to consider him a long-time good friend, as well as a client.

Taylor W. Jones Attorney at lawAtlanta

HOW STUPID DO YOU HAVE TO BE TO WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR AND THREATEN TO SUE SOMEONE FOR THEIR FREE SPEECH.

Mr. Jones,
You know good and well this is not the first time the Sheriff ethics have been questioned, So why would we not ask about other ethics violations. We as Americans have the right to question our elected officials. We have the right to our opinions.

I have been the most outspoken person in regards to the Sheriff and his office. Yet they continue to bash Mr. Southwell. Why didn't Mr. Jones say anything about me! I know because I actually have the power. They all know what happened back in December have cost them dearly. Every commissioner was called out and none answered. As it stands now we have a lame duck government, and they will be very careful what they do in the future.

IT IS VERY HARD FOR A GOVERNMENT EMPLOYEE TO SUE THE AVERAGE CITIZEN ESPECIALLY WHEN THE AVERAGE CITIZEN IS ONLY TALKING ABOUT THAT EMPLOYEES JOB.

SHERIFF,
STOP TRYING TO BULLY THE PEOPLE AND JUST DO YOUR JOB.

Mr. Southwell's letter is in the comments section. Someone please tell me what he said to deserve this ambulance chaser to threaten to sue.