County Tax Revenue Way Short

What happens when you have nothing but rosy projections and spend money like it grows on trees and you own a forest? We are about to find out. The most recent budget analysis for the county shows that it is about half a million dollars behind projected collections of revenue. Just a month ago the Financial Director and County Executive assured the Budget Committee that everything was on track and they saw no financial problems ahead. It seems to me that being half a million dollars short would be a big problem but for some apparently half a million dollars isn't very much of a problem at all. Allen Barrett

Padded Budget Or Not You Decide

It was decided by the School Board to accept a bid to replace the alarm system at Giles County High School. This was an unplanned expense and the cost would be taken out of the maintenance budget.

I asked the question how much was the bid and it was announced to be $22,932.00. I then asked if taking that much money out of maintenance would be a problem and was told it would not be.

I then asked if there is that much money in the budget that it won't be felt was there a great deal of padding in the budget. No one was willing to answer that question. Allen Barrett

Secret Gifts To The School System

Why would anyone be in favor of keeping monetary gifts to the school system a secret?

When given the opportunity to speak at the end of the meeting I state, "that it was simply ludicrous to even consider keeping secret the gift and the person as it opens the door to an incredible opportunity for wrong doing. While I have no problem with keeping anonymous a person who makes a gift and requests not to be identified I do have a huge problem with a person who is doing business with the school system making monetary gifts and it being kept secret."

The vote to keep the identity of those giving monetary gifts to the school system were;

For Members Norman & Story

Against were members Murrey, Greene, Turner and Glover. These members should be commended for their votes as I believe it is difficult to vote in opposition to Mr. Jackson.

Chairman Young did not vote as there was no tie.

Allen Barrett

School Director Has Contract Extended

Once again the School Board has ignored the State Attorney General's Opinion that extending a School Director's contract is not an appropriate thing. As was mentioned by those objecting to the extension "it binds the hands of the school board members who may be elected in August".

One part of the amazing exchange was the near six minute discourse by Board member Jim Greene who spoke against the extension then turned right around and voted to extend it. His actions have all the earmarks of a former Board Member Mrs Houston who voted to extend the directors contract then less than thirty minutes later resigned from the Board.

Board Member Murrey made an impassioned plea that the extension not be granted and allow the new Board in August to decide the matter.

The Director is now locked in until at least July of 2011. While a two year contract is not as bad as a four year contract it is just as inappropriate to bind the hands of future Board Members.

The motion was made to extend by Mrs Norman and seconded by Mr. Greene.

Voting for the extension were Board members Norman, Storey, Greene and Young.

Those voting against were Members Glover, Turner and Murrey.

At the end of the meeting I was allowed three minutes to speak and this was one issue I addressed, stating that Graduation rates were down in the school system, teacher and worker morale was at a near all time low, more administrators have been added, disciplinary problems have not been adequately addressed at the high schools, student population is down, very large selective raises are being given and expenses are continually going up while quality is going down these things are not reflective of good leadership. Allen Barrett

Names Of Those Who Have Qualified For August Elections

Listed below are the names of those who have qualified for the elections to be held in August. Those listed with an asterisk are incumbents.

County Executive: Scott Stewart & Janet Vanzant*

Sheriff: Kyle Helton*

Circuit Court Clerk: Crystal Gibson Greene*

County Clerk: Carol H. Wade*

Register of Deeds: Kay Gibbons*

Trustee: JoAnn Townsend*

County Commissioners:

District 1: Roger D. Cagle; Bill J. Cary; Ramona M. Flacy*; Alfred C. Harris*; Janice Reece

District 2: David L. Bailey*; Stoney Jackson*; Tommy Pope*; Cheryl Vallance & Tracy D. Wilburn

District 3: David Adams*; Wayne Ashford; Rick Carpenter; Rose Marie Cartee; Tim Risner*; Okalene Walls*

District 4: Tommy Beech; Judy A. Laviana; Edwin Lovell*; Roger Reedy*; David E. Ross; James E. (Jack) Woodard*

District 5: Marcus Harney; Bill Holt*; Connie Howell*; Tommy Pollard*; Laura K. Warren

District 6: Rose Yvonne Brown*; Louise Falkner*; Berenetta Houston

District 7: William Allen Barrett; Tommy Campbell*; Vicki L. Coleman; Terry Harwell*

School Board

District 1: Doug Ead

District 3: Chris Morris; Mike Young*

District 5: Jim Greene*; Troy Teegarden

District 7: Jerry Bryant; Beverly Greene Murrey*

ELKTON CITY

Mayor: Payton Blade & Carolyn S. Thompson

Alderman: Jimmy D. Caldwell; Bill J. Cary; John W. Walden*; Roosevelt Whitfield*

LYNNVILLE CITY

Alderman: James Jason Dunnivant*; James (Jim) Green*; Thomas Stephen Ray*

MINOR HILL CITY

Mayor: Tracy Wilburn*

Alderman: Bernard Dalton; Scott Jarrell; Jack N. Norwood*

STATE PRIMARIES

DEMOCRAT:

25th Senatorial District:

Doug Jackson* & Jim Summerville

State House Of Representatives 65th District: Eddie Bass*

State Executive Committeeman 25th District: Richard H. Dunnavant

State Executive Committeewoman 25th District: Martha Shepard

REPUBLICAN:

State House of Representatives 65th District: Billy Spivey

State Executive Committeeman 25th District: Bill (Doc) Dockery; John Engles; Jim Looney

State Executive Committeewoman District 25: Betsy Engles; Mary Littleton

Posted by Allen Barrett

What Is Happening With The Ethics Committee Scheduled For 1 April.

There seems to be some confusion taking place concerning the Ethic Committee Meeting scheduled for 1 April 2010 (Thursday Morning) at 9AM in the Courthouse Annex (Suntrust Bldg.)

I believe that because the Chairman of that committee is Commissioner Tommy Pollard, an honorable man, the committee will do the right thing if not misled by some last minute finagling by some who are presently seeking to confuse the issue.

Two matters of importance, first there were a number of citizens who signed the ethics complaint, this was not done out of necessity as there were no requirements for more than any one citizen of the county to have signed a complaint, yet the radio station reports that ten signatures of citizens are the minimum required for the complaint to be valid.

A second issue that has come to light is that the subject of the complaint has twenty days to answer said complaint. There was no such verbiage in the resolution adopted by the county that established the Ethics Committee. It is fully expected that the subject having been notified would attend the meeting and give response to the complaint.

Will these things play a role in the upcoming committee meeting? That is an issue we must wait and see about.

It is very important that everyone who can attend this meeting. It will determine whether the County Ethics Committee will be taken seriously or will it be relegated to merely giving lip service as an April Fool Prank. Allen Barrett