The Citizen Newsletter

The Conservative Voice of Henry County

Issue # 330 February 29, 2012

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In This Issue:
Page Feature

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Roark Meet & Greet Henry Actress Snubbed Henry BoE Appointment Vote for Bib Overall Hack Line does Hatchet Job But Wait, There s More New Name for SPLOST Henry County 912 Primary Night Party with Newt County Supplemental Pay Georgia First!

Monroe Roark,

candidate for Henry County Board of Commissioners chairman, will host a meet-and-greet Thursday, March 1, at 7 p.m. at the Train Depot in downtown Hampton.

Visit

for more information about the campaign.

www.mroark.com

View or download at
WWW.SCRIBD.COM/HENRY_CITIZEN

Contact The Citizen at hc.citizen@hccitizen.org

Editorial / Publication Policy

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Henry County Actress Snubbed At Academy Awards Show

In all the hype of the Academy Awards we the Henry County citizens had yet another screwdriver stuck in our backs. Our most famous actress B.J. Mathis was snubbed in the leading lady in a reality series Living In Henry . How can we forget the Commissioner s meeting Mrs. Mathis gave a tear jerking performance of having to lay-off 57 family members from their jobs? Yet, just one week after that the true actress came out in heading the County to buy an airport that no one wanted. The State of the County Address was a great performance of looking and talking like a leader giving a pep talk to a football team, asking if you want to be great. Bear Bryant could not have done better. Just in time for the awards show she gave a great performance that Al Capone would have been proud of. By appointing Commissioner Auletta to be County manager, that broke County law. So they decide to retitle Mr. Auletta until they can change the law. It is safe to say Ms. Mathis has another chance to win next year because the reality series Living In Henry has been renewed for another year. Unless the Commissioners drive us bankrupt, so stay tuned for more great acting from our leaders of Henry Count Georgia it will make you think as the stomach turns, guided by the light of another con job. These are my thoughts. Alfred Britt

Proof of Right ~ Tracking Henry County Politics

Update on Board of Education District 2 Vacancy: Credit Where It s Due
The Henry County Board of Education MET yesterday morning with the intent of appointing to someone to fill the vacant District 2 seat. Brian Preston resigned the post last week and was APPOINTED the District 2 seat on the Board of Commissioners left vacant when Fred Auletta resigned to FILL THE POSITION of County Manager when it became vacant with the rESIGNATION of Butch Sanders two weeks ago. The first item on the agenda was the District 2 appointment and people I spoke with who attended the meeting relayed that several members said they d gotten phone calls and emails from constituents asking them to LEAVE THE SEAT VACATED until after the July election so the voters can decide who will represent them. Several names had been circulating as to who the BOE was considering appointing to the open seat. One of them, Hans Broder, was present yesterday at the meeting with BOE attorney, Buddy Welch, and State Court Judge James Chafin. It sure seems awfully presumptuous to bring your own swearing-in judge, but hey, that s just me. Hans Broder was the CEO of the FAILED Enterprise Banking Company of McDonough which is currently is in FDIC receivership at a cost of about $40 million to the FDIC (i.e., taxpayer). Broder was also on the HOSPITAL AUTHORITY BOARD during hearings when Hospital misspent $1 million in tax dollars for LPGA Golf Tournament. And, believe it or not, one point Broder was a NAMED DEFENDANT in a Ponzi scheme law suit. Broder had also indicated he was not necessarily willing to run for the seat in the July election. Such commitment.

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After several minutes of discussion CHARLES VICKERY , District 3 Board Member, made the motion to appoint Broder to the District 2 seat. DR. PAM NUTT Board member from District 1, seconded the motion. The two of them both voted in favor of appointing a financial failure to a Board that handles millions of taxpayer dollars every years. Wow. The happy news is that MR. ERIK CHARLES District 5 Board member and Vice Chair, along with RYAN DAVIS, the District 4 Board Member, both opted in favor of allowing the citizens to be the ones to decide the matter. They both voted against the Broder appointment which created a tie in the vote leaving the seat vacant. Be sure to let them know how much you appreciate them both for standing on the side of the citizens.

Vote for Bib Overall

Being a conservative, I know that the recent revelation about the extra monies various employees of the county whether elected or not receive at the end of the year amounts to no more than a bonus. This money amounts to about a quarter of a million dollars this year alone. Now think about this one. There is talk that when the commissioners froze their salaries this was not quite legal. Now if the commissioners unfreeze their salaries there would be some money owed them due to not being paid under the percentage of Donald Chafin former Sheriff of Henry County. Just think, the current chairman could receive back pay in the amount of nearly $60,000. These people have won either way they go and the citizens go through the wringer. So, for honest clean government, vote for Bib Overall in July for Commission Chairman of Henry County. Paid for by the makers of Soap Powders Inc.

Hack Line writer does Hatchet Job

Reading the post at the Hack Line was like a scene in an old Western movie circling the wagons. Check out HTTP://CHARLESMOBLEY.WORDPRESS.COM/2012/02/27/WHO-IS-TO-BLAME/ to see how local jesters to the royal court are willing to carry water for their cronies. Much debate on the issue like the region will suffer if we do not pass the increase, our children s children will be worse off, we ll spend hours among hours commuting, and it s about job creation will be well crafted into snippets for education purpose. That education will come from MAVEN, the Chamber of Commerce and the highly paid consultants running the $5 to $6 million dollar campaign to pass the new sales tax increase. HENRY GETS NOTHING MORE OUT OF IT THAN THE COUNTY CAN DO FOR ITSELF WITH THE 2013 COUNTY SPLOST VOTE. WE DON T NEED TWO PENNIES WHEN ONE WILL DO. Many are laying this 14.3% sales tax increase for Henry at the feet of Chair BJ Mathis. Mathis worked to insure Henry did not get shorted. By Mathis participation and effort Henry won t get the raw end of the deal if it passes.

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The Hatchet Job exists in blaming Rep. Steve Davis for the very idea that citizens should vote on this new tax. Steve Davis is tagged as responsible for the no-win situation that could result from a regional-style vote and a regional-style government. Closing the article the Hack Writer finally pitches for the BJ Mathis/Chamber of Commerce/Ole Boy Establishment government the court jesters love: Kill off the conservatives and place another crony in the State House: We should give the devil his due. Who out there will oppose Davis in a primary? It s time to find someone that will address the issues and not pass the buck so he can get elected again. Rep. Steve Davis is now serving his fourth term representing Henry County, with a solidly conservative voting record. The In-Crowd of Henry County will mount, for the fifth consecutive time, an inbred clone of liberalism to run against Davis. Do we see a pattern here?

But wait, there s More

The Hack Line also provides articles denouncing the Transportation SPLOST:
Still no need to vote yes on TSPLOST on July 31. The county SPLOST up for a vote in 2013 can do the same projects.
HTTP://CHARLESMOBLEY.WORDPRESS.COM/2012/02/20/NO-TIA-2012/

At the HENRY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE (COC) luncheon on February 16, 2012 T-SPLOST was talked about. There was a question and answer session. It was noted that the Henry BOC will not be taking a stance on the Transportation Investment Act because of the posture the BOC is they cannot publicly campaign to pass this 14.3% sales tax increase. Mathis herself is involved in forums to educate and give answers on the program. Educating is not advocating. Those who advocate are saying vote yes, like Henry COC president Kay Pippin, were at the meeting. The elected official is there only for information purposes and credibility. The election year being underway and qualifying being in May county commissioners are certainly not willing to be heard saying they are for the largest public works project in America (Pippin, Henry COC.) that carries perhaps the largest tax for such. Let us call a spade a spade. Not a shovel. Not a hoe. The T-SPLOST is a huge movement toward regional government and loss of local control. And the impetus is a new tax to fund the loss of our Home Rule and liberties. Using the anti-tax rhetoric many RINOs choose, the Hack Line also pitches the virtues of BJ Mathis s role in the TIA Regional Roundtable. To Mathis credit she did an excellent job keeping Henry from being a super donor county To the writer s credit he says: I am still voting no on TIA aka TSPLOST on July 31. TIA does not address Henry commuters needs beyond what the county can do for its self. There is no regional alternatives of transportation we did not already have. If we are going to just get local roads widened then Henry can do it without a sales tax increase.

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Denounce the T-SPLOST tax. But to recommend another local SPLOST because Mathis has proven ability to oversee our tax dollars?? It appears the Hack Line author should pay more attention to the big picture and less on pumping up crony politicians.

New Name for SPLOST: HERPES

To start this off my wife and I have lived here in Henry County for almost 23 years. We`ve seen a lot of good times here and also some bad ones. When we moved here it was so quiet in the neighborhood we couldn`t hardly sleep. We raised two great children here. All the neighbor`s kids and ours played on the street and felt completely safe. Over the past several years we have watched growth explode in Henry County. A

lot of things have changed. It doesn`t have the country charm it once had in years past. When we left the neighborhood we used to pass by cow pastures. Now where the pastures were is ball fields and other entertainment areas. The taxes were not too bad and when you went to the store the sales tax was reasonable. In recent times our property taxes have gone up some, but in the name of progress our sales tax went up and has stayed up. It seems like every time we turn around another 1 cent sales tax needs to be extended in the name of progress. It is said that when the penny tax gets passed it won`t be here but just for a short time, but at the near end of that tax someone comes up with another reason to install another one. Most of the time, it is usually in the name of supporting the children. I would like to see a period of time when we can do something to help the taxpayer. Anyone can keep coming up with reasons to tax us and get it passed by pulling heart strings. When are we going to help the grownups and let them keep some of their hard earned money and spend it on the entertainment they would like? As I understand it SPLOST stands for Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax. I think the name should be changed to Helping Educate Real People Empowering Society: HERPES. Because once the county has it, it never goes away. My 2 cents. William Jackson

Henry County 912

March 12 Meeting The Henry County 912 Project will have Victoria Baer, a leading expert on Agenda 21 as the principal speaker at its March 12th meeting.

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Exactly what is Agenda 21? The United Nations Agenda 21 is a comprehensive plan of extreme environmentalism, social engineering and global political control. Chip Rogers, Georgia Senate Majority Leader introduced a resolution against UN Agenda 21 in January, comparing Agenda 21 to socialism and communism and called it a threat to the American way of life. The meeting will be held at the Community Room, Henry County Government Annex, 116 Zack Hinton Pkwy (Hwy 155) McDonough, Ga. The meeting starts at 7:00pm. If you would like to know more about Agenda 21 or the Henry County 912, please visit: WWW.HENRYCOUNTY912PROJECT.COM.

You are cordially invited to the Georgia Primary Night Party with

Newt & Callista Gingrich

Super Tuesday, March 6th Doors open at 6:30PM Renaissance Atlanta Waverly Hotel Ballrooms 3 & 4 2450 Galleria Parkway Atlanta, GA 30339 Free Parking Please RSVP to GAVOLUNTEER@NEWT.ORG or 678-973-2306

We see our elected representatives take on a change of heart, a change in mental process once they are in office. Somehow they begin to think we taxpaying, voting

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citizens have given them a Bill of Rights that includes doing exactly as their newly-small minds desire.

We are providing this listing of supplemental compensation for you, the voter and taxpayer, to contact your county commissioner. Today only one commissioner stands alone in efforts to curtail this type of spending.

Henry County Supplemental Compensation

As a general matter, Georgia law affords local governing authorities the discretion to pay supplements to certain public officials by providing that counties may provide supplements. Some of the specific code sections and positions entitled to receive supplements are: O.C.G.A. 15-16-20 (Sheriff); O.C.G.A 15-9-63 (Probate Judge); O.C.G.A 15-6-88 (Clerk of Superior Court); O.C.G.A 48-5-183 (Tax Commissioner); O.C.G.A 15-8-11 (District Attorney); O.C.G.A 15-8-19 (state paid personnel of District Attorney s office); O.C.G.A 17-12-25 (Public Defender); O.C.G.A 15-7-22 (State Court Judge). This list is not intended to be exhaustive, but should give an understanding of the legal basis for the County s ability to pay many of the supplements shown on the attachment. We have not researched the factual basis that precipitated the 2003 decision to implement many of the supplements shown on the attached form. It would be necessary to query the sitting county commissioners from 2003 to determine their reasoning. Georgia law states that the salaries of elected officials cannot be reduced during the officials term of office. Of course, this particular restriction would not be applicable to unelected public officials (although there may be other personnel policy provisions that might limit the ability to reduce someone s salary). With all of that said, as a practical matter, these decisions are made during each budget cycle with the understanding that the supplements of elected officials cannot be taken away during an elected official s term of office. Current Supplement 2011-2012 Chief Superior Court Judge (McGarity) Superior Court Judge (Amero) Superior Court Judge (Crumbley) Sheriff District Attorney Tax Commissioner Clerk of Superior Court Arch McGarity Brian Amero Wade Crumbley Keith McBrayer Tommy Floyd David Curry Barbara Harrison $36,130.44 $36,130.44 $36,130.44 $36,130.44 $36,130.44 $28,904.35 $21,678.26 County supplement = avg Fulton, Dekalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb County supplement = avg Fulton, Dekalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb County supplement = avg Fulton, Dekalb, Clayton, Gwinnett, Cobb OCGA minimum + 100% Superior Court Judge supplement 100% Superior Court Judge Supplement OCGA minimum + 80% Superior Court Judge Supplement OCGA minimum + 60% Superior Court Judge Supplement

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Public Defender Solicitor Chief State Court Judge (Studdard) State Court Judge (Chafin) State Court Judge (Blount) State Court Judge (Harper) Chief Magistrate Judge (Godwin) Probate Court Judge (Powell) Juvenile Judge (Bartles) FT Juvenile Judge (Brown) PT Juvenile Judge (Welch) PT Chief Assist. District Attorney Senior Assist. District Attorney Superior Court Judicial Secretarry Superior Court Judicial Secretarry Superior Court Judicial Secretarry Superior Court Law Clerk Superior Court Law Clerk Asst. District Attorney Asst. District Attorney Asst. District Attorney Asst. District Attorney Chief Investigator Extension Coordinator Extension Secretary 4-H Agent Agricultural Agent

Gary Bowman Chuck Spahos Ben Studdard James Chafin Ernest Blount Jason Harper Robert Godwin Kelley Powell James Bartles James Brown A.J. Welch Thomas McBerry James Wright Laurie Brannon Ann Cook Kelly Hawkins April Green Vanessa Echols Mary EvansBattle Charles Cash Blair Mahaffey Sandra Rivers Charles Moss Susan Howington Diane Oetting Laura Garrett Frank Handcock

$27,097.83 $32,517.40 $32,517.40 $32,517.40 $32,517.40 $32,517.40 $30,891.53 $29,265.66 $29,265.66 $16,258.70 $16,258.70 $18,065.22 $15,641.35 $4,651.37 $4,651.37 $6,235.86 $16,161.22 $22,822.67 $7,845.30 $8,402.82 $11,498.04 $15,290.04 $26,927.42 $18,882.24 $16,406.62 $12,480.00 $24,343.07

State pay + 75% DA supplement 90% DA total compensation 90% Superior Court Judge total compensation Plus $5,000 90% Superior Court Judge total compensation 90% Superior Court Judge total compensation 90% Superior Court Judge total compensation 95% of State Court Judges total compensation 85% State Court Judges Total Compensation 90% State Court Judges (Regular not Chief) total compensation 50% Juvenile Court Judge's total compensation 50% Juvenile Court Judge's total compensation 50% DA Supplement 30% DA Supplement

Most recipients of the county supplemental compensation are not elected officials. The amounts shown are in addition to the base salaries for each position It is also interesting that the Sheriff, whose compensation determines the salaries of county commissioners, receives $36,000. That supplement is more than the starting pay for a Henry County police officer.

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Georgia First
Ray McBerry Enterprises, Inc., will launch KBN Television in the Atlanta market, March 5, at 9 p.m., on Charter Cable Channel 22. The channel s acronym stands for the Kairos Broadcasting Network.
McBerry said the channel will initially broadcast in Henry County and surrounding areas south of Atlanta, with the potential to reach about 250,000 viewers. The anchor program for KBN Television will be the Georgia First show, hosted by McBerry. The program will consist of political issues and current events, from what McBerry called a traditional, constitutional viewpoint, which focuses on state sovereignty and local selfgovernment.

Tune in Monday, March 5th at 9:00pm to view the inaugural Showcase, filmed at Bench Warmers in Stockbridge. Ray entertained a gathering and interviewed several guests for this premier show. Immediately afterward, at 9:30pm, the first edition of Georgia First will air. Visit WWW.KBNTELEVISION.COM For rates and more information about advertising on KBN Television,
please call 404-271-8473 or
CONTACT US VIA EMAIL.

NOT Atlanta... NOT Washington... but GEORGIA FIRST!

The Citizen Newsletter is provided by

Henry Citizens for Responsible Government Larry Stanley, Editor

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