Today the City of LaFayette will begin looking for a new Public Safety Director.

For the latest on this, visit the LaFayette Underground Facebook…

Walker County Schools finally admits to laying off 49 teachers, as we told you a week ago.

Chattanooga Times Free Press, 05/15/12: “Through natural attrition and layoffs, the [Walker] school system will lose 49 teachers, including 21.5 special education teachers and 27.5 classroom teachers. Some schools will lose art or music teachers, though they may be replaced by computer instructors who can be paid with federal dollars. Employees also will see eight work-reduction days next year, similar to furloughs.”

Walker County Commissioner Candidate Dr. Paul Shaw on sole commissioner government:

“‘I’d like to be the last sole commissioner,’ Shaw said, saying the matter would be put to a public referendum after he is in office for two years. ‘We have 67,000 people, that’s a lot for one person to be responsible for. With a $21 million budget, that’s a lot for one person to be able to write checks without any checks and balances. I wouldn’t even trust myself with that much power.'”

Maybe a poor choice of words, he should be able to trust himself, but we understand what he means. With no accountability comes the likelihood of problems – the best way to avoid those problems, even with a trustworthy person in charge, is to bring in accountability. Accountability for Walker County government means a board, not a queen or king. Period.

Local high schools on the list of GA’s best: Dalton (16), Trion (25), Rome (31), and Calhoun (37). All these are city schools.

Chattanooga Times Free Press, 05/08/12: Walker County flood plan calls for taller road

The likelihood of this being needed is very small. And again it’s all about Chickamauga. Less than 5% of the county’s population gets 90% of its attention and investment.

Be careful, watch out for rabid animals and call for help if you see one that acts suspiciously. Lots of reported cases this year.

ajc.com, 05/10/12: “[The] mere perception of a conflict is doing great damage to the integrity of our legislative process. It is maddening to endure the denials of our state’s political leaders. This is why we must toughen lobbying and campaign finance laws. We should have every confidence that laws are considered based on our best interest.”

But at least one state legislator says “lobbyists are functional and necessary contributors to public policy discussions at all levels of government.”

As IF restricting gifts would cut out all lobbying. Right now it’s a big-dollar free for all. Lobbyists are fine, but adding teeth to state finance laws and limiting what and how much legislators can accept has GOT to happen.

If the laws had been in place since day one this would be no big deal.. Now they don’t want to pass the laws because they’re hooked on the goodies.

GBP says Georgia is ranked 6th nationally for “friendliness to small business.”

That might be a bit higher without Northwest Georgia.

What has the city’s economic development director been up to lately? Creating a brochure about the cemetery.

Our US Representative has been recognized for his taxpayer-friendly voting record, but still has trouble explaining his involvement with a collapsed bank in Calhoun that cost the government millions.

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