05.04
May 1st was one year since the first LU Daily Update. The goal was (and still is) to provide a daily summary of news from LaFayette and other links that might be of interest to LaFayette readers.
Daily Updates stopped, for a while, last August due to burnout from covering local elections and frustration with election results. Updates stopped again this year in March and (until this point) in April because of personal issues and time constraints. But during those breaks the Underground did continue, as usual, on social media – and will resume posting Daily Updates here Monday.
In the meanwhile, catch up on major news from March and April:
In LaFayette city government, City Manager Frank Etheridge was pushed out after only 18 months on the job. Weeks later, details and acceptable explanations for the forced resignation still haven’t been provided. (A standalone LU blog post about the dismissal didn’t help clarify things much – but that should be updated soon to add more detail.) Etheridge is technically employed by the city through May as part of his severance, but has already applied for a new job as Manager of Colquitt County.
During a special called meeting last Wednesday, the City Council named ex-Councilman Max Morrison to serve as interim City Manager. He started in that role Thursday. Morrison will accept no pay for the job while the council searches for a permanent occupant. One councilman says they’ve gotten twenty applications for the job, so far.
Mayor Florence finally revealed the city’s worst kept secret, confirming (to WQCH radio) that he doesn’t intend to run for mayor again this fall after more than 22 years in office. Maybe now he can focus on his vow to “get” Times Free Press reporters who asked too many questions.
During its April meeting, the city council voted to raise electric rates by 10%. The vote was 3-2, with Chris Davis and Wayne Swanson both voting in opposition. Councilman Andy Arnold may be haunted by his advocacy for the rate increase this fall when he runs for reelection or (as many expect) tries to become mayor. Freshman councilor Ben Bradford, also up for a vote this fall, might also regret the “yes” vote come November.
An online petition asking the council to allow a vote on liquor sales in restaurants has a goal of 1,000 signatures, but is stuck somewhere around the 140 mark. Even with 1,000 names the petition isn’t likely to sway a majority of the council to revisit the contentious alcohol issue, which was defeated during a close (non-binding) vote in 2009.
- WQCH Radio, 03/05/13: “WALKER COUNTY CITIZENS MAY GET THE CHANCE TO VOTE ON CONTINUANCE OF THE ‘SPLOST’ SALES TAX, AS WELL AS WHETHER TO APPROVE DEDICATED TAX MILLAGE TO SUPPORT LIBRARY SERVICES, THIS NOVEMBER.
- “COMMISSIONER BEBE HEISKELL SAID THURSDAY, THAT THE SPLOST WILL BE UP FOR RENEWAL IN 2014 BUT UNLESS THE VOTE IS HELD THIS NOVEMBER, THE PRESENT 5-YEAR SPLOST WOULD END TWO MONTHS BEFORE A VOTE FOR RENEWAL COULD BE HELD NEXT YEAR. FOR THAT REASON, SHE IS CONTEMPLATING CALLING THE 5-YEAR PENNY SALES TAX RENEWAL VOTE, THIS NOVEMBER.
Walker County’s business community should demand Bebe hold off on SPLOST renewal. Two months without the 1% sales tax won’t break the county, but it could show voters the impact lowering sales taxes would make on their wallets and local business’ sales. Heiskell won’t do it; she’s been around long enough to know it’s easier to convince voters to continue an existing tax than implement one they haven’t been paying – even if they only stopped paying it a few months before.
- WQCH Radio, 04/25/13: “THE COMMISSIONER PLANS TO EARMARK A PORTION OF THE SPLOST FOR ROADS PAVING, SINCE THE NORTHWEST GEORGIA AREA TURNED ‘THUMBS-DOWN’ ON THE TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX VOTE, LAST YEAR.”
If Bebe will put language into the SPLOST measure guaranteeing at least 60% of the funds raised (60% of the county’s share) will go to roads, she might find more support for the tax. Less than that and she’s going to have a hard time getting another renewal. Ideally 75% would be for road work – REAL road work, not paving her driveway and building walking trails for the Davenport family – but 60% would probably be enough to sway voters still on the fence.
Read More >>