City Manager Bill Bruton, who was in attendance, was momentarily speechless when asked who on the council calls for the meetings to take place.
"That's a good question," he finally answered.
The gatherings are routinely listed on the city's schedule of upcoming meetings, as required by state law. And while it's not believed that any actual votes are being taken at the dinners, the venues involved - such as the Marietta Diner and various fast-food eateries - are not conducive to public input or oversight.
New Mayor Steve "Thunder" Tumlin, who is pushing the council to be more open, is not fond of the council's "after meetings" and does not attend them.
Councilman Philip Goldstein claims the dinner meetings began before he came on council in 1980, but they've obviously been a way for him to use his influence for the last 30 years. Goldstein would rather meet than eat, but not all council members feel the same way. Jim King said he doesn't believe such meetings are appropriate because he thinks they exclude the public.
"I just can't see the people I represent showing up and injecting themselves into the (discussion at the) table," King told the MDJ, adding he decided when first elected in 2002 that they were not appropriate, and has not attended them.
City attorney Doug Haynie also attends the meetings, although he says they're not included in his firm's $400,000 yearly bill to the city. But as one city observer said, attending the meetings provides both Haynie and Bruton with "job security," since no council member is going to talk about replacing them while they're at the table.
The same observer suggested that next time the council holds an after-council dinner meeting, the Journal show up with a video camera and broadcast the gathering on its Web site.
Stayed tuned.
NOT ONLY IS DOWNTOWN Marietta getting dressed up via the installation of brick crosswalks, it soon will be brightened by the sight of yellow pedicabs. The foot-powered carriages will be in operation in time for the Taste of Marietta April 24-25, reports owner Brian Buckalew of the Historic Marietta Trolley Co., which will operate them.
The pedicabs were approved by the city council this winter and will arrive the first week of April, then go in service later in the month.
Are you a runner, or looking to build up your leg muscles, and earn a check at the same time? Call Buckalew at (678) 575-3416.
OOPS, AGAIN: Saturday's edition of Around Town again misstated the name of one of those running for Cobb State Court Judge, Jason Fincher.
Fincher is deputy assistant solicitor general of Cobb and is one of four candidates for the judgeship now held by Beverly Collins, who is retiring. He is a native of Cobb and a graduate of Kennesaw State University and John Marshall School of Law (cum laude) in Atlanta, and formerly clerked for Cobb Superior Court Judge Ken Nix.
Again Jason, our apologies.
POLITICAL PATTER: Cobb Commission chair Sam Olens, who will resign March 31 to run on the GOP ticket for Attorney General, will deliver what will probably be his swan song at the March 25 Marietta Kiwanis Club meeting. His topic will be "The State of Cobb County." Incidentally, the annual joint meeting of the Kiwanis and Rotary Club on April 14 will hear former UGA football coach Vince Dooley. The site is unannounced at this point.
ONE WAG questions why Bill Kinney didn't say in his Sunday column that retired Cobb Chamber chief Bill Cooper,who he mentioned as a possible candidate against state Sen. John Wiles (R-Kenn.) in the July GOP primary, was a former Cobb commissioner, having served two terms. The former Delta pilot left the commission to take the Chamber job. AT called Cooper and he said he was enjoying being home with his wife, and out of public life. Former Cobb County School Board member Lindsey Tippens is seen as a strong possible candidate if he chooses to run for that seat. Finding life out of politics isn't like it used to be as Marietta mayor, Bill Dunaway told AT Friday he was "considering" a run against Wiles. ...
When qualifying opens the last week of April for this summer's primaries, the name of former Cobb Commission Chairman Bill Byrne will be missing from the ballot. Wife Babe Atkins-Byrne told AT Monday that "Bill isn't running for anything this year."
SYNDICATED POLITICAL CARTOONIST/MDJ ALUM MARSHALL RAMSEY, a two-time finalist for the Pulitzer Prize who now draws for the Clarion-Ledger in Jackson, Miss., and is a native of east Cobb, will speak to the International Studies classes at North Cobb High School today, reports department chairwoman Jennifer Biddy.
THE COBB COUNTY Republican Women's Club, Cobb GOP, Cobb Regional Republican Women's Club, Young Republicans and College Republicans will celebrate the 157th birthday of the Republican Party on the Marietta Square on Saturday at 10 a.m. Each Republican office-holder and candidate on hand will offer brief remarks about why they are Republicans, reports Rose Wing of the CCRWC. ... The Cobb County Republican Women's Club will have Tim Lee, Cobb County Commissioner and candidate for Commission Chairman, as speaker at noon on March 26 at the Marietta Conference Center.
IMMIGRATION REFORMER D.A. KING will be guest speaker at The Georgia Tea Party's meeting at 6:45 p.m. Thursday at the main Cobb Library, 266 Roswell St., in Marietta. His topic will be illegal employment and what citizens can expect from what he deems, "the coming attempt by President Obama and South Carolina Senator, Lindsey Graham to pass another amnesty." For more info go to www.thegeorgiateaparty.org.
AMERICANS FOR PROSPERITY OF GEORGIA will host the Defending the American Dream summit at the Cobb Galleria Center March 27 featuring several nationally known talk radio hosts, including Neal Boortz and Herman Cain. Also taking part will be U.S. Rep. Tom Price of Roswell and RedState.com founder Erick Erickson. For more, go to www.americansforprosperity.org/georgia.
A FUNDRAISER IS SET March 23 at the Whitlock Inn in Marietta for GOP gubernatorial candidate Sen. Eric Johnson of Savannah. Cost is $100 per couple, $500 for hosts and $1,000 to be a chair.
THIS AND THAT: All Marietta High School alumni, staff, retirees and supporters are invited to a bash to support the Marietta School Foundation on March 27 from 7 to 9 at the Marietta Conference Center. Proceeds benefit the Marietta Schools Foundation. ... Marietta Fire Assistant Chief Kelly Caldwell and Lt. Mike Vickers have returned from Haiti, where they helped victims of the Jan. 12 earthquake. ... Savannah King, a Marietta High senior, is winner of the Spirit of Marietta essay contest sponsored by the City of Marietta 175th Anniversary Education Committee and was awarded $2,000. She will be recognized by the City Council on April 14.
COBB SCHOOL BOARD MEMBER DAVID BANKS is busy fanning the flames against east Cobb's Pete Borden, who is suing the system to determine the legality of using SPLOST funds to install artificial turf at the system's football stadiums.
In his "Grapevine" e-newsletter to the Post 5 community sent out March 7, Banks began with a scathing review of the case, saying the turf would already be on the way were it not for Borden.
"Unfortunately one citizen in Cobb County ... has filed a lawsuit against the Cobb County School Board to stop approval by the Board thus stopping any installation," he wrote. Banks included Borden's e-mail address saying, "If you wish to make any comments to Mr. Borden you can do so by clicking here."
Responds Borden, "By now I am sure that you are aware of the deluge of letters, including at least one veiled threat, that has come my way since David Banks took it upon himself to put my e-mail address in his newsletter."
"I am not against athletics, having played football in high school and in the Marines. I am not 100 percent sure I am against artificial turf, provided the improved product is what they claim it is. I hear all the promises about how everyone will benefit from its installation, though I don't put much credence in promises.
"The fact is that none of that matters. What does matter, and what I care about passionately, is the law.
Based on current Georgia law, it is our opinion that using SPLOST revenue for this purpose is illegal.
The public is mixing apples and oranges in their comments. Nobody is addressing the legality issue, and, as far as the lawsuit is concerned, that is the only issue."
Post a Comment
Follow us on Twitter!