Marietta’s electronic billboard placed at Fairground Street and Seminole Drive reminds motorists of Councilman Anthony Coleman’s town hall meeting at Marietta Chapel AME Church.
Coleman will conduct a town hall meeting at 6:30 p.m. tonight at Marietta Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church on Rigby Street. He has invited Marietta City Schools Superintendent Dr. Emily Lembeck to speak at the meeting to give an update on her plan for balancing the school system's budget for the coming fiscal year.
A resident called the Journal on Monday to complain that the meeting was being conducted in a church, rather than City Hall, and that the Marietta Police Department's mobile electronic sign advertising the meeting, which was parked at the corner of Fairground and Seminole streets, described Coleman as "Reverend" Coleman rather than "Councilman" Coleman.
"Whatever happened to the separation of church and state?" questioned the Marietta resident, who asked to remain nameless for fear of retaliation.
By conducting the meeting in a church, rather than City Hall, Coleman was giving news to only a select group of people, the resident said.
Coleman said he doesn't see what all the fuss is about.
"I am a reverend. I wear a bunch of hats," he said.
As for the location, Coleman said, "meetings don't always have to be at City Hall. They can be in the community."
The church leaders opened their doors to allow him to use the space, he said.
"What better place to have a meeting at?" Coleman asked.
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You people get all up in the air about a part of the Constitution that doesn't even exist.
If you are wrong about this, it is also very likely that you are wrong about Christian people meeting to discuss government activity.
I had much rather have a Christian government that an athiest government.
Maybe you should have come to the Cobb county teacher of the year celebration, held in a church in Marietta [back in november/december 2009] and you would have seen that the preacher of that Church prayed with all the people in attendance before starting the day. Now, if this does not violate the separation state and church?? what does?? There is an agenda to promote a specific religion....
treated in Germany.
Mr Coleman should read the very definition of "town hall" in the American Heritage Dictionary.
Definition of "town hall": A building that contains the offices of the public officials of a town and that houses the town council and courts."
Perhaps, while in the dictionary Mr Coleman should also read the definition of "constituent".
Although Mr Coleman may be a man of many hats, Mr Coleman needs to put his thinking cap on before he holds his next "town hall" meeting to discuss the people's business.
Knowing Councilman Coleman I'm sure he's fully capable of knowing..and..honoring the hat he is wearing.
Ron Bucksot
Ward 5
Constituent