The Tri-County Journal
& Chattahoochee Chronicle
PO Box 850,
71 Webb Lane
Buena Vista, GA 31803
229-649-6397
tjournal@windstream.net
Is recall in best interest of community?
(From the January 31, 2007 issue)
I rarely put my personal views of local political issues in print, but I feel strongly enough about the attempt to recall Marion County Commissioner Frank Powell that I have decided to add my “two cents” to the debate. I am well aware that some will say that’s literally all my opinion is worth, but nonetheless here’s where I stand.
The recall is not in the best interest of Marion County.
In my opinion a recall of an elected official should only happen in the most rare and most serious of circumstances. Whether one agrees with Mr. Powell’s decisions or not, he has not conducted himself in such a way as to deserve being recalled from office.
The controversial “garbage issue,” in which the commissioners replaced dumpsters with weekly roadside trash pickup seems to be one of the chief reasons for the recall effort. As someone who published scores of letters-to-the-editor from people who thought it was a bad idea, I am well aware of the fact that many residents opposed it. The fact that I published the letters led some commissioners to accuse me of being biased against their point of view. Likewise, the fact that I ran no personal editorials against it and included the commissioners’ point of view in news articles, some opponents of the policy also accused me of being unfair to “their side.”
So, here’s my opinion on the subject once and for all: I approve of the change to roadside garbage pickup. Long before the commissioners ever started the service, I was invited to be an interviewee for a study the University of Georgia was conducting about our local community. One of the things I said our community needed to do to improve was to either replace the garbage dumpsters with roadside service, or move the dumpsters further off the road and build fences around them. I didn’t particularly care which one happened; I just wanted something to be done to keep our community from looking so trashy.
While it’s not practical to expect 100 percent approval on any change of real substance, I believe that over the long haul the vast majority of the public will come to support and appreciate the roadside garbage pickup service. It is more expensive than the previous policy, but there’s a lot of truth to the saying, “You get what you pay for.”
I am also aware that in addition to opposition of the actual service, many people were disappointed that the commissioners did not seek out the public’s opinion before voting to begin the new service. I share that disappointment. I personally believe that anytime the County Commission votes to implement a new service that will add a mandatory expense to every homeowner in the county, a public hearing should be held, even in cases where it may not technically be required by law. At the very least, I think that before voting on the issue, the commissioners should have submitted a statement for publication in the local newspaper explaining their intentions and why they thought it was best for the county.
But am I disappointed enough to vote to recall Mr. Powell? No. I believe that through the letters printed in this very newspaper, as well
That brings me to my next point. Why Frank Powell? Why not George Neal Jr.? After all, he is the chairman of the commission. That’s not to say that I believe he should actually be recalled either, but if you’re upset enough about the oversight of the government to recall somebody, why not target the chairman? And why not Ronald Graham? He has served on the commission and made many, though not all, of the same votes as Mr. Powell. To single out Frank Powell for recall hardly seems fair even if one doesn’t like the direction in which the commission has taken the county.
There are two other reasons I don’t want to see Frank Powell recalled from office: respect and conviction, or put more simply, my respect for his conviction. Below are a few examples.
Voters should recall that soon after he was elected the commission voted to increase its pay. Frank Powell was the only commissioner to vote against it, saying that he knew what the salary was when he took the job, despite the fact that the Association of County Commissioners of Georgia had recommended the pay raise across the state.
He also had the courage to put his response to the criticisms of the garbage decision down in writing and submit them to the newspaper for publication. Yes, it was after the fact and would have been better had it come sooner, but he has been more willing than anyone else to state his position.
He was recently the only commissioner to vote against a motion for the County Commission to agree to handle grant money for the Pasaquan Preservation Society, which is a part of the local Historical Society devoted to preserving and promoting Eddie Martin’s former home as an art site and tourist location. Mr. Powell had voiced his opposition to the idea previously, noting that Martin’s art was in large part devoted to a bizarre personal religious belief that he claimed came from visions of people from the future. I personally believe it’s possible to preserve the unique art site without promoting Martin’s religious beliefs, but I understand Mr. Powell’s concerns and I appreciate the fact that he has the courage of his convictions and can stand firm when in the minority. Isn’t that a trait we should desire in our elected officials and leaders?
Also, consider the fact that he was elected to countywide office in November of 2004 with 60 percent of the vote in a race that included another well-respected and qualified candidate. Has he changed that much since 2004?
If you disagree with Mr. Powell’s positions, tell him. He’s a grown man in an elected position of service to his community. If his constituents, whether one or several thousand, want to tell him how they feel about his performance, it’s part of his job to hear them out. If you disagree with him enough, then cast your vote for his opponent when he comes up for reelection. Or better yet, qualify to run against him.
But before you vote to recall him from office, please ask yourself if it’s really worth it, from both the standpoint of further dividing the community and from a financial standpoint. Ask yourself how many good men and women may be dissuaded from seeking local office in the future if they see Mr. Powell recalled from office before completing a full term.
Ask yourself it’s it worth spending around $12,000 of your own and your fellow taxpayers’ money to first hold a special election to recall him, and then another $12,000 to hold another special election to vote for his replacement (who would only serve a little over year of the unexpired term before having to be on the ballot for reelection).
I do not mean to offend those who have signed the application for recall. I understand and appreciate the democratic process and the importance of having the option of a recall as a check on elected officials who are corrupt or grossly incompetent, but Mr. Powell is neither.