Politics

Budget talk gets heated in PTC

Mayor attacked for not suggesting budget cuts

What should have been the routine approval of Peachtree City’s annual budget Thursday night turned into a cringeworthy event as council members attacked Mayor Don Haddix for not proposing specific budget cuts despite advocating for a property tax decrease. Read More»

PTC Council faces choice on Haddix pay lawsuit: Fight or fold

One of the most interesting decisions to be made by the Peachtree City Council Thursday night will likely occur in executive (closed) session as members ponder whether to restore the salary of Mayor Don Haddix or face a lawsuit that could cost more than the punitive pay cut enacted by council in May. Read More»

GOP’s Watts’ next stop: D.A. probe

Next up for embattled Fayette County Republican Party Chairman Lane Watts: A probe by the Fayette County district attorney for possible criminal charges related to Watts’ legal residence.

The Fayette County Board of Elections will turn the matter over to District Attorney Scott Ballard based on what it called an ethical obligation stemming from credible testimony that Watts did not reside at a Peachtree City residence from September 2011 through March 2012 as indicated on Watts’ voter registration form. Read More»

Sales tax negotiations at stalemate, court will decide portions

Unable to come to an agreement on the distribution formula for the county’s local option sales tax, government officials representing the county commission and the city councils of Peachtree City, Fayetteville and Tyrone are taking the matter to court.

In a joint petition filed Friday, all parties are seeking a final decision to be made by a Superior Court judge. Read More»

Commissioners-elect look at bypass questions, selection of new manager

Future issues

When Fayette County’s three new commissioners take office in January, they will face one looming issue that will give them a big opportunity to make their mark right off the bat.

That’s because they will be picking a replacement for interim County Administrator Jack Krakeel, who retired in July but is staying on until a new administrator is hired. Read More»

Ognio swamps incumbent Hearn, Barlow defeats Huddleston for 2 Fayette Commission posts

The 2013 Fayette County Commission. David Barlow (L) and Randy Ognio won big in the Aug. 21 runoff. Charles Oddo (center) defeated incumbent Robert Horgan July 31. Current commissioners Allen McCarty (2nd from R) and Steve Brown (R) pose with the commissioners-elect. Photo/Special.

The two men, Randy Ognio and David Barlow, ran their first political races this summer, but they have been familiar faces at the Fayette County Commission for the past two years. Both regularly criticized the incumbents for the West Fayetteville Bypass, lack of transparency to the public and what they considered the board majority’s lack of regard for the average taxpayer.

Tuesday, they overwhelmed their opponents in the Republican runoff, ousting incumbent Lee Hearn and stopping a political bid by Fayetteville attorney Sheila Huddleston. Read More»

Election Board hears case against Fayette GOP Chairman Lane Watts

County attorney Scott Bennett (L) served as moderator Aug. 13 for a hearing conducted by the Fayette County Board of Elections on the challenge that Fayette County Republican Party Chairman Lane Watts did not reside at the address listed on his voter registration form during portions of 2011 and 2012. Board members Addison Lester (center) and Darryl Hicks after the hearing said they would render a decision on the issue in 5-10 days. Photo/Ben Nelms.

A hearing challenging Lane Watts’ standing as chairman of the Fayette County Republican Party was held Aug. 13 before the Fayette County Board of Elections.

Two of the three-person board heard from three witnesses whose testimony indicated that Watts did not reside at the Peachtree City residence during portions of 2011 and 2012 even though the address was listed as his residence on his voter registration paperwork.

The board will render a decision in 5-10 days. Read More»

PTC’s mayor hit with ethics complaint

Former Mayor Harold Logsdon (L) and current Mayor Don Haddix. File photos.

A Peachtree City resident has filed an ethics complaint against Mayor Don Haddix for using city funds to settle a libel lawsuit filed over a statement made about former Mayor Harold Logsdon in an email Haddix sent to a city employee.

Steve Thaxton, who has publicly asked Haddix at a council meeting to repay the $9,969 in legal fees, filed the complaint Monday alleging that Haddix committed several ethics violations regarding the matter. Read More»

Sen. Chance backs regional transit ‘oversight’ council

State Senator Ronnie Chance (R-Tyrone). File photo.

With $3.6 billion in transit money off the table with the failed regional T-SPLOST, state government officials will now turn their eyes toward legislation that would create a regional transit agency for metro Atlanta.

While Fayette County has no transit operations here, there are concerns the county could perhaps be lumped into a regional transit agency, and possibly on the hook for partially funding such an endeavor. Read More»

Election aftermath — New sheriff, runoffs for 2 commission races, T-SPLOST a bust

Advance voting’s paper trail — Elections employees at county headquarters work on the paper printouts from advance voting machines after polls closed on Election Day July 31. Photo/John Munford.

Last week’s primary election is over, with at least one new member elected to the Fayette County commission and to the school board, along with a new county sheriff as Barry Babb unseated incumbent lawman Wayne Hannah. [Editor Cal Beverly opines on "What it all means" here.]

But it’s not over: local voters still have to settle three runoff races on Tuesday, Aug. 21. Read More»

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