The Red Flag

I met a man named Vick; far away from where I live now.  We got to talking and discovered we had attended the same high school at different times.   We became friends; he was a neighbor.  He owned the Grand Hotel; the only thing grand about the Grand Hotel is the sign which sits just above the door and occupies the entire front of the modest one and a half story house.  The hotel had two rooms upstairs;  bathroom downstairs. The rest of the house filled with an amazing array of items.  I bought a clarinet from him; I still have it.

Vick was an elected member of the town council.  I asked him to bring up an idea of mine at the Council meeting.  He said ‘You should come to our next meeting and present your idea to the Council’.   I asked: why don’t you just bring my concern to the Council meeting?  He said:  Because that kind of arraignment can lead to abuse of power and corruption.

How so, I inquired?  Vick said, here is an example.   Suppose a constituent approaches me and asks me to get something done for him; but, he doesn’t want the public to know about his plan because it is only beneficial to him and a few of his neighbors; so, he does not want  his proposal to be made a part of the public record.  If I, as a Council person, agree to take on this project, as my own, hiding his identity, aiding his greedy intentions, well, usually there is a quid pro quo ie: a bribe. Vick concluded his remarks with: Good governance is all about  making the process transparent. The absence of transparency is the red flag for abuse of power. If you have business with the City; bring it up at the council meeting. Keep it on the public record.

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Mayor’s Vanity Project ‘Trumps’ the Code, I wrote this years ago regarding the Art Fence. It is an example of abuse of power where the Council blocked transparency.  You can read the full article here: https://www.pinelakevoice.org/post/mayor-s-ego-arts-project-irks-pine-lake-residents

I requested the minutes of all council meetings in which the ‘fence’ is mentioned by the Council.  There were five council meetings between, September 2016 and March 2017, where the fence is reported on by Council Brandy Hall.  There is no description of the fence recorded in the ‘minutes’.  The ‘minutes’ did not provide enough information for the public to determine what the City’s Municipal Arts Panel was actually planning to build.

I obtained a copy of the Fence Permit Application which was approved on the same day it was received. The information on the form is sparse.  At the bottom of the application it reads: applicant/administrator with two signatories:  Council Brandy Hall & Clerk Valerie Caldwell.  The City’s Code enforcement officer, Chief Green, did not sign the permit.  Clearly stated on the permit is the fence height limit: 48 inches.

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Now here’s the thing.  It would have been simple.  Apply for a Variance.  The  Council and Mayor decided no, let’s just break the code.  A variance hearing would have allowed transparency.  Like Vick said: The absence of transparency  is the red flag for abuse of power. There have been quite a few instances of lack of transparency.

Time for some PLAIN talk

Originally, PLAIN was known as Pine Lake Association of Neighbors or PLAN.   Mayor Mike Stuckey, (circa 1995) co-opted PLAN.  Mayor Mike added ‘Involved' and PLAN became Pine Lake Association of Involved Neighbors or PLAIN.

When Linda and I first moved here, year 2000, we joined PLAIN; the dues, $35 a year.   A Board Member of the organization explained the purpose of the Association; as I recall, went something like this: PLAIN members get to decide what the City’s agenda and order of priorities.  What I am describing here is a politically motivated home owners association; a welcome wagon of glad handers.   At that time the “Involved Neighbors” was not classified as a 501-C3 non-profit organization.   

The Association of Involved Neighbors plotted the removal of the popular Mayor Al Fowler(circa 2001).   Fowler, at that time was the first openly gay Mayor of a city in Georgia.  Fowler’s removal split the Association and the town. Two council members resigned in protest to Mayor Fowler’s removal and formed a “Lakers” group to counter the Involved Neighbors.  In the election to replace Mayor Fowler, the Laker group candidate, Greg Zarus, won the election.

As I mentioned at the beginning of this missive, it was Mayor Mike that set up the Association of Involved Neighbors; there-by, creating a  wedge that divided the constituency into two camps, those who are ‘Involved’  and those who are, allegedly, not ‘involved.’  As a member of PLAIN, according to the narrative, you achieve a special status..

All of us are involved, not because of a PLAIN membership but because we share a common aspiration for truth and justice,  we share creativity, we share a location, we share the burden of property taxes; these are unities of the community.  An Association of Involved Neighbors does not define a community.  The Association; however, enables cronyism, a form of in-group favoritism, especially between council persons and the supportive organization, that leads to abuse of power and to corruption.  The Association of Involved Neighbors has a number of charitable endeavors: food pantry, library and raises money to help people.  Given the Association’s glaring divisive flaw, the good deeds amount to the put of lipstick on the proverbial pig.

  When I look at PLAIN and see officers of the organization using the organization to advance their political aspirations, I am appalled.  The goal that PLAIN has set for its Involved Neighbors is to control our City government and that is not a ‘charitable’ goal.

Dennis Rotch

Public Comment

Some of you know my grandson, Stevie. He was born here, October 2007. By the time Stevie was in the first grade; both his parents had died. His upbringing fell to his aunt, Donna Hopkins, her partner, Susan Ransom, Linda Peterson and me. Stevie loved the lake: he loved to play. This community shaped my grandson. The beach, the Lake, trails and the wonderful three weeks summer camp that was hosted by Ella Johnnabar for 9 years. Who can forget the sound of those children’s voices drifting across the lake: We all live in a yellow submarine, yellow submarine, and are friend are all around. Many more live nearby’, This evening, I feel that the friends of parents and children are here tonight.

Donna and I decided Stevie should live with his aunt and uncle in San Francisco. Stevie began his middle school years in the school his uncle Eric and his father Chris attended, James Lick Middle school. Stevie's literature teacher asked the class to write an essay on racism . His teachers were so impressed by Stevie’s essay, that it was shared to the entire student body.

A community can shape the future.

Unfortunately, the Mayor and City Council forced the closure of Ella Jonnabar’s summer camp. The Mayor and council took that camp away from the children, the parents, and the community.

A great blow to the community that smacks of vengeful wrath. Now the same mayor has come before us with proposals to limit beach and lake access. We must stand firm against this unwarranted and unwanted restriction of public access.