View from the cop: Crime & punishment
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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > July > 12
Thursday, July 12, 2007
Get off the couch, go to Vegas
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
On the political front, the Milton City Council is seeking therapy. They have hired a shrink to figure out why they can’t get along. The problem: A session with the psychologist isn’t exempt from the state’s Open Meetings Act, so reporters and the public could hear all the stuff.
According to reports, the council is close to a meltdown. The AJC reported that in the seven months of existence, there have been ethics complaints filed against some of the council members, as well as the mayor.
Some residents confided that the mayor has had to issue ‘time out’ punishments more than once. A frustrated city leader said that it’s embarrassing to have to count to ten to get council members to stop arguing during public sessions. He’s considering taking away recess after one council member took away another member’s applesauce.
One council member quipped “I think it’s pretty clear the mayor likes the other members more than me. It’s not fair. I’m going to run away.”
What’s the big deal? Every city, new and old, has problems. John’s Creek has the Love Shack, Lilburn is fighting the evil forces of karaoke and Roswell is running out of cute names for new subdivisions.
How much has the council paid for psychological counseling? $6,400! Wow! Let’s take that money and put it to some real therapy.
You can get airfares to Las Vegas as cheap as $259 round trip on the red-eye. The MGM is offering deals for three-night stays at around $660. As stewards for the taxpayer’s money, council members will have to room together, two by two. Remember, that’s part of the therapy so they’ll have to figure it out.
Let’s see, six council members plus the mayor. Okay, we’ve got an odd number so the mayor bunks in there with one of the roommates. Now we have about $1,980 in hotel costs and $1,813 in travel so we’re up to $3,793. Let’s go with a $100 per diem per member, per day, so add $2,100 and that gives us $5.893 leaving us with about $507 or about $72 each for the tables, slots, or what-not.
Any winnings would have to be donated to the city for a horse statue or something.
The biggest benefit of all is that the trip is not subject to the Open Meetings Act because under some sort of bill pased by former President Bill Clinton, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas.
You want more motivation to work it out?
Two words: Fulton County.
