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AJC.com > Metro > View from the cop > Archives > 2007 > July > 12 > Entry
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.
Comments
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By julie
July 12, 2007 1:11 PM | Link to this
THAT’S FUNNY!!
By DB
July 12, 2007 1:57 PM | Link to this
You did make this up, right? What a joke. The mayor and city council I’m sure think these are real issues their dealing with. They need to pull their heads out of thier butts and get some real work done for the people of Milton. This bunch should be out of a job come next election!
By Lex Luthor
July 12, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this
(Off the subject) Hey Steve,
Would you ask your fellow officers not to aim their spotlights down Roswell and P’Tree-Dunwoody when they have someone pulled over?
I understand that they want to blind the driver of the car they have pulled over, but those of us who are approaching from the opposite lane cannot see past the spot light as it blinds us too. If they point it to the right perhaps as little as 15 degrees things would be much better.
Its bad enough that a few nights ago on PTree-Dunwoody I couldn’t see anything until I got past the cone the spotlight’s beam creates. If someone were standing, or worse laying on the ground injured, on my side of the road I would not have been able to see them. I had to slow down to about 10 MPH until I could see again.
Then again last night on Roswell between Northridge and Dunwoody Place, driving on the same side of the road of the pulled over vehicle, the spot light made my rear view mirrors useless for a few hundred yards.
In general, I have fairly good night vision so I’m sure other drivers are getting blinded too.
Thanks and tell Sandy Springs to keep up the good work. Its nice to see some law and order. Its even better to be able to turn onto Roswell near Trow Bridge without having to evade people doing 60+ MPH. I know there have been some serious wrecks just down the road from there between the Publix and Morgan Falls Station.
By TC
July 12, 2007 2:20 PM | Link to this
Unno this is ridiculous! Something are well said but other things just don’t make sense. This City couoncl stuff needs to ‘get a grip’ darn whinners!!!
Hey there is much humor to all of Fultono County issues. Better laugh than not!
By Kp
July 12, 2007 4:14 PM | Link to this
That’s what they get! They see that running a city isn’t as easy as they thought it would be.
Once all this new city foolishness stops, then people can start to really work together.
By johns creek resident
July 12, 2007 5:34 PM | Link to this
That’s what who gets, KP? The citizens of Milton? They deserve this nonsense? No way. If they don’t shape up, that council is going to be as dysfunctional as the Fulco BOC. What a scary thought. A certain majority of that BOC is the reason why all of the areas of North Fulton incorporated in the first place. Hopefully, these members will remember that and get down to business…and learn to share their applesauce.
By Jennifer
July 12, 2007 6:43 PM | Link to this
I think they’re the perfect example of a bunch of people who have self-entitlement issues being forced to work together. Too funny!!!!
By Greghard
July 13, 2007 2:24 AM | Link to this
Milton: no brains, no headaches!
By Mary
July 13, 2007 6:50 AM | Link to this
Are these the same people on the Architectural Review Committee in my subdivision?
By Ralph
July 13, 2007 9:03 AM | Link to this
As a police officer for the past 15 years, and a native of Fulton County-City of Atlanta, I support Fulton County 100%. Yes the county has its problems, but creating all these cities will not make things better. It is an attempt by mostly rich white conservatives to control politics without any Democratic minority influence from Fulton County.
I will be laughing when these cities fail and start crying to Fulton to help them. Fulton should say #$$%%% you and be done with them.
I was born in Fulton, and I don’t support anyone attempting to dismantle my home. North Fulton is a majority of people who were not even born in Atlanta or Fulton. I am a middle class white male and refuse to live anywhere in North Fulton
By Starwood
July 13, 2007 10:50 AM | Link to this
“$100 per diem per member, per day” is repetitively redundant.
By KT
July 19, 2007 2:19 PM | Link to this
Now obiously there are some jokes in here, but is the base of it true? Did the city actually pay for psychological counseling for the council members? I live in Cobb so I’m not up on municipal news from Fulton.
Please tell me the part about the mayor and “time outs” as well as the counting to ten to make members stop arguing is a joke. They should be ashamed of themselves. My instinct was to say taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for the council’s problems/neuroses, but the residents are the ones who elected them, so I guess it’s technically their fault.
By KT
July 19, 2007 2:21 PM | Link to this
Now obiously there are some jokes in here, but is the base of it true? Did the city actually pay for psychological counseling for the council members? I live in Cobb so I’m not up on municipal news from Fulton.
Please tell me the part about the mayor and “time outs” as well as the counting to ten to make members stop arguing is a joke. They should be ashamed of themselves. My instinct was to say taxpayers shouldn’t have to pay for the council’s problems/neuroses, but the residents are the ones who elected them, so I guess it’s technically their fault.