Home > Gwinnett > Rick Badie / My Opinion > Archives > 2006 > October > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USJoin Badie Tour on Wednesday
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
In journalism, a telephone can be as much crutch as vital tool.
It’s too easy to pick up the phone and chat up the mayor or commissioner so-and-so. It saves time, precious minutes that can be put to better use, like digging deeper or crafting a solid read from top to bottom.
And because of that, the phone is a journalist’s best friend.
Sometimes, though, we miss something when we opt for convenience. Details. We miss the nuances and tendencies of the people and personalities we write about by relying on the phone. It’s hard to see a frown, grimace or smile over an optic line. You can’t see a foot tapping on the floor, either, or a Jacob Lawrence print hanging in the foyer.
And when it comes to words, stories, details make the difference.
As a columnist, I’m trying to reign in my phone addiction. Your help would be greatly appreciated. I’m hitting the road, people, trying to get as far away from 6455 Best Friend Road (the AJC Gwinnett News office off Jimmy Carter Boulevard) as I possibly can and still be in the county.
Think Charles Kuralt. The late CBS television journalist filed more than 600 television episodes of “On the Road.” There are a few differences, though: I’m black and, while it may be debatable, a tad more handsome. I won’t be traveling via motor home, either.
The Badie Tour will be low-key Wednesday affairs. It’s just me, my 2002 Galant and a few tools of the trade — laptop, pen, pad, cellphone and occasionally, a photographer who’ll capture exchanges between journalist and residents talking about the ordinary and extraordinary — real life.
Make no mistake. You’re vital to the success of the tour. Don’t show up, and I flop. So please do. Let’s rap.
We can talk about your county, subdivision, street or school. No topic is unworthy, and as long as it’s not slanderous, it’s ripe for dialogue.
Mark this date down. The Badie Tour’s first stop will be Snellville. The only thing I really and truly know about the ‘ville is that U.S. 78 bisects it, and some colleagues live there. Aside from that, I’m clueless.
So on Wednesday, between, say 9:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., I plan to set up shop at a place where all Snellvillians visit at some point in time: The town’s state-of-the-art recycling center off Lenora Church Road at Briscoe Park. Its address is 2531 Marigold Road. Call 770-985-3539 if you need directions.
Snellville Mayor Jerry Oberholtzer recommended it and has graciously agreed to hang out with me for a bit. He’s also my backup plan. Every neurotic columnist has a few. Say no one shows up to meet me at the recycling outpost.
By default, Mr. Oberholtzer becomes the topic of Thursday’s column. That’s not necessarily a bad thing. He’s been mayor three years and councilman for four. I’ve never met him and had never talked to him until Monday. He takes pride in his city. He has to.
Who else would suggest a recycling center as a place to see and be seen?
“It’s busy,” Oberholtzer told me. “Especially on Saturdays.”
We shall see. See you on Wednesday.
Comments
By Jan
October 17, 2006 07:46 AM | Link to this
I will really try to be there, but I have a dentist appt, and you did a story on me before, over the phone. We were supposed to meet, but you stood me up, remember????
T.W. Briscoe was my uncle, married to my Aunt Bessie. I live behind the park, but I used to live across the street from it and I remember when there was no park there, it was just called Pate Lake, and I was also real partial to Emmett Clower, who did MORE for Snellville than any mayor ever did, unless it was Uncle Thomas!!!! Anyway, I wish you well on this new project and picking Snellville was a good choice, however you could have picked a better topic, I am sure. I love Snellville, it is MY HOME TOWN!!!!!!
By Bob
October 17, 2006 03:07 PM | Link to this
Not to distract from the purpose of your article, Rick, but I have to take issue with Jan. Emmett Clower was a non-remarkable individual who rode a wave of growth fueled by “you-scratch-mine-I’ll-scratch-yours” deals with his developer buddy, Mr. Mason. One even resulted in a lawsuit that cost the city tens of thousands.
Clower overtaxed the people of Snellville for years, some years by as much as 30%. When challenged, he lied by saying that the city’s $5 million surplus was the result of interest on cash reserves. This is easily documented; in fact, I did it.
He wrote himself checks from the city coffers; “Santa Clower” paid out Christmas bonuses in undocumented cash, probably violations of federal tax law. There’s plenty of documentation of this as well.
In his final years, he regularly violated the city’s charter or attempted to usurp the authority of the State Legislature. Several of the votes that he rammed through the Council had to be overturned by the city attorney. Just check the meeting minutes if you don’t believe me.
A local doctor refused to pay property taxes on a tract he owned in Tanglewood. Rather than insist that the doctor pay up, Clower and Council paid the doctor’s city tax bill for him and bought the property. Clower’s “good ol’ boy” deal-making landed the city on the county’s deadbeat taxpayer list… the doctor hadn’t paid his county tax bill, either. Again, it’s all fact.
Clower budgets contained a “Mayor’s Fund,” a slush fund that he controlled. Tens of thousands were spent needlessly and without proper oversight.
Or perhaps we can talk about the time that Clower took a brand new convertible on loan from a local dealership for the Snellville Days parade on a midnight joy ride with several of the young men from the Maintenance Department. There were witnesses.
I love Snellville, too, Jan, but I am compelled to be intellectually honest. Most of you old-time Snellville folks had your heads in the sand… you trusted Clower when he told you that he had everything under control.
Most of his messes have been cleaned up, but we will never know where Snellville could have been today had Clower and his ilk been run out of office years earlier.
By okay
October 17, 2006 03:24 PM | Link to this
Rick,
I normally read your acticles in the AJC.. however you are concerning me now. Please remember to keep it interesting as you know we feed off interesting pieces of communication.
Also, I would like to see you do something to bring the youth in… We need to know what’s really going on in our part of the woods with the kids. From the small stuff: where kids can eat free during the week? Hang out of teen agers? And what’s really happening in the middle schools? Let’s being some interesting points to the floor. I mean Snellville is nice and all, but how much of it is there to write about…. Good Luck.. I’ll keep viewing your blogs… And I’ll look out for the Galant.
By Mark
October 17, 2006 04:02 PM | Link to this
I also live in Snellville (20yrs), and can tell you that this city is a trash heap, thx to all the mexicans and blacks. The filth from Dekalb is simply moving east. Pretty soon hwy 78 will look like Memorial drive, and nearby property values will drop because of it. Comparable to a fungus….
By whatever
October 17, 2006 04:41 PM | Link to this
I guess no matter where you move … you’ll always have people judging others by the color of the skin… Trash could be in your own back yard.. and I do mean in YOUR back yard.
By bufordite
October 17, 2006 09:05 PM | Link to this
Be discerning. Don’t write about any wingnut just because they are the only ones to show up.
Bring the Galloping Galant up to Buford sometime. It’s the crown jewel of Gwinnett!
By beedle
October 17, 2006 09:27 PM | Link to this
Credit where credits due.
In 6 years under a new, visionary administration, Snellville has gone from a sprawling crossroads with no discernable identity to an identifiable Town Center, new digs for the Senior Citizens, progressive development and an expanded, cutting edge police force.
Not too shabby for a 6 year old.
By Diana Degarmo
October 17, 2006 11:01 PM | Link to this
Rick i am so glad your coming to Snellville!
By Floyd
October 18, 2006 12:32 AM | Link to this
The Snellville Recycling center is an excellent place for you to visit. You’ll be impressed with it and you should be. It’s an excellent example of Government doing it right.
Earth to Jan…if Clower was one of the best things to happen to Snellville I have some vacation property in DeKalb to sell you. The only thing that could have made Clower’s administration better was if it was shorter…the shorter the better. The day that Mayor Harrel defeated Clower should be a paid holiday in Snellville.