Rick Badie / My Opinion

By Tom

February 16, 2009 12:50 PM | Link to this

I think that the mayor should not have a vote! The president doesn’t vote on laws so why should a mayor vote? What actually should happen is the citizens of Snellville (of which I am one) need to ask for a recall election and get rid of the current mayor. What a low-life? Holding a grudge so large that he would drive by the man’s house & then turn him in. The person (people) to turn him in should have been his neighbors not the mayor. Then add to this, his fear of going to the bathroom alone! Are the taxpaying citizens of Snellville paying for the police escort to the toilet? Ridiculus! The fact that the police chief even considered having this done is also ridiculus! Just another example of politicians misusing their power!

By Chris Broe

February 16, 2009 1:10 PM | Link to this

Greatness!

By Bubba

February 16, 2009 2:06 PM | Link to this

There isn’t a magic wand powerful enough for Sen. Balfour to wave to make Snellville live happily ever after. Separating the powers of the mayor and city council would be a start. A better start would be firing everyone and holding new elections, with none of the existing players being allowed to participate.

By Mark

February 16, 2009 3:00 PM | Link to this

Who cares? Snellfrica is a has been city for years now. 78 looks like Memorial drive in Stn. Mtn. Filthy, and full of thug wannabes.

By Mark

February 16, 2009 3:05 PM | Link to this

BTW, In response to Obama’s complaint that FOX News doesn’t show enough Black and Hispanic people on their network, FOX has announced that they will now air ” America ‘s Most Wanted” TWICE a week.

By Darren

February 16, 2009 5:56 PM | Link to this

The problem has been that with six voting members, a Council that has been split down the middle for years is always stuck.

I don’t care if we cut out a councilman’s seat from the map (robert jenkins, anyone?) or add a seat, or just go back to having the mayor only vote in ties. But we need an odd number on the council.

I don’t like the idea of adding another seat. That just means MORE government, and we have ENOUGH government to pay for. And I don’t know if we can cut a council seat without more big fights and lawsuits on council. The cheapest thing to do is go back to 2004 when the mayor just voted in a tie.

By dave

February 16, 2009 6:12 PM | Link to this

Does the police chief receive extra pay for escorting the mayor to the potty and does he make sure he is zipped and washed his hands?

By Top Cat

February 16, 2009 6:48 PM | Link to this

I think the council should add a seat and make 3 council seats elected by districts and 3 seats and the mayor elected at-large. The Mayor was given a vote because all of powers of actually running the City were stripped when the city went to a Council-Manager form of government. As it stands now, the only thing the Mayor does that the council doesn’t is sign documents (only after the council has given approval) and represent the city in ceremonial matters. If you take away the mayor’s vote then why would anyone want to be mayor? It would become a position with little pay and little political power.

I’m not too worried anyways because Robert Jenkins will lose his reelection bid in November and someone with more competence will be elected (even Bruce Garraway had half a brain!). The division on council has been created by Robert Jenkins in his attempt to take Snellville back to the 1950’s. Instead of recalling the mayor why doesn’t someone get rid of Robert? That would solve way more problems.

By Chris Broe

February 16, 2009 7:29 PM | Link to this

Political office is calling me. It want’s it’s leadership back. I should run for office. I’m like a Nixon without all the charm. I’m a cross between Howard Stern and George Carlin. My platform is this: I am running as the spectral opposite of Cheney. I am running on founding fathers. I am running on 44 presidents. I am running on two world wars and a techno pearl harbor. I am running on green gas, red light districts, and the family values that a good man can put together with a good woman. I am running on schools, and teachers. I am running on railroad crossings and bridges, and free skies and snowflake babies too, man.

I am running on Islam and Abraham. I am running on the trinity, I am running on this grand hail mary, and I will win the support of the people of the united states and I will ultimately accept the office of the presidency of the united states.

I am officially a candidate for the 2012 Election. My hat is in the ring. This communique notarizes itself, (and will self destruct in five seconds).

By LT5000

February 16, 2009 10:44 PM | Link to this

The Blubbering Badie Moron-a-thon continues.

I don’t remember such scathing articles about city government when the mayor of Lithonia, Joyce McKibben was firing police chiefs and was recalled after only a few months in office.

Oh, that’s right. She was black.

And the AJC wonders why their circulation dwindles with each passing month.

By the way Mark, good one. LT5000

By Greg

February 17, 2009 7:54 AM | Link to this

What should happen is go to the Mayor not having a vote. Currently, he tries to run the city and council as his private rubber stamp. During council meetings he tends to take it very personally when he does not get his way and has been known to take retribution. Take a look at his driving by a Councilman’s house that he has issues with and reporting his yard. I hope he is paying for his toilet buddy out of his own pocket.

By mom4

February 17, 2009 9:33 AM | Link to this

LT5000- Last I heard, Lithonia is in DeKalb County - not Gwinnett. This is the Gwinnett section.

By nana

February 17, 2009 10:02 AM | Link to this

mom4 Mr. Badie has actually written articles in the past that were outside of Gwinnett. Check the archives. I don’t live in Snellville but what is going on there is almost if not as bad, as what was going on in Lithonia. I agree there is no need for another seat on the city council…if there’s a tie vote then let the Mayor vote. One thing is for sure when election comes around all of these people need to be replaced similar to what needs to happen in all the national elections as well.

By Patrick

February 17, 2009 11:45 AM | Link to this

Gridlock in government isn’t always bad especially in Snellville. Most of the time the lack of a decision is in the citizens best interest. The Snellville Council couls serve as a model for the state legislature and congress.

By Have seen it all

February 17, 2009 4:40 PM | Link to this

Brett Harrell,Jerry Oberholtzer, Melvin Everson and Joe Anderson are all at fault for this decedence! Under Brett the Snellville City Charter was changed to allow the Mayor a vote and the other three went right along and voted for the change. So Brett would have more power. Those four have been on a power trip since they were first elected. Read the paper with Brett as director of the Highway 78 CID. Another power struggle for Brett. Thank God for Senator Balfour willing to step in.

By Have seen it all

February 17, 2009 4:43 PM | Link to this

Brett Harrell,Jerry Oberholtzer, Melvin Everson and Joe Anderson are all at fault for this decedence! Under Brett the Snellville City Charter was changed to allow the Mayor a vote and the other three went right along and voted for the change. So Brett would have more power. Those four have been on a power trip since they were first elected. Read the paper with Brett as director of the Highway 78 CID. Another power struggle for Brett. Thank God for Senator Balfour willing to step in.