WARREN GRANT: Taxpayers deserve information in McCoy/Hayes flap

First and foremost, I’ve never written an article with the expectation that I wanted anyone to think like me. Totally wrong. All I ask is for you to just think. If you disagree, don’t like, agree, or just don’t know, but you thought about what I said, I have accomplished what I’ve set out to do.

I’ve had to wait a couple of days after the last Dougherty County Commission meeting to settle down some. What I believe I witnessed is another wooden stake driven into the heart of the county. We are at the portal, or have just passed the portal, of where we (Dougherty County) have anything of value to offer a potential business or entity, enticing them to locate or expand here. Personally, I don’t think so, and for this reason.

Any business will pick apart every location they think has some potential for them. I’ve seen these “bird dogs” (scouts for companies) in action. They come into a town and turn every rock and look under every blade of grass to find all there is about the area. And I mean all. Then they make a list of questions to ask the local authorities when they arrange to meet with them. With questions in hand, that they already have the answers to, they begin their process of discovery.

The reason for asking questions they already have the answers to is simple: The answers given to them by the local authorities will tell them multitudes about whether they want to expand or relocate to the area.

Now, if Dougherty County officials thinks for just one second that this standoff between the county and Mr. (Mike) McCoy will go undiscovered, wrong. At this point, I’m not sure which side of the fence I want to be on, and for this reason. If the taxpayers are footing the bill for the last settlement with Mr. McCoy and will do the same if he’s successful with his current suit, just why in the hell are we not allowed to know all of the particulars in this case?

I mean all, including the verbiage between Commissioner (John) Hayes and Mr. McCoy. I had asked for that information, and all I got was a whitewash, giving me a copy of the settlement. I want to know what was said, and by whom. I want to know who instigated the confrontation and if physical contact was made. Why is this private knowledge? You’ve taken my tax dollars and spent it without my approval, now tell me who, what, why and when.

As for Mr. McCoy’s suit, I am curious. This is a right-to-work state. But it’s not a right to sue to get a job state. If that were the case, I would sue Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital to get Mr. (Joel) Wernick’s job for $6.5 million over three years and save them $2 million.

The finger-pointing has gotten to the point that it’s like the gunfight at the “OK Corral.” Anyone who moves is going to get shot. And the victims, the ones who are suffering, are the taxpayers of the county. Apparently, we are considered collateral damage, and therefore, are expendable, not of value. Yet we are the least informed. Just why is the board allowed to hide information from us? Why do they go into executive session to discuss these matters that affect us?

I’m obviously not an attorney, but I would like to know the exact statute or law that specifically dictates that we the people do not have a right to know. Does Dougherty County think I’m so immature that I can’t comprehend or understand what’s being done with my money? The county is in the red, and you can bet a millage rate increase is coming. Millage rate increase equals tax increase. If Mr. McCoy wins his suit, then the dollars will go up even more.

I did think Mr. (Chris) Cohilas was correct in clarifying the previous vote on Mr. McCoy. But having said that, I noted that Commissioner (Gloria) Gaines’ sub-motion was written, well-scripted, and had to be read. This tells me that it was not a doing of her own, and that others had input as to when and who and what would be said and done. If so, it was illegal. Again, I’m not an attorney, but it isn’t what you know, it’s what you can prove, and I can’t prove it.

Three more questions exist: When is Dougherty County going to do what the constituents want instead of what they think is best, and what if this new search shows that Mr. McCoy is still the best-qualified? How many searches will it take to settle this? There were many people at Mondays meeting expressing their interests, and Commissioner (Anthony) Jones made a plea to God for help. Apparently, He was busy, but the outcome was predictable.

One of the initial parties, Commissioner Hayes, who is seeking re-election, remained quiet and, in the background, again, in my opinion, very rehearsed. I would like for the community to stand with me and demand the entire information about the initial confrontation so that we can make up our own minds, instead of having it made up for us.