Dear Editor:
Speaking as a past member of the Winder City Council, I want to take issue with a statement made by Susan Norman in a recent article about the City of Winder.
LETTER: Story is misleading
Susan wrote: “...it appears Winder’s era of quick meetings and perfunctory votes is over.”
Susan’s statement is, in my opinion, false and misleading, and is also very insulting to all of the hard-working and dedicated men and women who have served as mayors and council members in the past or still serve in those roles.
I looked up several definitions of “perfunctory” and found “without interest, done only for the sake of being done without concern for quality”, “in a set manner without serious attention”, and “performed out of routine and with little care”.
Having worked side-by-side with many dedicated individuals over the past 24 years on the Winder City Council, I know they all treated their votes very seriously. Does Susan Norman really think that Winder council members perform their jobs out of routine with little care? Pathetic. Nothing could be further from the truth. These people work many, many long hours talking to citizens and researching issues. The final vote is the culmination of a lot of work and I can guarantee you that they were not cast “without concern for quality.”
In the past several years I remember many 5-1 and 4-2 votes. We even had a 3-3 vote on a very important and controversial issue. The Mayor broke the tie. It was the first time in my 24 years that a Mayor has had to break a 3-3 tie vote. That is not “out of routine and with little care” as Susan Norman seems to think. And what is wrong with 6-0 votes? If the council agrees on an issue and the vote is unanimous that certainly isn’t any reason to think that the votes came “without concern for quality."
And what about the quick meetings? I have seen Susan Norman in many council work sessions (the night BEFORE the actual council meeting) and she knows as well as anyone that the quick council meetings usually come as a result of what are sometimes 2 plus hour briefing sessions the night before the actual meeting. The briefing session (open to the public) is where all of the real work occurs. Council members, the Mayor, and City Hall employees are all there working together hammering through issue after issue. This is where tempers flare...where folks tend to air out their difference...where compromises are sometimes made. These are often anything but quick and are certainly not “done only for the sake of being done.”
These sometimes very long and intense briefing sessions can often result in a quick council meeting. The intention is to present a professional image at the council meeting. The last thing the City of Winder wants is a circus-like atmosphere in their council meetings as some other cities and towns have.
Sadly, 99 percent of the citizens of Winder have never attended a Winder City Council meeting and never will. It is equally sad that these same citizens will read information like Susan Norman wrote and take it for the truth. The hard working men and women who serve now and have served in the past deserve better and in my opinion deserve an apology from Susan Norman and the Barrow Journal.
Sincerely,
Mike Mingus
Winder
Know your census rights
Dear Editor:
The 2010 census is coming.
Unless you don't care how much personal data government bureaucracy collects about you there is no reason to give in to Census Bureau lies and intimidation.
The U.S. Constitution calls for a count of citizens every 10 years. You are only required to answer the number of people living at your residence, their age, and sex. Names are not required. Actually even sex and age are not mentioned in the Constitution, only a count of people.
The maximum fine threatened for not answering all questions is $100 but I have found no evidence it's ever been charged. The Census Bureau threatens a fine up to $5000 for not answering the American Community Survey but it has nothing to do with a constitutional census. The ACS is unconstitutional and highly intrusive.
Joel Skousen, political scientist specializing in the philosophy of law and Constitutional theory stated in his March 5 newsletter World Affairs Brief, "And, don't be cowered by the Bureau's recitation of potential penalties. They have never prosecuted anyone and aren't anxious to do so since the limited purposes of the census are outlined in the Constitution itself.
The government would have a tough time in court justifying the power to the wholesale and unrestricted gathering of personal data. And, don't be fooled by federal promises to safeguard the information. We know how many times those assurances have been broken. I recommend each of you play the following short video by Jerry Day of, Matrix News Network, as he lays out what every citizen should know in a calm and reasoned manner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMurKinTVE."
Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) says she will refuse to answer any questions on the census other than the first one, which asks how many people live in the home, citing concerns about "very intricate" and "very personal" questions. I suspect she will not be the only member of Congress to do so, though she certainly will be a tiny minority.
Whether you know it or not the Census Bureau already has a GPS coordinate of every residential front door in America. How much more information will you provide them? Either stand up for your Constitutional rights or lose what few we have left. You have a choice.
As one that espouses principles of the Libertarian Party I hope the editor of this newspaper will also take a public stand for liberty regarding this issue.
Here are a couple of websites for more information. There are many others.
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/greenslade.htm
http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/02/19/the-census-and-the-constitution/
Sincerely,
Steven Garren
Winder
Barrow Habitat completes 12th home
Dear Editor,
Barrow County Habitat for Humanity is very happy to announce the donation of a house for a family in need.
The house will be ready for the family to move in, hopefully, in the next few weeks. We are so thrilled to have been blessed with this donation. This generous donation will allow us to provide a home for an additional family in need this year.
The house is being donated in loving memory of Mark Andrew, C. Davis White and Alton L. White. This will be Habitat house number 12 in Barrow County.
We are planning to begin construction on house number 13 in the next few months. If anyone would like to get involved with Barrow County Habitat for Humanity, please call our hotline at 770-277-7997.
Sincerely,
Sally Brown
Barrow County
Habitat for Humanity
Susan’s statement is, in my opinion, false and misleading, and is also very insulting to all of the hard-working and dedicated men and women who have served as mayors and council members in the past or still serve in those roles.
I looked up several definitions of “perfunctory” and found “without interest, done only for the sake of being done without concern for quality”, “in a set manner without serious attention”, and “performed out of routine and with little care”.
Having worked side-by-side with many dedicated individuals over the past 24 years on the Winder City Council, I know they all treated their votes very seriously. Does Susan Norman really think that Winder council members perform their jobs out of routine with little care? Pathetic. Nothing could be further from the truth. These people work many, many long hours talking to citizens and researching issues. The final vote is the culmination of a lot of work and I can guarantee you that they were not cast “without concern for quality.”
In the past several years I remember many 5-1 and 4-2 votes. We even had a 3-3 vote on a very important and controversial issue. The Mayor broke the tie. It was the first time in my 24 years that a Mayor has had to break a 3-3 tie vote. That is not “out of routine and with little care” as Susan Norman seems to think. And what is wrong with 6-0 votes? If the council agrees on an issue and the vote is unanimous that certainly isn’t any reason to think that the votes came “without concern for quality."
And what about the quick meetings? I have seen Susan Norman in many council work sessions (the night BEFORE the actual council meeting) and she knows as well as anyone that the quick council meetings usually come as a result of what are sometimes 2 plus hour briefing sessions the night before the actual meeting. The briefing session (open to the public) is where all of the real work occurs. Council members, the Mayor, and City Hall employees are all there working together hammering through issue after issue. This is where tempers flare...where folks tend to air out their difference...where compromises are sometimes made. These are often anything but quick and are certainly not “done only for the sake of being done.”
These sometimes very long and intense briefing sessions can often result in a quick council meeting. The intention is to present a professional image at the council meeting. The last thing the City of Winder wants is a circus-like atmosphere in their council meetings as some other cities and towns have.
Sadly, 99 percent of the citizens of Winder have never attended a Winder City Council meeting and never will. It is equally sad that these same citizens will read information like Susan Norman wrote and take it for the truth. The hard working men and women who serve now and have served in the past deserve better and in my opinion deserve an apology from Susan Norman and the Barrow Journal.
Sincerely,
Mike Mingus
Winder
Know your census rights
Dear Editor:
The 2010 census is coming.
Unless you don't care how much personal data government bureaucracy collects about you there is no reason to give in to Census Bureau lies and intimidation.
The U.S. Constitution calls for a count of citizens every 10 years. You are only required to answer the number of people living at your residence, their age, and sex. Names are not required. Actually even sex and age are not mentioned in the Constitution, only a count of people.
The maximum fine threatened for not answering all questions is $100 but I have found no evidence it's ever been charged. The Census Bureau threatens a fine up to $5000 for not answering the American Community Survey but it has nothing to do with a constitutional census. The ACS is unconstitutional and highly intrusive.
Joel Skousen, political scientist specializing in the philosophy of law and Constitutional theory stated in his March 5 newsletter World Affairs Brief, "And, don't be cowered by the Bureau's recitation of potential penalties. They have never prosecuted anyone and aren't anxious to do so since the limited purposes of the census are outlined in the Constitution itself.
The government would have a tough time in court justifying the power to the wholesale and unrestricted gathering of personal data. And, don't be fooled by federal promises to safeguard the information. We know how many times those assurances have been broken. I recommend each of you play the following short video by Jerry Day of, Matrix News Network, as he lays out what every citizen should know in a calm and reasoned manner: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUMurKinTVE."
Rep. Michelle Bachman (R-MN) says she will refuse to answer any questions on the census other than the first one, which asks how many people live in the home, citing concerns about "very intricate" and "very personal" questions. I suspect she will not be the only member of Congress to do so, though she certainly will be a tiny minority.
Whether you know it or not the Census Bureau already has a GPS coordinate of every residential front door in America. How much more information will you provide them? Either stand up for your Constitutional rights or lose what few we have left. You have a choice.
As one that espouses principles of the Libertarian Party I hope the editor of this newspaper will also take a public stand for liberty regarding this issue.
Here are a couple of websites for more information. There are many others.
http://www.thepriceofliberty.org/greenslade.htm
http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2010/02/19/the-census-and-the-constitution/
Sincerely,
Steven Garren
Winder
Barrow Habitat completes 12th home
Dear Editor,
Barrow County Habitat for Humanity is very happy to announce the donation of a house for a family in need.
The house will be ready for the family to move in, hopefully, in the next few weeks. We are so thrilled to have been blessed with this donation. This generous donation will allow us to provide a home for an additional family in need this year.
The house is being donated in loving memory of Mark Andrew, C. Davis White and Alton L. White. This will be Habitat house number 12 in Barrow County.
We are planning to begin construction on house number 13 in the next few months. If anyone would like to get involved with Barrow County Habitat for Humanity, please call our hotline at 770-277-7997.
Sincerely,
Sally Brown
Barrow County
Habitat for Humanity
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If you are a former council member then why are you still BS-ing the public? I have witnessed and been victimized by the perfunctory rubber stamping council. You may have a handful of examples where the council actually looked at something, and I'm guessing it was a public hot topic, but there are too many examples of perfunctory actions to be listed. It seems in Winder the government runs the government rather than the people running the government. There is too much power at the top of the government with little or no transparency. Decisions are made in offices behind closed doors or on the phone where the PEOPLE have no say in the matter. Keep your head in the sand with all the other ostriches.
Do you understand the ostrich syndrome? It doesn't look like it. And what part of victim do you not get? Of coarse i will post anonymously. Have you ever been a victim? It seems to make guarded against becoming another victim.