A Winder resident whose $100 donation sparked the city government’s creation of a new “Downtown Improvement Fund” for private donations is not happy with the folks running city hall.
Resident Chip Lewis told the Barrow Journal that hours before he addressed the council on March 9, city administrator Bob Beck recommended he not to speak to the council that night, but instead allow the city staff privately to address his concerns.
The 35-year-old engineer, who works for Delta Air Lines in Atlanta, said he wanted to get on the agenda to talk about the need for stricter city codes to protect historic neighborhoods near downtown. One of his neighbors last year cut down several large trees along Center Street and another neighbor built a fence he felt was incompatible with the style and architecture of the 1930s neighborhood.
But he said when he called city administrator Bob Beck about getting on the agenda to make a public comment, Beck asked him what he wanted to talk about and then suggested he would get quicker action by dealing instead with him and with the planning director.
“I said I want to talk about code enforcement, a tree ordinance and preserving historic downtown Winder,” Lewis said. “He said, ‘you’d be better off just coming and sitting down and talking with me or Barry (Edgar) and we can find out what you want and we can work on it.’”
Lewis said he then asked Beck to explain the staff’s and city council’s roles and what goes on in the city government.
“He said, ‘we have what’s called a strong mayoral city government where the mayor gives us the direction and the city administrator is his right-hand man and works to accomplish what the mayor wants,’” Lewis said of Beck’s comments. “He was always clear about saying the city administrator is his right-hand man.”
Lewis said Beck also told him that the mayor and staff do not always follow what the council wants.
“He said the city council is part of the process, ‘but they are not that involved in making these decisions in what we do.’ He said, ‘if you are expecting them to vote on something if you speak, they can’t, because it has to be put out for public input.’
“I said, ‘But can’t they listen to my comments and the comments of my community and put a motion on the floor for the city to look into this, or put out a notice for public input on topics?’
“My thinking is what’s the point of the city council?”
Lewis said Beck “almost made it sound like the only thing that was going to be put out for public input was what the mayor and city administrator thought up.”
Lewis added: “In effect, the city council has almost no authority and the mayor and his administrator directed all the activities.”
“I asked him, ‘Can’t the city council listen to what I’m asking for and initiate the public input?’
“He said, ‘You’re better off just talking to Barrry Edgar and coming to see me.’”
A DIFFERENT ISSUE
After getting that kind of response from the city administrator, Lewis said he revised his planned remarks and left work early to make sure he arrived on time for the 6 p.m. council meeting.
In his statement that night, Lewis complained that he and his wife, along with other residents, had called city hall about the need for a tree ordinance and stricter codes and code enforcement, but had not seen any action by the government.
“I realize that I can go speak to the city workers and request this on a one-on-one basis, but I should not have to,” he told the council in an apparent reference to his earlier talk with Beck. “If concerned citizens voice their opinions at this and other city council meetings, then that should be the mandate needed for action to occur.”
He demanded that the council lead by example. Holding up $100 in cash, he asked the city government to establish a fund for private donations to help with some of the recommended improvements in the new Livable Cities Initiative plan. Police Chief Stanley Rodgers at the meeting also said he would donate $100, and both later made good on their pledges.
Lewis said he also was not happy with Councilman David Maynard’s leadership on a motion tying the administration’s hands by forcing further council approval before the expenditure of additional funds or staff time on the LCI projects.
“It’s a shame about David Maynard’s position on the LCI,” Lewis said. “When I went to an LCI presentation a couple of months ago, the consultants said you will need to choose a champion to coordinate with Winder and the LCI.
“I immediately thought of David Maynard. It would be a perfect opportunity to have the city government involved with someone from a respected family. And even though it would pose a horrendous conflict of interest, if he as a construction person could push it forward, he would make money as well as get things done.”
Lewis said he also was disturbed that night to hear the mayor commenting in the lobby before the meeting that he didn’t know his part-time elected position would require such a full-time effort. Lewis said that is not the first time he has heard Thompson make such a statement.
“To me, it might have been a funny joke once, but considering how little he has done and how long he’s been mayor, it’s kinda past the point of being a joke, except in a bad way.”
BECK RESPONDS
Asked about Lewis’ allegations, Beck responded with the following message to the Journal: “Being a newspaper reporter, you are familiar with the shortcomings of communications. A statement is made intending to convey an idea or thought. The idea or thought is not received by the listener in the same context or intent as the speaker’s. Thus, the classic case of a ‘failure to communicate.’ Apparently, Mr. Lewis and I failed to communicate.
“I never intended to discourage Mr. Lewis from addressing the council. As a matter of fact, I explained to him the process of making a statement to the council. He used that process to address the council and I might add did a very good job.
“I also explained to Mr. Lewis that if he had a specific problem that he could get a quicker response from the city staff. To address the council with a specific problem would mean that he would have to wait until the council met and then the council would then tell the city staff to correct the issue.”
As for Lewis’ comments about the mayor, Beck wrote: “The mayor's statement was made jokingly among friends and does not, in any way, reflect upon his commitment to the responsibilities of mayor or to the citizens of Winder.
“These are very difficult financial times in which we are living. The council's tone is reflective of how serious they are about the obligation of allocating he city's scarce resources.”
Asked if he felt it was possible that he had misunderstood Beck’s comments during their March 9 phone conversation, Lewis responded: “I do not feel that I misunderstood Mr. Beck.”
DOWNTOWN IMPROVEMENT FUND
Meanwhile, finance director Leslie Henderson has established a Downtown Improvement Fund for private donations. Checks should be made payable to the “City of Winder” with the “Downtown Improvement Fund” listed on the bottom left-hand corner to designate how the money is to be used.
The donations may be mailed to City Hall, in care of “Downtown Improvement Fund”, 45 East Athens Street, P.O. Box 566, Winder, GA 30680.
For more information, call city hall at 770-867-3106.
