From a letter to the Used-To-Be-Macon Telegraph this morning from George Couto:
Macon City Council may look different, but it still acts the same. After the last election I feel the people of Macon made their thoughts pretty clear. But, once in office the council takes on a mind of its own.
The city is shrinking; Macon’s population is now estimated to be down to 92,000. With shrinking resources come hard choices, like the privatization of the sanitation department. In all, more jobs at the city will have to be shed. The city has a staff that at one time serviced a city of more than 100,000 people, which is no longer the case.
All city departments should shed positions, including the police and fire departments. The private sector sheds jobs to keep pace with the economy; the city government should be no different. One good place to start cutting back would be City Council. There is no need for 15 members; seven or five would be more than enough. There are too many chiefs and not enough Indians in city government, and a bad case of political gridlock has been keeping Macon from moving ahead.
No one is guaranteed a job for life with a great benefits package, and the taxpayers’ pockets are getting pretty bare.
“… too many chiefs and not enough Indians in city government….”
How large are other city councils in Georgia and what’s the recent history of attempts to reduce city council’s size? Go to the How many city council people does it take? post.
38 responses so far ↓
1 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 9:05 am
Gentle readers,
If you live within the city limits, it is through the power of your residency that you are given the right to complain, explain, or compliment. These elected officials represent you, a citizen of Macon, no one else.
To those of you living outside of the city limits, please be very careful here. Your negative opinions and concerns cannot be heard for you do not have a voice (vote); therefore, their intent can only be to incite. Unfortunately, the city’s affect on you is your lot to bear.
2 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 9:20 am
Question: Does George Couto live within the city limits? Google it in and find out.
3 missoldmacon // Jul 20, 2008 at 10:41 am
Ima is quite correct. And she should also tell those who DO NOT EXERCISE THEIR RIGHT TO VOTE to exclude themselves from complaining, too.
Atlanta has 16 running their city? And Macon has 15? - second only to Atlanta?
What a folly. And what a waste of money, too.
I’ve found that too many cooks spoil the soup - and this is truly our situation here in Macon.
(I live inside of city limits and vote in all elections).
4 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 11:28 am
I lived inside the city limits for more than 14 years of my adult, tax-paying life. All my smart friends moved to the southern end of Monroe County. I did not follow suit, but I am now Bibb only and not city and I shall keep my fat mouth shut.
5 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 11:30 am
Oops, the applause at my dumb old chatter shutting up just died down and I have only one comment: I have some personal pals in that pertinent photo up there. Those folks have gainful employment that would support them without any other funds. Almost to a person it has to do with the private sector.Since I am NOT city I will not comment on this info, I will offer the info ONLY. There, I shut up again. (I hear applause. Rightly so.)
6 wmccnews // Jul 20, 2008 at 11:45 am
Everyone is welcome to comment. Of course, as Ima points out, some comments carry more weight than others.
7 augustus // Jul 20, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Ima, I will comment on what I like, thank you. Please look at the 1st amendment sometime. Further, I pay State and Federal taxes, which Macon receives in large measure; therefore I have an earned right to comment on Macon and its half baked politicians.
We have discussed this before. Too many elected officials in Macon. Too many of those officials are second rate types. The key ideas: get smaller (7 would be about right); get better people.
Glad I live in Monroe Co. Good luck, Bibbians.
8 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 12:57 pm
“Brown’s plan gets mixed reviews from city leaders.” Matt Barnwell, Macon Telegraph, February 28, 1907
Macon City Council voted 14 - 0 to reduce its size. Filomena Mullis was not present to vote.
Brown vs Macon City Council: both proposals wanted to reduce city council from 15 to 11.
City Council’s proposal: “The city… asked the Legislature to remove the five at-large positions, leaving 10 council members to be elected in-ward and an 11th elected by the entire city to serve as council president.”
Brown’s proposal: “Brown wants to remove a seat from within each of the city’s five wards, leaving five council members elected in-ward and six, including a council president who would be elected at-large.”
In a letter, council members Nancy White and Cole Thomason “(urged) Brown to honor the city’s original request.”
Brown vetoed it.
Read more about it at Accessmylibrary.com
free registration.
9 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 12:59 pm
errata: 2007, not 1907
10 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 1:19 pm
When y’all are writin’ the check, yours are the only comments to be listened to. Notice I’ve yet to shut up? That’s okay since I’ve yet to say anything, (now I sound like my brothers…)
11 wmccnews // Jul 20, 2008 at 1:42 pm
Ima, thank you for the http://www.accessmylibrary.com link. That’s good to know.
12 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 3:08 pm
Augustus, of course, you have a right to an opinion on anything, and you certainly have a right to express that opinion on any blog; it is not my intent to prevent you, but my question to you is why would you have an opinion regarding Macon business to express? Bottom line: You cannot vote, therefore, you cannot facilitate any form of change that you might offer. Macon’s city council members do not represent you, so they don’t listen to what you have to say, and Macon citizens certainly shouldn’t either. It is an exercise in futility, on your part.
No, there are only a few logical reasons: It is either to incite, to seek revenge, or to glorify one’s self. With that perspective, I now ask: Why are Macon matters so important to anyone who lives outside the city limits? What is your or any non-resident’s of the City of Macon true intent?
13 John O // Jul 20, 2008 at 3:45 pm
I live outside the city but as long as the Council continues their selfish infighting, we are safe from the Mayor’s annexation attempts. Nobody in their right mind would want those idiots on Council representing them.
14 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 3:56 pm
I have noticed that some people on council now are just recently tall enough to drive. That is not a criteria, and there are very youth-y people who do great work, but in some cases the lack of experience, (I am just talking about walkin around sense and life itself) is stunning.
15 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:09 pm
“Nobody in their right mind would want those idiots on Council representing them.”
…so, John O, your intent is for revenge?
16 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:19 pm
Glad, do you think Ed DeFore, Elaine Lucas, Charles Jones, Rick Hutto, Nancy White, James Timley and Miriam Paris do not share their experience??!!!!! Ever been to a committee meeting?
17 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:41 pm
John O is busy hitting the nail on the head. I know. I googled his living room window and it shows him in progress.
18 gladiator // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:44 pm
I think when I use my luddite sleuthing skills to learn more about where we live, there is a distinct difference in the counties of Monroe and Bibb, and drastic differences in the city of Macon and the stats regarding surrounding areas. It is never as glaring as say, Ann Arbor, Michigan, (essentially 100% college grads, most people with advanced education beyond the master’s degree) and the surrounding rural areas outside of the influence of U of M. But when you look at the differences (not just ed or money) in the counties, it is almost as though they exist in different states.
19 The Photographer // Jul 20, 2008 at 5:51 pm
I live outside the city too. Can’t say the Board of Commissioners is much better. I’ve seen a certain fellow throw a fit about how another commissioner messed up his relationship with his girlfriend, during the commission meeting. It was a hoot. What that had to do with the operation of the County I’ll never know.
So, you can reduce the bodies on council to whatever number, consolidate, annex or whatever politically correct term you want to call it, until there are some standards for running for public office, nothing will change.
20 augustus // Jul 20, 2008 at 7:25 pm
My intent, Ima? To tell the truth to all who have sense enough to hear it. Maybe my tax dollars will be spent more wisely in Macon if I speak the truth clearly.
Ima, you are not the only one with free speech rights. Further, it is a bit pompous of you to speak as you please and then suggest that others be quiet. You seem to want a monologue when the method is a debate.
21 Ima Thinkin // Jul 20, 2008 at 8:53 pm
Whatever, Gus, but think! You’ve never had many Macon citizens debate with you before; it’s been pretty “your” sided until now, and y’all have enjoyed administering the beatings, but enough is enough. Thankfully, you got my point, and, yes, I am pompous as hell, so are you…nothing wrong with that.
Fact: You and some others decided to leave Macon/Bibb County, and, in doing so, you wanted your departure to make a loud statement. Well, it did, for a time being, but, because we did hear you, your continuous berating instructions are now meaningless. We have hope. You are gone, absent, with no voice. Why be angry, because we did exactly what you wanted us to do? You need to let go. Even if you can’t wish us well, we will do so to you.
Your intent in your negative comments has nothing to do with how you’d like your tax dollars to be spent. Remember? You can’t be heard. because you have no voice. No, your intent is revenge. You want to make sure that we have learned from our mistakes to your satisfaction — and that is the truth; now, do you “…have sense enough to hear it?”
22 eveneeser // Jul 21, 2008 at 11:04 am
Not to jump in too late, but the point of democracy is to speak out against things you disagree with by voting right?
I’m just tired of the comments regarding leaving the City of Macon for Bibb County even though people still work and play in the City. Fine, be irritated about it, but constantly bickering that it is so much better in the County than the City is bollucks. You ran away from the problem and now sit in your glass house.
At least people are realizing the County Commissioners are in no great shape.
5 City Council members should be just fine. In fact how about consolidate and give us 5 and a city manager or mayor and that way only 6 people and not 21 are running the entire city and county. Shed departments that are duplicated because we lack consolidation and we’d save a heck of a lot of money.
23 augustus // Jul 21, 2008 at 12:02 pm
Ima, you are the angry one who needs to let go. And if I have no voice, why tell me to shut up?
I will continue to speak out about no count politicians regardless of what you think, Ima.
24 gladiator // Jul 21, 2008 at 1:39 pm
Why do people say, “Thank God I don’t live in city limits” ? This is not a question of hypothesis–it is a real bona fide question.
25 augustus // Jul 21, 2008 at 7:14 pm
Glad, the answer is simple. As far as Monroe Co. goes, less taxes, less crime, less welfare queens.
26 John O // Jul 21, 2008 at 7:31 pm
evenser, I don’t work or play in the city. I use the new mall outside the city limits. Never go downtown or over the river unless it’s to Jones county. Don’t have a problem playing, eating out or shopping ouside the city.
27 Cotton Avenue Solon // Jul 22, 2008 at 10:14 am
When one looks at the really “big picture” of our regional Central Georgia economic area, or even the global economy with its ever decreasing boundaries of time and space, it seems rather trivial and nonsensical to be talking of Macon versus Bibb County, does it not?
Or to be arguing the merits of downtown Macon versus the “new outdoor mall”, or Byron versus Fort Valley, or Warner Robins versus Centerville, or North Macon versus Monroe County………and on and on it goes. This is sheer lunacy, folks!
Consolidation WILL HAPPEN in Macon/Bibb County, and for that matter we might as well throw in Jones and Crawford Counties also.
28 gladiator // Jul 22, 2008 at 10:25 am
I am very balanced. I spend equal amounts of time in Atlanta, Macon, Bibb and Monroeville. I like them all, and spend equal amounts of money there, (a bit more in Bibb). My favorite house ever is in the city limits. So far, I’ve made do with my Plasticville house in Bibborama. For someone as obsessed as I am with antique greatness, and a love of all things J. Neil Reed, it is nuts that I still live in a Plasticville house…
29 Cotton Avenue Solon // Jul 22, 2008 at 11:50 am
Gladiator…… a bit of a warning to you my dear madam. Please be very cautious in using the word “nuts” in a public forum such as this.
Within the city limits, or rather, the urban core of Macon, there could be lurking a visitor known as the “Rainbow Creator”, the infinitely wise one, Reverend Jesse Jackson.
30 augustus // Jul 22, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Cotton, give it up. Consolidation will never happen. You are acting like that dorky guy in high school that dreams of a date with the pretty cheerleader. Forget it, King Cotton.
31 Cotton Avenue Solon // Jul 22, 2008 at 5:59 pm
Augustus, I must admit to you that you’ve got me pegged right on the money! In four years of high school I probably only had one date with a “9″ or “10″.
My academic prowess and proficiency relegated me to the love boat with the “6’s”, “7’s” and “8’s”. But you know what? When it came time to tie the knot, I got my “pretty cheerleader”, a “vivacious 10 plus”.
32 gladiator // Jul 22, 2008 at 6:34 pm
I have the most sneaking of suspicions that ol Cotton probably was disinterested in the cute cheerleader and went for the brainy gorgeous gal instead. I bet that guy probably was able to convince said brainy girl that he was the one!!! Had to do with his madras pants and saddle oxfords.
33 gladiator // Jul 22, 2008 at 6:35 pm
I think I saw Jesse Jackson today in Central City Park. I think he was chasing the squirrels to get their nuts.
34 augustus // Jul 22, 2008 at 7:36 pm
Glad to hear it, King Cotton.
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